Humans need myths. We need stories. They perform a powerful and useful role in our societies and cultures. If I wanted to teach you about water safety I could give you hundreds of facts surrounding the need for water safety or I could tell you the story of a creature that lives near fresh water and drowns children. Even if you didn’t believe in the creature I talked about, you’d likely have an easier time remembering water safety.  Case in point, there is a myth of a creature renowned for serving as a conduit for keeping kids safe around water: the Kappa. In Japan, this creature has the body of a turtle and the beak of a bird. It’s...