Why do folktales have morals

As a result, folktales make it easier for children to differentiate characters, follow a plotline or recall a sequence of events. Not surprisingly, working with folktales can also help children develop the critical reading skills of phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension needed to meet the requirements defined in the Common Core Standards for Reading. While these classic stories are not only highly entertaining, they also play an important role in passing along core values or character traits.

Folktales were often employed to share a common history, to reinforce cultural values or highlight important traditions. When people belonged to a tribe or lived in a small village, by necessity they needed to be able to get along well under a variety of circumstances and minimize conflict.

Typically, only the chief, a high priest or a Shaman could confront someone over committing an offense. As a result, stories were often shared to intentionally clarify how a transgression had occurred. As folktales were passed down over generations they modeled behaviors and helped reinforce expectations about how to live a meaningful life. Over time, folktales subtly incorporated character traits like caring, resourcefulness, trust or courage into the fabric of the stories.

Folktales also model the elements of effective decision-making. Characters in folktales invariably encounter conflicts that require them to make difficult decisions and take action to resolve a conflict. As a result, folktales can demonstrate the importance of making difficult decisions under challenging circumstances.

Engaging children in discussions about the consequences of making poorly thought-out or rash decisions, helps them see the importance of making effective decisions in their lives. Folktales by their nature celebrate diversity. One of the most popular folktales — Jack and the Beanstalk, encourages all to have inquisitive minds.

Also, to climb up when the opportunity arises. For success comes to only those who try hard. A poor boy Jack got five Beanstalks from a stranger on the way, in exchange, for his cow.

He believed in the magical power of the beanstalk. When the time came, he climbed up the vine till he reached a palace. There, his actions helped him get many valuables. He and his mother became wealthy beyond imagination. This folktale teaches kids that — they should always appreciate what they have. The other side might look greener, but it may always not be so.

The stonecutter in this story wished to be a rich man, and his wish was granted. Once a prince, he realized that the sun is mightier, so he longed to be the sun.

However, he was still not happy, as the clouds made the sun disappear. So he became the cloud. And so on it went. Finally, he realized the importance of being a stonecutter and came back to his true self. The moral of the story tells us that we all are different and beautiful in our own way.

It is futile to try to fit in with the herd. Everyone has their place on earth. A duck hatched a batch of eggs, amongst which was a swan egg. All the other ducklings came out looking normal. The swan baby came out looking different and ugly. The ugly swan baby tried to fit in with different groups, but no one understood its worth.

Until one day, when it was time for the swan to develop fully to its potential. Tenali Rama was an Indian scholar, advisor in the court of King Krishnadevaraya. He was a Telugu poet, known for his wittiness. Tenali Rama stories are part of popular folk tales in India. The stories are funny and always have a moral at the end. The Tenali Rama stories teach readers that one can use wit and humor to come out of any tricky situation. Akbar was an emperor of Mughal-ruled India, and Birbal was part of his court.

Here is a collection of Akbar Birbal stories. The stories are funny, thought-provoking, with a beautiful moral about right and wrong in the end. The Akbar Birbal folk tales have enlightened generations of children for hundreds of years in India. King Vikramaditya of India was asked to capture and bring the corpse of Betal.

However, each time he picked up the corpse, it started telling a story with a riddle in the end. The correct answer took the corpse back to its place. The king runs after it and brings Betal down, starts walking.

Betal starts telling another story. And the cycle repeats. The Betal Vikram short stories are part of famous Indian folklores. The riddle at the end of the story, tests the moral, empathy, intelligence, etc of the listener. A good way to test the understanding of right and wrong.

This African folktale narrates one story of Anansi. They shared those narratives with roughly participants between the ages of 10 and The team then created a scale designed to measure the importance kids place on moral values to determine how participants might be influenced by specific narratives. Nothing like that exists yet, that we know of. Source: University at Buffalo. Search for:.

Science Health Culture Environment. Share this Article. You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.