Myths in particular have long been noted to possess a dream-like quality, and have been more or less speculatively interpreted according to the principles of symptomatic dream interpretation. It is tempting to suggest that myths and, often, even legends, read
like dreams because they were dreams when they were first told. It is tempting
to argue further that culture heroes represent a condensation of the figures of
the prophet and of the supernatural being of whom he dreamed.