Answer:
A culture's myths had specific family trees of deities and similar supernatural creatures, including a clearly defined hierarchy (e.g., "ruler among gods") and set of responsibilities, because this helped that culture understand the world around them. Myths allowed people to make sense of their surroundings and explained natural phenomena in terms that they could understand. The hierarchy of gods and goddesses also mirrored the social hierarchy of the culture, which helped reinforce the existing power structure.