These are handed down by being told and retold over generations. Many times there are several versions of the same folk tale since they get slightly changed as they are passed along. People who are interested in folklore have written down many of these tales so that they are now available in text form. Once again, you will be able to find collections of folk tales at your school or public library, or you may visit one of the excellent sites on the Internet. One of the best ones I have found so far is listed in the links page.
Most folk tales share several things in common.
Folk tales also tell us a lot about the context within which they were created. They include names, places, and geographical features, as well as references to the customs, languages, animals and foods that pertain to the culture from which they originate. In this activity we will once again be reading samples of the genre we are studying. Send this information directly to me, not to the listserv. As a writer, look at the techniques used in this type of story.