(See sample speech here)
Introduction
Folk tales are popular stories and they are the easiest stories to tell. They are simple, entertaining, and easy-to-understand and their basic structure makes them fun to learn and interpret. Folk tales are found in every country and every language. Some of the classic folk tales are “The Three Billy-Goats Gruff,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Cinderella.” Most folk tales are centuries old, and they provide glimpses into the ideas, customs and beliefs of the people who lived then.
Executive Summary
Folk tales are popular and easy to tell. Read the story and analyze its structure. What is the plot? How does the action flow? Where is the climax? Why is the story appealing? Become familiar with the scenes and characters and help your audience visualize them. Learn the story so thoroughly that you can tell it from memory. Use gestures and your voice to add impact to the story, paying careful attention to tempo, rhythm, inflection, pauses and volume.
Objectives
- To tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group
- To use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale.
Your Assignment
Select and tell a folk tale. Use your voice and imagery to project the meaning, emotion and action of the story. If necessary, ask your audience in advance to pretend to be the age that you designate if the story you select is for an age group other than that of your audience.
This information is provided as a service to members. For full details on this speech project, refer to the Storytelling manual. All materials in the Toastmasters Educational Program are copyright Toastmasters International. All rights reserved.
The Storytelling Manual
