Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

G20 — A woman turns into plants.

96 Myths, legends and folktales

96 Unique narratives for motif G20

60 Cultures & traditions where G20 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif G20

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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

Edible (cultivated or wild) plants emerge from the body of an old woman, a young woman or a girl.

Berezkin category: Fertility and Agriculture

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 6, Origin and interpretation of culture elements, in particular related to agriculture, inadequate forms of subsistence and economic activity before the establishment of the present norms.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
E27	94.45%	People arise from drops of blood from a wounded anthropomorphic creature.
J64	93.85%	Without touching the fire or burning, the character rises into the sky or crosses the river on clouds of smoke.
G23A	92.74%	Parts of the body and organs of living beings are transformed into various plants (teeth into corn, testicles into yams, etc.).
H9B	89.80%	People have become like plants, which, although mortal, live on in their descendants (shoots).
I96	89.62%	A rainbow consisting of blood either heralds war and death.
M7	89.34%	The character goes to the lower world, to the sky, to the country on the horizon, etc. and waits for someone to give him a ride to his goal. Usually, some animals/birds or celestial bodies follow by, and the last (often the Sun or Month) delivers.
E5E	89.04%	People or animals come out from under the ground or descend from the sky. The two-headed creature following them gets stuck in the opening or is not allowed to come out.
A12E	88.81%	The spider attacks the sun or moon (usually causing lunar eclipses).
I33	88.78%	The soul on its journey to the afterlife stops at a certain tree.
M115	87.94%	The character kills an animal that is dangerous to him by cunning. Relatives or friends of the killed animal find out about this and come to take revenge. The character escapes.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

60 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 60 traditions: Yao, Makua, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Sandawe, Papua-NewGuinea Highland Papuans:Trans New Guinea & unclassified:Chimbu,Gimi,KaugelHuli,Gadsup,Kuman,Kutubu,Foi (Foe),Kyaka,Kamano (Kafe),Mawatta,Kukukuku (=Anga,=Sambia;Manki,Nauti,Ejuti),Baruya,Kewa,Tembregak,Menya,Melpa,Wiru,Pondoma, Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Chamorro (Guam and other Marianas), Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Alor, Solor, Wetar, Atauru, Sumbawa (incl Dongo), Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), Ceram: Alune and Wemale (West Ceram), Patasiwa (Ceram), Honitetu (West Ceram Highlands); Nusawele, Hatuolu, Huaolu, Patasiwa; Ambon; Buru, Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Bali, Lombok, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Semang, Senoi, Sinhalese; Vedda, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Ainu, Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu, Chukchi, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot, Eastern Cree, Huron (incl Wyandot), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Plains Cree, Quileute, Chemakum (Hoh), Natchez (incl Avoyel), Alabama, Koasati, Creek, Seminole; Tuskegee; iconography of Kentucky Hopewell, Cherokee, Yana, Paez, Guambia, Pijao; Ilama culture, Makiritare (Yecuana), Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma, Waiwai, Wayana, Aparai, Wayapi, Emerillon, Chayahuita , Northern Peru: Sierra (Kechua-speaking communities, Cajamarca, Ancash, Huanuco and San Martin departments; Chavin pre-Columbian iconography; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries), Parintintin; Villa Bella (tribal affiliation unknown), Mundurucu, Curuaia, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Kayabi, Caraja, Suya, Txukarramae, Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), Lisu, Lolo (incl. Bai), Achang, Yi, Axi, Nasu, Jino, Taungyo, Papua-New Guinea Northern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Komba, Gimi, Susure, Orokaiva, Bogadjim, Ngain, Sentani, Bargam, Imonda, Nankina, Yupta Valley, Urawa Valley, Warupu (Barupu), Pondoma (Anam), Sundanese, Russian Federation, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)

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

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