Republic of the Philippines

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO STATE COLLEGE

Labangan, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro
website: www.omsc.edu.ph email address: omsc_9747@yahoo.com
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CERT. NO.: 50500643 QM15

Learning Module
in
Mythology and Folklore

Compiled by:

MA. IMELDA C. RAYTON, LPT, MAEd

The compiler does not own any of the contents of this learning module. Due credits and
acknowledgment are given to the authors, internet sources, and researchers listed on the
reference page. Such sources are reserved to further explain concepts and cannot be credited to
the compiler and the school. All diagrams, charts, and images are used for educational purposes
only. The sole objective of this instructional material is to facilitate independent learning and not
for monetary gains because this is NOT FOR SALE.

2021 Edition
 PREFACE

“Myth is a metaphor for mystery beyond human comprehension. It is a comparison that

helps us understand, by analogy, some aspect of our mysterious selves. A myth, in this
way of thinking, is not an untruth but a way of reaching a profound truth.”

– Christopher Vogler

Mythology and Folklore is a subject prepared for college students as mandated by CHED
in its CMO no. 75, series of 2017. This aims to emphasize critical reading and analysis of
selected works of mythology and folklore from a variety of cultures and traditions,
including works from ancient sources to present-day reinterpretations. This includes
significant discussions on Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Norse, and
Philippine Mythology and Folklore, as well as, Philippine Creatures of Lower Mythology
that still have an active role in the lives of rural Filipinos.

The learning module allows the learners to gain more awareness on the unique art of
classical literatures, and at the same time, help them understand and appreciate the
beliefs, things, and events that shape the world. Furthermore, varied activities are
provided to assess the knowledge of the learners in every topic of the lessons.

-The Compiler
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Lesson 1: INTRODUCTION TO MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE
What Mythology Is
Importance of Mythology
What Folklore Is
Importance of Folklore
Lesson 2: EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
Some Principal Gods
The Creation
Lesson 3: BABYLONIAN MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
The Major Gods
The Creation
Lesson 4: INDIAN MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
The Main Vedic Gods
Hindu Gods and Concepts
Bhrigu and the Three Gods
Lesson 5: GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
The Olympian Gods
The Creation
Lesson 6: ROMAN MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
The Roman Gods
Love Tales: Pyramus and Thisbe
: Philemon and Baucis
: Pygmalion
: Vertumnus and Pomona
: Leander and Hero
: Cupid and Psyche
Lesson 7: NORSE MYTHOLOGY
Introduction
The Major Gods
Creation and Catastrophe
Lesson 8: PHILIPPINE MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE
 LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION TO MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE

TOPICS
1. What Mythology Is
2. Importance of Mythology
3. What Folklore Is
4. Importance of Folklore
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. differentiate mythology and folklore; and
2. give the importance of each.

TOPIC 1: WHAT MYTHOLOGY IS

MYTHOLOGY, from the Greek mythos (meaning a narrative), and logos (meaning speech
or argument) refers to a body of stories that attempt to explain the origins and
fundamental values of a given culture and the nature of the universe and humanity.

In modern usage, the term can also mean stories that a particular culture believes to be
true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events. Ancient myths are
generally founded by imagination and intuition rather than objective evidence.

Myths identify and help explain human propensities and natural phenomena with the
actions and attributes of gods in a primordial past. Mythology reflects humankind's quest
for meaning. Most myths are in narrative form. They present abstract insights into
human experience. In modern usage, myth is often used to dismiss a belief or opinion as
false or unsupported by any evidence. Nevertheless, myths may tap into dimensions of
human experience, often religious, that science cannot access.

