Definition nach Malinowski, Bronislaw
"Myth (...) is not merely a story told but a reality lived. It is not of the nature of fiction. [...] Myth (...) expresses, enhances, and codifies belief; it safeguards and enforces morality; (...) and contains practical rules for the guidance of men. Myth is thus a vital ingredient of human civilization; it is not an idle tale, but a hard-worked active force; it is not an intellectual explanation or an artistic imagery, but a pragmatic charter of primitive faith and moral wisdom."
MALINOWSKI, Bronislaw (1954[1926]): Magic, Science and Religion, and other Essays, S. 100 f.
Siehe auch den Artikel Elke Mader - Mythen.
