Fable and Myths Basics
This kind of short story is mainly written to teach a moral lesson.
What is a fable?
This small animal chews through the net to free the lion.
Who is the mouse in “The Lion and the Mouse”?
This storyteller is traditionally associated with many famous fables.
Who is Aesop?
This traditional fictional story features supernatural beings, gods, or monsters.
What is a myth?
The mouse’s rescue of the lion shows that kindness is never wasted and that even small acts of mercy can be repaid.
What is the moral of “The Lion and the Mouse”?
This literary device gives animals human qualities, such as the ability to speak or reason.
What is anthropomorphism?
While the grasshopper sings and plays, this hardworking insect gathers and stores food for winter.
Who is the ant in “The Ant and the Grasshopper”?
Aesop’s fables were passed from person to person through this storytelling practice.
What is oral tradition?
In this myth, a goddess makes the earth barren after her daughter is taken to the Underworld.
What is the myth of Demeter and Persephone?
This fable teaches that slow and steady effort, along with patience, can lead to success.
What is “The Hare and the Tortoise”?
Unlike a myth, a fable commonly uses talking animals to teach this.
What is a moral lesson?
This clever bird drops pebbles into a pitcher to raise the water level.
Who is the crow in “The Crow and the Pitcher”?
Aesop is believed to have lived during this period.
Who is Aesop, who lived from 620 to 564 BCE?
This Titan steals fire for humanity.
Who is Prometheus?
This fable teaches that clever thinking can help solve a problem.
What is “The Crow and the Pitcher”?
Gods, demigods, mortals, and mythical creatures are often found in this kind of traditional story.
What is a myth?
In the race between these two animals, the slower one wins through steady effort.
Who are the tortoise and the hare in “The Hare and the Tortoise”?
Aesop earned his freedom through this skill.
What is storytelling?
This Greek hero’s main quest is to defeat Medusa and bring back her head
Who is Perseus?
This fable warns that people who lie may not be believed when they finally tell the truth.
What is “The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf”?
A story about a speaking animal that teaches a lesson is most likely this genre, while a traditional story about gods or supernatural beings is this other genre.
What are a fable and a myth?
After repeatedly raising a false alarm, this character is not believed when a wolf really appears.
Who is the shepherd’s boy in “The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf”?
Before fables were collected in written form, people preserved them by doing this across generations.
What is telling and retelling them through oral tradition?
In this myth, Loki distracts the Master Builder’s horse to stop the builder from finishing a wall; “the hero’s quest” is an example of this kind of recurring character or story pattern.
What is an archetype?
Ancient cultures created myths to explain natural phenomena, teach lessons, and define cultural identity; people study myths today to recognize allusions, patterns in popular culture, and universal human themes.
What are reasons myths were created and are still studied today?