The legends of this great selection have caused great fascination throughout the centuries.
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The 10 most popular short legends in the world
Some of the legends on the list are widely known , especially in the West. These are stories that have managed to cross borders, many of which are already part of the folklore of many countries.
Below is a great selection of the world’s most popular short legends. These are stories that evoke past times, since most belong to civilizations that have already perished. However they have remained for centuries.
1. Atlantis
The legend of Atlantis is one of the most popular in Western history . There is written evidence of it for the first time thanks to the Iliad and the Odyssey, epic poetic works written by Homer. Without a doubt it is one of the most popular short legends in the world.
According to history, before the appearance of Ancient Greece, there was a land mass called Atlantis in some unspecified place in the ocean. It was an island whose inhabitants had a highly advanced cultural and scientific level. Homer’s writings relate that Atlantis suffered such a storm that it was submerged in the sea.
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2. Saint George and the Dragon
The legend of Saint George and the Dragon is also well known and typical of many countries . This legend tells the story of a knight known as Saint George, who defeated a dragon that had a community at the limit of his possibilities.
This community was to give the beast two lambs each day to satisfy it. When there were no more cattle left, they began to have to feed it with people. The choice was random, and once it was the princess who had to be gobbled up by the beast. But then Saint George appeared and killed the dragon with his sword.
It is one of the best known legends from different territories such as Catalonia, Croatia, England, Sweden or Ireland.
3. The Loch Ness Monster
The legend of the Loch Ness Monster has gained worldwide popularity . This story centers on a beast named Nessie. It was nicknamed based on the name of the place where it is located: Scotland’s Loch Ness.
There are records as early as the 6th century of glimpses of this creature. However, it is not until 1868 that a media spoke of it. In the 30s of the 20th century, the theme covered world covers, and today it is already a Scottish emblem. It attracts thousands of tourists a year to the lake, being one of the most popular short stories in the world.
4. Robin Hood
Robin Hood is one of the best known Anglo-Saxon legends . The story tells the exploits of Robin Hood, an English archer who during the Medieval Age managed to be a real headache for different feudal lords.
The majority of the population had to pay vassalage to the nobles in those times. The disproportion between the goods of the nobles and the peasants was abysmal, but Robin Hood set out to do justice on his account. What he did was steal from the rich to give part of their wealth to the most disadvantaged.
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5. King Arthur
King Arthur is one of Britain’s most legendary characters . King Arthur was a British-Roman leader who rose up against the Anglo-Saxon invaders, attempting to defend the rights of the indigenous Celtic and Roman populations prior to his arrival.
This legend is linked to other legendary characters or items. Examples of this are the sword Excalibur or the Wizard Merlin, as well as the Knights of the Round Table of the legendary Kingdom of Camelot, who defended the kingdom and searched for the Holy Grail. It is a set of short legends that are already very popular all over the world.
6. La Llorona
The legend of La Llorona is one of the most popular in Central America . La Llorona appears at night in different lakes and rivers, especially in Mexico. Many people who live around these areas or who are in these places at night say they hear the cries of a woman.
It is about La Llorona, who also sobs about her deceased children. The story goes that this woman murdered her own children to punish her husband in a fit of spite. The screams have been going on for centuries because of the pain she has felt ever since.
7. Eldorado
The legend of El Dorado is one of the most popular in Latin America . El Dorado was a city that was believed to be in the central zone of what was formerly New Granada, between what would be today Colombia and Venezuela.
This mythical place was searched with great effort by many missionaries, as it was believed that huge amounts of gold could be found there. However, many people died and to this day there is no scientific evidence of this place.
It is one of the most popular short legends in the world, and the repercussion of that wealth was very great. People of all conditions longed to reach these territories and be the people who discovered these great riches.
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8. The Abominable Snowman
The Abominable Snowman is also known as the Yeti . It is a large humanoid creature that has been sighted on numerous occasions in the Himalayas. This mystical character lives in these mountains and there is no record of him facing humans despite his fierce appearance.
Different people assure of its existence seen since the expedition of Colonel Howard-Bury and his reported having seen huge footprints in the snow at more than 6000 kilometers of altitude. Since then there are many people who claim to have found traces or have seen it directly.
9. Krampus
Krampus is a character linked to the devil with an origin prior to Christianity , which is why it is said to be a pagan legend. The legend of this character is typical of Austria, as well as other surrounding countries such as Germany, the Czech Republic or Slovakia.
It is a demon that has features of a goat, such as horns and hooves. He has parallels with certain mythological characters, such as fauns or satyrs, being one of the most popular short stories in the world.
Today it has been adopted as a folklore character, and it is in the aforementioned countries that adults dress up as this character in December. The objective is to scare children who have misbehaved.
10. Yamashita’s Treasure
Yamashita’s Treasure (or Yamashita’s Gold) is a legend that has only a few years of history . To know it, you have to go back to the end of World War II, specifically in the Philippines.
This country was completely under Japanese rule in 1942, as well as all of Southeast Asia. However, US forces took control of the region in 1944, and the Japanese had to leave in a hurry.
Presumably a lot of gold was hidden somewhere in the jungle, and many people have gone on expeditions to find it.
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Bibliographic references
- Florescano, E. (1995). Mexican myths. Barcelona: Debolsillo.
- Langlois, J.L. (1983). The Vanishing Hitchhiker: American Urban Legends and Their Meanings by Jan Harold Brunvand”. The Journal of American Folklore, 96 (381), 356–357.
- Schwab, G. (2009) The Most Beautiful Legends of Classical Antiquity. Madrid: Editorial Gredos.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.