There are many types of myths, and often a myth may fall into more than one category. Below are some of the more common types of myths and and example of each:
| Type of Myth | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Aetiological/Etiological | Myths that explain why something is the way it is. | Thor's Chariot (Norse) |
| Chthonic | Myths that relate to the underworld. | Duat (Egyptian) |
| Cosmogonic/Creation | Myths that explain how the world came to be. | Toetl (El Salvadorian) |
| Divine | Myths that involve gods and goddesses. | Izanagi and Izanami (Japanese) |
| Founding | Myths that describe how a society was founded. | Romulus and Remus and the Founding of Rome (Roman) |
| Hero | Myths that describe the adventure or journey of a hero. | King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (British) |
| Historical | Myths that give greater significance to an event than what it really was, if it even really happened at all. | Trojan War (Greek) |
| Morality | Myths that explain how to act. | Narcissus and Echo (Greek) |
| Psychological | Myths that tell about a hero's journey from the known to the unknown. | Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian) |
| Trickster | Myths that feature trickers. | Anansi (West African) |
Sources: Britanica, World History Encyclopedia