Folk tales, fables, and fairy tales are all forms of traditional storytelling, but they have distinct characteristics. Folk tales typically originate from oral tradition and may include various genres of stories, including fables and fairy tales. Fables are short stories that often feature animals or inanimate objects with human-like qualities and teach a moral lesson. Fairy tales often involve magical elements and are set in a fantastical world with characters like witches, fairies, or talking animals.