Fictional Characters from Traditional Tales
This list is comprised of characters from folklore, fairy tales and nursery rhymes. This list emphasizes the oral tradition, as opposed to famous characters from books. There is potential overlap with the various lists of mythological characters, since the difference between folklore and mythology is somewhat subtle. In general, folklore takes place on a smaller scale than the grand stories of mythology.
| Name | Tradition | |
|---|---|---|
| Aladdin | Middle Eastern |  |
| King Arthur | British | |
| Ali Baba | Middle Eastern | |
| Beowulf | English | |
| Paul Bunyan | American | |
| Cinderella | European | |
| Santa Claus | European | |
| Till Eulenspiegel | German | |
| Faust | German | |
| Goldilocks | English | |
| Gretel | German | |
| Guinevere | British | |
| Hansel | German | |
| John Henry | African-American | |
| Robin Hood | English | |
| Little Jack Horner | English | |
| Jack | English | |
| Jack | English | |
| Frère Jacques | French | |
| Jill | English | |
| Little John | English | |
| Don Juan | | |
| Maid Marian | English | |
| Merlin | British | |
| Zwarte Piet | Dutch | |
| Peter Piper | English | |
| Rapunzel | German | |
| Roland | French | |
| Will Scarlet | English | |
| Jack Sprat | English | |
| Pan Twardowski | Polish | |