Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
H36E — The rat betrays man.
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
OverviewThe rat is to blame for the fact that man is mortal.
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.
H36 has 17 other sub-motifs
RelatedH36. A character is sent to deliver instructions or certain items. The messenger distorts the message, brings the wrong items, loses what he is carrying, delays (and is overtaken by another messenger). This has important consequences for him and for the future lives of the people.
H36a. The character distorts the message conveyed to him, deliberately lies, brings the wrong thing, loses what he is carrying, delays (and is overtaken by another messenger). As a result, people become mortal (they do not revive after death).
H36aa. The messenger must tell people what they should do if they want to avoid death, but he distorts the instructions and people become mortal. In Mesoamerican variants, it is not about people in general, but about a specific character.
H36b. The chameleon is to blame for the fact that man is mortal or that he must labour; he loses the trust placed in him by the deity. See motif H36.
H36c. The lizard is to blame for the fact that man is mortal. See motif H36.
H36d. The hare distorts God's command and/or is responsible for the fact that humans are mortal. See motif H36.
H36e. The rat is to blame for the fact that man is mortal.
H36f. The raven is sent to deliver an important item or message. He distorts the message or loses what has been entrusted to him.
H36ff. The raven (crow) or other large bird of prey tries to kill people and/or is responsible for the fact that humans (tigres: domestic animals) are mortal or susceptible to disease.
H36g. God sends a messenger to the people to tell them to eat infrequently (once a day, once every three days, etc.). The messenger says that one should eat often – at least two or three times a day.
H36g1. When a bull (ox, cow) is ordered to convey certain instructions to people, he confuses them or deliberately distorts them.
H36g2. When a character, who later became a dung beetle, was ordered to convey certain instructions to people, he distorted them.
H36gg. The coyote is to blame for the fact that humans are mortal.
H36h. Creatures, including a frog or toad, must cross an obstacle. This does not go as planned and results in humans becoming mortal.
H36hh. The frog or toad is to blame for the fact that humans are mortal.
H36i. The goat or sheep is to blame for the fact that man is mortal. See motif H36.
H36j. The lark is to blame for the fact that man is mortal.
h36k. Trees try to prevent humans from appearing on earth, fearing that they will cut them down.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| A21A | 99.39% | The moon is an object that was accidentally released by its owners or stolen from them and ended up in the sky. |
| B118 | 99.39% | A character who was unable to reach the sky or returned from the sky to earth becomes an owl. |
| B74B | 99.39% | The owl is forced to part with the moon and now cries out when it sees the moon. Usually, the story tells how the marriage of the owl and the moon fell apart or did not take place. |
| E39A | 99.39% | An animal (snake, pig) conceives from a man's urine and gives birth to a human child (or twins). |
| F43C | 99.39% | The husbands of the first women, Amazons or single women are small animals - usually flying foxes. |
| K32F | 99.39% | A woman or girl raises a bird of prey chick, which brings her food and fire. This usually happens after an evil spirit leaves the girl or young woman in a tree or on an island. |
| K37D | 99.39% | The character recognises the presence of another by noticing traces of their teeth or nails on fruit or leaves. |
| L132 | 99.39% | When one member of a small (family) group, left alone, secretly eats food, this leads to serious conflict, often resulting in the murder of the guilty party. |
| L133 | 99.39% | The character keeps his limbs separately, connecting them to his body when necessary. |
| M5A | 99.39% | Small animal characters sail in the boat, it sinks, everyone escapes as best they can. |
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
11 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 11 traditions: 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, Sepik-Ramu stock: Abelam, Yatmul, Aibom, Ayom (incl Tembregak, Asai-river pygmies), Tangu, Porapora (Ambakich), Rao and other groups of Middle Ramu and Upper Keram River tribes; Kwanga, Watam, Kaian, Gamei, Awar; Kire (Lower Ramu), Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Fiji, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Merir, Pulo Anna, Truk, Eastern Fayu, Losap, Pulap, Puluwat, Mortlock (incl. Satawan), Harákmbet (=Mashco), Fiji, Kenya
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