Myths, Legends and Folktales

Three Different Traditional Tales

What are myths?

Myths are stories that try to explain how our world works and how we should treat each other. They are usually set in old times before history as we know it was written.

“Myth” comes from the Greek word “mythos” which means “word of mouth”.

What are myths? In some myths, gods or “super-beings” used

their powers to make events happen Heroes, gods and goddesses could help them

or make things more difficult for them. They might be about victory (achieving

something), tragedy (losing something), honor (doing the right thing), being brave even when you are frightened, or being foolish and making mistakes.

What are myths?

Around the world, myths were shared by different groups of people and became part of their culture.

Storytellers passed the stories on from generation to generation. Some similar myths were told in many cultures, but with variations in the events or characters.

Ex: Most cultures, tribes or other groups of people had their own

version of how our world began.

Examples of myths Examples of mythical characters include the

Greek god Zeus and the Viking god Thor. Examples of Myths: Persephone (explains the

seasons)

Orpheus (Constelation Lyra, being trustful)

Narcissus (Narcissus flowers and Echo, being too vain and self-conscious)

What are legends? Legends are also fictional stories, but they are

different from myths. Myths are about how the natural world works, and are set in an ancient time.

Legends are based on real people who lived in more recent times and are mentioned in history. Legends are told for a purpose and are based on facts, but they are not completely true.

What are legends? Either the person never really did what the story says, or

the historical events were changed. Purpose:

to make the story more interesting or convincing to teach a lesson, like knowing right from wrong.

Legends are also passed down from generation to generation.

Ex: Saint Patrick and the snakes

Examples of legends

King Arthur and the Round Table: A man who could have been King Arthur is known to have lived in the 5th or 6th century, but the stories of the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin the Magician are probably not true. The point was that knights and their king defended and helped their people.

Examples of legends The character and deeds of Robin Hood

may have been based on someone else. Robin of Loxley lived in Nottinghamshire around

the time of the story, and he helped the poor. However, did he live in Nottingham forest with a band of robbers? Probably not, but helping other people is important and the legend hasn’t been forgotten.

Legend of Robin Hood

Modern legends Today people use the word ‘legend’ in a different

way when they talk about people and their deeds. They may describe an athlete as a “sporting legend”, or an actor as a “film legend”. What they mean is the person is famous because of their skills or things they have done.

Urban legends are intriguing stories that aren’t true but could be possible

What are folk or fairy tales? Folk and fairy tales are stories passed down

orally before being written specially for children, often about magical characters:

* Elves: beings with magical powers and supernatural beauty close to the natural world, they can do good or harm to humans

Ex: Lord of the Rings, Santa Claus’ helpers

• Fairies (celtic): Ethereal creatures human in appearance but with magical powers. They can fly and have wings

Ex: Tinker Bell, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Narnia

* Goblin: evil, grotesque dwarf-like monster

who are greedy, especially for gold and jewelry

* Leprechaun (Irish): solitary creatures who spend their time making and mending shoes and have a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If captured by a human, the leprechaun has the magical power to grant three wishes in exchange for their freedom.

* Dwarf: being that dwells in mountains and in the earth,and is variously associated with wisdom, mining, and crafting

* Giant: monster of human appearance but prodigious size and strength, confunded with ogres ex: Jack and the Giant Killer, Harry Potter’s Hagrid.

Finn MacCool and the Giant's Causeway

Authors and examples of fairy tales

Hans Christian Andersen is famous for writing fairy tales. He was born in Denmark in 1805. Examples of his stories are “The Little Mermaid”, “Thumbelina,” “The Ugly Duckling,” and “The Red Shoes.”

In Copenhagen there is a statue of the little mermaid, sitting on a rock on the beach at the harbor, in memory of the writer.

Authors and examples of fairy tales

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were brothers, born in Germany in 1785 and 1786. They are famous because they collected together many old fairy tales from different parts of Germany and wrote them down for people to read, their collection includes “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” and “The Frog Prince”. “Rumpelstiltskin“

“Rapunzel”

Jack and the Beanstalk ( unknown author)

Versions of the tale: Jack and the Giant Slayer

Read and listen to the story

A Cristmas Carol ( Charles Dickens)

A popular and traditional tale from 19th century

Animated story

What is the difference? Myths and legends are old stories told for adults

and children. Many were not written down until recently. Both are fictional, but legends are based on some fact.

Fables were written for adults and children, they contain a moral. Many were written by the Greek writer Aesop.

Folk or fairy tales were written specially for children. Some were told orally before they were written.

The End