Plague legends and talking about modern crises have much in common. Both teach people how to deal with dangers.
In old folk tales, it is told exactly what to do to escape the plague. For example, instructions are given on where to flee or what to do to survive. Today, it is often simply said what not to do.
Scientists have found that old tales and modern crisis messages are similar. Both talk about dangers and help people cope with them. However, old tales place more emphasis on what a person can do themselves.
People have always wanted to know where the danger comes from and where to flee. This is true both in old tales and modern crisis messages. For example, during the coronavirus, it was simply said "stay at home!", but people wanted to know what else they could do.
In old folk tales, the danger is often specific. For example, a lake flies away if people do something stupid. Today, we also see simple maps where the danger is marked in red. In reality, the dangers are more complex.
During crises, it is important to give people clear instructions. If it is simply said what not to do, confusion arises. People want to know what they can do. Old tales show how to do this better.
In summary, it can be said that from old tales we can learn how to better talk about crises. It is important to give people clear and simple instructions on what to do.