ENGL 0004 Lecture : World Myths And Folktales Lecture
Document Summary
Myths and folktales are the world"s oldest stories. People have told myths and folktales since language was created, keeping them alive and vital through the century by word of mouth (oral tradition). They probably originally had a religious purpose, for they attempt to explain mysteries that people regard as sacred: how the world was created, why people must eventually die, why the world is imperfect. Folktales are stories told by the common people. Most folktales are told for entertainment, although they may also teach values. Legends, tall tales, fables, and fairy tales are all forms of folktale. A myth is an anonymous, traditional story that explains a belief, a custom, or a mysterious natural phenomenon. The word myth comes from the greek word mythos, which simply means. Features of myths: gods and goddesses form the earth and the life on it. As myths were told and retold over generations, they transformed.
