A holistic study of folk literature makes us feel its vast expanse. Hence, if it is analysed and considered on the basis of any ideology it can be understood clearly. This lesson adopts this approach to classify folk literature.

Bases for classification of folk literature, its varieties and folk arts form the subjects of the three central units of this lesson.

In terms of the content, form and evirons this form of literature can be understood to have unique features. In folk tradition, story is a genre and mythological, traditional, angelic and comic stories are its kinds.

Folk literature is of different kinds. They are folk songs. folk stories, ballads, folk proverbs, riddles and myths. Folk songs are lullabies, children’s songs, love songs work songs, festival songs, social songs, on social events and group dances, devotional songs, death songs and multi-faceted songs. Folk stories are human stories, animal stories. magical stories, divine stories. mythological stories and poly semantic stories. Ballads possess action, characters, theme, heroism, dialogues, and repetition structured into the four parts of prayer, teacher worship, history and good wishes. Folk proverbs are brief, clear, relevant, moralistic and ethical in content and descriptive with a topic and a comment in form.

Folk arts can be folk practices, folk art-forms and folk sciences. Folk practices, include beliefs, faiths, rituals, festivals and games. Beliefs are concerned with children. puberty, rain, star, gods. food, dress, jewellery. death and dreams.

On learning this lesson you will be able to appreciate the reflection of Tamil life and culture in folk literature.