This type of story often begins
with a phrase like “Once upon a time."
Fairy Tale
In the traditional Cinderella story,
this character treats Cinderella
cruelly and makes her do
household work.
the stepmother
A short story that teaches a What is a fable?
lesson, often using animals as
characters.
a fable
This virtue means having the
courage to face difficulties and do
what is right even when
something is frightening.
fortitude
This Disney short film features a
young sandpiper learning to
overcome fear.
Piper
This character type usually helps
the hero or heroine by providing
magical assistance.
Magical Helper
Cinderella usually receives help
getting to this important event.
a ball
The lesson or message a fable
teaches is called this.
the moral
This virtue means treating people
fairly and giving others what they
deserve.
justice
In The Tortoise and the Hare, the
hare loses because he becomes
too ________.
overconfident
Talking animals, magic objects,
spells, and impossible events are
examples of this element
commonly found in fairytales.
Fantasy / Magic
In Yeh-Shen, this animal plays an
important role in helping the
heroine.
a fish
In The Tortoise and the Hare, the
tortoise succeeds because of this
quality.
perseverance/determination
This virtue involves controlling
your desires and avoiding excess.
temperence
A character who changes from
the beginning of a story to the
end because of what they
experience has undergone this.
character development / transformation
In many traditional fairytales, the
main character must overcome
this before achieving a happy ending.
What is a challenge/obstacle?
Rough-Face Girl is a Cinderella
story from this group of
Indigenous peoples.
Algonquin
In The Lion and the Mouse, the
story shows that even someone
who seems small or weak can do
this.
help someone powerful
This virtue helps you think
carefully and make wise decisions
about what you should do.
prudence
If a story teaches that “slow and What is moral?
steady wins the race,” that
sentence is the story’s ________.
the moral of the story
This common fairytale pattern
involves a character leaving
home, facing challenges, and
returning changed or rewarded.
quest / journey
Although Cinderella stories come
from different cultures, they often
share this basic plot idea: an
overlooked character overcomes
hardship and receives this.
a reward/happily-ever-
after?
In Disney’s Piper, the young bird
learns that facing this is better
than allowing it to control you.
fear
A student is angry because a
classmate insulted them, but
instead of immediately yelling
back, they stop, think, and choose
a calm response. Which virtue is
being demonstrated?
What is prudence? (Temperance
will also be accepted.)
Cinderella, Yeh-Shen, Rough-Face Girl, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Lion and the Mouse, and Piper all come from different stories and traditions. What important thing do they have in common?
They teach lessons about human behavior, character, choices, or virtues.