Traditional Stories Myths Fables and Legends Fable a

Traditional Stories Myths, Fables and Legends

• Fable- a story with a lesson usually using animals behaving as people • Myth- exploits of super humans or gods or stories to explain the origins of the world around us • Legend- stories based on some remnant of truth or memory

THE STAG AT THE POOL A stag, gazing at his reflection in a pool, remarked, “What glorious antlers I have. But my legs are so skinny!” At that moment the stag heard a pack of hunters and hounds approaching. His long legs helped him flee into a thick wood, but his antlers became entangled in the branches. Struggle as he might, he was trapped – and the hounds and hunters closed in.

THE BASILISK In the rugged Greek mountains, the basilisk is hatched by a serpent from a cockerel’s egg. It has a scaly body and wings of the dragon with the beak and head of a cockerel. Known sometimes as the King of the Serpents, it wears a crown on its head. One look from the basilisk’s eyes causes death and destruction: human beings and animals fall dead; grass burns; fruits rot; water becomes poisoned or dries up. People try to protect themselves from the basilisk by carrying a mirror to turn its deadly gaze on itself.

HOW DARKNESS CAME Many, many years ago, at the beginning of the world, there were no animals or even darkness. It was always day. Only the Great Snake knew where to find it. Three boys were sent to find the Great Snake. They found her in a deep and damp and very scary cave. She told the boys she knew how to find the night. The Great Snake gave a waxy palm-nut to the three boys and told them to give it to his daughter. He warned them not to open it. the boys she knew how to find night. The boys heard noises coming from the palm-nut and wanted to open it. The first boy told them not to because of what the Great Snake had said. The boys did not listen and scratched off the yellow wax to open the palm-nut. Darkness poured out. Then…………

. Identify each of the following stories and give a reason for your answer 1 A hare and a tortoise got into an argument about which of the could run the faster………. 3. Long, long ago, before the humans first walked sun and moon lived together in Africa as man and wife…. 2. Thousands of years ago, on the island of Crete, there lived a terrible monster called the Minotaur. It was half human And half bull, and it lived at the centre of the Labyrinth – a vast maze. One day a young Greek prince heard about… 4 There was once a boy – the son of the Red King – who had the ambition to live forever and never grow old. So he said to his father, “Give me a horse and my inheritance, and I shall travel Till I find what I’m seeking” …. .

Fable 1 THE DOVE AND THE ANT An ant was speeding along on its three pairs of legs when suddenly, it stopped. “I’m thirsty, ” the ant said aloud. “Why don’t you get a drink of water from the brook? ” cooed the dove perched in a nearby tree. “The brook is close by. Just be careful you don’t fall in. ” The ant sped to the brook and began to drink. A sudden wind blew the Ant into the water. “Help !”cried the Ant, “I’m drowning!” The Dove knew it had to act quickly to save the Ant. With its beak, the Dove broke a twig from the tree. Then it flew over the brook and dropped it to the Ant. The Ant climbed on the twig and swam ashore.

Not long afterwards, the Ant saw a Hunter. He was setting a trap to catch the Dove. The Dove began to fly towards the trap. The Ant knew it had to act quickly to save the Dove. The Ant opened its strong jaws and bit the bare ankle of the Hunter. “Ouch!” the Hunter cried, he missed his aim. The Dove heard the Hunter and flew away.

Fable 2 – THE FOX AND THE STORK A stork , who had just arrived from another country, was invited to dinner by a fox. The stork was delighted to be asked and went to the fox’s home, feeling good and hungry. When she got there she discovered that the fox had prepared some clear soup and served it in dishes that were so shallow she could not get her long beak in. She had to watch her host as he tucked in, and when he had finished she went home, still hungry. Next day, the fox invited the stork to dine with her. The fox accepted the invitation, but when he arrived he found that she had prepared some thick soup which she had served in tall jars. She stuck her beak in and really enjoyed her meal, while the fox almost fainted with hunger and had to sit and watch. When she finished she smiled at him and said, “I am only following your example. ”

Answer the following questions 1. What is the moral of each story? 2. Explain how the ant saved the dove. 3. Explain what the fox felt at the end of the story. 4. Write two things which are similar in both the stories. 5. Write one way in which these fables differ from each other.