Legend
Middle English (in the sense ‘story of a saint's life’): from Old French legende, from medieval Latin legenda ‘things to be read’, from Latin legere ‘read’. legend (sense 1 of the noun) dates from the early 17th century.
wiktionary
From Middle English legende, from Old French legende, from Medieval Latin legenda(“a legend, story, especially the lives of the saints”), from Latin legenda(“things which ought to be read”), from lego(“I read”).
etymonline
legend (n.)
early 14c., "narrative dealing with a happening or an event," from Old French legende (12c., Modern French légende) and directly from Medieval Latin legenda "legend, story," especially lives of saints, which were formerly read at matins and in refectories of religious houses, literally "(things) to be read," on certain days in church, etc., from Latin legendus, neuter plural gerundive of legere "to read; to gather, pluck, select," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')."
Extended sense of "nonhistorical or mythical story," with or without saints, wonders, and miracles is first recorded late 14c. Meaning "writing or inscription" (especially on a coin or medal) is from 1610s; on a map, illustration, etc., from 1903. To be a legend in (one's) own time is from 1958.
