The Circle of the Dragon: Basic Information: Myth, Legend, and Folkore

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What's the difference between myth, legend, and folklore? Sometimes, people confuse these three different terms for tales of the past. Here, I'd like to clarify the three story types.

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Myths

"1. A traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society

2. A fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology"

-- Definition provided by Dictionary.com

So, a dragon from a myth can help show the fundamentals of the people that speak of the dragon. Usually, these stories will include gods, heroes, and monsters as well as dragons. Most of these myths will also have a direct or indirect moral.

Legends

"An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical"

-- Definition provided by Dictionary.com

Since a legend is an unverified 'historical' story, dragons that are spoken of in legend are sometimes called 'historical dragons'. For instance, the French spoke of the Tarasque, which some regard as a historical dragon.

Folklore

"1. The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally

2. A popular but unfounded belief"

-- Definition provided by Dictionary.com

Folklore includes myths and tales, meaning when it is said that a story is from a certain folklore that it could also be a myth. Folklore is also usually more popular than myths, probably because it also includes tales of a group of people. From my own experience, when you look for the folklore of a certain region or group of people, you'll find more than if you look for legends or myths.

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