Activator: Building Blocks  INSTRUCTIONS: Respond to the following questions, drawing on any previous knowledge you have about these terms.  What do you think qualifies as a myth? Provide some examples.  What do you think qualifies as a folktale? Provide some examples.

Activator: Building Blocks Myth Folktale

Myths and Folktales Stories from the Beginning of Time

Myths The World’s Oldest Stories

Myth: A Definition  A myth is an anonymous, traditional story that explains varying aspects of a culture.  The word mythology is Greek in origin (etymology).  Mythos= story  Logo= speech or argument  Myths often explain the view of a group of people, and may have represented religious beliefs at first.  Myths attempt to explain the mysteries of life.

Cultures that have Myths  Every culture has its own mythology.  Universal symbols and themes appear in different cultures’ myths.  Greek, Roman, Native American, Celtic, South American, African, and Norse mythology are examples of myths from different cultures.

Characteristics of Myths  Contain heroes and heroines  Characters are often animals  Supernatural elements  Told orally (spoken)  Gods and goddesses  Explain a natural phenomena  Often associated with the religion or rituals of the culture

The Reasons for Myths  To explain the creation of the world and universe  To explain natural phenomena  To tell about a culture’s heroes  To explain the nature of the culture’s gods and goddesses  To explain human nature  To explain the meaning behind religious rituals  To explain historical events  To teach morals and values

Origin Myths  An origin myth is a story that explains how things came to be.  Most cultures have myths that explain how the universe was created.  The telling of an origin myth provided people with a sense of place in the universe, a sort of purpose.  Typically, a culture’s pantheon (family group of gods) is associated with the creation of the universe.  Usually a powerful “father” god and “mother” goddess.

Folktales The Human Experience

Folktales Emerge  Folktales are stories which were created from the “folk” – the common people.  Folktales arose as myths transformed over generations.  They were passed along from generation to generation.

Characteristics of Folktales  Nonreligious stories  Meant for entertaining, but also for teaching values  Feature magic, transformations, enchantments, and gods and goddesses, but they are not the center of the story  Heroes are common, everyday folk without special powers  Are not associated with rituals

Types of Folktales  There are three types of folktales: LegendsFairy TalesFables

Both Myths and Folktales  Both reveal different kinds of truths:  Truths about life  Truths about society  Truths about human nature  By analyzing the following details, you can determine a great deal about the story’s culture of origin:  Language (dialect)  Setting (location and region—sometimes)  Religious beliefs, rituals, and customs  Behavior  Clothing  Food

Summarizer: Error Analysis  On the following TRUE OR FALSE quiz, two are answered incorrectly. Which two are incorrect? False 1. Every culture has its own mythology. False 2. Both myths and folktales explain natural phenomena. False 3. The three types of folktales are legends, fairy tales, and epics. True 4. A myth is an ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, and heroes. False 5. Folktales are nonreligious stories.