Origin myths

Origin myths are fascinating because, beyond being simple pieces of literature, they seek to explain the origins of mankind, of a nation or people, and, often, the universe itself. Because of this, we treat them differently than we treat ordinary literature. Why? Well, not only do they tell us about where we come from, but they tell us who we are. All origin myths are, in some way, created by humans, and what they choose to include in the telling of their origins tells us more about who they are than our origins. Consider what Gilgamesh tells us about who the Mesopotamians were as a people and what they believed and valued. Why did they choose to focus on this story as part of their origin myth?