Determine the themes of myths, fables and folktales
key notes :
A theme is a key message or lesson in a story.
Usually, stories don’t openly state their themes. To find the theme or lesson of a story, look at the main events. Use these events to make educated guesses, or inferences. Why did the characters act the way they did? How did they grow or change? What did they learn?
Finally, think about how your inferences apply to the wider world. The story might suggest something about people in general. Or, it might give a lesson you can use in your own life. These ideas and lessons are themes of the story.
Learn with an example
🔥Read the following fable by Aesop.
Why the Bat Flies at Night
Once upon a time, there was a war between the animals of the air and the animals of the land. The eagle would hunt and eat the rabbit. The owl was never safe from the fox.
The bat had wings like the flying animals, but it had teeth like the land animals. Unsure which side to join, the bat joined whichever side was winning. When the air animals were ahead, the bat fought along with the air animals. When the land animals won a battle, the bat joined them.
After many years, both sides decided to end the war. There was peace across the earth. But the animals could not forget what the bat had done. Both the air animals and the land animals felt tricked by the bat. They decided to drive the bat away.
And that is why the bat hides away during the day and goes out only at night.
🔥What is the main theme or lesson of the fable?
- People who aren’t true to their friends will end up with no one.
- People shouldn’t go to war to settle their differences.
Think about the events in the fable:
When the air and land animals are at war, the bat joins whichever side is winning. Both sides feel tricked by the bat.
Make an inference:
Since both the air animals and the land animals feel tricked when the bat turns against them, both sides turn against the bat in the end.
Apply to the wider world to find a theme:
People who aren’t true to their friends will end up with no one.
🔥Read the following fable by Aesop.
The Fox and the Goat
Once upon a time, a fox was out walking in the woods. He did not see a well in the ground ahead, and he fell right into it. It was too deep for him to climb out. After several hours passed, a goat came walking by. The goat was feeling thirsty and saw the fox in the well.
‘How’s the water down there?’ asked the goat.
‘Why, hello, Goat,’ said the fox. ‘The water tastes great. Why don’t you come in and have a sip?’
The goat jumped into the well and leaned down to start drinking. Quickly, the fox leaped onto the goat’s back and used her horns to spring up and out of the well.
‘Oh no!’ said the goat. ‘Now I’m stuck down here. Please help me!’
But the fox only said, ‘That was your mistake.’ And he ran off into the woods.
🔥What is the main theme or lesson of the fable?
- Think about what could happen before you act.
- The fox thought only of himself.
Think about the events in the fable:
When the fox gets stuck in the well, he tricks the goat into jumping in and uses the goat to escape. Then the goat is stuck.
Make an inference:
The goat didn’t think about how to get out of the well before she jumped into it.
Apply to the wider world to find a theme:
Think about what could happen before you act.
let’s practice!
Read the following Filipino folktale.
The Man with the Coconuts
One day a man gathered dozens of coconuts to sell in the village. He loaded all the coconuts onto his horse. On his way, he met a boy.
‘How long do you think it will take for me to reach the village?’ the man asked the boy.
The boy looked at the huge pile of coconuts packed on the horse.
‘If you go slowly, you will arrive very soon,’ the boy said. ‘But if you go quickly, it will take you all day long.’
This boy doesn’t make sense! the man thought to himself. I shouldn’t listen to him.
The man hurried his horse along. Soon, though, the coconuts fell off the horse. The man had to stop and pick them up again.
He wanted to make up for lost time, so he made his horse go even faster. The coconuts fell off again, and once more the man had to gather them. It was late at night before he reached the village.