Legends are half way between historical fact and myths, with less of the supernatural and more authenticity than myth. Like those of the tall tale, their protagonists supposedly lived and were important to the history of their respective countries. Legends often indicate the lore of the people and serve as expressions of the racial or national spirit. Examples are stories about St. George and the Dragon, Robin Hood, King Arthur, Buddha, and Muhammad. Western civilization has been strongly shaped by Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic, and Judeo-Christian mythologies.
Myths are stories about gods.
They attempt to explain the creation, divinity, religion, human nature, features of the natural world, and death. Some critics see all literature as myth, believing that in our urge to tell stories we seek to give order and meaning to our lives even when our stories are not about gods or other supernatural creatures. The stories of the Bible are mythology. Saltman offers the myths of Demeter, Cupid and Psyche, Orpheus, Atalanta, Midas, Odin, Balder, Thor, Loki, Glooskap, Coyote, and Sedna. We could say that the two creation stories which open Genesis are pourquoi tales.