How to Sort Fact and Fiction in Folklore
Tell your children a story about their ancestors and you are contributing to the folklore of your culture. Folklore includes the oral traditions and stories of a particular culture. Many stories date back thousands of years, while others are inventions from today's world. Sort fact from fiction in folklore by exploring the documented past and comparing it to the folklore.
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Instructions
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Look for universal truths contained in the folklore story. Cultures tell stories to make a point about the human condition. Examine the theme of the folktale. Notice if it discusses facts or essential truths about the human experience.
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Check the recorded history of the culture where the folklore originated. Look for documented, historical, evidence of the events described in the story you are studying. Focus on the basic fact in the story. Remember generations of storytellers have added fiction to the facts in your folktale.
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Visit the location or examine pictures of the area described in the folktale. Compare the descriptions found in folktales with the actual physical area. Find historical records of related locations if your folktale originated in the distant past.
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Keep up to date with archaeological finds and important historical discoveries. Cross check your folklore story against available scientific fact.
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Find out if your folklore has been the subject of debunking or serious study. Discover if others have already separated the fact from fiction in the folk story you are examining.
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Watch the behavior of the descendants of the culture where your folklore originated. Compare traditions of today with the descriptions found in folklore. Note if the traditions and behavior of the culture today is similar to the culture described in folklore. Assess if the folklore has formed today's culture or if it merely reflects the culture that has always been.
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