A cautionary tale, or moral tale, is a tale told in folklore to warn its listener of a danger. Three parts are essential to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a wide variety of ways: first a taboo or prohibition is stated, naming some act, location or thing as dangerous; then the narrative itself is told, in which someone disregards the warning and performs the forbidden act; and finally the violator comes to an unpleasant fate, frequently related in expansive and grisly detail.
Facts
Notable ExampleJim, Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by a Lion, from Hilaire Belloc's Cautionary Tales for Children 1 Defining TraitThree part structure: a stated taboo, its violation, then an unpleasant fate for the violator 1 Sources
1. Cautionary tale, Wikipedia
Reactions to cautionary tales section, paragraph 1
Hilaire Belloc in his Cautionary Tales for Children presented such moral examples as "Jim, Who ran away from his Nurse, and was eaten by a Lion", and "Matilda, Who told lies, and was Burned to Death".
Lead section, paragraph 2
There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, location, or thing is said to be dangerous. Then, the narrative itself is told: someone disregarded the warning and performed the forbidden act. Finally, the violator comes to an unpleasant fate, which is frequently related in expansive and grisly detail.
In Group: Fables and Moral Tales, Lead section
A cautionary tale or moral tale is a tale told in folklore to warn its listener of a danger.
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