Myth

Mŷthos (μῦθος)

Which meant "speech" or "story"

Wasn't associated with fiction as it is today
Instead it was seen as anything spoken or
recounted, especially tales about gods.

Legend

Tale

Allegory

Fable

Parable

Ignoring myths as “just stories” misses their psychological and emotional resonance.

(Ex: The Greek Myth of Icarus isn't just about
a man with wax wings, it’s a warning about ambition, hubris, and the danger of ignoring limits.)

Myths were humanity’s first attempt at asking why?

Myths connect us to our ancestors and shared humanity.

Modern views tend to separate myth from science, ignoring their shared goal of understanding the world.

Truth

Verity

Palpable

Factualism

Accurate

The word shénhuà combines god/divine (神) and talk/story (话)

So it would directly translate to: divine speech or story of the gods.