Myths vs Legends

What is a myth?

• A story by moonlight.

• Stories that touch the heart.

• A traditional, ancient story that is often fictional.

• A traditional story that is told by fortune tellers and rainmakers.

Answer explanation

A myth is a traditional, ancient story that is often fictional.

Myths are about gods and goddesses

• Yes

• No

• Maybe

• I don't know

Answer explanation

Myths explain the lives and times of various gods and goddesses.

Marvel's The Eternals is an example of a

• Myth

• Legend

• Folktale

• Bedtime story

Answer explanation

Marvel's The Eternals comprises of characters who are all myths - Ikaris, Sprite, Thena, Gilgamesh, Sersi, Ajak, Makkari, Phastos, Druig and Kingo.

Robin Hood is an example of a

• Myth

• Legend

• Folktale

• Oral tradition

Answer explanation

Robin Hood is an example of a legend.

What was formerly used to explain natural phenomena like floods, snow, lightening etc?

• Myths

• Legends

• Tales by moonlight

• Story for the gods

Answer explanation

Myths were previously used to explain natural phenomena.

“Myth, a story of the gods, a religious account of the beginning of the world, the creation, fundamental events, the exemplary deeds of the gods as a result of which the world, nature and culture were created together with all parts thereof and given their order, which still obtains. A myth expresses and confirms the society’s religious values and norms; it provides a pattern of attitudes and behaviours to be imitated.”

This definition of myth was given by

• Lori Hoko

• Lauri Honko

• Mallory Honko

• Lauri Hokko

Myths and legends belong to which genre?

• Folktale

• Folklore

• Poetry

• Drama

Answer explanation

Myths are classified under the genre of folklore, and they comprise narratives that play a fundamental and moral roles in the society.

Timothy R. Tangherlini defined a legend as

• A fantastic story with equally fantastic elements

• A false story with true moral lessons

• A short, single episode, traditional narrative performed in a conversational manner; it reflects a symbolic representation of folk belief and collective experiences, serving as a reaffirmation of commonly held values of a group to whose tradition it belongs.

• An oral, symbolic, evolutionary and apparently simple account (in the sense of a tale, a diegesis, or a series of narrative and representative actions) of an extraordinary experience or event with a transcendental and personal referent that shows social classification.

• A story of the gods, a religious account of the beginning of the world, the creation, fundamental events, the exemplary deeds of the gods as a result of which the world, nature and culture were created together with all parts thereof and given their order, which still obtains. A myth expresses and confirms thesociety’s religious values and norms; it provides a pattern of attitudes and behaviours to be imitated

Answer explanation

Timothy R. Tangherlini defined a legend as a short, single episode, traditional narrative performed in a conversational manner; it reflects a symbolic representation of folk belief and collective experiences, serving as a reaffirmation of commonly held values of a group to whose tradition it belongs.

Select the legends from the options below

• Orunmila

• Usman dan Fodio

• Nnamdi Azikiwe

• Ani

• Kuri

Select the myths from the options below

• Orunmila

• Usman dan Fodio

• Nnamdi Azikiwe

• Ani

• Kuri