Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

G23B — Ethnic groups from body parts.

39 Myths, legends and folktales

39 Unique narratives for motif G23B

23 Cultures & traditions where G23B is told

2 Sub-motifs of motif G23B

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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

People from different ethnic groups arise from parts of the creature's body, or people from different groups receive their names (and characteristics) depending on which parts of the creature's body they have received.

Berezkin category: Fertility and Agriculture

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 5, Origin of human beings, ethnic groups, etiology of human anatomy, strange body configuration, ways of behavior, marriages before the establishment of the present norms.

G23 has 2 other sub-motifs

G23.  The origin of various (more than two) creatures or objects is explained by the metamorphosis of a living creature or part of its body. {Only texts of an aetiological nature are taken into account. For statistical purposes, all texts with motifs G23A and G23B are also included in motif G23}.
G23a.  Parts of the body and organs of living beings are transformed into various plants (teeth into corn, testicles into yams, etc.).
G23b.  People from different ethnic groups arise from parts of the creature's body, or people from different groups receive their names (and characteristics) depending on which parts of the creature's body they have received.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of G23’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
E4	96.57%	From mud on the skin (rarely: from under the fingernails), the character creates the earth, people or other creatures.
B28C	96.21%	Lice grab a person and drag him into the sea.
M74	95.32%	A weak character regurgitates previously swallowed unusual food, or replaces his belching with a strong character's belching, or interprets his secretions as remains strong animals he ate. The strong believe that the weak are strong or have unusual abilities.
F72	94.66%	A woman asks a man to tie her up before intercourse so that it looks like she is being raped.
H12A	93.45%	The wife dies, the husband comes for her, or he kills her himself for adultery; she turns into a monster and haunts him.
F55A	92.38%	A demonic character persuades a woman to expose a certain part of her body, because that is the only place where a certain object should be placed. The demon kills the woman, tearing off that part of her body. Usually, the woman uses or names various locations, and the character rejects each one in turn until he finds the right one.
F90	91.77%	A brother and sister marry. When the children born of this union learn of their origins, the marriage breaks down (the children kill their parents, the father kills or attempts to kill the children, the parents commit suicide, the wife/sister commits suicide after the death of her husband/brother, the wife/sister leaves her husband/brother).
L119	90.84%	The hero and antagonist fight in the air, tearing off each other's limbs. Usually, their allies on the ground try to preserve the limbs of their leader and destroy those of their enemy.
H2	90.83%	Animals ask God to make humans (tigers: domestic animals) mortal or otherwise reduce their numbers, as they fear that humans will trample them, deprive them of food or habitat, force them to work, etc.
F64B	90.40%	A woman pretends to be someone else in order to seduce her son, brother, daughter or grandson. See motif F64.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

23 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 23 traditions: Malagasy, Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, 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, Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Gondi (mostly Northern Gondi), Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Lepcha, Dolgans, Udeghe, Nanai, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Nez Perce, Tillamook, Coos, Chelan, Wenatchi, Kutenai, Lower Chinook (Chinook proper), Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet

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