A myth is a traditional story that endures over generations, or over centuries. It could be about an event; about a person or people; or a subtle guide on how to conduct oneself in life and the consequences of not following society’s rules. Myths are about good deeds and bad and about decisions that have disastrous consequences. There are some clear-cut ways to introduce the idea of what a myth is, but there are some grey areas too.

Myths provide a symbolic account of how the world was made and how humans and other sentient beings first formed. They can also tell us how nations and empires developed. Myths commonly describe personality traits and emotional states, indeed the whole gamut of human psychology, often showing aberrant human behaviour in an exaggerated form in order to emphasize a point.

Legends sit within the folklore of a culture. They take the form of historical fact that may also carry some sense of magical power or miraculous potential. Think of legends such as that of Perseus, who destroyed the monster Medusa, or Robin Hood, who had a mission to redistribute wealth and improve the lives of the poor. Each is rooted in the real with actions resulting from defiance of authority or the powerful, or empathy for the underdog, but each is also enhanced by an extra power of the supernatural.

Folk stories carry significant values, traditions and styles that any culture or group of people (a tribe, community or nation) follows over time. They are rich stories with deep insights into human behaviour and expression in words, art and music.

Each myth, legend and folk story handed down to us or created in our own time contains an original author or group authorship. They are also all interpreted and reworked by each successive generation. The way those stories are recorded shows the reworking starkly. We find a network of variations on a theme, all of them with similar features but there is often an argument about the details. That is the nature of humanity: arguing in the town square, debating in the agora (Greek open market), or discussing ideas around a communal fire. In the 21st century, this reworking continues, particularly in literary works, films and digital games. Many people know more about other cultures and their history from such popular forms of media than ever before.