Folktales, Fables and Fairy Tales

In Sleeping Beauty, the evil queen has cast a spell on Princess Aurora. Sleeping Beauty is a:

• tall tale

• fable

• legend

• fairy tale

Answer explanation

Sleeping Beauty is a fairy tale because it features magical elements, such as a spell cast by an evil queen, and follows the traditional structure of fairy tales with a princess and a moral lesson.

Cinderella is a heroine who uses magic to overcome problems. Cinderella is a:

• fairy tale

• fable

• myth

• tall tale

Answer explanation

Cinderella is a classic fairy tale featuring magic and a heroine who overcomes adversity. Unlike fables, myths, or tall tales, fairy tales specifically involve magical elements and often include moral lessons.

The structure of a fairy tale does NOT include:

• everyday, typical settings

• set-up scene in which hero/heroine is introduced, put into a setting, a warning is given

• a series of escalating problems before the climax, or main event

• a happy ending: they lived happily ever after

Answer explanation

Fairy tales typically feature fantastical settings rather than everyday, typical settings. The other options describe common elements found in fairy tales, such as the introduction of characters, escalating problems, and a happy ending.

What is a moral?

• a political idea

• a lesson about a behavior that we must follow

• a life lesson demonstrating how goodness can overcome something negative (e.g., laziness)

• a lesson about how to succeed

Answer explanation

A moral is a life lesson that illustrates how positive qualities, like goodness, can triumph over negative traits, such as laziness. This aligns with the correct choice, emphasizing the importance of virtuous behavior.

Which of the following contains a moral?

• fables, folktales

• folktales only

• fables only

• fables

  folktales

  fairy tales: subtle (harder to detect) moral

Answer explanation

Fables and folktales both contain clear morals, while fairy tales may have subtler morals that are harder to detect. Therefore, the correct answers include fables, folktales, and fairy tales.

Which of the following is NOT true about the characters in fables?

• use magic to overcome problems

• interact in everyday settings

• overcome ordinary problems

• don't use magic to solve problems

Answer explanation

In fables, characters typically do not use magic to solve problems; they rely on their wits and morals. Therefore, the statement 'use magic to overcome problems' is NOT true about fable characters.

Which of the following is NOT true about the characters in fairy tales?

• involved in a struggle between good and evil

• characters overcome problems through magic

• contain a hero/heroine (protagonist) and villain/villainess (antagonist)

• they are always animals

Answer explanation

The statement 'they are always animals' is NOT true about fairy tale characters. While some fairy tales feature animal characters, many include humans as protagonists and antagonists, making this choice incorrect.

The structure of this type of folklore is:

the main characters are talking animals, a problem is introduced, the problem is solved without the use of magic, a moral lesson is revealed at the end

• fairy tale

• folktale

• fantasy

• fable

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'fable' because it features talking animals, presents a problem, resolves it without magic, and concludes with a moral lesson, which aligns perfectly with the structure described.

In The Tortoise and the Hare, we learn that slow and steady (perseverance) wins the race. This is an example of a:

• setting

• main event

• fairy tale

• moral lesson

Answer explanation

The story illustrates that perseverance leads to success, which conveys a moral lesson. This key takeaway is what makes it a moral lesson rather than just a setting, main event, or fairy tale.

Which of the following is true about fairy tales?

• struggle between good and evil

• characters overcome everyday problems

• settings occur in everyday locations

• magic is not used to solve problems

Answer explanation

Fairy tales often depict a struggle between good and evil, showcasing heroes and villains. This theme is central to many stories, while the other options do not accurately represent the typical characteristics of fairy tales.