Legends, some believe, are stories that have to be at least 20 years old or more (recent past) and are based on a real individual that can be proven to have once lived. Although the legend may not be truly accurate, the fact that the person existed is true. A good example of a famous legend is Davey Crockett. Although he has a reputation for being "King of the Wild Frontier" due to television, movies and cartoons, well... historical documents state differently. Legends are always believed to be true, not only by the teller but, also by the hearer (or reader), even if they aren't 100% accurate. Sing along with our Davey Crockett page here as an example of how songs embellish reality. (BTW, others spell it Davy Crockett or Crocket. See even time, Hollywood etc. change spellings!)
Legends usually never change (unlike folktales which keep getting embellished through the years) as each generation passes it on. A legend usually remains the same throughout it's history. A good example is the legend of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. That story has remained the same for years, and it's always been a cherry tree. It's never been an nut tree or a pear tree etc. And the consequences have never changed = George didn't get punished by his father because he told the truth about what he did. Legends are usually based on people who may have started out regionally known, but have become more nationally known - rather than just from a specific area, like folklore. Some also feel that legends contain plots, whereas folklore does not.
Legends are usually defined as an event that is done and over with. But that doesn't account for the phrase "A legend in his own time" now does it? So, a legend in our modern times can define themselves and can keep growing. In brief, a legend is taking a normal person and giving him exceptional talents. This also means the topic of the legend can either be a hero or anti-hero, depending on how you view it.
But why? Why do we need legends in our lives? "New problems in our society create new legends, and it will probably always be so," according to one lecturer.
This is the reason that some believe that UFO's are man's modern invention of legends. Although flying objects have been depicted since the 12th century, the more recent popularity of all these different UFO sightings across the US and worldwide are felt to depict "an emotional tension having it's cause in a situation of collective distress and danger, or in a vital psychic need. This condition undoubtedly exists today."
Those professors who study legends are getting a first hand experience of seeing how legends develop through the UFO tales. And for some reason, UFO tales are more an American phenomena than anywhere else. What does that say about us? For many, it's not done out of fear; but, done out of joy. Creating a new fantasy world is the reason that UFO stories have become so popular. Also, out of these new technological legends come new ideas and often inventions.
Some educators feel that we need legends (and to keep creating them) because we as humans need to feel we can always attain a more higher goal than where we are. And if we are told that someone else has achieved something great, that means we can too! "And the greater the popularity of a legend within a certain group, the more functional it becomes and the more and more conspicuous it's incompleteness becomes. As it spreads like a rumor from person to person, it cannot reach a consistent form but often remains incoherent. Those who pass it on do not need to keep telling it in detail, since the essentials are generally known."
Some debate that The Legend of Paul Bunyan is not a true legend, but more of a folklore. The reason is some doubt he really existed at all (unlike Davy Crocket). And the story of Paul Bunyan has kept growing through the years with various tales of him and his blue ox, Babe.
Legendary heroes are usually men (not women?) who were supposedly gooder, braver, stronger, kinder, more courageous and more God-fearing than normal; and, who stood for outstanding national and cultural values. But in real life were they really? Many feel that it is often our nature to view ourselves through others. And we have this need for role models, as soon as we are old enough to understand acceptance and rejection. We want to become like those who we assume are successful. This is the reason for rock star fans, movie fans. In some extreme cases, we literally want to possess the successful people and so stalkers, who often view the object of their desire unrealistically, want to actually be with a media-created legend.
Legend stories can be short or long. And they usually do not begin with some sort of passing of responsibility for the tale such as "Well, people often claim..." or "I have heard..."
Instead, they often begin with a fact such as "There is a 100 year old rock that poisons all who touch it" or "Davy Crocket was the 6th child of 7 boys, born of Irish parents in 1786 in Tennessee." And, in a confusing way, legends can sometimes blend with myths. A good example is this: There are hundreds of swamps in the US. Many have mythical qualities, often resulting in legends of ghosts, monsters or creatures living in them. So if someone says, "People say that at the bottom of this swamp lies the body of the headless man," that's a myth. But if someone goes on and says, "The swamp's headless man was once Mr. Tom Smith, a lonely traveling mountain minister, who one day....(blah blah) and it is said that if anyone sees shining eyes sparkling from the waters at midnight on a full moon that they shall be given the gift of foresight." So this swamp story goes from myth of just having an unnamed, impersonal missing head in it, to folklore (that you can choose to believe or not) with details, names, morals and consequences tossed in too boot!