Oral literature bears witness to the past of an individual or a community, its culture, tradition and identity. Affirmation of this comes also from this thesis in which historical, etiological and mythical traditions and legends of the Drniš and Imotski region are described. Utterances of the storytellers display an entire system of thoughts, beliefs, moral values, ways and conditions of life of the inhabitants of those areas. Also important is the insight into the historical circumstances and realities which written oral history provides. Perhaps the most important influence that shaped oral tradition are invasions of the Ottoman Empire which are visible in stories of hajduk (brigand) Andrijica Šimić as well as the tale of wedding of Stipan Nakić. Rule of the Ottomans also influenced geopolitical relations that can be seen in the stories of border division between Croatia nad Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mythologically, area of Drniš and Imotski has most been given impact by the stories of the vile or the fairies. Religious beliefs are seen in the legends of saint Elias and of the fall of the Gavan's Halls. These are mostly based on the basis of belief in divine justice – rewarding the virtue and punishing evil. Given the fact of ever - changing culture and society, guarding and analysing the oral literature provide the tool for preservation of national identity during present period of significant changes in the society, modernization and the decline of traditional values.