Legends and Myths

Folklore stories that are told as true, but cannot be proven. Legends and myths are about people, local history and events, natural phenomena, or supernatural forces.

Sub-headings:

Ghost Stories

Popular legends about spirits who return from the realm of the dead to help or hinder the living.

Myths

Legends that convey social principles and are about heroes, religious figures, ancestors, or supernatural beings.

Urban Legends

Contemporary legends that incorporate current issues with some traditional themes. Urban legends are told as being true and are usually attributed to a friend of a friend.

Resources in this category:

The Best of Legends
http://www.bestoflegends.org/

A collection of resources--including commentary and criticism--on the net for various legends, such as Beowulf or Robin Hood. This archive preserves The Best of Legends - links to primary source material, scholarship, essays, and historical surveys - romance, adventure, and panache.

Chinatown Online - Legends of China
http://www.chinatown-online.co.uk/pages/culture/legends/

A collection of Chinese legends. Each legend is illustrated with works of art.

Germanic Myths, Legends, and Sagas
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/mythlinks.html

Links relating to Germanic mythology including gods, vikings, geography, culture, and electronic texts.

Myths and Legends
http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/myth.html

"Myths and Legends contains scores of links to, and reviews of, mythology and legend-related sites. These are organized by culture. This page also serves as the home for the Sumerian, Assyro-Babylonian, and Canaanite Mythology FAQ's."

Sacred Texts Online: Legends and Sagas
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/

"This section of sacred-texts archives the rich literature of Sagas and Legends. These are mostly (but not all) from Northern Europe, and primarily based on legendary events and people from the Middle Ages. Many of these narratives are based on archetypal stories that date even further back in time."

The Viking Age: Cormac's Saga
http://www.luth.se/luth/present/sweden/history/lit/cormac/

This 27 chapter saga originated in Iceland between 1200 and 1300 A.D. Download it or read it online.