Difference between Legend and Myth
Key Difference: Legend are narrative of actions performed by humans sometime in history; it an historical
account of events and people from ancient times. Myths are stories or tales that have been rooted in
religion or folk beliefs of that time.
All cultures have stories that have been passed down from generation to generation,
some of which are known as legends, while the others are known as myths. These
stories contain superhuman like characters that defy all logic and rules of nature. These
stories may also have supernatural elements that make up the story. Since both of the
stories can include death-defying stunts and heroes, it can create confusion trying to
define the differences between legends and myths.
Legend, derived from Latin word ‘legenda’ meaning "things to be read", is a narrative of
actions performed by humans sometime in history; it an historical account of events and
people from ancient times. These accounts may have little amount of evidence
supporting the person or place, but it cannot be effectively verified. These tales include
people or events in the past that have been exaggerated to the point where it now
includes supernatural or extraordinary elements.
Merriam Webster defines ‘legends’ as, “a story coming down from the past; especially:
one popularly regarded as historical although not verifiable; a popular myth of recent
origin; a person or thing that inspires legends; the subject of a legend.” A person who is
inspiring and has achieved something is also known as a legend according to modern
definition. Legends are told in generations to mostly teach certain lessons of faith, trust,
loyalty and other virtues. Examples of legends include Atlantis, King Arthur, Helen of
Troy, the Trojan War, etc.
Myths, derived from the Greek word ‘mythos’ meaning
“thought, story, or speech”, are stories or tales that have been rooted in religion or folk
beliefs of that time. The stories were a way in order to represent or explain how the
world came to be in its natural state and natural phenomena that occur in the world.
They are usually supernatural in nature. Myth is defined as,” a usually traditional story of
ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or
explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon; a person or thing having only an
imaginary or unverifiable existence.”
Myths usually involve gods, heroes and humans, in various settings accomplishing
supernatural feats. These myths could be elaborated accounts of historical events, an
account of natural phenomena; a way to justify a ritual or teach behavior or morals.
Myths are basically attempts to explain creation, divinity, religion, to probe the meaning
of existence and death, to account for natural phenomena and to chronicle the
adventures of heroes. Examples of myths include Greek Mythology, Thor, Roman
Mythology, etc.
Legend Myth
Legends are stories about real
Mythology are stories that
people, considered as heroes,
Definition explains practices, beliefs, or
that have been passed down
natural phenomenon
generation to generation
The word ‘legend’ is derived
from Old French word The word ‘myth’ is derived from
Etymology ‘legende’, which comes from Greek word ‘mythos’ meaning
Latin word ‘legenda’ meaning “thought, story, or speech.”
“story; things to be read.”
There are no supporting
As the event actually happened
evidences available for these
sometime in the past, there may
Evidence stories, though some stories such
be evidence to support the
as Indian Mythology claim
stories
places in the stories exist.
Mostly fiction, made up stories
Fact or Fiction Fact, but it is exaggerated about how the “world was
formed”
Are actual heroes in their own
Most commonly includes gods,
People portrayed times, whose actions or deeds
demi-gods, etc
are exaggerated
Storylines Legends feature an actual Traditional narrative that
cultural hero but include explains natural phenomena
imaginative elements. through symbolism; often
involves the gods of ancient
cultures.
Imaginative element is used to Symbolism is used to define a
Elements
exaggerate a story natural situation or event
Atlantis, El Dorado, Fountain of
Greek Mythology (Hercules,
Famous Works Youth, Helen of Troy, Trojan
Zeus, etc), Thor, etc
War, Shangri-La, etc
Philippine Literature during Pre-Colonial Period
PUBLISHED ON February 26, 2016
Precolonial Period
Filipinos often lose sight of the fact that the first period of the Philippine literary history is the longest.
Certain events from the nation’s history had forced lowland Filipinos to begin counting the years of
history from 1521, the first time written records by Westerners referred to the archipelago later to be
called “Las Islas Filipinas”. However, the discovery of the “Tabon Man” in a cave in Palawan in 1962, has
allowed us to stretch our prehistory as far as 50,000 years back. The stages of that prehistory show how
the early Filipinos grew in control over their environment. Through the researches and writings about
Philippine history, much can be reliably inferred about precolonial Philippine literature from an analysis
of collected oral lore of Filipinos whose ancestors were able to preserve their indigenous culture by living
beyond the reach of Spanish colonial administrators.
