Looking into Folklore

In definition, folktales are distinguished as not only written legends, but have a more wide-spreading medium consisting of music, proverbs, and oral history. According to Madronna Holden,

“Folklore passes on the information and wisdom of human experience from generation to generation. In this sense folklore is the original and persistent technology that gave us human culture in the first place by allowing us to build on our experience over the generations.”

The lessons taught through folktales are thus incredibly valuable in the sense that it not only teaches children lessons for them to abide by, but to also learn creative processes and similar alternatives to deal with problems they face. However one of the most important factors of folklore and the teachings of folklore is not the story itself, but the social atmosphere it creates between elder and child. As earlier stated by Piaget, children begin their outermost learning through their surroundings and the people in their life. Teachings told through any member of their constructed social circle are very pivotal in a child’s development. The understanding and passing of folk tales is an important custom in both children and adults development. Regardless of how differing people and their cultures are around the world, folktales play an important role in raising morale, intelligence and creativity in humanity.