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Fable vs Folktale - What's the difference?

fable | folktale |

As nouns the difference between fable and folktale

is that fable is a fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, birds etc as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, Aesop's Fables while folktale is a tale or story that is part of the oral tradition of a people or a place.

As a verb fable

is to compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true.

fable

English

(wikipedia fable)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, birds etc as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, .
  • Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.
  • * 4:7,
  • Old wives' fables .
  • * ,
  • We grew / The fable of the city where we dwelt.
  • Fiction; untruth; falsehood.
  • * ,
  • It would look like a fable to report that this gentleman gives away a great fortune by secret methods.
  • The plot, story, or connected series of events forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.
  • * Dryden
  • The moral is the first business of the poet; this being formed, he contrives such a design or fable as may be most suitable to the moral.

    Synonyms

    * (fiction to enforce a useful precept) morality play * (story to excite wonder) legend * (falsehood)

    Verb

    (fabl)
  • (archaic) To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true.
  • * Shakespeare, 1 Henry VI , IV-ii:
  • He Fables not.
  • * :
  • Vain now the tales which fabling poets tell.
  • * :
  • He fables , yet speaks truth.
  • (archaic) To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely.
  • * :
  • The hell thou fablest .

    References

    * (Webster 1913) ----

    folktale

    English

    Alternative forms

    * folk tale

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tale or story that is part of the oral tradition of a people or a place
  • See also

    * folklore