Taylor Swift's "Cardigan" shares the love-triangle story with "august" from Betty's perspective.
The three connected Folklore songs are "Cardigan," "august," and "Betty." They revolve around Betty, James, and an unnamed girl whose short summer relationship with James is described in "august."
In "Cardigan," Betty reflects on her relationship with James. In "Betty," James addresses the consequences of his actions and seeks reconciliation. "august" supplies the viewpoint of the third person, who experiences the relationship as an intense but temporary romance.
The songs do not function as a conventional narrative released in chronological order. Instead, they offer overlapping emotional viewpoints, allowing listeners to infer how the characters' memories and interpretations differ. Swift developed these fictional characters as part of Folklore's broader interest in imagined stories, historical figures, and lives unlike her own.