About Tall Tales and Legends

(Folklore, Nonfiction) includes stories and fairy tales, as well as sayings, games, songs, and dances. People preserve their history through this type of literature.

• Folklore

• Nonfiction

One important part of American folklore is the (tall tale, news article). People from many different cultures brought their folklore with them to America.

• Tall Tale

• News Article

For instance, stories in (German, African) folklore told about the adventures of a Trickster Rabbit who could outsmart his enemies. In America, this character became B'rer Rabbit, a hero of many American folktales.

• German

• African

Folklore first began as (oral, written) literature. That is, most tall tales and legends, like fables and myths, were first passed along by word of mouth.

• Oral

• Written

Tall tales have plot, characters, and settings. In America, the setting is often the (frontier, ocean), and the characters are often pioneers.

• Frontier

• Ocean

The characters in tall tales tend to be taller, stronger, smarter, and braver than the usual person. For instance, Pecos Bill rode a (cyclone, evergreen tree) and created Death Valley.

• Cyclone

• Evergreen Tree

A second type of folklore is the (ballet, legend). These stories tell about real people, places, or events.

• Ballet

• Legend

In legends, the characters are people who actually lived, such as Daniel Boone and (B'rer Rabbit, Davy Crockett), or who may have actually lived, such as John Henry. Other legends are built around a real event or a real place.

• B'rer Rabbit

• Davy Crockett

American folklore gives us a chance to look (back, forward) to our past. These stories help us understand the great variety of cultures that went into the settling of our country.

• Back

• Forward

In legends, some details are historically true. However, other details come straight from the storyteller's (history books, imagination).

• History Books

• Imagination