Definition of Terms: -The Tortoise and the Hare

-The Lion and the Mouse

 Mythology and Folklore: Refers to
-The Boy who cried Wolf
the collection of stories, legends,
-The Dog and his Reflection
myths, beliefs, customs, and
traditions that are passed down from
2. A Thousand and One Nights/ The
generation to generation with a
Arabian Nights: A collection of
particular culture or ethnic group.
stories and fables from Arabia,
 Myth: A story that is usually
Egypt, India, and Persia that were
unknown origin and at least partially
compiled from oral tales that had
traditional ostensibly relates
been passed down through these
historical events usually of such
cultures for generations.
description as to explain some
-Alladin
particular event's, institution, or
-Alibaba and the Forty Thieves
natural phenomenon.
-Sinbad the Sailor
 Myths: Certain product of
-Jinns
imagination of people which take the
form of stories. (H.J Rose in 3. The Great Epics of the World:
Handbook of Greek Mythology) Myths and legends are usually sourced
 Fairy-tale: A make-believe story from the existing epics of the different
about fairies, wizards, giants, or cultures of the world.
other characters who possess
-The Iliad
magical in an unusual power.
 Folklore: Traditions, customs, and -The Odyssey of the Greeks
stories of one's culture of group of
-The Aeneid of the Romans
people.
 Legend: A story that is considered -The Mahabharata
to be true but is usually a
-The Ramayana/ Ramasita
combination of both fact and fiction.
 Mythology: A group of myths from -The Beouwolf of England
a single group or culture.
-The song of Roland of France
 Supernatural: More than what is
natural or normal showing God like -El Cid of Spain
or magical power exhibiting
-Sha Namah of Persia
supernatural strength.
-The Epic of Gilgamesh

Sources Of Mythology and 4. The Pachatantra: A collection of

Folklore: fables which was used to educate
Indian princes into becoming wise
1. Aesop’s Fables: A collection of
kings. It is supposed that Aesop’s
fables under the name of Aesop over
Fables largely owed much from the
2,000 years ago in Greece. According
Panchatantra.
to Herodotus, Aesop lived in the mid-
sixth century and was a slave and
that he was killed by the people of
Delphi, perhaps for seditious or
sacrilegious beliefs.
-The Ant and the Grasshopper
5. The Poems of Hesiod: Hesiod is an
early Greek poet who probably
4. Trickster: Trickster myths feature a
flourished around 700 B.C. Much of
cunning character who uses
Greek mythology came from his two
intelligence and deceit to achieve
complete works. A compilation of
their goals. These characters often
stories of Gods and Goddesses.
challenge the status quo and can be
both helpful and harmful.

Examples include “Loki” from Norse

mythology and “Anansi the Spider” from
African folklore.

The Great Themes of Myth:

1. Creation: These myths explain how

the world and its inhabitants came
into being. They often involve gods 5. Death and Rebirth: These myths
or supernatural beings and describe explore themes of mortality and
the formation of the earth, sky, and renewal, often symbolizing the
life. cyclical nature of life. They can
involve literal resurrection or
Examples include the “Greek myth of
metaphorical rebirth.
Gaia” and :Uranus”, and the “Judeo-
Christian creation” story in Genesis. Examples include the Egyptian myth of
“Osiris” and the story of “Persephone”
in Greek mythology.
2. The Flood: Flood myths describe a
great deluge sent by deities to
destroy civilization as an act of 6. Underworld: Myths about the
divine retribution. Survivors often underworld describe a realm where
repopulate the earth. souls go after death. These stories
often involve journeys to and from
Notable examples include the story of
this realm, highlighting themes of
“Noah’s Ark” in the Bible and the
mortality and the afterlife.
Mesopotamian “Epic of Gilgamesh”.
Examples include “Hades” in Greek
mythology and the Norse “Hel”.
3. Hero’s Journey: This narrative
pattern involves a hero who goes on
an adventure, faces and overcomes 7. Love and Beauty: These myths
a crisis, and returns transformed. celebrate romantic and aesthetic
Joseph Campbell popularized this ideals, often involving gods and
concept in his book “The Hero with a mortals. They explore themes of
Thousand Faces.” desire, attraction, and the power of
love.
Examples include the stories of
“Hercules”, “King Arthur”, and modern Examples include the story of
tales like “Star Wars.” “Aphrodite” in Greek mythology and the
“tale of Cupid” and “Psyche”.
Definition: The myths and religious
beliefs of ancient Mesopotamia,
8. The Battle of Good and Evil:
including Sumerian, Babylonian, and
These myths depict the struggle
Assyrian cultures.
between opposing forces of good
and evil, often personified by gods,
heroes, and villains. They highlight
Key Features:
moral lessons and the triumph of
virtue.  Panthaleon (Group of God
and Goddesses; Temple)
Examples include the “Zoroastrian
dualism” of Ahura Mazda and Angra  Creation (Enuma Elish,
Mainyu, and the epic battles in Hindu How the Universe was
mythology like the “Mahabharata”. created)

