*Ma’am Justine yong naka yellow highlight lang po yong isasama sa slides thank u po
* tsaka po may naisama akong about sa modern myths and urban legends kung sa palagay nyo po ay
hindi na kasama yon wag nyo napo isama hahahaha
Myths and Legends
Myths and legends are the traditional stories of different cultures passed down through generations.
Oral storytelling (using spoken language to tell stories) is the way that stories were told and
preserved for thousands of years, as most people in cultures throughout the world could not
fluently read or write.
Folk tales, myths and legends are all kinds of stories which were originally shared in spoken
form.
Usually taking the form of an allegorical tale (with a moral about living life in a good way), myths
and legends often feature mythical creatures and famous heroes/warriors.
This is why there are often many variations of the same core story between different cultures.
One example is the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, which has been rewritten many times with a
number of different endings depending on who tells the story.
(paki insert po ng pic sa slide hehe thanks po)
Both historical facts and imaginative stories were shared by word of mouth, and so the two
would sometimes intertwine to create the myths and legends that we have learnt about.
What is the difference between a Myth and a Legend?
What is a legend?
Legends are stories which are thought to be based on true events, but have
developed fictional elements, which have deep significance to the culture from which they
originate.
For instance, the legend of King Arthur. Although many historians agree that he existed as a
Romano-British leader between the 5th and 6th century, there are a number of legends within
British folklore which cannot be verified. For example, that he achieved his royal status by
pulling his sword, Excalibur, from a stone within the centre of a lake.
Some examples of famous legends are:
The Lost City of Atlantis (Greece)
Robin Hood and his Merry Men (England)
Ching Shih the Pirate Queen (China)
The Fountain of Youth (Various)
El Dorado - The City of Gold (Spain and South America)
Romulus and Remus (Ancient Rome)
What is a myth?
Myths are stories derived from cultural traditions or legends, which have a deep
symbolic meaning and usually involve a lesson which will be helpful to the listener or reader.
One such myth is the Greek myth of Persephone, which is used to understand and give meaning
to the changing seasons. Persephone, (daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest),
personifies plants and flowers. When she makes her journey to the Underworld to live with
Hades in winter, vegetation on earth withers and dies. When she returns to live with her mother
on earth, plants bloom and flourish once more.
Some examples of famous myths are:
Hercules and the Lion (Greece)
The Birth of Horus (Egypt)
The Children of Lir (Ireland)
Valmiki’s Curse (India)
Thor’s Hammer (Scandinavia)
Theseus and the Minotaur (Ancient Greece)
Isis and Osiris (Ancient Egypt)
Myths typically held to particular formulas which storytellers used to explain a natural
phenomenon, give a moral lesson or tell about a legend. This formula allowed storytellers to
change details such as characters, or settings but maintain the rhythm and style of the story.
6 elements of a myth
The elements of a myth which were most important to ancient storytellers are:
Characters: Mythical characters are often non-human in some form, they may be related to a
god or an animal or other supernatural being.
Setting: Typically an ancient place, or prior to the time when records were kept. Myths are often
set in a place very similar to that which the culture lives, except with supernatural beings or
monsters.
Metaphor: Myths were often created to comment or analyze a real world event through the use
of metaphorical language.
Conflict: Often set up as a duality between good and evil or light and dark, conflict takes up an
important place in many myths.
Resolution: The conclusion of myths always provides a lesson or moral for the reader.
Metamorphosis: Change is often a core component of mythical stories; a hero can change his
views about life or a monster can change from evil to good.
Modern Myths - Urban Legends
Not all legends have their roots in ancient history. Urban legends are stories which are
passed between people in the present day, which are unverifiable but may have a small grain of
truth to them.
Examples of such legends in modern society are:
Ghostly phone calls.
Witches in the woods.
UFO sightings.
Urban legends belong to a modern genre of folklore which is spread via the internet, as well as
by word of mouth.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Riding_Hood
https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/myths-and-legends
