We are celebrating World Folktales and Fables this week. For most of us these are the first sotires that were read to us as children. These are fantastical and magic realms that also included a subtle warning of danger too.

There are differences between a fable and a folktale. A fable is a short allegorical narrative, which makes a moral point, and usually includes animal characters speaking and acting like human beings. A fable, on the other hand, although traditional, is usually anonymous and handed down generation to generation orally. This is due to the illiteracy of the population when these stories were conceived.

Typically both stories have magic, mythical, fanciful beings such as dragons, dwarfs, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, griffins, merfolk, monsters, pixies, trolls, unicorns, witches and wizards to name a few.

Thus we have classifications for a folk tale or fable as:

• Animal Tales.
• Tales of Magic/ Wonder Tales.
• Religious Tales.
• Realistic/ Romantic Tales.
• Tales of the Stupid Ogre.

We are all familiar with the ‘main’ stories, they are part of our childhoods. Obviously, there are cultural differences but the basis plots are similar.

• Goldilocks
• Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
• Little Red Riding Hood.
• The Sisters Grimm
• Cinderella.
• Anansi and the Magic Stick
• The Ugly Duckling
• The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Which are your favorite?

I think mine is The Ugly Ducking because of the transformation aspect. We can all become something we want, and are always better being our true selves.