Fables, Folklore & Legends to Teach Culture

 





Why use fables, folklore, and legends to teach culture in the classroom? These stories are excellent resources to teach children about morals, traditions, and other cultures. Aesop’s Fables’ The Tortoise and the Hare and The Lion and the Mouse are laden with moral lessons. Grimm’s classic stories were written as fairy tales and folk tales inspired by local folklore. So what is folklore?

People have used folklore through oral storytelling to explain history, traditions, culture, and human struggles since the beginning of time. Stories were passed down from generation to generation for posterity. Oral storytellers often worked in the king’s court as entertainers for their royal banquets. Some storytellers even used musical rhythm and repeated beats which was the beginning of ballads. Every country has its own unique folklore woven into its culture.

Aesop’s Fables originated in Greece and Grimm's folklore started in Germany. The Legend of Robin Hood is from England, Romeo and Juliet was created in Italy, while el Ratoncito Perez (the Tooth Fairy) emerged from Spain, el Duende (the leprechaun) is from the Iberian Peninsular, Anansi, the Trickster Spider stemmed from Africa, and Yeh-Shen is a Cinderella story from China. Many of these stories are used in school to teach young children. Often the stories are bilingual for dual language learners.

The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid, is a story from Colombia dating back to 1917. It tells the story of a young girl who turned into a mermaid for swimming in the river on Good Friday. I was inspired to write this book to teach children themes of obedience, family values, and cultural traditions.

The Legend of Roberto Cofresi – A Puerto Rican Hero, is a story from Puerto Rico dating back to the 1800s. It tells the tale of a corsair/pirate similar to Robin Hood. Cofresi stole from the rich to feed the poor people of Puerto Rico during a famine. I was inspired to write this book to teach children themes of generosity, loyalty, and cultural traditions.

Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Oceans is a Florida story based on the oil spill that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in 2017. It's the story of Marlen and her six mermaid sisters who guard the ocean waters around the world. I was inspired to write this book to teach children themes of environmental awareness, water pollution, and conservation.

Children need exposure to multicultural books to build tolerance and prepare for our diverse world.




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