All about history book of myths and legends. ( PDFDrive )

M

yths – stories of gods, heroes, and

great cosmic events – are told in all

of the world’s many cultures. They

deal with the deepest, most fundamental

issues: the creation of the universe and of the

human race, the nature of the gods and spirits,

what happens to us when we die, and how the

world will end. They examine love and jealousy,

war and peace, good and evil. Myths explore

these crucial issues with intriguing plots, vivid

characters, memorable scenes, and concepts

that touch our deepest emotions; and so they

have become eternally fascinating.

Myths began as tales told around the fire

by successive generations, and in some places

they are still passed on orally. Later, with the

invention of writing, people began to write

their myths down and adapt them in new ways

• turning them into plays, poems, or novels, for

example. Some of the world’s greatest literature,

from the Greek epics of Homer to the sagas of

the early Icelandic writers, are based on much

older myths that were originally told orally.

MYRIAD MYTHS

Because of their oral roots, myths are not set in

stone. Each one, endlessly retold, has spawned

variations. Often, there is no single “correct”

version of a myth. The name of a god will

change from one tribe to the next; a twist in

a tale will be explained in diferent ways by

neighbouring groups. Written versions of a

myth multiply the retellings still further.

This book can tell only a fraction of the

world’s myths, and usually gives only one

version of each story. But it does contain a

generous selection of myths from around the

globe, including many from the cultures of

Introduction

INTRODUCTION

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