Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
C18 — Luring the sun.
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
OverviewA character embodying or controlling the sun hides or is hidden. In order to restore or obtain light and warmth for the first time, the character's attention is attracted or distracted by songs, music, dances, unusual gifts, indecent or strange behaviour, offers of sex, food and/or alcohol.
Berezkin category: Disasters
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 1, Sun and Moon.
C18 has 1 other sub-motifs
RelatedC18. A character embodying or controlling the sun hides or is hidden. In order to restore or obtain light and warmth for the first time, the character's attention is attracted or distracted by songs, music, dances, unusual gifts, indecent or strange behaviour, offers of sex, food and/or alcohol.
C18a. The hidden sun is lured out by the rooster, or people believe that without the rooster's crow, the sun will not rise.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| I26 | 91.91% | On its way to the other world, the soul must distract its guardians with gifts or defend itself from attack. |
| G29 | 86.73% | The character consists of various artefacts of domestic and industrial use or transforms into them. |
| F89 | 86.30% | A sister and brother live alone. The brother refuses to commit incest. The sister resorts to cunning, as a result of which the brother mistakes her for a stranger and marries her. |
| H43AB | 86.30% | Man is mortal because he was spat upon at creation. |
| B72A | 86.23% | Mother (stepmother, adoptive father) does not give food to a girl or (less often) a boy. The child asks migratory birds to take him with them, they give him bird clothing, he flies away with them, becoming a bird. |
| I86 | 85.78% | The inhabitants of the upper world produce down, wool, and scales, which turn into birds, animals, and fish. |
| A13A | 85.39% | The raven steals or hides the sun, or attempts to do so. |
| I51B | 84.76% | The earth or sky is perceived as a large mammal or created from parts of its body. |
| M3B | 84.75% | Trying to grab a hare, another animal tears off (bites) its tail. It's been short ever since. |
| A32A | 84.68% | The figure or imprint of a rabbit or hare is visible on the lunar disc. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
24 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 24 traditions: Mandingo (Manden, incl San, Samo), Kagoro, Bambara (Bamana), Malinke, Kassonke, Diula, Khasi, 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, Lepcha, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Ossetians, Oroch, Kerek, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Chukchi, Eastern Cree, Plains Cree, Alabama, Koasati, Cherokee, Huichol, Tepecano, Gulf Nahuatl, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Mapuche, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), China, Japan
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