Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

B36A — Two adorn each other.

103 Myths, legends and folktales

103 Unique narratives for motif B36A

58 Cultures & traditions where B36A is told

3 Sub-motifs of motif B36A

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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

Two zoomorphic characters adorn each other, after which one is satisfied with the result and the other is not.

Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 7, Etiology of plants and animals and of their peculiar features, particular animals as protagonists of cosmological stories, metamorphoses, weather and calendar.

B36 has 3 other sub-motifs

B36.  Birds, fish, and four-legged animals deliberately or accidentally smear themselves with colouring substances or divide parts of another's body among themselves, thereby acquiring their current appearance.
B36a.  Two zoomorphic characters adorn each other, after which one is satisfied with the result and the other is not.
B36b.  Birds find their voices by pecking at a large reptile and smearing themselves with the fluids that flow out of its body.
B36c.  Animals receive meat and fat rendered from a certain creature or obtained in some other way. Some received a lot, others remained thin.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of B36’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
B36	99.14%	Birds, fish, and four-legged animals deliberately or accidentally smear themselves with colouring substances or divide parts of another's body among themselves, thereby acquiring their current appearance.
F47B	99.11%	In order to create new people (new women) to replace those who have been destroyed, the character leaves something (feathers or pieces of flesh) in each empty hut (in the hearth, in the hammock, in the village), from which new people (new women) appear.
L36	98.86%	At the moment when the husband climbs or descends from a tree, his wife (or her brother) kills or maims him or turns into a demon that pursues him.
M14A	98.78%	To take revenge on his wife or her relatives for (allegedly) causing him offence, the husband roasts his wife alive. See motif M14.
A22D	98.71%	The burned character turns into a constellation or a dark spot on the Milky Way.
B114	98.71%	A woman or a man (usually old people) turn into anteaters (the origin of anteaters).
B24A	98.71%	After a character surrounds a group of people with a circle of feathers or throws feathers into their dwellings, the people turn into wild pigs or peccaries.
B36B	98.71%	Birds find their voices by pecking at a large reptile and smearing themselves with the fluids that flow out of its body.
C17	98.71%	The men of the community of the first ancestors destroy most of the people and/or themselves on a pyre or in a fire pit.
C2A	98.71%	Two characters meet a woodpecker and receive an object from it, which causes the ground to catch fire upon contact. The stronger and smarter of the two characters escapes, while the weaker and stupider one is burned or burned to death.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

58 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 58 traditions: Murle, Me'en (Bodi), Didinga, Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Kamba, Tharaka, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Southern Australia: Dieri, Urabunna (Arabana), Flinderce Mountains, Kujani, Andyamatana (Andjamatana, Wailpi), Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Kayan, Bahau, Kenja, Aoheng, Punan (Bukat, Basap, Oloh Ot, etc); "Klemantan", Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, 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, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Central Taiwan: Bunun (Vonum), La'arua, Tsou, Kanabu, Kanakanabu, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Ami, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Bahnar, Bana, Sedang, Por, Khmer, Viet, Muong, Garo (Atchik), Kachari (Bodo, incl. Lalung), Dimasa, Tripuri, Riang (of Tripura), Khami, Riga, Mori, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Karachays, Balkar, Tats, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Ainu, Nivkh, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Creols of Russkoye Ustye, Chukchi, Central Yupik, Chugach, Athna, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Mackenzie Delta, Copper, Netsilik, Caribou, Iglulik, Polar Inuit, Baffin Land Inuit, East Greenland (Angmassalik, Kulusuk), Labrador Inuit (Koksoagmiut), Eyak, Sicuani, Cuiva, Warao, Kodiak, Papua-New Guinea Southern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Gimi, Kiwai, Bina, Mawabula, Mawatta, Keraki, Gambadi (incl. Kwavaru), Purari River delta, Masingara, Wiram (=Suki), Ngain, Daga, Elema, Greenland, Japan

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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com

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