Abstract
A folk tale can be perceived by one as a channel through which a narrator, under certain circumstances, by using a particular code, passes to his addressee a message. Since a folk tale is a communal creation, changes in the language or teleological system of the corresponding community have a direct influence on the functions and structure of the folk tale.
If a folk tale does not develop accordingly to the current needs of the community, it may not find a new narrator or addressee. If this happens, the chain of communication breaks, and the folk tale sinks into oblivion.
If the previous assumptions are correct, a diachronic study of a folk tale may reveal how its functions and structure have changed over time. Also, this study could expose if and how the language and teleological system of the community passing the folk tale from generation to generation have developed.
This paper aims to reflect upon and assess the possible evolution of the Lithuanian folk tales that were once written down and passed to others by August Schleicher.