Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

A32F — Moon water carrier.

223 Myths, legends and folktales
223 Unique narratives for motif A32F
86 Cultures & traditions where A32F is told
19 Sub-motifs of motif A32F
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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

On the lunar disc, a character is visible who has gone to fetch water and/or is holding a vessel for liquid in his hands. See motif A32D.

Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations.

A32 has 19 other sub-motifs

Related

A32.  A figure or imprint of some creature or object is visible on the lunar disc. Statistical calculations also include motifs A32A โ€“ A32J (a rabbit, frog, predatory animal, human, tree, etc. are visible on the moon).
A32a.  The figure or imprint of a rabbit or hare is visible on the lunar disc.
A32b.  The figure or imprint of a toad or frog is visible on the lunar disc; the moon is associated with this animal.
A32b1.  A woman sits (jumps) on the face (back) of the Moon Man and is now visible in the silhouette of the moon spots.
A32c.  The figures of a man and a dog are visible (or should have been visible) on the lunar disc.
A32c1.  The figure or imprint of a predatory mammal (fox, wolf, dog, coyote, jaguar, lion) is visible on the lunar disc. Either this animal is associated with the moon, belongs to it. See motif A34.
A32d.  The figure or imprint of an anthropomorphic creature is visible on the lunar disc.
A32d1.  Cain and Abel are associated with the moon, usually distinguishable (both or only Cain) in the silhouette of lunar spots.
A32d2.  A man with a pitchfork in his hands can be seen in the silhouette of the moon's spots.
A32dd.  The lunar disc shows the figure or imprint of an anthropomorphic character carrying a bundle of wood or brushwood.
A32de.  A headless man is visible on the lunar disc.
A32e.  On the lunar (rarely: solar) disc, a character holding an object or animal is visible. See motif A32D.
A32f.  On the lunar disc, a character is visible who has gone to fetch water and/or is holding a vessel for liquid in his hands. See motif A32D.
A32g.  On the lunar disc, a character can be seen holding onto a tree or bush and ending up on the moon with them. See motif A32D.
A32h.  A tree, bush, branch, snag, etc. are visible on the lunar disc. See motif A32G.
A32i.  A shepherd (shepherd and girl, shepherd and his flock, dogs) can be seen on the lunar disc.
A32j.  A shaman with a tambourine ascends to the moon and remains there, visible in the silhouette of the lunar spots.
A32k.  A character, discernible in the silhouette of the moon's spots, first headed for the sun and only then reached the moon, or the Sun and the Moon argued over who he should belong to.
A32l.  The silhouette of a certain character is visible on the solar disc. Or it is said that the character fell into the sun and remained there.
A32m.  The moon is called the "Gypsy sun".

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of A32’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
A32E94.19%On the lunar (rarely: solar) disc, a character holding an object or animal is visible. See motif A32D.
I27C93.76%Dogs with two spots above their eyes stand out and are usually called two- or four-eyed.
L72A93.17%Fleeing for his life, the character throws behind him a comb (brush), which turns into an obstacle (almost always thickets) in the path of his pursuer. (In South America, this motif is most likely of European origin). See Andreev 1929, No. 313.I.
I5792.88%Thunder's enemies are animals, reptiles, and spirits that live in burrows. They usually hide from him in various objects and items, and Thunder (a god, angel, etc.) strikes his enemies or these objects with lightning.
H27A192.27%Reptiles and insects crawl out of holes in the ground, bringing disease.
L42E92.24%A demon catches the hero, carries him home, but the hero escapes on the way. The demon returns, catches the hero again, and this time brings him to his home. Or the demon catches and carries several children, but they escape on the way, leaving only one, whom the demon brings to his home.
M29B292.18%As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the bear dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
L12692.09%An anthropomorphic character cooks and eats a bird, but the bird cries out from inside his stomach and escapes. The character dies or suffers harm. Cf. motif K132.
N3691.98%is said about the horse that it jumps above trees (grass, the surface of the earth) and below the sky (clouds, clouds).
B191.89%Two anthropomorphic creators compete in the creation of the earth and/or humans. One is or becomes the master of the underworld or is associated with the spirit world, in contrast to the first, who is associated with the human world.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

86 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 86 traditions: Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands), Ireland, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thรผringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rรผgen, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Latvians, Livonians, Estonians, Karelians, Vepsians, Western Sami, Swedes, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Wakhi, Ishkashimi (including Sanglich), Munji, Sarikoli, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Nogai, Tats, Armenians, Anatolia Turks, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Chuvash, Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Mongols (Khalkha), Darkhad, Tofa (Karagas), Khakas, Shor, Siberian Tatars, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Kets, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Ainu, Udeghe, Uilta (Orok), Nanai, Negidal, Nivkh, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chuvans, Russian-speaking Creols of Markovo, Inland Tlingit, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Eastern Swamy Cree, Eastern Cree, Arapaho, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Quinault, Western Yakuts (Sakha): Olekma and Vilyuy Basins, Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Lutsi (Ludza), Frisians, Russian Federation

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