Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I20C2 — Dwarves in the land on the horizon.
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 inhabitants of the land on the horizon (where the sky meets the earth) are dwarves.
Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects.
I20 has 5 other sub-motifs
RelatedI20. The inhabitants of the underworld or the land on the horizon where the sky meets the earth are dwarves. See motif I14A.
I20a. Anthropomorphic inhabitants of the upper world â giants.
I20b. People in the upper world are different from those on earth and gird themselves below or above the waist.
I20c. Dwarves live in an underground world that partly resembles the earthly world. If dwarves and humans meet, it happens underground.
I20c1. Dwarves do not live deep underground, but inside hills, in rocks, in mines, etc., and usually come out from there onto the ground.
I20c2. The inhabitants of the land on the horizon (where the sky meets the earth) are dwarves.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| H27 | 91.91% | Before spreading throughout the world, stinging or blood-sucking insects or reptiles, diseases or evil spirits were kept in a vessel, bag or other small container. See motif H24. |
| J7 | 90.99% | A woman or girl sets off to her husband (beloved) or relatives, or a man sets off to find a bride. She or he loses their way after a certain character substitutes the signs indicating the way. See motif J12. |
| I20 | 89.66% | The inhabitants of the underworld or the land on the horizon where the sky meets the earth are dwarves. See motif I14A. |
| H26 | 89.00% | A vessel containing stinging insects or reptiles should be thrown into a river or the sea, or buried in a remote place. See motif H24B. |
| I77 | 84.72% | A powerful character associated with thunderstorms and rain, lame. |
| I45C | 83.69% | Those who count stars are destined for misfortune and illness. |
| H34H | 83.07% | Firewood and brushwood came by themselves, flying into the house; there was no need to specially harvest and deliver them. |
| K17 | 82.93% | A male character in the form of a winged creature approaches a girl and either magically or unnoticed by her impregnates her. See motif K16: taking the form of an animal or bird, he enters the girl's house. |
| K16 | 82.20% | Taking the form of a bird, bat, insect, small animal, or fish, the man enters the young woman's home (her father's house). |
| M29K1 | 82.17% | A turtle (toad, frog) gets into unpleasant situations due to its own stupidity or carelessness. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle. |
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
20 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 20 traditions: Ancient Egypt, Egyptian, Shilluk, Anuak, Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu, Bemba (Wemba, Babemba; incl Ambo, Lala, Lamba, Bisa), Holoholo, Kaonde, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Ancient Greece, Estonians, Finns, Western Ukrainians, Ingush, Kumyk, Terekemen, Mestizos of Soconuzco; Cotzumapguapa iconography, Tepehua, Totonac, Chinantec, Mazatec, Tzotzil, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Russian Federation
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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