Myth is "a traditional story, typically involving supernatural

beings or forces or creatures, which embodies and provides
an explanation, or justification for something such as the early
history of a society, a religious belief or ritual, or a natural
phenomenon." In general use, myth is often interchangeable with
legend or allegory, but scholars strictly distinguish the terms. Myths
are not the same as fables, legends, folktales, fairy tales, anecdotes,
or fiction, but the concepts may overlap.
Traditional stories can be arranged into three groups:

 Myths are sacred stories concerning the distant past, particularly the creation of
the world; generally focused on the gods.
 Legends are stories about the (usually more recent) past, which generally include,
or are based on, some historical events and are generally focused on human
heroes.
 Folktales/Fairytales are stories which lack any definite historical setting; often
include animal characters.

Myths, as generally understood, are narratives about divine or heroic beings, arranged in
a coherent system, passed down traditionally, and linked to the spiritual or religious l ife
of a community, endorsed by rulers or priests.

Myths are often intended to explain the universal and local beginnings ("creation myths"
which include, "founding myths"), natural phenomena, the origin of cultural conventions
or rituals, and what lies outside a given society's boundaries of explanation.

Often the term refers specifically to ancient tales of historical cultures, such as Greek
mythology or Roman mythology. Some myths descended originally as part of an oral
tradition and were only later written down, and many of them exist in multi ple versions.

Individual myths may be classified in various categories:

 Ritual myths explain the performance of certain religious practices or patterns and
associated with temples or centers of worship.
 Origin myths describe the beginnings of a custom, name, or object.
 Creation myths describe how the world or universe came into being.
 Cult myths are often seen as explanations for elaborate festivals that magnify the
power of the deity.
 Prestige myths are usually associated with a divinely chosen king, hero, city, or
people.
 Eschatological myths are stories which describe catastrophic ends to the present
world order of the writers. Apocalyptic literature such as the New
Testament Book of Revelation is an example of a set of eschatological myths.
 Social myths reinforce or defend current social values or practices.
 Trickster myths concern themselves with the pranks or tricks played by gods or
heroes. Heroes do not have to be in a story to be considered a myth.
 Mono myths narrate the life cycle of a hero, especially on the psychological
aspects of heroism. The classic examples of the mono myth include the Buddha,
Moses and Christ stories.

Activity 1

Reflect on a dozen of Buddha’s words of wisdom. Explain them in your own words.
(12 points)
 TOPIC 2: IMPORTANCE OF MYTHOLOGY

People still read myths and legends today because they often convey timeless and
universal themes, which are relevant both in the art of storytelling and in portraying the
human experience.

Myths and legends give insight into the values and perspectives of long gone cultures.
Their stories offer clues to how these people lived and what kind of societies they
inhabited. For this reason, myths and legends can also show what was different about
human life when these stories originated and what has stayed the same. They have value
as literature, offering timeless and universal themes, giving us insights into other times
and places; and they help us see how much humankind had and has in common.

Myths take extraordinary beings and present them with extraordinary challenges.
Throughout the conflict, the hero is required to reach deep, to think creatively, and to
learn from others as he or she ultimately defeats evil. In the end, goodness (almost
always) wins. On some level, this reinforces the idea that the world is predictable and
mostly good. We all want to believe that the good guy wins in the end, that evil will not
be allowed to prevail, and that we are strong enough to overcome adversity in our own
lives.

The prevalence of mythical stories in our lives allows us to believe in the legendary
stories within each of us.

The themes of myths and legends are the same as those that are present in all great
literature, just a few of which are man versus man, man versus nature, man versus the
gods, man on a quest, family conflict, and coming of age. Most myths and legends
include at least one of these great themes and often several. These are in the earliest
"stories," the ancestors of all literature that we read today. Even aside from the beauty
and creativity of these stories, which alone make them worthy of study, it enriches our
study of literature today to see its earliest roots.

Myths and legends tend to be used to explain things when there is no other information
available. So whether it is the myth of Phaethon driving his chariot (the sun) across the
sky every day to explain what that natural phenomenon is, or the glorified version of
Christopher Columbus where the ugly parts are glossed over and only the desired parts
of the story survive--myth evokes feeling, provides context and completes "the story"
even for readers today.

