Year 4 English: Traditional tales, myths and legends: themes, conventions and retelling
Part of the Year 4 English reading fiction and vocabulary chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Traditional tales, myths and legends: themes, conventions and retelling
Fairy stories, myths and legends are traditional tales, told for many years. They share conventions: features that many stories of their kind have. A traditional tale often begins with Long ago or Once upon a time, has a problem that is solved by kindness, cleverness or magic, and uses patterns such as a rule of three.
A myth or a legend often explains something in nature, such as why a river sings. The theme is the big message of the story, such as kindness is rewarded. The theme is not the same as the plot: the plot is what happens.
| Part of the story | Question to ask | Example from a story map |
|---|---|---|
| Beginning | Where and when? Who is in it? | Long ago, a silent river |
| Problem | What goes wrong or is missing? | The river does not sing |
| Helper or test | Who helps, or what is tested? | an old woman on the bank |
| Kind deed or magic | What is done, or what magic happens? | Mira shares her bread; the staff touches the water |
| Ending and lesson | How does it end, and what is the theme? | the river sings; kindness is rewarded |
Key ideas
- A traditional tale often begins with Long ago or Once upon a time.
- Conventions are features many stories share, such as a problem, a helper, magic or a rule of three.
- A myth or legend often explains something in nature.
- The theme is the big message; the plot is what happens.
- To retell a story, use a story map and tell the events in order.
Read: Why the River Sings
Long ago, the river in the valley of Eshdale was silent. It flowed past the farms without a sound, and the villagers grew sad. One spring, a girl named Mira walked to the water with a basket of bread. An old woman sat on the bank, shivering in a thin cloak. Mira shared half of her bread and asked for no reward. The old woman smiled. "The river has been waiting for someone kind," she said. She touched the water with her staff. At once, the river began to ripple, then to sing a soft, rolling tune. Mira ran home to tell her family. From that day, the river has sung whenever a kind deed is done beside it. Some people say the old woman was a spirit of the river. Others say she was only a traveller. Most people agree that the river sings most sweetly in spring.
Method. Look for the opening words and the pattern of the sentence.
- Look at the opening. Once upon a time is a common way to start a traditional tale.Once upon a time
- Look at the pattern. Three daughters is a rule of three, which is another common feature.three daughters
- Name the feature. The opening words show that this is a traditional tale.Once upon a time
- Write the answer. Once upon a time
Check. Once upon a time is a convention of traditional tales. ✓
Method. Find the message, not the events.
- Find what the otter does. The otter shares his last fish, which is a kind act.shared his last fish
- Find what happens later. The seal helps him in return.helped him escape
- Name the theme. The message is that kindness brings good things back.kindness is rewarded
- Write the answer. kindness is rewarded
Check. The theme is the message, shown by the events. ✓
Method. Use the parts of a story map, in order.
- Find the beginning. The story starts when the girl finds the kitten.a girl found a lost kitten
- Find the problem and the kind deed. The kitten is lost, and the girl takes it home and feeds it.took it home and fed it
- Find the ending. The owner comes back and thanks her.thanked her
- Write the answer. Beginning: a girl finds a lost kitten. Problem: the kitten is lost. Kind deed: she takes it home and feeds it. Ending: the owner thanks her.
Check. The story map follows the order of the events. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a theme is a message about life, such as kindness is rewarded. It is not the plot. "A girl helps a kitten" is the plot; "kindness matters" is the theme.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Talk about the story together. Take turns: your child gives an idea, you listen and ask one question, then swap. Then your child writes a story map before retelling the story in their own words.
Exercise 8F Practice: traditional tales, themes and retelling
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.Long ago, the river in the valley of Eshdale was silent
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The story opens with these two words.Long ago
- Write the answer. Long ago
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.the river in the valley of Eshdale was silent
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The first sentence states the problem.silent
- Write the answer. silent
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.Mira shared half of her bread
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The sentence after the old woman sits on the bank states the kind deed.half of her bread
- Write the answer. half of her bread
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.She touched the water with her staff
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The magic happens when she touches the water.her staff
- Write the answer. her staff
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Look at what the old woman says, and what Mira does.
- Find the old woman's words. The river has been waiting for someone kind.The river has been waiting for someone kind
- Find Mira's kind deed. Mira shared half of her bread.Mira shared half of her bread
- Link the two. Mira's kindness is what the river was waiting for.because Mira was kind
- Write the answer. because Mira was kind, and the river had been waiting for someone kind
Check. Both the words and the deed explain the singing. ✓
Method. Find the message, not the events.
- Find a kind act. Mira shares her bread.Mira shared half of her bread
- Find what it leads to. The river begins to sing.began to ripple
- Name the theme. The message is that kindness brings a good reward.kindness is rewarded
- Write the answer. kindness is rewarded
Check. The theme is the message shown by the story. ✓
Method. Think about why the writer includes this detail.
- Find the detail. Mira asked for no reward.asked for no reward
- Think about its purpose. The writer wants the reader to see that her kindness was not for gain.kind for its own sake
- Give the answer. It shows that she was kind without expecting anything back.to show that she was kind for its own sake
- Write the answer. to show that she was kind for its own sake, not for a prize
Check. The detail shows that the kindness was not for a reward. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.From that day, the river has sung whenever a kind deed is done beside it
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. This sentence is the explanation, which is a feature of a legend.From that day, the river has sung whenever a kind deed is done beside it
- Write the answer. From that day, the river has sung whenever a kind deed is done beside it
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Find the fact that the text states.
- Find the words that answer the question. Scan the text for the detail the question asks about.a spirit of the river
- Check that the fact is stated, not guessed. The text says some people say this.a spirit of the river
- Write the answer. a spirit of the river
Check. The text states this fact. ✓
Method. Use a story map to put the events in order.
- Write the problem. The river was silent at the start.was silent
- Write the helper and the kind deed. An old woman sat on the bank, and Mira shared her bread.shared half of her bread
- Write the magic and the ending. The old woman touched the water, and the river sang.touched the water with her staff
- Write the answer. The river was silent. An old woman sat on the bank. Mira shared half her bread. The old woman touched the water, and the river began to sing. Ever since, the river sings when someone is kind.
Check. Each sentence follows the order of the story map. ✓
Watch out. Retell in your own words. Do not copy the sentences from the box.
Method. Look at what the story explains and what magic happens.
- Find the explanation. The story explains why the river sings.From that day, the river has sung
- Find the magic. The old woman touches the water with her staff.touched the water with her staff
- Name the type. A legend explains a thing in nature, with some magic.a legend
- Write the answer. a legend, because it explains why the river sings, and the old woman has magic in her staff
Check. The explanation and the magic show that it is a legend. ✓