Unit 8: Introduction to Folk Literature

A myth is a traditional story that usually presents supernatural events involving gods and heroes.

labyrinth: “maze”—originally referred to a series of winding passages that was used to imprison a monster

odyssey: “long journey”—originally referred to the twenty-year journey of the hero Odysseus to reach home after the Trojan War

A creation myth tells how the world and human beings came to exist.

An origin myth is a story that explains objects or events in the natural world.

A hero myth tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero. The plots of hero myths often involve battles with monsters and the adventurous journeys known as quests.

A type of story related to the myth is the legend. A legend is a traditional story that is popularly thought of as historical but lacks evidence to verify that the events occurred.

Folk tales are stories passed by word of mouth from generation to generation. Although the term folk tale is often used to refer to any type of story in folk literature, it also refers specifically to stories that could have taken place anywhere and at any time and that are considered anonymous (created by an unknown person).

Fairy tales are folk tales that contain supernatural beings, such as fairies, dragons, ogres, and animals with human qualities.

A fable is a brief story that frequently includes animal characters and a moral.

A proverb is a short, familiar saying, often passed down through the oral tradition, that expresses a basic truth about life.