Folktales can be divided into broad categories. Sometimes there is some overlap between these. Contemporary stories may also contain folktale elements.
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The House That Jack Built and The Gingerbread Man are well known examples. In a cumulative tale, the story builds with repetition of what has come before, with something else added each time. There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly is another example.
Pourquoi Tales
Pourquoi means "Why?" in French. These stories explain why or how something happened or came to be e.g. How the Birds Got Their Colors or Why the Elephant has a Long Trunk.
Beast Tales
These are anthropomorphic stories, where animals take on human characteristics such as wearing clothes and talking. Examples are The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks & the Three Bears.
Noodlehead Tales
The main character is usually a silly person. He makes unwise decisions, landing him in trouble. These are not malicious, and the situations are quite humorous, but end well. The Three Sillies is an example.
Trickster Tales
Trickster tales center around a small creature who outsmarts a stronger, larger opponent, through using his wits, rather than relying on strength or size. Anansi the Spider and Brer Rabbit are well known examples. Almost every culture, has their own trickster character, or trickster tales versions.
Realistic
The characters are people who we can identify with from real life. Realistic stories do not rely on magic.
Fairytales
These involve magic and fantasy such as Cinderella and Snow White.
Stacy Carney, in her article, Folktales - What are they? outlines the elements of a folktale. Her insights are useful to a children's writer. She says, in part
"For children, the appeal of folktales lies in the qualities that youngsters respond to in a story. The tale starts quicky with action throughout. Children often enjoy the humor in such stories. They also appeal to a child's sense of justice - good is rewarded and evil is punished. Characters are generally stereotyped - good or bad. The rhyme and repetition of many folktales attract children."
Read more about folktale elements in Folktales. What are they?
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