Myths, legends, and folktales are forms of storytelling that have been used since the beginning of civilization to explain the world, provide guidance, entertain, and pass down history and knowledge. Myths often involve supernatural elements and aim to explain universal truths, legends usually contain some historical facts mixed with fictional elements, and folktales are stories that are passed down orally from generation to generation with unknown authors. These forms of storytelling serve many purposes such as strengthening communities, teaching morals, explaining natural phenomena, and entertaining audiences before modern forms of media. They can be difficult to distinctly classify as they often overlap.