This short-coming is associated with the absence of any specific reference to the original sense of the Greek μũθος, of w'hieh our English word is the abbreviated form and it is by glancing for a moment at this original sense that we shall best come to a preliminary understanding of what mythology is. That aspect which, to a mind trained in the study of mythology, seems most important, if not even most prominent, of all. It describes well enough the vague popular use of words according to which the existence of a bogus mine or a falsely alleged Kuklux outrage is said to be a “ myth,” but it fails to exhibit the word under It is defined by Worcester as " a system of fables, or a treatise upon fables the collective body of traditions of any heathen nation respecting its gods and other fabulous supernatural beings.” And the same lexicographer defines a myth as “ a work of fiction a fabulous story a fable an invention a parable an allegory,” - though the latter part of the definition is qualified by the much-needed remark that, while “ the allegory is a reflective and artificial process, the myth springs up spontaneously and by a kind of inspiration.” But in spite of this important qualification, the definition seems, on the whole, very defective. WHAT is mythology ? Let us look into our dictionaries.
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