Fairy Tale Glossary

In short: A sourced glossary of folklore terms such as motif, tale type, variant and oral tradition, with examples from familiar tales.

Motif

A recognizable element that recurs across stories. A lost shoe can be the object that reveals the heroine’s identity.

Tale type (ATU)

A category for tales with a similar plot. One group of Cinderella tales is classified as 510A.

Variant

A different recorded or told version of a narrative. Perrault’s glass slipper and the Grimms’ gold slipper appear in different variants.

Oral tradition

The transmission of stories by telling them. A new storyteller can add details from their own surroundings to a familiar plot.

Fable

A short narrative that often illustrates a lesson about behaviour. The race between the hare and the tortoise is a familiar example.

Retelling

An adaptation of an earlier narrative for a new audience or format. A retelling for young children might soften a tense scene.

• Harvard Library · Folktale Classification and Structure
• University of Washington Libraries · Tale Type & Motif Indexes
• Where does Cinderella come from?

Suggested citation
Black Horse. Fairy Tale Glossary. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/story-glossary/