Group items tagged

are presented (unlike fables) as something that actually happened

set in the past

the content of some myths is based on real events and places that may have existed

Myths are often much longer texts than other traditional stories

Opposites occur frequently in myths as themes, including: good and evil; night and day; calm and storm; wise and foolish; old and young; beautiful and ugly; mean and generous; just and unjust.

Like other traditional stories, myths use quests, journeys and trials as themes. The hero or heroine often has to undergo some kind of test (the trials of Hercules) or set off on a long and difficult journey where dangers arise at each stage (the Odyssey).

incredible or miraculous events

Myths explain why the world is the way it is

Characters typical of traditional stories appear in myths (talking animals, rich kings, foolish young men, clever villains) although the ‘trickster’ character is often a mischievous god (Loki, for example).

The study Winner is working on has shown that children who receive a small amount of training - as little as half an hour of lessons a week and 10 minutes of practice a day - do have structural changes in their brains that can be measured

About 15 months after the study began, students who played the instrument were not better at math or reading, although the researchers are questioning whether they have assessments that are sensitive enough to measure the changes.