What is a legend? A legend is...

What is a legend? A legend is a narrative based on a real historical event, location, natural disaster, or character, presented through generalization, exaggeration, and other storytelling techniques. Most often, the real events are intertwined with fiction — the heroes may possess superhuman powers, and natural phenomena are portrayed as living entities or deliberately sent forces.

Like myths, legends aim to explain the origin of certain things. However, legends are usually smaller in scale than myths. More often, they cover a short time span — such as a hero’s journey or feat, the founding of a city, the appearance or transformation of a landscape, and so on.

Legends also usually describe events that take place in real, identifiable locations. Additionally, they may mention actual historical figures. All of this sets legends apart from fairy tales and other genres, giving them a distinctive charm — where it’s difficult to distinguish fiction from fact.

Other Questions About Mythology

• What is a myth?
• What is mythology?

Legends from World Mythologies

Go to the Slavic Myths and Legends

Slavic Myths and Legends

Go to the Egyptian Myths and Legends

Egyptian Myths and Legends

Go to the Greek Myths and Legends

Greek Myths and Legends

Go to the Roman Myths and Legends

Roman Myths and Legends

Go to the Norse Myths and Legends

Norse Myths and Legends

Go to the Celtic Myths and Legends

Celtic Myths and Legends