Folklore: Definitions & Differences

Folklore: Beliefs, customs and traditions practiced by and passed among a group of people who share some connection, including:

Fables: Short comic tales making a moral point about human nature, usually through animal characters behaving in human ways.

Fairy Tales: Traditional folktales adapted and written down for the entertainment of children, usually featuring marvellous events and characters, such as princesses, talking animals, ogres, and witches. 

Legends: Stories told as though they are true, set in the real world and in relatively recent times.

Myths: Religious stories that explain how the world and humanity developed into their present form. Myths are considered to be true among the people who develop them.

Nursery Rhymes: Traditional rhymes which are passed on to children while they are still of nursery age.

Proverbs: Short, sometimes witty, comments on human life and manners, deriding fools or noting consequences or the absurd. They are maxims to express faith and right conduct.

Superstitions: Widely held but irrational beliefs in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck.

Tall Tales: Anecdotes about astonishing exploits and adventures.

Note: Definitions provided by Oxford Reference Online and World Book Online.