Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in society, such as foundational tales.

Myths often consist of sacred narratives about gods. The term mythology refers to bodies of myth and the study thereof
alike. The study of myth began in ancient history. Rival classes of the Greek
myths by Euhemerus, Plato and Sallustius were developed by the Neoplatonists and later revived
by Renaissance mythographers. Today, the study of myth continues in a wide variety of academic fields,
including folklore studies, philology, and psychology. The academic comparisons of bodies of myth is known
as comparative mythology.

Source: wikipedia