Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term “myth” that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the veracity of a myth is not a defining criterion.[1]

Myths are often endorsed by secular and religious authorities and are closely linked to religion or spirituality.[2] Many societies group their myths, legends, and history together, considering myths and legends to be factual accounts of their remote past.[6] In particular, creation myths take place in a primordial age when the world had not achieved its later form.[10] Origin myths explain how a society’s customs, institutions, and taboos were established and sanctified.[2][8] National myths are narratives about a nation’s past that symbolize the nation’s values. There is a complex relationship between recital of myths and the enactment of rituals.