Title: are Legends Based on Fact?

In discussing character education in Early Childhood, Dr. Thomas Lickona says, "Qualities such as kindness, honesty, self-control, courage, compassion, cooperation, diligence or hard work are the kinds of qualities that we all need, to lead a fulfilling life and enables us o live productively and harmoniously. Character education develops these virtues throughout every phase of school life."

Legends In Education:

The characters of many myths become so popular and familiar to everyone, they take on a role of reality. Here are a couple of legends we enjoy and have been taught in schools for many generations.

Robin Hood:

Robin Hood robbed the rich and gave to the poor and fought against injustice and tyranny. He was a fugitive from the law and led a band of seven outlawed yeomen (prosperous farmers or bodyguards in a noble or royal household), known as the band of Merry Men.

William Shakespeare refers to Robin Hood in a late 16th century play, 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona'. Robin Hood even has a gravestone with his name on it, in an attempt to give the legend more credibility.

King Arthur:

King Arthur was a legendary British soldier who defended Britain against the Saxon invaders. It was the 12th century French writer who made the addition of Sir Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table, as well as adding the Holy Grail to the legend.

Father Christmas:

Did Saint Nicholas really exist and give away gifts from his extensive fortune, before the legend became the current commercial practice of Father Christmas? His various names were St Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Pere Noel, Christ Kind, Sinter Klass and of course Santa Clause and Father Christmas.

Legends questioned:

Some say that William Shakespeare, a very prolific poet and playwright of amazing genius, is nothing more than a corporate name, representing a conglomerate of writers. However, heedless of the true facts about the writer, Shakespearean plays have been translated into every major language and been performed more often, than the plays written by any other scriptwriter.

Imaginary Legends:

Children of all ages have always enjoyed imaginary characters of legends and are well able to tell the difference between fact and fiction.

Irish Leprechaun (shoemaker)

The delightfully mischievous Irish Leprechaun, with his lucky four leaf clover, conceals your TV remote and steals your underwear and at least one of your socks, in the dark of the night. Others say that anyone who manages to catch a Leprechaun will have hidden treasures revealed to you.

Big Creature Legends

Is that the myths of oversize creatures serves some odd purpose in explaining the unexplainable that gives them their popularity? Many different cultures have so-called sightings of these creatures.

Inhabiting the remote forests in the Pacific Northwest, in America, is the legend of the Bigfoot.

Recent reports say there have been sightings of the footprints of the abominable snowman, the Yeti in the Himalayas.

In the Scottish Highlands is the monster of Loch Ness, which does wonders for the tourist trade in the area.

A little known Australia Yowie, skulks around in the Australian Outback. Rising from the ground at night, it eats humans and whatever else it can find.

Halloween, vampires and witches have always had their place in the myths and legends of different cultures. While ghosts take you on into a whole new area. It's up to the individual teaching institution as to what children are taught about the area of the paranormal.