Every culture has its own mythology and legends and these reflect the geography of the
culture, the values of the culture, and the history of the culture. Japanese creation myths,
for example, reflect the fact that Japan is an island nation, and the sea and its creatures
play an important part in these myths. Myths can also tell us what a culture considers
ethical, significant, and central to its ideologies, giving us insight into another culture. A
culture's myths, such as those of some Native Americans, tell us something about its
history, the history of peoples that were hunters and gatherers, people whose governing
forms did not sanction private ownership of land or disrespect the natural world. Each
myth you read has something to tell you about another culture.
But in spite of the differences we see in various myths and legends, it is good to know
that deep down, people are the same. They are used to provide a sense of identity on the
part of those who tell and those who are told the stories. We want to know how we
came to be, we want to understand the natural world around us, and we yearn for some
deity we can praise and blame.

Activity 2

In one sentence each, summarize the importance of mythology that you can derive
from the eight (8) paragraphs in Topic 2. (8 points)

TOPIC 3: WHAT FOLKLORE IS

Folklore is oral history that is preserved by the people of the culture, consisting of
traditions belonging to a specific culture. These traditions usually include music, stories,
history, legends, and myths. Folklore is passed down from generation to generation and
is kept active by the people in the culture.

Folklore refers to the tales people tell – folk stories, fairytales, “tall tales,” and even urban
legends. Folklore is typically passed down by word of mouth, rather than being written in
books (although sometimes people write down collections of folklore in order to
preserve the stories of a particular community). The key here is that folklore has no
author – it just emerges from the culture and is carried forward by constant retelling.
Some stories, such as the Grimm’s fairy tales, are mistakenly referred to as folklore, but
actually they are not: they have a spe cific author , and therefore do not fit the definition
of folklore. Such stories include Pinocchio, Hansel & Gretel, and Rapunzel. These are all
fairy tales, but they are not folklore because they have specific authors.
 A legend is a kind of folklore. Legends are typically thought to have some truths in
them, but they may be highly exaggerated or distorted. For example, the legend
of Robin Hood is a very popular piece of English folklore – it was probably based
on a historical figure who lived at some point in the Middle Ages, but no one is
exactly sure what the truth is.

 Folk music, like folklore, emerges out of the cultures of everyday people. In fact,
the two concepts are so closely related that folk music is often written about
stories from folklore – for example, “The Ballad of John Henry” is a popular
American tune that tells the story of the powerful steel driver John Henry. (This
story is also a legend, since John Henry was probably a real person who lived in
the 1860s or 70s.)

Activity 3

Recall/Retell legends, as well as fairytales, that were told to you when you were
still a child. List down five (5) titles and give the lessons in life imparted to you by
the said reading materials. (10 points)
 TOPIC 4: IMPORTANCE OF FOLKLORE

G.K. Chesterton, the famous philosopher and author, explains the importance of folk
tales in this way:

They do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already
because it is in the world already. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of
the possible defeat of evil. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an
imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.

That is, folk tales speak to an innate psychological need shared by all human beings. As
we encounter the world, we see pain, loss, and emptiness everywhere. How can we face
such a world and not feel despair? Part of the answer is that we tell stories about gods,
heroes, and monsters – when the good guys win, we gain a psychological boost and learn
valuable lessons about courage and perseverance.

Folklore allows people to give meaning to their lives and their surroundings.

Folklore and mythology are very similar terms, and the line between them is pretty
subjective. The basic difference is that a myth is somehow held in sacred or religious
reverence, whereas a folk tale is popular but not sacred. Some of the most famous myths
are creation stories. For example, the Hindu creation myth holds that Vishnu was
sleeping in the coils of a giant cobra when he was awakened by the sacred sound, ohm.

Unfortunately, the word “myth” is often used as a synonym for “falsehood,” which leads
to serious problems when speaking across different religions – if myths are necessarily
false, then one culture’s myths are another culture’s sacred truths. Thus, it is important
to remember that something can be a myth and still be “true,” at least in a metaphorical
or non-literal sense.

Activity 4

Give at least five (5) benefits one can get from folklore.