Module Code and Title:        LIT101 Folk Literature

Programme:                          BA in English Studies

Credit Value:                          12

Module Tutor:                       Vanlallawmkimi (Coordinator), Sonam Deki

General objective: This module aims to acquaint students with diverse types of folklore from around the world to make them appreciate nuances of diverse cultures reflected through them. Studying Bhutanese folklore will raise awareness in students of the necessity of preserving the unique heritage of the country. A small documentation task will be carried out to document and preserve Bhutanese folklore.  

Learning outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Explain the significance of oral tradition in the context of art and literature.
2. Relate Bhutanese folklore to the unique heritage of the country.
3. Analyse the features of folk literature from different critical angles. 
4. Discuss how folk culture reflects the power politics of a particular society.
5. Write analyses of the literary texts they encounter in this module.
6. Make inter-textual connections among the prescribed texts.
7. Document Bhutanese folk tales and songs.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

1. Class test: 10%

A test will be conducted for 45 min duration and will assess the connection between the readings from Unit I and Unit III.

1. Documentation of Folklore and Gallery-walk: 25%

Students in groups of 4 – 5 members each will collect and document two Bhutanese folktales and one Bhutanese folksong that have not been published in English. The group will submit their compilation which will comprise of a brief context (300 - 500 words) on the two folktales and the folksong, and the translations of the said folktales and folksong. The compilation will be graded out of 10% (group mark).

The Documentation of Folklore (10%) will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Context of the folktales and folksong: 20 marks

Documentation of the two folktales: 40 marks

Documentation of the folksong: 20 marks

Citation: 10 marks

Language and clarity: 10 marks  

Group members will each submit an individual field report (300 – 450 words) wherein they will be required to document the process of the project, and reflect on what they have learnt through this experience.

The field report (10%) will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Details of the documentation process: 40 marks

Reflection on the project: 40 marks

Language and clarity: 20 marks

Student groups will share their folklore with the class in the form of a gallery walk. Members will take turns to explain their poster as the tutor and classmates walk around. The presentation of the folklore will be graded out of 5% (group work).

The Gallery-walk will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Relevance of the poster: 40 marks

Creativity: 20 marks

Explanation of the poster: 40 marks

1. Storytelling: 15%

Students will pick their favourite piece of folklore not prescribed in the module, and deliver the tale in front of the class. Students should be creative in their delivery and should replicate how stories were narrated in the past.

Storytelling (15%) will be assessed on the following marking criteria:

Appropriateness and Effectiveness of the delivery: 40 marks

Confidence and interaction with the audience: 20 marks

Creativity: 20 marks

Clarity and fluency: 20 marks

1. Class participation and preparedness: 10%

Students will be expected to participate substantially in class discussions, with contributions reflecting adequate preparation for topics under discussion. 5% will be assessed before mid-term and 5% post midterm.

1. Midterm Examination: 10%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5 hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and will follow the programme’s blue-print for Midterm Examination questions.

1. Semester-End Examination: 30%

Students will take a written exam of 2.5 hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions from all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and will follow the programme blue-print for Semester-End Examination questions. 

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: None

Subject matter:

1. Unit I: Folklore
   • Introduction to Folklore
     • Types of Folklore
     • Folklore as reflections of values and culture of a society
     • Reading and understanding of Dangphu Dingphu: The Origin of the Bhutanese Folktales by Dorji Penjore
   • Oral Tradition in Bhutan
     • An overview of oral tradition in Bhutan
     • Significance of oral tradition

