storytelling and mythology is that the king's health is often symbolic of the health of the kingdom or society: For example, a sick king means a weakened and vulnerable society, a healthy king means a healthy society, an emotionally or physically distant king means the society is in danger. Also, the installation of kings at the New Year was believed to renew the cosmos: "The king becomes in a manner responsible for the stability, the fecundity and the prosperity of the entire Cosmos." (Eliade 1963:41) See also List of legendary kings of Britain List of legendary kings of Denmark List of legendary kings of Norway List of legendary kings of Scotland List of legendary kings of Sweden Kayanian dynasty, legendary kings from Iran Great King Sacred king Great Catholic Monarch Katechon - Eschatological King Golden Bough King in the Mountain King Arthur's messianic return Kings' sagas Saga References Eliade, Mircea (translated). Myths and Reality. Translated from French by Trask, William, edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen. New York: Harper and Row, 1963. (esp. Section III "Myths and Rites of Renewal"; Section IX "Survivals and Camaflages of Myths - Eschatological Myths of the Middle Ages") McConnell, Frank. Storytelling and Mythmaking. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1979 . (Discusses the different types of mythological kings) King Stock characters