What is folk tale?

Introduction.

It is well known that wisdom and spirit of the people, of the nation are shown in the traditions, especially in folklore, and the knowledge of folk tales promotes not only to know a language at best, but also facilitates best understanding of views and characters of the people.

Falk tales are the most amazing things in the folklore of the peoples all over the world. Not every imaginary story becomes a fairy tale. The most interesting and important folk tales passed from generation to generation. Storytellers used to express the wisdom of their people, their aspirations and dreams.

Tales are the part of culture, traditions, customs and history of people. Many generations of Russian children have been brought up by these glorious and magnificent tales.

Like Russian superstition, Russian Fairy Tales have their origins in the pagan beliefs of ancient Slavs. Grand tales of heroes and heroines, animals and "mystical" beings, were passed down through the generations. These folk tales, or skazki (сказки) as they are known in Russia, were eventually recorded - many in poetic verse. Today, as much as ever, Russian fairy tales remain an integral component of Russian culture.

I’m fond of folk tales. I know folk tales from my early childhood. My parents and my grandparents used to tell folk tales, they tried to show me the national wisdom and beauty of my mother tongue. I have been studying English for six years. I admire English, it is my favorite subject. We read a lot of English and Russian fairy tales. I noticed some peculiarities and differences in English and Russian folk tales.

So, the theme that we have chosen for the research is “English and Russian folk tales”.

Comparison of folk tales of different nations shows, how much these people have in common that, in turn, promotes their better mutual understanding. Folk tales show rich historical experience of the people, they reflect life and culture of people.

The aim of our research is to consider the peculiarities of the English and Russian folk tales, show differences of these tales through comparison.

According to the aim, we have allocated the following objectives:

• to define a fairy tale in English and Russian;

• to get acquainted with national folk tales;

• to establish the differences and similarities both in English and Russian folk tales.

Object of our research is peculiar features of folk tales in English and Russian.

Subject is researches on folklore, namely, fairy tales.

We have conducted research and the analysis of English and Russian folk tales.

Research methods:

• studying the literature and works of outstanding researchers on the given subject;

• the analysis of the studied literature;

• the comparative analysis of English and Russian folk tales.

2. What is a folk tale?

Folk tales are the most ancient creations of humanity. A folk tale is one of the popular and favorite genres in folklore and in literature.

A fairy tale is a wonder tale involving marvelous elements and occurrences, though not necessarily about fairies. Folktales have received literary treatment from early times.

Some folk tales in Russian are epic narratives of people and events of the long past, also marked by terms history and story.

The majority of folk tales have local character.

Humboldt, Hannah Aitken, J.F. Casmpbell, Margaret Baker, W.H. Barrett and others played an important role in the fields of studying English folk tales.

Afanasyev A, Kostokhin E, Propp V, Buslaev F and others had a great contribution to the study of Russian folk tales.

Comparing English and Russian national folk tales can make it clear that they contain much in common. All nations lived and developed under general laws of history. At the same time, it should be noted that folk tales show the national originality of folklore.

An English recording of the tales told by the storytellers of the past provides only a pale shadow of the original narration. The voices, with their many modulations, fall silent on the printed page; the audience is absent. Only the pattern of narrative and the procession of motifs remain. This is especially true of translation.

Folklore ceased to be an everyday force in rural life. Once it governed the smallest act in every home, farm and village, giving rules and rituals for the performance of daily work, the safeguarding of family, farm and possessions. Families lived in the same country parishes for generations, spent their lives watching the plough transform the soil, the growing wheat that followed and, at the end, the richness of their harvest. Rural population could neither read nor write, their memories were very keen, and when heard a story they often remembered it almost word for word for the rest of their lives. In this way legends were passed on for hundreds of years with the main points of the tale remaining unaltered, but often gaining a wealth of colorful detail.

3. Differences and similarities in English and Russian folk tales.

A rich mixture simmered in the folklore cauldron. History and pre-history went into it; the doings of druids, giants, fairies, saints, soldiers, shepherds, mines, fishermen and kings; the shape of the land, the prevailing weather, the rhythms of speech, the country humor. Added to this local brew are bits and pieces from far afield, brought by Flemish and German traders, Norwegian and Danish adventures.