Order

According to many scholars, myths and legends have practical functions within culture. One of these functions is to instill in people a respect for how order was established in their culture and for the rules and shared beliefs that maintain that order. These stories point out:

• the rewards that ensue from following rules;
• the hard task of bringing peace to a land;
• the constant juxtaposition of peace and war;
• the necessity of having intelligent, righteous people at the head of governments.

In this section you may read these stories:

1. Daughter of the Star (Africa: The Nilotic Alur)
2. Theseus and the Minotaur (Greece)
3. Plumed Serpent (North America: Toltec)
4. The Talking Bird (Persia)