LC does not apply all literary heading guidelines to Tales. Note that for tales about a particular topic, a pair of headings is often assigned. LC does treat these genres as literature in its subject heading system. In these cases, a work may actually be catalogued as an individual work of literature by that author. Again, there can be a continuum between traditional tales and works of literature by individual authors.
Legends can focus on religious and supernatural topics, real individuals, or places.
LC tends to use Legends as a heading rather sparingly. In many cases, when a Spanish-language text uses the term leyendas, the most appropriate equivalent in LCSH terms will be Tales. In other words, an automatic cognate cannot be assumed. Cuentos in an anonymous context generally are the equivalent of LCSH Tales.