What+is+a+myth?+What+is+a+legend?

__** What is a Myth? **__ __** Myths **__ A myth is a story made up to explain something that people believe (such as how the earth was made) or something in nature (such as thunder or lightning). Some of the most famous myths are Greek, Roman and Norse. They often deal with gods and godessess worshipped by the ancient people from these lands. Myths have complicated language or elaborate plots and rich language. They have become such a part of our heritage that even today we speak of Herculean strength (from Hercules, a Greek hero), the beauty of Venus (from Venus, the Roman Goddess of beauty) and Cupid as a symbol of love (from Cupid, the Roman god of love).

__** What is a Legend? **__ __** Legends **__ Legends are stories about the extraordinary deeds that real people or story characters (who might have been real people) are supposed to have performed. They are part of traditional literature which is the group of stories and poems that parents have told their children for centuries. There are legends about saints, like Saint Patrick, who was supposed to have chased all the snakes out of Ireland. There are legends about [|Robin Hood] and his Merry Men and King Arthur and his Knights, who may or may not have been real people. You will also hear people speak of the legendary deeds of the bushranger Ned Kelly, or sporting heroes such as [|Donald Bradman]. __** What is a fable? **__ __** noun **__ 1.a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters; apologue:the fable of the tortoise and the hare; Aesop's fables. 2.a story not founded on fact:This biography is largely a self-laudatory fable. 3.a story about supernatural or extraordinary persons or incidents; legend:the fables of gods and heroes. 4.legends or myths collectively:the heroes of Greek fable.