The oral literature of the precolonial Filipinos bore the marks of the community. The subject was
invariably the common experience of the people constituting the village-food-gathering, creature and
objects of nature, work in the home, field, forest or sea, caring for children, etc. This is evident in the
most common forms of oral literature like the riddle, the proverbs and the song, which always seem to
assume that the audience is familiar with the situations, activities and objects mentioned in the course
of expressing a thought or emotion. The language of oral literature, unless the piece was part of the
cultural heritage of the community like the epic, was the language of daily life. At this phase of literary
development, any member of the community was a potential poet, singer or storyteller as long as he
knew the language and had been attentive to the conventions of the forms.
Thousands of maxims, proverbs, epigrams, and the like have been listed by many different collectors and
researchers from many dialects. Majority of these reclaimed from oblivion from the Tagalogs, Cebuano,
and Ilocano dialects. And the bulk are rhyming couplets with verses of five, six seven, or eight syllables,
each line of the couplet having the same number of syllables. The rhyming practice is still the same as
today in the three dialects mentioned. A good number of the proverbs is conjectured as part of longer
poems with stanza divisions, but only the lines expressive of a philosophy have remained remembered in
the oral tradition. Classified with the maxims and proverbs are allegorical stanzas which abounded in all
local literature. They contain homilies, didactic material, and expressions of homespun philosophy,
making them often quoted by elders and headmen in talking to inferiors. They are rich in similes and
metaphors. This one stanza poems were called Tanaga and consisted usually of four lines with seven
syllables, all lines rhyming.
The most appreciated riddles of ancient Philippines are those that are rhymed and having equal number
of syllables in each line, making them classifiable under the early poetry of this country. Riddles were
existent in all languages and dialects of the ancestors of the Filipinos and cover practically all the
experiences of life in these times.
Almost all the important events in the life of the ancient peoples of this country were connected with
some religious observance and the rites and ceremonies always some poetry recited, chanted, or sung.
The lyrics of religious songs may of course be classified as poetry also, although the rhythm and the
rhyme may not be the same.
Drama as a literary from had not yet begun to evolve among the early Filipinos. Philippine theater at this
stage consisted largely in its simplest form, of mimetic dances imitating natural cycles and work
activities. At its most sophisticated, theater consisted of religious rituals presided over by a priest or
priestess and participated in by the community. The dances and ritual suggest that indigenous drama
had begun to evolve from attempts to control the environment. Philippine drama would have taken the
form of the dance-drama found in other Asian countries.
Prose narratives in prehistoric Philippines consisted largely of myths, hero tales, fables and legends. Their
function was to explain natural phenomena, past events, and contemporary beliefs in order to make the
environment less fearsome by making it more comprehensible and, in more instances, to make idle
hours less tedious by filling them with humor and fantasy. There is a great wealth of mythical and
legendary lore that belongs to this period, but preserved mostly by word of mouth, with few written
down by interested parties who happen upon them.
The most significant pieces of oral literature that may safely be presumed to have originated in
prehistoric times are folk epics. Epic poems of great proportions and lengths abounded in all regions of
the islands, each tribe usually having at least one and some tribes possessing traditionally around five or
six popular ones with minor epics of unknown number.
Filipinos had a culture that linked them with the Malays in the Southeast Asia, a culture with traces of
Indian, Arabic, and, possibly Chinese influences. Their epics, songs, short poems, tales, dances and
rituals gave them a native Asian perspective which served as a filtering device for the Western culture
that the colonizers brought over from Europe.
Reflection:
Precolonial Literature in the Philippines by one means or another gave us an illustration from the past. It
underscores on how our literature began in the country which is the Philippines. From that point
forward, we Filipinos do truly have beautiful and awesome literature that we can some way or another
be pleased with. Philippines indeed, without a doubt a nation that is rich in custom and tradition
through having diverse characteristics. It was evident that each of the tribes we have had their own
specific manner of living which some way or another make them stand-out from others. As what have
aforementioned, their folk speeches, folk songs, folk narratives, indigenous rituals and mimetic dances
really affirmed our ties with our Southeast Asian neighbors. Even when their lifestyle before was not the
same as we have now, they really have these techniques and ways on preserving their traditions for
them to be able to pass it from generation to another generation. The differing qualities and abundance
of Literature in the Philippines advanced next to each other with the nation’s history. This can best be
acknowledged in the sense that the nation’s precolonial cultural traditions are very much abundant.
Through these things, I can truly say that Philippines is a home of diverse and unique culture, norms and
tradition.
