Tale Transcendents – the source stories, experiences, thoughts, beliefs and ideas from which all others flow. True or false, almost everything we know in life descends from at least one tale transcendent.

Many people know my fascination with tale transcendents, but rarely if ever have I referred to them as such (and some of you may wonder why I don’t call them tales transcendent – hint: it’s all about the emphasis, and you could also call them tale transcenders). Perhaps you know these terms and definitions, but have you ever realized how intertwined they all are?

These presented definitions are not foolproof, but they come quite close. If I’m overlooking some, let me know in the comments.

Myth/Mythology – generally tradition and stories with deities and/or demigods that explain the world around us. A lot of people claim myths are ancient religions that people no longer believe, but that is a super-simplified definition. Myth is quite broad, and its definition is hard to absolutely pinpoint.

Fairy Tale – stories about magical lands and people. Often people turn to the root word of fairy – “fae” which refer to a magical people comparable to elves.

Folklore/tales – popular, local beliefs and stories. This might include rituals, belief in local ghosts or witches, even nursery rhymes.

Legend – stories considered historical but that remain unverifiable. Urban legends are included in this.

Tall Tale – tales of people (real or fictional) that perform acts that are larger-than-life. Heavily exaggerated, these tales are supposed to show people at their inhuman best.

Fable – short stories in which animals, plants or objects are given human characteristics. These tales end with either an implied moral or one stated outright.

Mysticism (not technically a type of tale transcendent but related) – collections of beliefs, texts, doctrines and ideas often dealing with the unknown or invisible, and often associated with becoming “one with God.”