 Afterlife (Life after death;

The dead are being Judge)

9. Transformation: Transformation
myths involve characters undergoing
significant changes, often physical or
spiritual. These changes can
symbolize personal growth,
punishment, or reward.
Famous Characters:
Examples include the story of “Daphne
Anu Sky god; highest ranking
and Apollo” in Greek mythology and the
Deity
metamorphoses in Ovid’s Enlil God of air
“Metamorphoses.” Inanna/ Goddess of love, fertility
Ishtar and war)
Enki God of water and wisdom
10. Fate and Destiny: These myths Maraduk Patron god of Babylon;
explore the concept of known as Dragon Slaying
Hero
predetermined outcomes and the
Tiamat Depicted as Dragon or
influence of fate on human lives. Serpent; God of
They often involve prophecies and Underworld
the tension between free will and Gilgamesh Hero of the Epic of
destiny. Gilgamesh

Examples include the Greek myth of

“Oedipus” and the Norse concept of
“Ragnarok”.

Mythologies of the World:

1. Mesopotamian Mythology
their gods, heroes, and the nature of
the cosmos.

Ideas and Concepts: Pantheon of

2. Canaanite Mythology
Olympian gods, heroic epics, and moral
Definition: The religious beliefs and lessons.
practices of the ancient Canaanites,
Famous Characters:
who lived in the region of modern-day
Israel and Palestine.  Zeus (king of the gods),
Hera (queen of the gods)
Famous Characters:
El Father of God, Wisdom,
Justice, and Power of Speech
Baal Storm God; Most important
God; described as young boy
with Thunderbolt
Asherah Goddess Of Fertility and
Motherhood; Depicted with
Multiple Breast
Astarte goddess of love and fertility
3. Egyptian Mythology
Anath goddess of war; Carrying
Definition: The collection of myths from sword or spear; Love,
sexuality, and fertility
ancient Egypt, explaining the actions of
Mot god of death; Depicted as
the gods and the nature of the world.
Lion or Serpent
Famous Characters: Yam god of the sea; Depicted as
Serpent or Dragon
Ma’at Order and balance Resheph God of War and Plague;
Ra Sun God; depicted with a Carrying Bow or Arrow
Falcon Head Dagon Agriculture and Fertility;
Osiris God of the afterlife Depicted as half Man half Fish
Isis Goddess of magic and Mythical Cherubin, Nephim, Rephaim
fertility; protector of the Creature
dead s
Anubis God of mummification; God
of death  Athena (goddess of wisdom)
Horus Sky god and kinship;
 Apollo (God of the sun and
depicted with the head of
falcon or hawk arts),
Set God of chaos and violence;  Artemis (goddess of the
depicted with the head of
hunt)
an animal
Hathor Goddess of love and  Hades (God of the
Beauty underworld)
Thoth God of wisdom and writing
Book of the Dead  Hercules (hero)

