Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

A11B — One-eyed luminaries.

48 Myths, legends and folktales

48 Unique narratives for motif A11B

32 Cultures & traditions where A11B is told

3 Sub-motifs of motif A11B

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Source data for narratives and traditions is drawn from Berezkin’s Analytical Catalogue. If you use this data, please acknowledge and link to it: Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.

Summary of motif

Overview

The sun or moon has one eye (usually the second eye is knocked out or sucked out, but sometimes the reason is not explained; among the Munduruku, the sun of the rainy season has lost both eyes, while the sun of the dry season has retained both). See motif 11A.

Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 1, Sun and Moon.

A11 has 3 other sub-motifs

A11a.  The visible sun or moon are their eyes; if the eyes of the luminaries were not damaged, it would be much brighter and hotter.
A11b.  The sun or moon has one eye (usually the second eye is knocked out or sucked out, but sometimes the reason is not explained; among the Munduruku, the sun of the rainy season has lost both eyes, while the sun of the dry season has retained both). See motif 11A.
A11c.  The Sun and Moon kill a monster whose eyes shine differently. At first, the Moon takes the brighter eye, but then swaps with the Sun.
A11D.  The moon opens and closes its eyes (phases of the moon).

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of A11’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
C12B	95.91%	All people or individual ethnic groups, lineages, families are considered descendants of dogs (with which a man mated).
I8E1	95.35%	The sky or earth is supported by four objects or beings located at the four cardinal points (either four groups of beings, or four at the corners and a fifth in the centre). Th A841. See motifs 8A, 8D.
D1A3	95.33%	A man marries a woman who is fire. She is mistreated, or her husband does not like her, and the marriage breaks down.
G9A	95.33%	The field that was cultivated the day before turns back into virgin soil by morning.
G15	94.94%	In another world or in the past, products or materials used by humans look or looked like people.
A11A	94.39%	The visible sun or moon are their eyes; if the eyes of the luminaries were not damaged, it would be much brighter and hotter.
I69	92.93%	Luminous celestial objects or atmospheric phenomena are bodily secretions of celestial beings.
I80	92.86%	A character who finds himself in the locus of a deity responsible for atmospheric phenomena violates certain prohibitions or instructions, thereby causing excessively strong thunderstorms, rain, snowfall or wind.
C7	91.83%	Initially or after the flood, an earthen or stone barrier, the body of a character or creature prevents the flow of water. Later, this barrier is removed or destroyed.
A1	91.28%	Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

32 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 32 traditions: Masai, Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Punjabi, Seraiki (Multani), Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Chugach, Nez Perce, Tillamook, Okanagon, Sanpoil, Coeur D'Alene, Kalispel (Pend d'Oreille; incl Spokane), Ute, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Huichol, Pame, Jonaz (Chichimeca-Jonaz), Mazahua, Otomi, Pipil, Zapotec, Chatino, Tzotzil, Kekchi; Mopan, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Colorado (Tsachila), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Mundurucu, Curuaia, Ache (Guayaki), Kayapa

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