Facts -> History -> Legend -> Myth (-> religion)

This is an awesome article on the contrast in the approaches of western and eastern countries towards their mythologies. In the east (and this includes Africa - with a strong story-telling tradition of its own), myths and legends are a part of everyday life. In the west, they are not. Of course, what the author does not mention is that in the west some myths are taught as history. And, thanks to years of colonialism, quite a bit of eastern history is now believed to be "myth".