The larger the event, or greater the story, the more widely known the hero becomes. Some real heroes remade into mythical heroes include Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. Mythical heroes also may be associated with a region of the country. Pecos Bill remains affiliated with the southwest and Paul Bunyan with the upper midwest and northwest because the legends associated with them relate to these cultural areas. A folktale is a tale told to friends and acquaintances which is believed to be true but is usually anonymous, timeless, and placeless.
Traditional folktales pass orally from one generation to another.
Folklorists collect folktales, write them down, document them, and sometimes determine the parts of the tale which are based in fact compared to the parts based in myth or imagination. Regardless of their degree of truth, folktales convey moral as well as spiritual meaning and provide examples of good and bad behavior. They serve important educational as well as social functions. In ancient times, the Greeks created myths to explain creation, the exploits of divine and heroic figures, and their deeds of strength and daring. The heroes of the myths were gods or superhumans who functioned outside of ordinary life.