Final answer:
Folktales are narrative stories central to a culture's traditions, fables are short stories with moral lessons often featuring animals, and myths are sacred tales explaining the world and cultural beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Folktales are stories passed down through generations, typically via oral tradition, serving to entertain, educate, and preserve a community's cultural heritage. They often contain elements of fantasy and include moral lessons, adventures, and sometimes tools for survival. Examples of folktales include "Cinderella" and "The Three Little Pigs."
Fables are a specific type of folktale that feature animals as characters with human qualities. These stories are known for imparting moral lessons. Aesop's Fables, such as "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," are classic examples that teach lessons about perseverance and honesty, respectively.
Myths, on the other hand, are narratives of a sacred nature, often involving gods and heroes, and are deeply rooted in the religious and cultural traditions of a society. They serve to explain the universe, natural phenomena, and cultural practices. Creation myths or heroic tales like those of Zeus or Thor are examples of myths that reflect the values and beliefs of ancient Greece and Norse culture.