Fable Narrative

Fable Narrative Instructions

This first required assignment asks you to write your own version of a traditional fairy tale.  There is no DRAFT submission for the Fable Narrative, so please upload your essay as a .doc or .docx file into the Fable Narrative upload area for grading. 

Traditional fables and fairy tales typically have some kind of moral lesson that serves as the main idea (or thesis). 

For this assignment, you will write your own Fable Narrative with a thesis based on the main idea from one of the traditional stories that you read. 

Additional helpful resources:

Fable Narrative Rubric | Fable Narrative Sample  

You have two options for this assignment:

Option #1: Modern-Day Tale

Go tohttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/redcap.html to read one of the classic stories authored by the Grimm Brothers in the nineteenth century. Identify the main idea/thesis and rewrite the fairy tale into a story that applies to today’s society, ensuring that the story idea remains the same. Just as with an essay, there must be details that support the thesis. Organize your tale into an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Consider introducing the story in the introduction and creating a thesis statement at the end of the introduction that contains the story’s moral as well as an overview of the story’s main events.

Sample Thesis Statement: “When Cinderella disobeyed her step-mother and went to her high school prom, she was grounded and wasn’t allowed to even attend classes, which resulted in Child Protective Services removing the step-mother from the home and showing how good always prevails over evil.”

After you create the thesis statement, rewrite the fable in the body paragraphs using chronological order. Be sure to sum up the story’s main points as well as the moral in the conclusion.

Option #2: What Really Happened to Little Red? 

Revisit the original childhood tale of "Little Red Riding Hood" at http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html#grimm. Identify the thesis and the primary supporting details. Keeping the main idea of the story, rewrite the ending, beginning with this sentence: 

“Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door.”

Consider creating an introduction that summarizes the beginning of the story and ends with the thesis statement. A thesis statement for this essay should be an overview of the fable’s moral and a brief preview of the main events in the remainder of the story that you are rewriting.

Thesis example: “Before Little Red Riding Hood leaves her house, her mother reminds her of the dangers of talking to strangers, but Red doesn’t realize that evil can sometimes disguise itself and hurt family members.”

After you create the thesis, begin rewriting the fable’s new ending in the first body paragraph beginning with the suggested sentence: “Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked at the door.” Remember to sum up the story as well as the moral in the conclusion.