Myths are the stories we carry in our minds that help us to know who we are and how we fit into the world. They speak of our past, present, and future. They are usually based on the most fundamental truths of human existence, but express those truths as stories that can be regarded as anything from metaphor to literal fact. It is because myths speak deep truths that they have their power.
“Contemporary Paganism” by Carol Barner-Barry, p. 49