Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I55 — Stars – holes.

109 Myths, legends and folktales

109 Unique narratives for motif I55

64 Cultures & traditions where I55 is told

2 Sub-motifs of motif I55

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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

Stars – holes in the sky; or holes in the canopy, in the roof of a dwelling, appear to be stars.

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations.

I55 has 2 other sub-motifs

I55.  Stars – holes in the sky; or holes in the canopy, in the roof of a dwelling, appear to be stars.
I55a.  Stars – lakes on one of the heavenly tiers.
I55b.  The hero chases a deer or elk carrying the sun.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I55’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
B42F	91.63%	The Big Dipper (as a whole or only the dipper) is identified with a large hoofed animal (elk, deer, mountain sheep). Unless otherwise specified, see motif B42 in the description of cosmic hunting.
L17	89.92%	Mouth and eyes of an anthropomorphic creature on the chest, no head.
B48A	89.57%	The bodies of animals, birds or fish contain internal organs or muscles that were originally parts of the bodies of other animals, birds, fish or monsters. Cf. motif B36C.
I22B1	89.48%	Some migratory birds (shamans in the form of birds) die on the border of our world.
K32A	86.42%	A man is carrying his wife or daughter. Another woman or demonic character replaces her when the man leaves on a journey (rarely: falls asleep).
L72H	86.41%	Fleeing for his life, the character throws behind him a tool for kindling fire (flint, tinder, match, kindling), which becomes an obstacle in the path of his pursuer. (A discarded flint is counted if it serves to strike fire, and is not counted if it is simply a hard stone that turns into a mountain).
B64D	86.29%	Certain bones in the bodies of living creatures (usually birds and fish) are arrows shot into them.
K63	85.75%	A man comes to people who hunt humans or catch fish-people. For them, these are wild animals or fish.
L17A2	85.65%	Instead of a beautiful woman, a man takes a devil with an odd number of eyes.
B64B	85.57%	Two types of fish shoot arrows at each other. Since then, the fish have had many small bones in their bodies, or some of their bones have split in two.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

64 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 64 traditions: Somali, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Boa, Komo, (Ba)Nyanga, Mbole, Kosa (Xosa, Xhosa), Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Southern Gur (Oti-Volta): Grusi, Kabiye, Kasena, Lyela (Lyele), Wala, Dyan, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Mentawai, Kayan, Bahau, Kenja, Aoheng, Punan (Bukat, Basap, Oloh Ot, etc); "Klemantan", Andamanese, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Swedes, Western Ukrainians, Armenians, Mari (Cheremis), Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Nenets, Nganasans, Kets, 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, Negidal, Nivkh, Manchu, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chukchi, Central Yupik, Tutchone, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Mackenzie Delta, Netsilik, Caribou, Iglulik, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Comox, Pentlatch, Seri, Tepehua, Totonac, Ticuna (Tucuna), Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Kodiak, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Itelmen, China, Russian Federation

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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com

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