What's the difference between folk fairy tales and literary fairy tales?
Folk fairy tales and literary fairy tales are two different forms of literature. The main difference lies in their different sources and purposes of creation. Fairy tales are usually composed of folk tales, legends, myths, etc. These stories originated from folk oral traditions. They are stories told by local residents. After a long period of evolution and development, they have formed a unique folk fairy tale form. Folk fairy tales often have strong local characteristics and ethnic styles, with profound social meanings and symbolic significance. They are an important part of Chinese traditional culture. On the other hand, literary fairy tales referred to fairy tales created by writers. They were usually divided into different types, such as classical fairy tales, modern fairy tales, and contemporary fairy tales. The main purpose of literary fairy tales was for entertainment and aesthetics. They could attract the interest of readers and inspire their thoughts by telling interesting stories and characters. At the same time, they could also convey certain ideas and values. Fairy tales usually have a high aesthetic value and cultural value, which can reflect the nature and destiny of society and human beings. Therefore, folk fairy tales and literary fairy tales were essentially different in terms of their creation source, purpose, and form of expression.