Fairy Tales, Fables, Myths, & Legends! What’s the Difference?

How to tell apart the branches of the folklore family tree

“Landscape with Sea and Mountains” by Joos de Momper, 1620s. Public domain. Enhanced by author.

Maybe you’re reading a wonderful story in an antique book, or you’re sharing a tale as old as time with the next generation… or perhaps you’re spinning a new yarn in the style of ancient stories.

But how do you tell if it’s a fairy tale, a fable, a myth, or a legend?

All of these types of stories belong to a larger storytelling tradition: the genre of folklore.

But although they all diverge from the same family tree of tales and these branches can (and often do) intertwine, they each have their own unique characteristics.

Let’s dive into what makes each of them different.

Vintage fairy tale illustrations by Elenore Abbott, Warwick Goble, and unknown. Public domain.

Fairy Tales

A fairy tale is a short story or novella that usually involves story elements like enchantments and magical beings. They’re often intended for children, but not always.

(Yes, the standard spelling is two words: fairy tale. However, it’s often seen spelled as one word, and they are also sometimes called fairy stories.)

Fairy tales can feature mythical creatures like dragons and fairies, and they often involve storytelling devices like magical powers or curses, or enchanted objects and astonishing places.

While not always the case, fairy tales often conclude with a “happily ever after” ending where good triumphs over evil.

Examples of fairy tales

• Cinderella
• Jack and the Beanstalk
• The Beauty and the Beast
• Sleeping Beauty
• The Little Mermaid

Famous fairy tale authors include Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Madame d’Aulnoy, and Andrew Lang.

Vintage illustrations by Arthur Rackham, unknown, and unknown. Public domain.

Fables

The term fable can be broadly applied to fictitious stories, but within the genre of folklore, it typically refers to very short tales that teach helpful truths and moral lessons.

Unlike a parable which involves people, a fable can take almost anything and turn it into a character with a speaking role: insects and animals, flowers and trees, mountains and rivers, or even forces of nature can play a part in the story.

Often, fables end with a pithy saying or a summing-up of the tale’s message—in essence, “and that’s the moral of the story!”

Examples of fables

• The Tortoise and the Hare
• The Little Red Hen
• The Three Little Pigs
• The Mouse and the Lion
• The Fox and the Crow

A person who writes fables is called a fabulist. One of the most famous fabulists in history is Aesop, the Greek slave who is credited with writing the collection of tales now known as Aesop’s Fables.

Antique art by Utagawa Kunisada, John William Waterhouse, and Mårten Eskil Winge. Public domain.

Myths

Myths are ancient stories that involve deities or demigods. They often describe the supernatural origins of natural phenomena, explain the roots of religious practices and beliefs, or wrestle with fundamental concepts like good and evil and life and death.

Although the word myth is sometimes used to describe something that is imaginary or fictitious, it should be noted that the word does not necessarily mean untrue in every context, especially when it is used to describe the sacred beliefs of a people.

Creation stories and flood narratives from around the world, for example, are types of myths.

Examples of myths

• The myth of the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu
• The Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche
• The Norse myth of Thor and Mjölnir
• The animal race myth of the Chinese Zodiac
• The trickster god Anansi of West African myth

A famous writer of classical myth is the Greek poet Homer, who is credited as the author of the Odyssey and the Iliad.

Vintage illustrations and antique art by Aubrey Beardsley, He Dazi, and Walter Crane. Public domain.

Legends

Legends are tales that are traditionally believed to be historical, but are unverified. Although these stories concern mortal human beings instead of gods, legends can involve astonishing creatures or adventures that defy belief.

In some cases, legends involve people, events, and/or places that are known to have existed in history, but many facts have been changed or modified, either for dramatic effect or through the evolution of being passed down through the years and retold again and again.

It’s common for the listener to have some uncertainty about the legend’s veracity — which, perhaps, adds to the wonder.

Examples of legends

• King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
• The Ballad of Mulan
• Robin Hood and Maid Marian
• The Legend of Atlantis
• The Lost City of El Dorado

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the authors of Grimms’ Fairy Tales, defined legends as being “historically grounded” folktales.

And now you know…

But no matter what type of story you decide to explore, you can’t go wrong with learning more about these remarkable tales, or spending time crafting your own story and sharing it with others.

Related reading

• What’s the Difference Between a Folktale and a Fairy Tale?