by Cristina Nuta -

What is the difference between a myth and a legend? Myths are traditional stories occurring in a timeless past. They involve supernatural elements and are beyond the frontiers of logic. Long ago, when our ancestors heard the sound of thunder and saw lightening, they were frightened because they could not understand why these things happened. In order to understand these and other natural events, they created stories. The stories were handed down from generation to generation all around the world.

Although myths are not based on objective truth, they reflect both universal worries and the worries of specific cultures. The presence of the sun in the sky was a mystery in different parts of the world. In the cold northern countries, where the sun disappears almost com pletely during the winter season, great fires were lit in the midwinter to help the sun to be reborn.

The ancient Greeks tell a myth in which Prometheus stole fire from Zeus, the chief god, and gave it to humans so that they could keep themselves warm. To punish him, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock where his liver was eaten by an eagle every day but grew again every night.

On the other hand, legends, however, are stories about real people who are famous for doing something brave or extraordinary. Every time the story was told, it became more exaggerated and so it is now difficult to tell how much of the story is really true.

One of the greatest legendary figures in Britain is Arthur King. He was the son of King Uther Pendragon, a Celtic King. King Uther gave his child to Merlin the wizard. Merlin taught Arthur everything he knew so that he could become a great king. When King Uther died, Merlin stuck a sword into a rock and said, 'This sword is in the stone by magic. Only the true king will be able to pull it out'. Many men tried but none succeeded. When Arthur tried, the sword slipped out easily. Arthur was made king. He went on to found the Round Table, an order to knights who became famous for fighting the wicked and helping the poor.
The Difference Between a Myth and a Legend written by Cristina Nuta for FamousWhy.com
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Tags: difference, between, myth, legend, traditional, stories, truth, cultures

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Category: Education  - ( Education Archive)

Date Added: 13 March '12

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