Fables

Start with the features

The mind map Specific features of fables is a useful starting point. It brings together themes, morals, characters, plot and structure. It also points to features such as short stories, few characters, action and dialogue. Look at how the branches connect a story’s events with the lesson it may teach.

Other maps titled Fable explore definitions and features. One describes a fable as a short story that typically has animal characters and conveys a moral. Another includes narrators, time and place, and moral teaching. Compare their branches to see which details each map emphasizes.

Compare the stories

Several maps look at the fox and the crow alongside the dog and the shadow. A map titled Fables groups similarities around animals and food. Another map follows what the fox wanted and what happened to the dog’s bone. The map Animals also brings the stories together through their characters and food.

After looking at a features map, use these story maps to practice spotting characters, actions and possible lessons. Compare how the maps describe the events as well as what they put on each branch.

Use maps and questions together

There are no quizzes listed on this page, but the maps can provide material for questions. Cover a branch and ask yourself what it says about a character, a plot or a moral. Then open the branch and check your answer against the map.

A free account lets you make your own quiz from a map and save your quiz scores. You can use the questions alongside the map when studying its features and examples.

Find the topic in the unit

Fables is a section of the Literary Genres unit in Literature. The maps on this page give you a way to explore this section through both general features and story comparisons. Pick a map here, then return to Literary Genres to find the Fables section again as you study.