The stories that we transmit orally over a long period of time , known as “legends”, are one of the richest and most important cultural elements in many societies.

This is so because they tell us about the worldview, values, ideals, fears, interests and generational transformations of those who have integrated a particular culture. They are therefore an important pedagogical and historiographical resource.

Not only that, but because they are stories that are shared across generations, they can be interesting and fun for children, young people and adults alike. In this article you will find a selection of 10 short legends that are part of different cultures, as well as a brief definition of the legends in comparison with myths and fables.

Legend, myth and fable: some differences

Legends are stories that are passed down orally from generation to generation. They transcend written records, as they are stories that have spread by word of mouth, generally from the older to the younger generations . Nevertheless, their transmission is adapted to the conditions of our societies, so that the legends are also communicated and extended through texts, books and even films.

In any case, these are narratives that allude to facts about human life, which may or may not have historical roots, as well as mixing reality with fantasy. The latter is what makes a legend different from a myth, since the myth mainly tells the story of divine beings, and it is through this story that religious beliefs and moral patterns are founded .

On the other hand, both legends and myths are different stories from fables. They differ in that fables have as their protagonists animals that speak and that through their adventures leave us a lesson.

In any case, the same story can contain elements of both legend and myth and fable , and all can provide explanations for natural and supernatural phenomena as well as for different social events. In all legends there are usually different versions, depending on the specific place where they are told.

12 short legends from different cultures

Although legends of terror and heartbreak are very popular, they are not the only topics. Below are 10 short legends that have persisted for many years in different parts of the world.

1. Nessie

Better known as “The Loch Ness Monster”, this legend is part of Scottish folklore and tells the story of a giant creature with a prehistoric appearance, which first appeared in the 16th century at Loch Ness, but has been seen even in recent times. The legend came back to life when they claimed to see it in 1933, which has inspired several films and keeps visitors to the lake in suspense .

2. The salt mill

This Nordic legend tells that many years ago there was a giant who had a magic mill . The mill was small and could produce salt. One day, the giant gave it to a widowed woman and her little daughter. They both worked with the mill and obtained so much salt that they could sell it to the village. Unfortunately a leprechaun, jealous of the mill, steals it and throws it into the sea. And that’s why the sea water is so salty.

3. Robin Hood

Also known as the “Prince of Thieves”, Robin Hood is one of the most famous English characters in the legends of Western culture. His story has been inspired by different characters, although one of the most mentioned is Ghino di Tacco, an Italian hero of the 13th century. The written records about Robin Hood have been located since the thirteenth century , although he gained popularity from the fifteenth century.

This is a man who stood up to the rich to defend the poor. Without them noticing it, he took belongings from the former to give them to those who needed them most; always in the company of his green suit, his bow and arrows.

4. La Llorona

La Llorona is a legend of Latin American origin, especially popular in Mexico . The most widespread version tells the story of a woman who had been rejected by her husband, and she, as a sign of spite, murdered her children. The guilt makes her return in the early hours of the morning in the form of a ghost that cries out “Oh my children!

Other versions say that it is a representation of La Malinche, a woman who worked as a translator and interpreter for Hernán Cortés during “the conquest” of America. In this case, the cry of suffering has to do with the fact that some versions of the colonization process have unjustly attributed responsibility for what happened to La Malinche.

5. Tanabata

In this Japanese legend, Orihime (meaning princess who weaves) was the daughter of de Tentei, the lord of heaven. Tentei loved the clothes Orihime knitted, but she was discouraged because, thanks to her hard work, she had not had the chance to fall in love. Tentei, worried, introduces her to Hikoboshi, with whom she fell madly in love. Upon their marriage, the two stopped fulfilling Tentei’s commands, and the Lord of Heaven eventually separated them.

Before the tears of Orihime, Tentei allowed them to meet on the seventh day, once their responsibilities were over (hence the name Tanabata, which means “Night of the Seventh”). But for this they had to cross a river where there was no bridge. She cried so much that a flock of magpies came to bridge the river with their wings . Today, there is a festival in Japan called Tanabata, or Star Festival. According to legend, this is the day when lovers who have been separated from each other meet again.

