Mythology and Folktales Flashcards

Grade 7 · English · Flashcards

Study the key terms and concepts for understanding world mythology, folktales, and traditional storytelling.

Flashcards

Mythology: Traditional stories explaining nature, origins, and beliefs of a culture
Folktale: Traditional oral story with moral lessons, magic, and common people as heroes
Legend: Story with believed historical basis — often about heroes like King Arthur
Myth: A sacred story about gods, creation, or natural forces
Archetype: Universal character or story pattern across cultures — hero, trickster, mentor
Oral tradition: Passing stories across generations through speech, not writing
Tall tale: American folk story with wildly exaggerated feats — Paul Bunyan, John Henry
Trickster: A clever character who uses wit to outsmart others — Anansi, Loki, Coyote
Hero's Journey: Universal story structure: ordinary world, call, trials, transformation, return
Rule of three: Folktale pattern where key events repeat three times
Moral: The lesson a story teaches about behavior, virtue, or values
Zeus: King of the Greek Olympian gods; ruler of lightning and the sky
Persephone: Greek goddess whose time in the underworld explains winter and spring seasons
Demeter: Greek goddess of harvest; her grief over Persephone created winter