Isn't it funny how some people still fight the tide? What interests me is the mechanism that brings it to "critical mass", at what point and why these lemming like followings occur. I think humankind has an inherent need to belong to a tribe and some need to be leaders even if it is "big fish in a small pond". It seems that it is more important to belong than what it is you belong to. So perhaps it doesn't matter who was better than who, an icon was chosen and an icon is worshipped. Like the sandal in Life of Brian! It is difficult to compare old things with contemporary eyes and ears you had to be there to really understand, on the other hand one can safely assume that "where there is smoke there is fire" and although one didn't witness a "special" event it it can also be assumed that it was. Legends and Myths are what societies need, deeds embellished and enhanced, heroes, inspiration, after all very few living people measure up.
My pet subject is this trad folksinger thing. I cannot fathom why some people strive to sing like 80 year old men and women and tell me that that this is authentic tradtional folk music and the way everyone should sing. Do not see that at all.
Nough said, legends are made by society not the person so when one has a pop at a legend it isn't the person that you are denegrating
but the collective memory, enhanced or otherwise, of the society that created itand you are makinh a lot of enemies Mr Canute.