4. Greek Mythology

Definition: The body of myths originally

told by the ancient Greeks, concerning
5. Roman Mythology
Definition The myths and legends of Taliesin Legendary Welsh Bard;
ancient Rome, often derived from Greek Earliest Welsh Poet
mythology but with distinct Roman 7. Norse Mythology
elements. Definition: The body of myths of the
Ideas and Concepts: Emphasis on North Germanic peoples, stemming
rituals, augury, and the moral integrity from Old Norse religion.
of individuals. Famous Characters:
Famous Characters:
Possess both Human Qualities and
 Jupiter (king of the gods) Superpower
Worshipped in Temples
 Juno (queen of the gods) Afterlife Valhalla
Odin King of God, Wisdom,
 Mars (god of war) Poetry, War
 Venus (goddess of love) Thor God of thunder and
Fertility
 Mercury (messenger god) Loki Trickster god
Freyja Goddess of love, fertility,
 Neptune (god of the sea) war; Harvest of the Moon
 Romulus (founder of The Hero, Depicted with Snake’s eye
Sigurd
Rome)
Valkyries Female warriors; Chosen
to be in Valhalla
The Giants Ancestor of All living
6. Celtic Mythology Ymir things
Baldr God of beauty
Definition: The myths and legends of
Heimdall Guardian of the gods
the ancient Celtic peoples, including Hel Goddess of the
those from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and underworld
Gaul.

Famous Characters:

Interconnected of all things 8. Mexican and South American

Afterlife Mythology
Dagda Father God
Danu Mother Goddess; God of Definition: The myths and religious
Irish Mythology beliefs of the indigenous peoples of
Morrígan Goddess of war and Mexico and South America, including
sovereignty; Shape shifter the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas.
Lugh God of Skill and Mastery;
Ideas and Concepts: Creation myths,
sun, lightning, and harvest
Brigid Goddess of healing duality, and the importance of rituals
Cernunn God of fertility forest and and sacrifices.
os animals; Depicted with
Antler or Horns
Arawn god of the underworld Famous Characters:
Cú Demigod with natural
Chulainn Ability; Incredible strength,  Quetzalcoatl (feathered
Skill and bravery serpent god)
Boudicca Queen of the Keni Tribe  Huitzilopochtli (sun god)
 Viracocha (Inca creator karma (actions and consequences), and
god) epic tales.

 Kukulkan (Mayan serpent

god)
Famous Characters:
 Inti (Inca sun god)
 Vishnu (preserver god)
 Pachamama (earth
 Shiva (destroyer god),
goddess)
 Devi (goddess)
 Mictlantecuhtli (Aztec god
of the underworld)  Rama (hero of the
Ramayana)

 Krishna (god of
9. Persian Mythology
compassion)
Definition: The body of myths originally
 Ganesha (remover of
told by ancient Persians, reflecting
obstacles)
Zoroastrian beliefs.
 Hanuman (monkey god)

Ideas and Concepts: Dualism, the battle

between good and evil, and the 11. Chinese Mythology
importance of moral integrity.
Definition: The body of myths from
ancient China, explaining the origins of
the world, the gods, and human
Famous Characters:
civilization.
 Ahura Mazda (supreme god)

 Angra Mainyu (evil spirit)

Ideas and Concepts: Creation myths,
 Mithra (god of covenant) the importance of harmony, and the
role of ancestors.
 Anahita (goddess of water)

 Zoroaster (prophet)
Famous Characters:
 Yazatas (divine spirits)
 Pangu (creator god)
 Simurgh (mythical bird)
 Nuwa (goddess who
created humans)
10. Indian Mythology
 Huangdi (Yellow Emperor)
Definition: The myths and stories rooted
 Sun Wukong (Monkey King)
in the ancient cultures of India,
reflecting Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain  Chang’e (moon goddess)
traditions.
 Jade Emperor (supreme
deity)

Ideas and Concepts: Pantheon of gods,  Guan Yin (goddess of

themes of dharma (righteousness) and mercy).
12. Japanese Mythology

Definition: The collection of traditional

stories, myths, and legends from Japan,
often involving Shinto beliefs.

Ideas and Concepts: Creation myths,

the importance of nature, and the role
of kami (spirits).

Famous Characters:

 Amaterasu (sun goddess)

 Susanoo (storm god)

 Izanagi (creator god)

 Izanami (creator goddess)

 Tsukuyomi (moon god)

 Inari (god of rice)

 Hachiman (god of war).