6. Krampus

A popular character in Eastern Europe, he has been described as half goat, half demon: he has a pair of giant horns, very large legs and a hairy body. Every Christmas, Krampus comes to punish children who have behaved badly; in contrast to St. Nicholas, Santa Claus or Santa Claus, who comes to reward those who have been very polite . This is a person whose origin is linked to the religious culture prior to Christianity.

7. The werewolf

The werewolf is probably one of the legends that has most inspired stories and films in Europe. It is said that in the late 19th century, a man with lycanthropy murdered 17 people. The explanation he gave is that at night, he inevitably transformed himself into a wolf whose insatiable need was to kill. In another version, of Guaraní origin, there is a human with an ungainly appearance and unpleasant smell who transforms into a wolf during the nights of the full moon, and dedicates himself to attacking farms and looking for carrion.

8. Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl

Legend has it that in the Aztec Empire there was an important warrior named Popocatepetl, who loved the daughter of one of the chiefs: Iztaccihuatl. Before leaving for a war, Popocatepetl said goodbye to Iztaccihuatl, promising to return for her. Unfortunately, another of the soldiers who was also in love with her, spread the false news that Popocatepetl had died in combat .

When Iztaccihuatl found out, he decided to take his own life. Some time later the warrior returned for her, and finding that she was dead; he could not bear the sadness and died too. In the face of this, the gods were moved and transformed them into two of the largest volcanoes in central Mexico, which now bear their names.

9. The Wandering Dutchman

A legend that dates back to the 17th century, where a Dutch captain named Hendrik Van Der Decken made a boat trip to India. At that time, a heavy storm hit his ship, which the captain resisted with strength and determination. This challenged the authority of God, who condemned the captain to wander, together with his ship, aimlessly across the ocean . Since then, legend has it that the ghost of the wandering Dutchman appears in the middle of the night along with other souls in distress. His appearance is also synonymous with bad omen for the captains who see him.

10. Anahi and kapok flower

On the banks of the Paraná River, in the east of Argentina, there lived a young Guaraní woman who sang in a special way. When the “conquistadors” arrived, Anahí was captured along with other people from the town. One night she escaped, but they quickly discovered her. Her sentence was death, tied to a tree to be burned. On the day the sentence was carried out, and while her body was burning, Anahi began to sing. The next morning, in the place where her body was being consumed, several red flowers appeared, which are now the Argentinean National Flower and are called “Flor de ceibo”.

11. The red thread

A short legend from China tells that many years ago, an emperor asked for a renowned witch to come to his palace so that she could use her magical powers to show him which woman he should marry. Thanks to her qualities, the witch was able to see a very long red thread tied to the emperor’s little finger , the other end of which should be the little finger of the person predestined to be the future wife.

Thus, the witch and the emperor began to trace the origin of the thread, until after traveling for several weeks they saw that it was carrying a poor peasant girl dressed in rags and in whose arms she was carrying a baby covered in dirt. Angry at seeing himself the victim of a joke, the emperor pushed the peasant girl, dropping the baby on the ground and leaving a wound on its head, and returned to the palace after ordering the arrest of the witch.

Many years later, after being advised by the council of wise men, the emperor decided to marry the daughter of a local landowner; when the wedding ceremony began and the veil covering the face of his future wife was lifted, he saw a familiar scar on her forehead .

12. The Fox and the Camel

In this short legend from Africa, a fox and a camel become friends and decide to cross a river to eat the food available on the other bank. To do this, the fox climbs on the camel’s back, and the camel crosses using its weight to resist the current.

Once they reach the other bank, both animals separate and the camel goes to eat in a barley field, while the fox goes to eat insects. But the fox finishes eating first, and satisfied with feeling full, he begins to sing out loud. These cries attract the attention of the farmers who look after the barley field, who go to examine the area and meet the camel.

When the fox goes in search of his friend, he is found lying on the ground, sore from the beating he has just received from the peasants. “Why did you make so much noise,” asks the camel. The fox answers that he has a habit of singing after eating insects. “I see. Well, if that’s all, let’s go back.” On the way back across the river, the camel begins to dance with half its body submerged in the water. “What are you doing? I can’t swim!” says the fox, terrified. “I have the habit of dancing after eating barley,” replies the camel, while the fox falls into the water and is swept away by the current.