A Traditional story is the kind of story that transcends both fiction and nonfiction. It can also include an animal story with moral lessons.
Stories come in different means. They can be based on actual life events, or they can be entirely made up. These two approaches are the most common way to write stories. We even consume many of these nonfiction stories daily at an embarrassing amount. It seems that almost all of our waking time is spent on storytelling.
The type of stories we write also varies, from an animal story with moral lessons such as Easter: McEaster Valley by Water Hoge to a historical account of a real person like Clementine by Sonia Purnell. These stories never stop to be as fascinating as they can be.
While stories are often classified as either fictional or non-fictional, there are types of stories that transcend these classifications simply because they are essential in communicating the story’s worldview. These are called traditional stories. They belong to different categories; sometimes, one story can be part of multiple categories.
Traditional stories can be classified as the following:
Anecdote: These are short, interesting, or funny stories about a biographical incident. These are usually presented based on an actual incident that happened to a person but usually in an unidentifiable place.
Apologue: These stories are similar to parables but contain supernatural elements like a fable. It is often an allegory with exaggerated details and usually is meant to convey a valuable lesson.
Chivalric Romance: This is a heroic prose and verse narrative style that was famous in aristocratic circles of Early Modern Europe and High Medieval. These stories usually feature a knight errant and a quest.
Creation Myth: These are narratives of how the world was made and how people came to live in it. These are usually developed from oral traditions, and multiple cultures have multiple versions of them. Creation myths are often considered sacred, and some could even serve as an introduction to a particular culture’s pantheon.
Etiological Myth: While the creation myth talks about stories of how the world began, etiological myths are myths of the origin of things. From cult practices, natural phenomena, proper names, and the origin of names are all covered by etiological myths. The Tale of Romulus and Remus is probably the most famous Etiological myth.
Fable: Fables are a literary genre that features animals and inanimate objects that have the characteristics of a person. They are usually aimed to illustrate and tell moral lessons.
Factoid: These statements may seem questionable or fabricated but are presented as facts with no integrity. They usually are insignificant or novel facts without much relevant context.
Fairy Tale: These stories occur once upon a time rather than in actual times. Short stories feature fantasy and folkloric characters such as fairies, elves, goblins, trolls, etc. Usually, these stories are intended for both children and adults. Usually, fairy tales end on a happy note.
Folklore: These consist of music, legends, oral history, jokes, proverbs, popular beliefs, fairy tales, and customs that form the tradition of a culture.
Ghost Story: Ghost stories are stories, accounts, or experiences that include a ghost. It can also be a premise with the possibility of ghosts or characters believing in them.
Joke: A joke is something spoken, written, or done with the goal of humor at the end. They come in various forms, from a long and drawing story with a punchline at the end. Question and answers could also be a joke like the ever-popular knock-knock jokes.
Legend: Legends are stories of human actions believed to be confirmed by both the teller and the listeners. The Brothers Grimm describe legends as folktales with a historical bent.
Mythology: Often shortened as myth, they can be considered a body or collection of myths. In folkloristics, myths are defined as a sacred narrative that explains how everything in the world came to be. This includes how it was created, how men came to populate it, and even how some traditions came to be. In general, myths can be considered stories of origin.
Oral Tradition: These are traditions and stories transmitted orally from generation to generation. These can both be in the form of a narrative or even through song. Oral traditions were especially crucial in the survival of cultures back when writing systems were not yet cemented.
Parable: These are short stories that have the goal of illustrating religious principles and lessons. Most parables do not have supernatural qualities and serve as an analogy.
Tall Tale: These are stories with fantastical elements shared as if they are accurate and factual. Some tall tales are exaggerated versions of actual events.
Urban legends: Are modern folklore that takes place in the current times. These tales usually happened to a friend of a friend.
If you’re looking for a great example of a fable, you can check out Easter: McEaster Valley by Walter Hoge. It’s a modern example of a fable, something that most children will highly likely enjoy.