2. Unit II: Preservation and Documentation
   • First-hand collection of Bhutanese Folklore from local sources.
   • Basic recording documentation of Folk materials.
   • Preservation and archiving of Bhutanese Folklore collected in written, oral and digital forms.
3. Unit III: Folk Literature
   • Myths and Legends:
     • Creation myths: elements of Creation myths
     • Reading and comparison of Cherokee creation myth and the Greek creation myth.
     • Example from Bhutanese myth: Reading and analysis of The Myth of Drib Shing from Sonam Kinga’s Speaking Statues, Flying Rocks.
     • Reflection of Bhutanese values and culture in myths.
     • Example from Tibetan legend: Reading and analysis of A Pot and Hunters, from A Quintessential Milarepa.
     • Urban Legends: connecting the past to the present
     • Exploring urban legends from students’ neighbourhood.
   • Pour-Quoi Tale
     • Characteristics of pour-quoi tales
     • Example from Native American Pour-quoi tale: Reading and analysis of The Origin of the Buffalo Dance
     • The interdependent relationship between mankind and animals
   • Tall Tale
     • Characteristics of tall tales      
     • Example from North American Tall Tale: Reading and analysis of Davy Crockett and the Frozen Dawn
     • Significance of exaggeration in tall tales
   • Trickster Tale
     • Characteristics of trickster tales
     • Example from African Trickster tale: Reading and analysis of Anansi and the Alligator
     • Themes and values in trickster tales.
   • Fables and Moral tales
     • Characteristics of fables and moral tales
     • Example from Greek fables: Reading and analysis of Belling the Cat from Aesop’s fables.
     • Example from Indian Jataka Tales: Reading and analysis of The Golden Plate
     • Didactic nature of fables and moral tales.
   • Folk Tales
     • Motifs and patterns in folktales
     • Example from Bhutanese folktales: Readings and Analysis of Mimi Heylay Heylay
     • Example from Bhutanese folktales: Reading and Analysis of The Buffalo with Sixteen Horns
     • Example from Indian folktales: Reading and analysis of The Monkey and the Crocodile from Folktales from India by A.K.Ramanujan
     • Dominant discourse versus alternative voices in Folktales
   • Fairy Tales
     • Characteristics of fairy tales
     • Example from German fairy tales: Reading and analysis of Rapunzel from The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
     • Evolution of the fairy tale through time: retellings

Reading List:

Essential reading (An essential reading compilation of the shorter reading materials will be made available to students)

Acharya, G. (2004). Bhutanese folk tales (from the East to the South). Pekhang Publications.

Aesop. (n.d.). Belling the cat. http://read.gov/aesop/003.html

Auld, M. (n.d.). African folk tales: Anansi and the alligator. https://mocomi.com/indian-folk-tales-anansi-and-the-alligator/

Bulfinch, T. (1993). The golden age of myth and legend. Wordsworth Editions.

Choden, K. (2006). Folktales of Bhutan. White Lotus Press.

Grimm, J. & Wilhelm, G. (2016). The complete Grimm’s fairy tales. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.

Florida State College Jacksonville. (n.d.). Cherokee creation myth. U.S. History I: Pre-Colonial to 1865. Lumen Learning-Simple Book Production. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-fscj-ushistory1/chapter/cherokee-creation-myth/

Kinga, S. (2005). (2005). Speaking statues, flying rocks. DSB Publications.

Kinnes, T.  Stories and teachings of Milarepa – The gold scales. The gold scales - Wisdom lore, proverbs, quotes, humour, fables and more. http://oaks.nvg.org/milarepa-stories.html

Penjore, D. (2009). Dangphu dingphu: The origin of the Bhutanese folktales. Journal of Bhutan Studies. http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publicationFiles/JBS/JBS_Vol21/v21-2.pdf.

Prince, G. (n.d.). Buddhist Tales - Jataka Stories.Vol.1. BuddhaNet - Worldwide Buddhist information and education network. http://www.buddhanet.net/bt1_conts.htm

Ramanujan, A. K. (2009). Folktales from India. Penguin Books.

Schlosser, S. E. (n.d.). Davy Crockett and the frozen dawn:  From tall tales at Americanfolklore.Net.” American folklore - Famous American folktales, tall tales, myths and legends, ghost stories, and more. https://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/davy_crockett_and_the_frozen_d.html

StoneE Producktions. (1996). The origins of the buffalo dance: Native American lore. http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore02.html.

Additional reading:

Bascom, W. (1954). Four functions of folklore. The Journal of American Folklore, 67(266), 333-349. doi:10.2307/536411

Funk and Wagnalls standard dictionary of folklore, mythology, and legend. (Vol. 2). (1950). Funk and Wagnalls Company.

Kinga, S. (2001). The attributes and values of folk and popular songs. Journal for Bhutan       Studies, 3(1),132-170.

Lhendup, Y. (2015). Oral tradition and expressions. In Jagar Dorji (Ed.), Intangible cultural heritage of Bhutan. (pp. 3 - 46). National Library & Archives of Bhutan.

Vansina, J. M. (1985). Oral tradition as history. University of Wisconsin Press.

Date: June 2022