What’s the difference between a folk tale and a fairy tale?

A folk tale is a narrative in prose, usually woven together by an unknown author. It travels orally through generations by way of story telling. The term is also extended to include stories by known authors, when printed stories are adapted to suit a certain time at culture-specific story telling sessions.

They also include myths, fables and tales of heroes. Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ Include a number of folk tales.

A fairy tale is a certain kind of folk tale. Fairy tales are not just stories about fairies, but about various kinds of marvels, and imaginary exploits. For example ‘Snow White and Jack and the Beanstalk.’

Funny Logics

• These are just two ways to make the unbelievable digestible.
• One is handed down by folks, the other by fairies.
• Fairy tales are the promises that politicians make to the people before elections. And folk tales are about all that happens to the promises after the elections.
• Folk tales are stories of down-to-earth people. Whereas fairy tale are wishful thinking by the same people.