Which option best exemplifies an etiological myth?

• A. Osiris myth explaining the Nile cycles
• B. The Odyssey explaining a hero's voyage
• C. The Theogony explaining gods' genealogies
• D. The Epic of Gilgamesh explaining kingship

Answer: (A)

Etiological myths provide a narrative that explains the origin of a natural phenomenon or a cultural practice. The Osiris myth ties the god’s death and rebirth to the Nile’s seasonal flooding, offering a story that explains why the river rises each year and why the land becomes fertile afterward. This kind of causal, world-shaping explanation is exactly what etiological myths aim to convey. The other options focus on a hero’s travels, the genealogies of gods, or kingship deeds—topics that describe actions or relations rather than provide a causal account of a natural phenomenon. So the Osiris-Nile connection is the clearest example of an etiological myth.