One commonality between myths and legends is the cultural hero. The cultural hero is usually well known to the locals or the surrounding community. Another common characteristic that myths and legends share is that they’re often based on or include historical facts, people or items. An area where they differ is the fact that myths are written or often presented as if they are true! While we now have scientific explanations for events or phenomena, myths helped people understand things that would have been hard to comprehend, according to Smithsonian Magazine’s article, “Ten Ancient Stories and the Geological Events That May Have Inspired Them.”
Some folklore and creation stories “have roots in real geological events of the past, providing warning of potential dangers and speaking to the awe we hold for the might of the planet,” states the Smithsonian article by Sarah Zielinski. The inclusion of ancient beginnings found in many myths is part of the uniqueness of passing down important information. This oral passing of information might long be forgotten if not used as an important and oftentimes sacred responsibility for particular sections of society—or those who held sacred or revered positions like an Indigenous healer. This includes explanations of how particular events happened or how phenomena or physical characteristics in the planet came to be. Also a key characteristic in legends is the inclusion of local or regional surroundings. An example of a folktale used to describe animal behavior would be the Philippines’s fable, The Hawk and the Hen, about why chickens/hens always peck the ground. We will now take a closer look at myths.
Most importantly, morals are often interwoven into the fibers of myths. Myths and other oral stories have the unique ability to entertain, teach and warn its hearers and narrators at the same time. It is necessary to take an even deeper look at myths and folklore.
In the genre of legends and folklore, Greek poet Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are works that many are familiar with. These works are still studied in high schools and colleges today. These well-known BCE (Before Common Era) stories from were originally passed down by poets orally before being written down and contained to a form and structure. Another example of a popular legend or myth that has been around for hundreds of years is “Bigfoot” -- rumored to live in the woods of the Pacific Northwest and western forests of Canada. Bigfoot has been described as a large hairy-bodied creature covered in brown, reddish-brown, or black hair. Standing upright on two feet and walking like a man—the creature is supposed to tower over humans reportedly as tall as 7 to 15 feet, according to the Brittanica Encyclopedia’s website. Others may be more familiar with stories about the “Sasquatch” which is an Indigenous name for Bigfoot.
In another part of the world, in Asia’s Himalayan Mountains a giant ape-like creature similar in height to “Bigfoot” has been alleged to exist. Known as the “Yeti” or the “Abominable Snowman—or by its Himalayan definition, “that thing there” has been alleged to be covered furry white, gray or brown hair. The Yeti has been reported to have a mouth full of sharp teeth. While the existence of none of the aforementioned giant creatures has been scientifically proven, there have been hundreds of articles written and unverifiable pictures (also many determined to be hoaxes) focused on their reality, according to a CNN article entitled “Science Solves The Mystery of The Elusive Yeti.” Scientists made important discoveries after running DNA tests of “Yeti” samples that had been kept as artifacts in collections from all over the world, according to the article. The results were conclusive—the samples proved the existence of rare commonplace creatures; the article also states. Not only are there land animals of great myth and legend—but bodies of water in Europe hold stories that generations have shared.
From Europe, particularly Scotland, there are the many stories of the Loch Ness Monster. The Loch Ness Monster is an oral tradition specifically-- it is a Scottish folklore example. Loch Ness or Nessie has been described as a large, long-necked marine creature or dinosaur with one or more humps. The story of Nessie has been around for more than 1,300 years, according to a June 2024 New York Times article entitled, “The 1300-year search for the Loch Ness Monster: A Timeline.”
