A strange aspect of our written culture is the extent to which documents are imbued with a sense of permanence from which they cannot easily escape. Beowulf was told and retold for at least decades - more likely centuries - before someone decided to write it down. Now, retellings[0] of the story are called translations, judged by many for their accuracy and historicity.

Sashimi's been around for a long time. "Gravlax" would've been less alliterative.

[0] It's telling that you put that word in quotes. Stories are things to be told, aren't they?