In a sense, legends are a type of folklore. They're the stories that are told about the super-heroes of history (Robin Hood, Merlin, Arthur, Santa Claus and his flying reindeer, Aladdin, Sinbad and Nostradamus famous among them). Some of them were real people, some were based on real people, some were pure fiction.
Religion abounds with legend. Lao Tse, the founder of Taoism, was said to have been 87 years in his mother's womb and emerged with a long grey beard. Hinduism taught that the world was supported by an elephant which stood on the back of a giant turtle. Noah, the most famous boat-builder in history is another famous legend, as was history's best known stripper, Salome, who danced for John the Baptist's head on a platter. Then there's Saul of Tarsus and his talking sunbeam on the Damascus Road,and Moses chatting with a burning bush. Wonderful stories but, c'mon, really?
Many legends grow around the exploits of real people. What really happened to Senaccherib on his way to invade Judaea? We'll never know. Did Dick Turpin, or the Swamp Fox, or Ned Kelly really do all the things that were attributed to them? Legend says so; history might disagree.
What of Honest Abe? How would Lincoln have fared today if his personal life could be explored by TV talk-show hosts? And what would Greenpeace have made of George Washington and his father's apple tree?
Legends are wonderful and allow us to look at fairly mundane -- or even despicable -- events and view them through rose-coloured glasses. They add colour to our culture and, as the world grows smaller and the races intermingle, the range of legends will continue to expand.
