What is an etiological myth, and give two cross-cultural examples.

• A. Etiological myths describe the future destinies of individuals.
• B. Etiological myths explain origins of customs or natural phenomena; examples: Prometheus bringing fire (Greek) explains humans’ use of fire; Nuwa mending the heavens (Chinese) explains the cosmos’ order.
• C. Etiological myths focus on romantic love stories.
• D. Etiological myths are solely biological explanations.

Answer: (B)

Etiological myths explain where things come from—how customs, practices, or natural phenomena began. They connect present-day world ideas to stories of gods or heroes, showing the origins behind why things are the way they are rather than focusing on personal destinies, romance, or biological explanations.

Two cross-cultural examples illustrate this: in Greek myth, Prometheus bringing fire to humans explains why people use and depend on fire as a foundational part of civilization; in Chinese myth, Nuwa mending the heavens accounts for the order and structure of the cosmos, as well as humanity’s place within it. These stories give a narrative answer to “how did this origin come to be?” rather than describing individual futures or purely scientific facts.