TalkAboutIt…Whatdoyouknowaboutmyths?Whatarethey?Whydidpeopleinventthem?MythsAmythisanancientstoryorsetofstories,usuallyexplainingtheearlyhistoryofagroupofpeopleordealingwiththeoriginofevents(naturalorotherwise).Allofthesetypesofstorieswereoriginallyoral(meaningtheyweretoldratherthanwrittendown).Thismeantthatstorytellershadtorememberthekeyfeatures.Thesewereincorporatedintothestoriesthemselves.Whatexamplesofmythscanyouthinkof?DoyouknowanyAncientGreekorRomanmyths?TheStoryofNianOnceuponatime,long,longago,therelivedamonsterinChinacalledNian.Helivedundertheseainacaveandsleptmostoftheyear.Heonlyawokeforonedayeachyear,thelastdaybeforethelunarNewYearbegan.Thewarmerweatherwokehimandhearosefromthesea,hungry,andferocious.TheVillagesNianwasaman-eater.HewouldcometothevillagesinChinaeachyeartodevourpeopleandwrecktheirhouses.ManyhadtriedtobattlewiththemightyNian;manyhadtriedandallhadfailed.Thepeopleofoneparticularvillageweresoterrified,thateveryyeartheyfledtothehillstotrytoescapethewrathofNian.TheTravelerOneyear,ontheeveofthelunarNewYear,anoldtravelercametothevillage.Hewasbentandwearyfromhistravels,andhedesperatelywantedfoodandlodging.Hewenttothedoorofahousetobegforfood,butthewomaninsideturnedhimaway.Shehadnotimeforbeggarsbecauseshewaspreparingforthemoveupthemountain.Theoldmantriedtoaskayounggirlonthestreetforhelp,butshewastoobusyaswell.Shehadtofindherbrothersandsistersandstartthelongwalkupthemountaintoescapethemonster.TheOldWomanTheonlypersonwhopaidtheoldmananynoticeatall,wasanoldwoman.Shewassweepingoutsideherhouseandrealizedthatthetravelerneededfood.Shewalkedinsideandreturnedtothemanwithabowlofnoodles.Whiletheoldtravelerate,hesatandwatchedthevillagersrunningabout.HeaskedwhatallthefusswasaboutandthewomanexplainedthatbecauseNianwascomingthatnight,thevillagersweregoingtohideinthehillstoensurethattheirvillagewasoverlookedbythemonster.Thewomanlookedworriedandtheoldmanaskedherwhy.Theoldwomandidn’tthinkshe’dbeabletomakethetriptothehillsthatyear–herboneswereold,andshewasweary.PhotocourtesyofAnjaDisseldorp(@)-grantedundercreativecommonslicence-attributionTheKindnessofaStrangerTheoldmansmiledtohimself.Heknewhowtorepaytheoldwoman’skindness.HecouldtellherhowtomakesurethatthemonsterNianneverbotheredhervillageagain.ByWlodekCieciura(Ownwork)[CCBY-SA2.5(/licenses/by-sa/2.5)],viaWikimediaCommonsNewYear’sDayThenextmorning,thevillagersreturnedtotheirhouses.Theyhadspentthenightinthehillsandhadheardbangsandseenbrightlightscomingfromthevillage.TheyfearedthatNian

haddestroyedtheirhomes,butastheywalkeddownthemainstreet,thepeoplewereamazed.Theirhouseswerestillstanding!Everythinglookedpeaceful.Theoldwomanwhorefusedtocometothehillswasoutsideherhome,smiling.TheNews“HowdidyousurviveNian?”thevillagersaskedtheoldwoman.TheoldwomanexplainedthatthetravelerhadtoldheranamazingsecretaboutNian–themonsterwasafraidofthecolorred,loudnoises,andfire.Theoldwomanandthetravelerhadcoveredthevillagehouseswithredpaperbanners.Theyhadlitfirecrackers.Theyhadfoundeverypotandpantheycouldandbangedonthemloudly.Themonsterhadturnedawayfromthevillagebecauseitwasscaredbythenoiseandcolor.NewYearTraditionsThefollowingyear,allofthevillagersstayedbehindinthevillageforthelunarNewYear.Theylitfirecrackers,bangedondrums,andworethecolorred.Nianwasnowheretobeseen!Fromthatdaytothis,thenewyearis