The term Legend comes from the Latin legenda (what must be read), it is a narrative put in writing, to be read or said aloud, at meals or public gatherings. The legend is a short story that can be based on historical events or real situations, mixed with the fantasy of its creator, who is anonymous.
The legend is born from the propensity of the human spirit to explain what is wonderful, what it does not understand, to its amazement at the natural facts that it does not know. That is why the legend, in its beginning, is nothing more than the story of man's first struggles, his ignorance and his eagerness to unravel that mystery that surrounds him and is passionate about him.
Reality, experience, knowledge, fighting to defend oneself, advice from some men to others to know how to face life, all this is the stuff of legend. It is usually passed from generation to generation, almost always orally, and often incorporates additions or modifications.
The characters in the legends are or were real and their actions or behaviors are possible. Most of them are brave, strong, and skilled heroes, whose lives are told by magnifying their exploits. They usually have their origin in historical figures, such as King Arthur, William Tell or Robin Hood, but they can also be imaginary beings (dragons, unicorns, goblins, mermaids, etc.).
In summary, we could say that the legend relates events that would have occurred in remote times and that popular fantasy has modified to acquire a supernatural character. Its themes are mainly historical and religious.
For centuries, legends have served as inspiration to writers, specifically those of the 19th century, who compiled almost all the traditional narratives of this type that we know today. Some of them, such as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, made them personally, with what arose the so-called author legends.
In cartography, the legend is the explanation of the symbols, shading and colors used in a map, which is usually located on the margin of the map, in inserted boxes, or on its back, and allows to facilitate the interpretation and reading of the map.
