Our Objectives To learn what makes a Myth

Our Objectives: To learn what makes a Myth or a Legend • To give some examples of Myths and Legends • To know what the differences are • To be able to discuss the meaning of a myth.

What is a Myth? • Oldest and most powerful form of story telling. • “Mythos” is a Greek word meaning to tell a story. Traditionally passed on by spoken word (rather than written down). • Isn’t true, not about a real event. The author is unknown • Can be a way of explaining things in nature (Nature Myths) or passing on a message. There are many myths around how the Earth was created (called Creation Myths) • Sometimes myths teach a moral lesson where a character in the story does something wrong or bad and they have to suffer the consequences. May have deep meaning.

• The most famous myths are those of the Ancient Greeks. These are stories that tell of Gods with power over all aspects of the world, including love, thunder and war. • It is said that the stories of how these Gods use their powers were made up to help explain things that people didn’t understand – like why the rain falls, or why the seasons change. • Hero Myths describe the quest of a hero or heroine. They may include gods and goddesses, sometimes in disguise. • Different cultures have different myths. Now let’s hear some myths. …….

Write down the title then each question and answer in sentences. Title: Myths and Legends What is a myth? Give an example of a myth.

What about Legends? • Based on fact or relate to a specific event, person or place that did exist. Legendary heroes often have historical roots. • The focus is on adventure, a person’s actions to overcome obstacles • There is often a magical element Can you think of any examples from the stories you know?

Examples of Legends • The story of Robin Hood • The story of King Arthur – you may know it as The Sword in the Stone. • St George and the Dragon Although the main story stays the same, there are often differences between each version.

The same legend retold in films for modern audiences. There have been at least 15 different film versions of the story of Robin Hood, each story told in a slightly different way.

In your literacy books (front). Under your writing on Myths, write down the question and answer in sentences. How is a legend different? Give an example of a legend.