What is a Folk/Fairy Tale?

SIS 2015 is all about discussing different Fairy Tales or even different versions of a one tale. As we move through the semester we should gain a better understanding of various themes, motifs, symbols, etc in each tale we study. But what is a fairy tale in itself? What makes a fairytale different from a regular story?
As discussed in class a fairytale, by definition, is a narrative based on magic and fantasy which are understood to be fictional. But can’t you have a regular story or work of fiction that is not classified as a fairytale? Again, as discussed in our class the difference between folktales and literature is that literature is written down, unchangeable and has an author whereas folktales are spoken, subject to change from culture to culture and anyone can take credit for their version of a tale. If you were to tell a child their favorite tale, you might hear them say: “that’s not how so-and-so tells it!” That’s because folk/fairy tales have been so subject to change because if they were written down, it would differ from book to book. Anyone can tell a tale differently from someone else, making it their own. People can find that when you tell a tale, it is not just different from person to person, but culture to culture as well. The way people tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood in Germany differs than how you may hear it told in China. This is because the motifs in the tales are universal. No fairy tale belongs to a specific nationality. If it did, it wouldn’t qualify as a fairy tale.
In our culture, and many others, a fairy tale is a tale centered around a hero who must go on a life altering journey of some sort. They face off against evil forces and in the end, come out victorious and the tale ends with all being well. We tell these tales to mainly children (however no one is ever too old for a fairy tale) to spark their imagination. They could even begin to relate themselves to the hero and in the end are taught valuable life lessons through the tale. Good always triumphs over evil. And if you’re good, you shall be rewarded. We need to get these points across to children in a way that will make their minds works and spark imagination. These are what fairy tales are. They’re imaginative tales of magic and wonder that can teach someone a valuable lesson. Even though we don’t live in a world of magic and far-fetched creatures. We can reference the deeds the hero does to our own lives and put them to good use.