H34G — Porridge from a grain.

One grain was enough to prepare a meal.

Berezkin category: Paradise Lost

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 4, Origin of death, diseases and hard life.

H34.  Work did not require effort. Some people do not believe that this is possible, or do not consider it to be right, or do not fulfil the necessary conditions, which is why people have to work. See motifs H34A – H34H; H34 contains only texts that are not classified in more detail.
H34a.  The character believes that people should live easily (without labour and suffering) and makes appropriate suggestions. The interlocutor rejects them. This dialogue forever determines the conditions of people's lives. Those traditions in which the dialogue is conducted by two anthropomorphic brothers or companions are highlighted in bold in the list.
H34b.  Somewhere there is or was a river that flowed or, according to the plan, was supposed to flow in two directions at once.
H34c.  Rice flew (came) from the field to the house.
H34d.  A zoomorphic character climbs or attempts to climb up to the sky or the moon to bite off a piece of them.
H34d1.  The sky or celestial objects were edible, but then this source of food became inaccessible or is now only used by inhabitants of a country beyond the human world.
H34e.  The snow was edible.
H34f.  Baskets or clay vessels carried heavy loads themselves.
H34g.  One grain was enough to prepare a meal.
H34h.  Firewood and brushwood came by themselves, flying into the house; there was no need to specially harvest and deliver them.

This motif has been recorded in 40 traditions: Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Bongo, Nyamwesi, Sumbwa, Fipa (Bafipa), Iramba, Bende, Safwa, Mkulwe, Ngonde, Kinga, Nyakusa, Nyamwanga, Hausa, Fon, Songhai, Tenda (incl Bedik, Basari), Biafada, Nalu, Pajadinka, Badyara (Badiaranke), Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Roti, Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), 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, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, 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), Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Hindi-speaking peoples and casts (incl. Teli, Parahiya; incl. Chhattisgarhi) of Northern and West-Central India, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Meo (Hmong) of Thailand, Laos and Northern Vietnam, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tepehua, Totonac, Yucatec, Itza, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Makka, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Lao, Gorontalo, Liberia, Morocco, Comoros, China, Japan