 Storytelling is common to every culture. Most people have their own favorite story from childhood and, often, these tales are both fascinating and frightening. These stories include legends, myths and folktales.

 Legends are about people and their actions or deeds. The people lived in more recent times and sometimes are mentioned in history. Native American tribes wrote legends. The stories are told for a reason and are based on facts, but they are not completely true, often they contain the spiritual beliefs of the culture in which they originate. Stories like Robin Hood and King Arthur are legends.

 Myths are made up stories that try to explain how our world works and how we should treat each other. The stories are usually set in times long ago, before history as we know it was written. Cultures like the Greeks and Egyptians wrote myths.  People have always asked questions like “How did our world come to be?” or “Why do tornadoes happen?” Some myths answered these questions.

 A folktale is a popular story that was passed on in spoken form, from one generation to the next. Usually the author is unknown and there are often many versions of the tale. Folktales comprise fables, fairy tales, old legends and even 'urban legends'. Again, some tales may have been based on a partial truth that has been lost or hidden over time. It is difficult to categorize folktales precisely because they fit into many categories. Folk tales are often referred to as Tall Tales.

As well as making fascinating reading, these stories also tell us a great deal about how people in the past saw, and understood, the world around them. There are many reasons why stories are told and passed down the generations. Here are just a few of them:  To strengthen a community and provide a common understanding. Stories often reflect the beliefs of the people who tell them. Things that people found scary, infuriating, or desirable all found their way into the stories and they were passed on, because people wanted to know that other people around them were thinking the same way.

 As a way of giving moral guidance and showing people how they should conduct themselves, and showing the consequences of not doing so. Myths and legends, often include a moral. Within the myth, the hurt or embarrassment experienced by people is often due to their own stupidity, greed or dishonesty.  To explain how the world works, for example why the seasons change, or to explain strange happenings or phenomena such as eclipses - the reasons for which were unknown in early times.  For entertainment purposes. Stories were told to amuse and enthrall an audience in the days before TV and other forms of mass entertainment.

 To pass on history and knowledge, such as the outcome of battles and tales of courage, in ages when many people could not read or write. Many myths have an element of truth that has been built up over the years. Regardless of why they were told, many of the stories still remain popular today and, although we no longer swap stories around the fireside, the tradition of storytelling still continues in the form of urban legends.

 A re-telling  The opening makes it clear it happened a long time ago. Like, ‘Long, long ago’ or ‘ Before animals walked the earth’  A single animal is represents all animals of that kind  Natural forces like wind and fire are represented by gods or god-like form  The ending of myths and legends explain why things are the way we are

 The involvement of supernatural forces, e.g. fairy godmothers, creatures that can talk  Tales are based around themes like trickery and foolishness  The search for wealth or beauty is usually bad.

 ‘But still to this day…’  ‘So every time you see…’  These comments sum up how things came to be.

 Make a list of all the heroes you can think of – both real and fictional.  Think about a person in your life you might consider a hero. Write a short explanation or story about why you consider him/her to be a hero.