Strong Women in Appalachian Folktales

Abstract

New generations since the time of storytellers like Richard Chase and the Granny in his book have delighted in a multitude of new versions of old tales, in picture books and anthologies as well as oral and dramatic performances. This outpouring has resulted from a storytelling revival and a tremendous growth in the publication of children's books in the late twentieth century. In the quest for tales that provide contemporary children with more positive female role models than the heroines in the best-known traditional fairy tales, recent writers, editors, and storytellers have pursued a variety of approaches, which include retelling selections from older collections of European folktales, searching the folk heritage of other cultural traditions for lesser known heroines, and adapting or satirizing old stories to highlight the strengths of female characters.