Propp arrived at the conclusion that folk tales drew from a highly stable list of characters whose roles and narrative functions he defined as follows:

The hero- two types, seeker hero and victim hero

The villain- fights the hero and must be defeated

The princess and the princess’s father- is the hero’s reward

The donor- provides the hero to help defeat the villain

The helper- usually accompanies the hero and helps them along the way

The dispatcher- sends the hero on their quest

The false hero- plays a large villainous role