Literature: Comparing Myths and Legends – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

A myth is a story from ancient times, especially one told to explain natural events or to describe the early history of a people. A legend is also a story from ancient times. It describes early history and feats accomplished by specific persons. A myth might have no real scientific proof, but a legend could be traced.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• define a myth and a legend;
• state what a myth is used to explain;
• state what a legend describes;
• give a Nigerian example of each;
• use a simple rule to tell a myth from a legend.

What is a myth?

A myth is a story from ancient times. It was told to explain natural events, or to describe the early history of a people. Examples of natural events are thunder, the rising of the sun and the beginning of the world.

A myth might have no real scientific proof. People passed it from one generation to the next by word of mouth. The main characters are often gods, spirits or beings of the early world.

What is a legend?

A legend is also a story from ancient times. It describes early history and feats accomplished by specific persons. A feat is a brave or great act.

A legend could be traced. This means that it is built around a human being who is believed to have lived, or around events that people remember, and that people can name. As the story is retold, storytellers often add to the details.

How can we tell a myth from a legend?

Both kinds of story may speak about early history, so ask these two questions:

• Is the story mainly about gods, spirits or how natural things began? If yes, it is a myth.
• Is the story mainly about the brave deeds of a human hero, such as a queen, a king or a warrior? If yes, it is a legend.

What are some Nigerian examples?

Examples of myths

• Yoruba accounts of how the earth was created, in which gods take part and Ile-Ife is named as the place where it began. They explain the beginning of the world and of a people.

Examples of legends

• Moremi of Ile-Ife, who is remembered for her courage in helping to save her people from raiders.
• Bayajidda, who is said to have come to Daura and killed a snake that kept people from the water in a well. The story is told as part of the early history of the Hausa people.

Different storytellers tell these stories in slightly different ways, and people do not agree on every detail. Teachers may also use a myth or legend from the students’ own community.

How are myths and legends compared?

Evaluation

1. Which kind of story was told to explain natural events: a myth or a legend?
2. A story about the brave acts of a specific person from the past is called a ______.
3. True or false: A legend describes the feats of specific persons.
4. A story about gods that explains how the earth began is a ______.
5. Which of the two, a myth or a legend, is built around a human hero who is believed to have lived?

Answer key

1. A myth
2. Legend
3. True
4. Myth
5. A legend

Assignment

1. Write one sentence to define a myth.
2. Write one sentence to define a legend.
3. Name one Nigerian legend from this lesson.

Answer key

1. A myth is a story from ancient times told to explain natural events or the early history of a people.
2. A legend is a story from ancient times that describes early history and the feats of specific persons.
3. Moremi of Ile-Ife or Bayajidda (either is correct, as both are told as legends in this lesson).