Why do individuals pass down stories orally instead of by writing? Before the time period that writing even existed, individuals had no choice, but to express themselves orally. During this time, they passed down these stories from generation to generation, but there may have been some minor changes because of the misinterpretation of the readers of the stores. Another reason is that people love to hear and tell stories. There has not been a culture anywhere, at any time, in which individuals did not want to tell stories to one another. They told many different types of stories, ranging from: legends, fables, parables, tall tales, and ballads. "Robin Hood and Allen a Dale"