A folklorist named Vladimir Propp argued that Antti Aarne's Tale Type Index was silly and redundant:

Magic Tales (ATU 300-749) all have the same plot sequence, wrote Propp.

So, are we studying many folktales, or many variants of one folktale?

Reading

First, read Propp's chapter. If it gets too dense, focus on the editor's summary list of "31 functions" (page __).

NOTE that Propp used the word "function" with a meaning very different from ours - I prefer "action," other folklorists prefer "narrateme". What we call it is not that important. What is important is Propp's discovery of the magic tale's underlying structure.

Then, read "Three Swords," which is a Swedish variant of what many folklorists think is the most "iconic" or "typical" European folktale. Does Propp's morphology describe its plot?

Estimated time: 40 minutes

Vladimir Propp, (1999). “The Structure of Russian Fairy Tales,” in International Folkloristics. Edited by A. Dundes, pages 119-130.

UW Library : International Folkloristics

“Three Swords,” told by Mickel i Långhult, translated by T. and L. Blecher, in Swedish Folktales and Legends, pages 145-156.

PDF File : ATU_300_Three_Swords.pdf

Research Tool: Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) Types of the Folktale. (Find Type 300)

Rationale: Recognize the common plot structure of magic tales (ATU 300-749), as described by Vladimir Propp (and encounter an oral variant of "Dragonslayer"!)

Lecture

In this lecture keep the following ideas in mind:

Why does it make sense to study how all magic tales have the same structure?
Why does it make sense to say that each folktale variant is different, even if they all have a similar structure?
...and, how can knowing Propp's structure help me become a more effective oral folktale narrator?

Bonus

Just for fun, review the magic tales we saw in earlier readings, to see if/how they follow Propp's Morphology. Here's a checklist that I like to use; you can print it out for writing notes while you read.

Have some thoughts or questions? Why not join the conversation... Folktales forum