Similes and similitudes both relate to the word "similar." They both compare two ideas. A simile uses "like" or "as," such as in, "Your love is like a morning cloud, a dew that goes away early." In this statement "love" is compared to "a cloud" and "a dew," the similarity being that they both "go . . . away early." A simile is a brief statement, normally only a sentence long. A similitude expresses a lengthier comparison, but is still not exactly a story, such as the Biblical juxtaposition of the mustard seed and the kingdom of God. Similitudes normally use the present tense.
An extended comparison reads like a similitude except that it is even longer. An extended comparison draws out an analogy to the point that it almost appears to be a story, except no conflict, climax or denouement develops. Scholars consider the parable of the Sower from the New Testament of the Bible an extended comparison. It lasts for several verses, but simply describes what happens to seeds sown in different environments. It contains no characters.
Narrative parables tell a story; that is, they describe a plot with a conflict or problem that resolves in the end. Narratives contain characters that often face a moral dilemma. In these realistic stories, negative consequences arise from making a particular decision, whereas a good result rewards those who choose the right path.
The parable of the Good Samaritan from the Bible is a type of example parable. Jesus presents the Samaritan as a model of right behavior, someone worthy of emulation. Rather than drawing a comparison, the parable of the Good Samaritan actually contrasts right and wrong behavior. Whereas all of the other parables are metaphorical in nature, the example is the only parable that does not present an analogy.