FOLKTALES are traditional stories that were originally passed down orally. The fictional characters in folktales usually include ordinary humans and/or animals acting like humans. There are often royal characters and characters with magical powers and magical objects as well. The setting of a folktale is an unspecified time in the distant past, often in an imaginary land of enchantment. The conflict is most often good vs. evil, with a usually happy ending. There may be rhythmic repetition of words, verses, and/or actions, often in groups of three, with increasing intensity that builds tension in the story. The use of repeated, “catchy” verses makes the story fun to listen to and easier to remember. Examples of folktales are The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Cinderella, and Rumpelstiltskin.

FABLES are short tales with morals that are usually stated simply at the end of the story. Fables often use a literary device called anthropomorphism, in which the characters are portrayed as animals or objects that talk and act like humans. The lessons in the stories are meant to be generalized, or applied to different situations in our own lives. Many cultures have fables. A collection of fables from India is recorded in the Panchatantra, but the most commonly recognized fables are those attributed to an ancient Greek storyteller named Aesop. Though they have been told and retold by many different writers over time, they are generally known as Aesop's Fables. Examples include "The Town Mouse & the Country Mouse" and "The Wolf & the Crane."

LEGENDS are stories that combine real historical figures and/or events with a bit of hyperbole, or exaggeration. The "facts" have been somewhat changed and embellished over time such that the characters' personalities and deeds have become more vivid and colorful than reality. Main characters may be portrayed as being nearly perfect heroes, and events and places may be given importance that is greater than would be historically accurate. Though the settings in time and place are real, and the characters are believed to have been real people, legends are only considered "semi-true." Examples of legends include stories about Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León’s quest for the Fountain of Youth in the Americas and Johnny Appleseed’s planting of apple trees while he wandered across the United States.

MYTHS are stories from ancient cultures that include supernatural elements (e.g., creatures like fairies, demons, sprites, monsters), deities (gods and goddesses), and humans that interact with them. The purpose of the stories is to explain the way things are and how they came to be that way, including the natural phenomena of the world; how the world was created; how people originated; and the cultural and societal realities of a given place. The settings in myths are imaginary worlds with elements of the real world of the lands and cultures in which the stories originated. Myths are the basis of ancient religions. Examples of myths include stories of Poseidon, god of the sea in Greek mythology, and Ra, god of the sun in Egyptian mythology.

TALL TALES are traditional American stories that originated in the last few centuries, mostly during the 1800s, when industrialization and westward expansion were sweeping the nation. The characters are based on frontiersmen, pioneers, and people engaged in professions that helped build the nation. While the settings are realistic in both time and place, tall tales use extreme hyperbole, portraying characters who are “larger than life” doing things that are not humanly possible. The main character in a tall tale is often assisted by a trusty and powerful object, animal, or companion. These tales often provide humorous explanations for how natural land features were formed. A conflict that appears in some tall tales is humans vs. technological progress. Examples of tall tales are stories of the lumberjack Paul Bunyan and the railroad worker John Henry.