By Animal Protagonist:
* Animal Fables: This is the most classic type, featuring animals acting and speaking like humans, often representing human vices and virtues. Aesop's fables are the prime example. Specific animal types might be emphasized, like those featuring clever foxes or wise owls.
By Moral Theme:
* Fables about Justice: These focus on the consequences of actions, often highlighting fairness, retribution, or the importance of following rules.
* Fables about Wisdom and Folly: These contrast intelligent and insightful characters with foolish or rash ones, illustrating the rewards of prudence and the pitfalls of recklessness.
* Fables about Perseverance: These showcase the importance of determination and effort in overcoming obstacles.
* Fables about Greed and Selfishness: These often warn against the dangers of prioritizing personal gain over cooperation or compassion.
* Fables about Honesty and Deceit: These explore the consequences of truthfulness versus dishonesty.
By Narrative Structure:
* Simple Fables: These have a straightforward narrative with a clear moral at the end.
* Complex Fables: These have more intricate plots, multiple characters, and subplots, making the moral slightly less explicit. They may involve irony or satire.
* Frame Narratives: These embed the fable within a larger story, often with a narrator or storyteller introducing the fable. *The Canterbury Tales* features this structure, albeit not strictly fables.
By Tone:
* Didactic Fables: These are primarily instructional, aiming to teach a specific moral lesson explicitly.
* Satirical Fables: These use humor and exaggeration to criticize societal flaws or human behavior.
* Allegorical Fables: These use symbols and characters to represent abstract concepts or ideas, often with political or social commentary.
It's important to note that many fables blend these categories. A fable could be an animal fable about justice, told in a didactic and satirical tone. The categorization is a helpful tool for analysis but not a rigid system.