Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I40 — Rainbow bow.
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 rainbow is a bow.
Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| F70B | 96.99% | A woman takes revenge on a man who rejected her love (but does not necessarily pretend that the man tried to force himself on her). |
| K38D | 96.55% | A powerful and dangerous character prevents others from using water (or causes floods), but in most cases allows them to take water (promises not to cause floods) in exchange for people or valuables {italicised in the list of traditions}. |
| K154 | 96.27% | A person finds a skull on which a mysterious and gloomy prophecy is written or which utters it. Then it becomes clear what it means. |
| M152C | 96.15% | The weak companion of a large predator pretends to be strong and brave. When he is carried away by the river or drowns in a swamp, and the predator pulls him out, the companion pretends to be angry (for preventing him from catching fish, etc.). |
| M39E | 95.81% | When reviewing the dispute, the judge asks about the secondary circumstances of the case. The offender is exposed by showing that he knows (or, on the contrary, does not know) about them. |
| K27Q | 95.51% | Task: to obtain the milk of a wild animal or milk possessed by a dangerous creature. See motif K27. |
| K38D1 | 95.40% | Fearing a monster living in the water or wishing to end a flood or drought, a girl is sacrificed or voluntarily hides in the waters. |
| K77B2 | 95.40% | The goat (goat, ram, etc.) responds to the predator's questions in the sense that parts of its body are weapons and other objects designed to kill the questioner, or that the goat is actually armed. |
| K27N1 | 95.31% | A character who gives the hero tasks that are impossible for an ordinary person (subjecting the hero to difficult trials), or a character who requires the suitors of his daughter to fulfil certain conditions, is the head of a community or supra-community collective and is neither a member of the same family collective as the hero nor a mythical creature. See motif K27. |
| E31A | 95.14% | Several men (women) participate in the rescue, creation or revival of a girl (man), or mourn her (his) death. The question arises as to whom the revived person should belong to or who contributed more to the revival. Alternatively, three men create something valuable, each contributing their part. The question arises as to whose contribution is more important. |
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
97 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 97 traditions: Sumer, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Mehri; Harsusi, Jibbali (Shahri, Shauri), Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Arabs of Iraq, Iraqi, Arabs of Egypt, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Somali, Geez, Tigrai, Tigre, Amhara; Zay, Harari; Silte, Gogot, Yao, Makua, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Tonga, Ila (Baila), Malawi (incl Nyanja, Banyanja, Manganja), Tumbuka (incl Henga), Nsenga, Matengo, (Ba)Wenda, Kerewe, Sukuma, Kwaya, Kumbi, Busiba, Gusii, Suba, Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Boa, Komo, (Ba)Nyanga, Mbole, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Hausa, Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Simeulue, Nias, Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo, Gondi (mostly Northern Gondi), Maria, Muria, and other South-Central Dravidians: Binjhwar, Bacop, Bhattra, Bom, Jhoria (=Jhodia), Gadaba (in Koraput, neighbors of Munda-speaking Gadaba), Duruwa (Parji), Mehtar; Pardhan, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Telugu (incl. Yanadi, Chenchu), Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Bengali, Kashmiri, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Rajasthani (Radjasthan and Madhya Pradesh), Chero, Bhils (incl Barela-Bhilala), Sinhalese; Vedda, Kafir, or Nuristani: Prasun; Kati (incl. Paruni), Ashkun (Ashunu), Waigali, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Wales, Spain, Spaniards, Portuguese, Portugal, Catalan, Poles, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Slovenians, Slovenes, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Estonians, Finns, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Rushani, Shughni, Khufi, Bartangi, Yagnobi, Tajik, Pashto, Persians, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Ingush, Tabasaran, Aghul, Avar, Andi, Akhvakh, Kumyk, Terekemen, Tats, Armenians, Anatolia Turks, Turkmen, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Assiniboine, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Tillamook, Coastal Miwok, Jicarilla, Zuni, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Chimila (Ette), Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Chechens, Parachi, Ormur, Berbers of Algeria, Yemen
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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