Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I47 — The rainbow as a stream of secretions.

48 Myths, legends and folktales

48 Unique narratives for motif I47

41 Cultures & traditions where I47 is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif I47

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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

The rainbow smells disgusting, is associated with foul-smelling animals, is a stream of excretions, is associated with the lower body, causes inflammation or skin diseases, and is associated with death.

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.

I47 has 1 other sub-motifs

I47. The rainbow smells disgusting, is associated with foul-smelling animals, is a stream of excretions, is associated with the lower body, causes inflammation or skin diseases, and is associated with death.
I47a. The rainbow is associated with the wedding of a fox or jackal.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I47’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
L70	92.70%	The character is killed or maimed by an object dropped from above, the fall of which he expects, but has a false idea of its nature or weight (fruit, piece of bark, turtle, log, etc.).
D11	91.92%	Before fire was known, food was prepared by warming it with the body (usually under the armpit); fire is kept under the character's armpit.
J50	91.30%	The father or mother of twin heroes dies or is killed. An attempt to revive the deceased fails.
B7B	91.00%	The sea (flood, river) flows out of a small container.
J29	90.76%	Murdered parents themselves inform their children about the circumstances of their death.
I17	90.60%	Creatures without mouths, anuses, or genitals, unable to give birth, live underground, in the sky, across the sea, or in certain areas. (Traditions describing women unable to give birth are marked with an asterisk*).
I17A	90.42%	Creatures without an anal opening or mouth - dwarves.
G15	90.30%	In another world or in the past, products or materials used by humans look or looked like people.
J4	90.18%	The heroes avenge the death (enslavement) of their father, uncle, grandfather, or mother and father, or in general their descendants, with the loss of men being the most painful.
M8	90.06%	Some characters (not humans) are struggling to break a strong barrier that prevents access to the desired location or to a high-value object. See also M8A - M8D motifs; they are included in the M8 motif in the correlation tables.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

41 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 41 traditions: Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Queensland: Mungkan (Wikmunkan), Wiknatara, Bloomfield River, Cape Bedford, Cape Grafton, Kokowara (Koko-Warra), Koko-yalunyu (Kokokulunggur), Bunya Bunya, Waka-Waka (Wakawaka), Kabikabi, Chepara, Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Melanesians and Papuans of Northern Solomons: Buka, Bougainville (Siuai, Buin), Truk, Eastern Fayu, Losap, Pulap, Puluwat, Mortlock (incl. Satawan), Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), Andamanese, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Dards (Kalash, Kho, Kohistani, Shina, Pashai), Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Blackfoot, Pawnee, Twana (Skokomish), Shasta; Chimariko, Yurok, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Navajo, Hopi, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Popoloca; Tlapanec, Pame, Jonaz (Chichimeca-Jonaz), Mazahua, Otomi, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Gulf Nahuatl, Yucatec, Itza, Tunebo, Paez, Guambia, Pijao; Ilama culture, Cañari, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Ashaninca (Campa), Cashibo, Botocudo, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area

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