Storytelling and Folktales

 

Simply put, folktales are oral traditions passed on through generations. This storytelling is also one of our earliest forms of art and entertainment. To get started with your own story or version of a folktale, it is important to understand a few terms.

Plot – The sequence of events from which a story can be made.

Retell – Restate the story in your own words.

Version – One of many possible presentations of a single plot. Once you've retold the story, you will have created your own version!

Characters – The people, animals, or other communicators in the tale.

Narrator – The presenter of the tale.

 

Since literacy wasn't common until modern times, old folktales preserved cultures and communities through the spoken word. However, after Guttenberg's invention of the printing press in 1450, the development of books helped to preserve oral tales in writing. Many of the stories we're read growing up are based on old folktales and oral traditions, and many modern stories are simply new versions of old tales. In our fast paced, media driven culture, storytelling is a good way to remind ourselves of the power of the spoken word, and that clear communication is an art.

 

ACTIVITY

WRITING

Can you come up with any stories off the top of your head that you remember hearing about your family growing up? If so, write down the beginning and ending of the story as you remember it, and fill in the rest with your imagination. Focus on drawing your audience in with your first line and flooring them with your closer. Throughout the story, you'll want to make sure to keep their attention, so let your imagination run wild.

Or, if no stories come to mind, create a personal fable. Assign animal characters to represent people you know. This is a private process, and there is no need to share which animal represents you or any of the people you write about, but these animals should be the stars of your personal narrative. 

REVISION

Revise your story for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and try to make your story as captivating as possible. 

PUBLISHING

Folktales are meant to be read aloud, so take turns sharing your stories with an audience. After each reading, offer constructive feedback.