Legend vs. Fable — What's the Difference?

A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions perceived or believed both by teller and listeners to have taken place within human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude.

Fable is a literary genre: a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized, and that illustrates or leads to a particular moral lesson (a "moral"), which may at the end be added explicitly as a concise maxim or saying. A fable differs from a parable in that the latter excludes animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as actors that assume speech or other powers of humankind.

An unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historical.

A usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point and often employing as characters animals that speak and act like humans.

A body or collection of such stories.

A story about legendary persons and exploits.

See urban legend.

A falsehood; a lie.

One that inspires legends or achieves legendary fame

To recount as if true.

An inscription or title on an object, such as a coin.

To compose fables.

An explanatory caption accompanying an illustration.

A fictitious narrative intended to enforce some useful truth or precept, usually with animals, etc. as characters; an apologue. Prototypically, Aesop's Fables.

An explanatory table or list of the symbols appearing on a map or chart.

Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.

An unrealistic story depicting past events.

Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

A story of unknown origin describing plausible but extraordinary past events.

The plot, story, or connected series of events forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.

A plausible story set in the historical past, but whose historicity is uncertain.

To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction; to write or utter what is not true.

A story in which a kernel of truth is embellished to an unlikely degree.

To make up; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely; to recount in the form of a fable.

A fabricated backstory for a spy, with associated documents and records.

A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note under Apologue.

A person related to a legend or legends.

The plot, story, or connected series of events, forming the subject of an epic or dramatic poem.

A leading protagonist in a historical legend.

Any story told to excite wonder; common talk; the theme of talk.

A person with legend-like qualities, such as extraordinary accomplishment.

Fiction; untruth; falsehood.

A key to the symbols and color codes on a map, chart, etc.

To compose fables; hence, to write or speak fiction ; to write or utter what is not true.

An inscription, motto, or title, especially one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon a heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

To feign; to invent; to devise, and speak of, as true or real; to tell of falsely.

A musical composition set to a poetical story.

A deliberately false or improbable account

(naval) The design and specification of a vessel.

A short moral story (often with animal characters)

To tell or narrate; to recount.

A story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

That which is appointed to be read; especially, a chronicle or register of the lives of saints, formerly read at matins, and in the refectories of religious houses.

A story respecting saints; especially, one of a marvelous nature.

Any wonderful story coming down from the past, but not verifiable by historical record; a myth; a fable.

An inscription, motto, or title, esp. one surrounding the field in a medal or coin, or placed upon an heraldic shield or beneath an engraving or illustration.

To tell or narrate, as a legend.

A story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

Brief description accompanying an illustration