Just what is a folk tale?
Because there is some debate about the definition of a  folk tale, we thought it best to define the term as we use it. For our purposes,  a folk tale is a short story that comes from the oral tradition.  Folk tales often have to do with everyday life and frequently feature wily peasants getting the better of their superiors.  In many cases, like in the folk tales we've selected, the characters are animals with human characteristics.

In their original versions, most folk tales are not children's stories (or at all appropriate for children) because they are bawdy and often violent.  However the tales we have chosen, with their themes of little ones having  power,  venturing out into the world, and good triumphing over evil are extremely appealing to 5 to 8-year-olds.

How are Fairy Tales different from Folk Tales?
Fairy tales are a subgenre of folk tales and almost always involve some element of magic and good triumphing over evil.   A good rule of thumb: if there's a fairy in the story, it's a fairy tale.
 

Thanks to Mary Hynes-Berry for help with this definition!