Online Task 1

Folktale

A folktale is a type of traditional story that tries to explain or understand the world. Such stories were orally passed down through the generations and feature morals or lessons. The stories usually take place long ago in a faraway place and are woven around talking animals, royalty, peasants, or mythical creatures.

1. List some of the well-known folktales from Malaysia.

–       Sang Kancil and the Crocodile

–       Sang Kancil Helps Kerbau

–       Si Tenggang

–       Badang

–       Mat Jenin

2. List some of the possible issues found in The Son of the Turtle Spirit

–   Offspring of the wealthy family should only marry the offspring of wealthy family. It’s impossible for a poor guy to marry a lady from wealthy family.

–   It’s important to bury the remains of those who passed away in a place where the ‘feng shui’ will bring good fortune to their offspring.

3. Are those issues universal in nature or are they only relevant in the Chinese culture?No, it depends on the culture, religion, thinking, education of the individual.

Fables
A fable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized (given human qualities), and that illustrates a moral lesson, which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.

4. What are the other morals that can be gotten from the other fables by Aesop? List at least two

–       "Appearances often are deceiving." - The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

–       "Familiarity breeds contempt." - The Fox and the Lion

–       "One person's meat is another's poison." - The Ass and the Grasshopper

–       "Things are not always what they seem." - Bee-Keeper and the Bees

–       "Never trust a flatterer."- Fox and the Crow

–       "Beware the wolf in sheep's clothing." - The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

–       "Little friends may become great friends." - Lion and the Mouse

Myths

A myth is a traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people. It tries to explain the way the world is.  Myths also try to explain the relationship between gods and humans. Even though the events in a myth are usually impossible, they try to send a message that has an important social or religious meaning.

5. One well-known literary figure from the Elizabethan age used Ovid’s Pyramus and Thisbe as a model to one of his famous plays. Who is he and what is the play?

He is William Shakespeare. The play is Romeo and Juliet.

Legends
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. Legend, for its active and passive participants includes no happenings that are outside the realm of "possibility", defined by a highly flexible set of parameters, which may include miracles that are perceived as actually having happened, within the specific tradition of indoctrination where the legend arises, and within which it may be transformed over time, in order to keep it fresh and vital, and realistic.

6. List some of the popular legends we have in Malaysia

–       Magical Lake Of Pregnant Maiden

–       The Seven Magical Wells

–       The Legend of Mahsuri

–       The Fairy Princess Of Gunung Ledang

–       The Mysterious Giant Footprint

–       The Adventures of The Singing Sea Captain

7. Who is Thomas Malory?
Sir Thomas Malory (c. 1405 – 14 March 1471) was an English writer, the author of the most famous work of Arthurian literature, "Le Morte D'Arthur". This literary masterpiece was made all the more remarkable because it was written by a layman living in Medieval England. Most modern scholars, assume that he was Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel in Warwickshire, who was a knight, land-owner and Member of Parliament.

8. When was Le Mort d’Arthur written?
It is completed in 1470 and he probably started work on it in the 1450's while he was in prison.

9. How many books/ parts are there in LMDA?
There are 8 books/parts.

10. What is book 8 about?
The book 8 concerns the discovery of Lancelot and Guinevere's ongoing adultery, the battle between Modred and Arthur, and Arthur's ultimate death.

11. Who were the two people who had an affair?
Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere.

12. Book 6 has a strong connection to a popular modern fiction which is now a movie. What is the title of the popular modern fiction?
“The Noble Tale of the Sangreal”.

13. State three well-known facts about King Arthur/ his time as a King

a) Arthur was the son of King Uther and Igraine.

b) Arthur was raised by Sir Ector, who had a son named Kay.

c) Arthur and his son Mordred killed each other in the battle of Camlann

14. Think of 2 ways in which you can use folktales/fables/myths or legends in the classroom. Explain briefly.

Using table

Title each column "exposition", "rising action", "conflict", "falling action", and "moral". For extremely low level learners, add simpler columns as well, such as title, characters, and author. Have students fill in the columns with all they know about each section, then let them share with each other what they have written.

Create a fable

Invite students to model fable examples they've already read by changing the characters, the setting, and maybe the plot to create their own fables.