Myth: noun. From the Greek mythos
1: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon
2: a popular belief or tradition whose origin has been lost that has grown up around something or someone
3: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence
4: the whole body of myths

When we look back on history, mythology has an importance and impact roughly the same as actual fact. Mythology is the source of our childhood fears, of things that go bump in the night, of things better left unnamed. Mythology is the sole source of religion. Mythology has served to answer life's greatest questions, if somewhat inaccurately. Roman and Greek mythology provided Sol and Helios, the sun gods. Scottish mythology gives us the Loch Ness Monster. American myths tell of Sasquatch or Big Foot and are paralleled by the Himalayan Rakshasa or Yeti. All of our Gods, demons, superstitions, heroes and heroines are alive in myth. But, I fear we have ushered them to death's door, and are asking for them, the long sleep.

As man's intelligence and wisdom increase we place more and more of our faith in the new religion...science. Man has mapped the genome. We know that people born with tails were not the result of an unholy union with a demon. We know the sun is not a blazing chariot pulled across the sky. We know the Earth does not rest upon the back of a giant turtle. I have enough concerns without worrying about a giant turtle deciding to take a walk closer to the sun.

So, where does that leave us now? All our true heroes are gone. Poor, strong Hercules shall never complete another task. I dread the time when we read children the tale of the great Orator who, with his mighty microphone, spoke for civil liberties and tax reform across the land! How about the tale of the brave President who was so quick witted he convinced a nation not to impeach him. Perhaps we shall read them the verses written about the dark and mysterious computer mogul and his evil plan to enslave the whole world with...compatible software!!! Yes, the children will hardly be able to sleep with such stirring tales of heroism and strength. I know my heart stirs when I hear such tales, or maybe it is only my stomach.

Are all our myths dead? Is there nothing left to make children hide under the blanket? "You tell the truth Tommy. Genocidal leaders of small Balkan nations are always looking for people who lie." Well, sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction. This is where we are right now. We don't need to create stories to entertain and frighten. We have reality. In the last fifty years we have created enough weapons of mass destruction to level Asgard one thousand times over. In fact, Nuclear Winter corresponds very closely to the Norse Ragnarok, the Doom of the Gods, or Gotterdamerung. It is the standard "end of the cosmos" including earthquakes, the "winter of winters", darkness, turmoil, boiling seas, etc, etc, etc. Pardon me, but that is just too much before bedtime.

We do have a sort of mythology, which corresponds well with this day and age. We have the Urban Legend. This is a legend that appears mysteriously and spreads spontaneously in varying forms, it contains elements of humor or horror, it makes good storytelling, and it does NOT have to be false. Although most are, many often have a basis in fact. Some of the more interesting titles for Urban Legends are as follows;