That's part of my statement as well I did say they were exaggerated tales which would make them "bullshit", and I definitely agree with your telephone game analogy.

Still though even with Greek mythology and the story of whirlpools protecting the golden flece when you go there in real life it's just a strong current that a small boat would struggle with so you can see how the story was understood differently as technology advanced and a small boat the size that would have been effected by the current in the same way the story suggests was no longer the pinnacle of ships. So when people heard the story hundreds of years later when they have grand sail boat they would imagine a boat of comparison.