The striking consistencies among the folk tales of any region, especially the tale plots of independent origins, like those among a regions languages, are owing to the fact that folklore, like language, is a collective property a socialized aspect of the culture subject to stricter and more uniform laws than fields in which individual creation prevails. Folk tales do contain certain variable elements for example, the distribution of points of emphasis and the nomenclature (vocation) and attributes of the dramatic personae through which the tellers own personality and inclinations may find expression. Also, the tellers choice among the repertory of the available genres (for example, fairy tales and anecdotes) and among the known tales within each genre often reflect the tellers preferred manner of execution, while the teller narrator typically assumes whichever character most closely resembles the teller. Nevertheless, whereas in written literature a creative personality is free to shape entirely new roles, including that of narrator, in storytelling all characters are predetermined by the tale. Attempts at biographical interpretation almost invariably fail to convince; the tale must come before the teller.
The passage as a whole can appropriately be viewed as
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