Ancient peoples tried to explain what was outside of human control.  They were used to think in terms of human interactions.  Phenomena were anthropomorphised into gods to be more easily thought about.  Things were imagined having their origin in the actions of gods, their mistakes and interactions.  Please note the gods in question were not described as in all ways perfect.  In contrast they were believed to have abilities far above that of a human.

Some myths of this type may contain a grain of truth.  However, then I think it is usually a matter of chance.  Alternatively it may have been influenced by events in historical times.  The Aborigines of Arnhem Land considered themselves to have come there by boat.  Which their ancestors did tens of thousands of years ago.  Either they were lucky to make the correct guess.  Or they were inspired by their contact with people from Sulawesi.  These came sailing in the 16th century, traded and planted tamarind trees.  Then the natives may have got the idea they themselves got there this way.

When a people have converted to monotheism myths may have become folktales.  Then one gets tales to explain why things are in a certain way.  Other folktales fill the function of teaching people the correct behaviour.  Older myths may also have this function.  Of cause there are tales functioning as escapism too.  The hero of the tale achieves things which in reality were not possible.

Some stories may appear as tales but should instead be called legends.  One example is the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.  I think it was inspired by a real event.  At some point in the 13th century a noticeable number of young disappeared from Hamelin.  Either they died from a natural disaster in connection to midsummer celebration.  Or that they emigrated.  It has even been suggested they fell victim to a mass murder.  The “Pied Piper” was in any case a person who became scapegoat for the event.  Anyway, the authorities of the town tried to supress it.  For this reason today we don’t know what happened to the disappeared.

Uploaded on the 31st of December 2024.