A legend is used to describe a narrative text, which is related to the fairy tale, the legend, the myth and the fable. The legend, in its original meaning, meant a reading from the life and work of a saint, who was usually presented on his anniversary. Later on, the term was used to cover all the stories in prose or verse that related the life of a saint or a religious event that was not historically tangible.
Term
The term comes from the Latin (legenda) and can be translated into approximately with the one to be read. The translation therefore refers to the original function: namely, the reading from the life of a saint on his name day in worship. Later on, however, not only the lecture, but also the writing itself, was conceived under the concept of legend.
The legend thus always revolves around the life of a saint or a religious event. It is also this feature that essentially differentiates the texts from other genres and makes them distinguishable. In the construction, the whole resembles the legend, but this can also have non-religious contents to the core and tell by heroes or even anecdotally by individual personalities.
Characteristics
Overview: essential features of the text
Legends are sacred histories, which were originally verbally mediated and thus presented. The designation was ultimately transferred to the reading itself. It is either a matter of saints who lead a godly and exemplary life or important religious events (miracles, cures, fighting, etc.).
The protagonists of such narratives are, therefore, martyrs, religious founders, saints, apostles, monks, miraculous, or even Mary and Jesus himself. Thus the apocrypha are also included, which are not included in the Bible canon but have religious events or persons for example the book of Ezra or the Book of the Maccabees).
The opera houses and actors of a legend are usually named by the name, which is why they communicate quite concretely who acts in the text. This feature is also shared by the texts and the legend, which is a significant difference from the fairy tale, whose figures and figures often represent stereotypes.
Basically, two forms can be made: the Holy Scripture and the People’s Recruit. The Holy Scripture serves the religious and moral edification and the instruction of the people. The Volkslegende is a simple form, which is related to the Volksensage. This is not necessarily settled in the Christian faith, but still has exemplary agents.
Legends, because they place a significant figure or event in the foreground, always have a historical core. The Volkslegende, which also bore the legends, miracles, and legendary forms, often overpowered the historical, though, with exaggerated representations, which led to the rejection of the true core.
Known legends from the Christian faith
Päpstin Johanna: Born around 850, she fell early because of her wisdom. Dressed up as a boy and gained prestige, so she finally rose to the pope. Made a child supposedly during a sacred procession, which caused the shocked spectators to stone them. In other texts she dies by the birth of the child.
Martin of Tours: In the winter of the year 334, Martin was said to have met an unclothed man. Shortly he pulled his sword and divided his own cloak to share with the man. He is credited with numerous miracles and cures. We remember him on St. Martin’s Day.
Nicholas of Myra: Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in the fourth century. Supposedly he once helped the people to an unwrought grain delivery in order to satisfy the hunger. He is certainly one of the most famous saints, so we are still cleaning our shoes at the beginning of December and have them fill us by St. Nicholas.
walking legends
Mythological content, legendary acts as well as legendary acts exist in the history as well as literature numerous. Sometimes it happens that the same content is attributed to different persons, or the action is the same and only the place of action changes. This special feature is also available in anecdotes (Wanderanekdote) and nursery tales.
A classic example of such a story that goes on a journey is, for example, the student, who has reportedly given a blank page in the essay question “What is courage” and merely pointed out that the courage was and then got a smooth one. In almost every school this story is circulating.
In the context of religious events, we can choose the example of spontaneous self-ignition. Especially in Hinduism this legend has