Traditional Literature

There is no way to identify an author for traditional tales because they are old stories that have been told over and over again. Here are the categories of traditional literature:

• Fable: A brief story in which the moral is explicitly stated. The type of characters in this category are that animals talk as they are humans. The setting can be any place, anytime. The themes for fable are lessons to be learned that reflect the values of culture. This is not told as fact.
• Myth: This explains aspects of culture or how something came to be in the natural world. People who have super-powers are the characters in this category. The setting for this is "in the beginning". The themes for myth's are supernatural creators; origins of the world, natural phenomena, animals and people. This is told as a fact.
• Legend: Traditional narrative based on historical truth. Historical figures, kings and heroes are the characters for category. Recent past is the setting. A theme for legend is courage/perseverance of heroes. This category is told as a fact.
• Religious Stories: These are stories of important events and people of different religions. Prominent religious figures are the characters set in a biblical time period. Some of the themes are peace, hope, and faith. This is told as a fact.
• Tall Tale: These tales are exaggerated humorous stories of characters that perform impossible acts. The characters are historical figures with superhuman strengths with a North American setting. Frontier settlement and hard work are the themes for this category. This not told as a fact.
• Folktale: This is a fairy, human, or animal tale told over and over again. Humans or animals are the characters that live in a far distant place. Some themes are the universal truths that reflect the values of the times/societies. This is not told as a fact.