This type of story often begins
with a phrase like “Once upon a time."
Fairy Tale
In Disney’s Piper, the young bird
learns that facing this is better
than allowing it to control you.
Fear
Cinderella normally receives help getting to this important event.
The Ball
This virtue means having the
courage to face difficulties and do
what is right even when
something is frightening.
fortitude
Avoiding extremes and keeping things balanced or reasonable
moderation
This character type usually helps
the hero or heroine by providing
magical assistance.
Magical Helper
A short story that teaches a
lesson, often using animals as
characters.
a fable
In Yeh-Shen, this animal plays an
important role in helping the
heroine.
a fish
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
The lesson we learn in a fable is called
the moral
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 / Native American
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
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 the traditional Cinderella story,
this character treats Cinderella
cruelly and makes her do
household work.
The Stepmother
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.