1. (n.) A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See Apologue.

2. (n.) The plot, story, or connected series of events, forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.

3. (n.) Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.

4. (n.) Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

5. (v. i.) To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true.

6. (v. t.) To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely.

Marchen Western Western story Westerner action adventure story allegory anagnorisis angle apologue architectonics architecture argument atmosphere background bedtime story canard catastrophe characterization color complication concoction continuity contrivance denouement design detective story development device episode extravaganza fabliau fabrication fairy tale falling action fantasy fiction figment folk story folktale forgery gest ghost story gimmick horse opera incident invention legend line local color love story mood motif movement mystery mystery story myth mythology mythos nursery tale parable peripeteia plan plot recognition rising action romance scheme science fiction secondary plot shocker slant space fiction space opera story structure subject subplot suspense story switch thematic development theme thriller tone topic twist whodunit work of fiction