Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I82A — Male Venus.

257 Myths, legends and folktales

257 Unique narratives for motif I82A

147 Cultures & traditions where I82A is told

10 Sub-motifs of motif I82A

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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 Morning and/or Evening Star – a male character.

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.

I82 has 10 other sub-motifs

I82a.  The Morning and/or Evening Star – a male character.
I82b.  The Morning and/or Evening Star – a female character.
I82c.  Venus or an unidentified star in the eastern and/or western sky – the wife of the Moon. See motif I82b.
I82c1.  The Moon has two wives (usually the Morning Star and the Evening Star). With the caring one, he grows fat, with the other, he starves and grows thin.
I82d.  The Morning and Evening Stars are contrasted as man and woman. See motifs I82a, I82b.
I82e.  It is said that Venus or another star sold her mother or father in order to adorn herself luxuriously and dress up.
I82f.  (Evening) Venus is associated with a predatory beast, usually a she-wolf.
I82g.  Venus or another star (Arcturus, Sirius, etc.) is called the Shepherd's Star (the star of the Shepherd, Sheepherder, Cowherd, Swineherd, etc.).
I82h.  The name of Venus sounds like Cholpan, Cholbon, Tsolmon, etc. (čol- 'to sparkle, to shine' [Vámbéri 1879: 155]).
I82i.  The name of the object in the night sky (usually Venus) sounds like Zukhra, Zahra, Zura, etc.
I82j.  Venus-man or another star is the husband of the Moon-woman. See motif I82a.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I82’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
F9	96.43%	For various reasons, sexual intercourse with a woman is deadly dangerous for a man, or so it seems to him: Teeth, blades or sharp stones in the vagina or on the inside of the thighs; the vagina is a toothy mouth. See motif F9A.
H12	96.25%	The living visit the afterlife to bring back the dead (except for texts about a shaman bringing back the soul of a sick person), or, without a specific goal, go there accompanied by or following in the footsteps of the recently deceased.
F18A	96.12%	The penis of a male character is much longer than normal or becomes so. During intercourse, it usually crawls towards the woman like a snake. (Only texts with a focus on authenticity are included, not anecdotes).
F9C	94.29%	Snake (in Oceania – moray eel) in the vagina; vagina – snake's mouth; snake crawls out of a woman's mouth and bites off a man's penis during intercourse; woman with a toothy womb is associated with a snake.
D4A	94.06%	Fire is stolen from its original owner, returned to people by the thief, or (the motif of theft is not expressed) brought with difficulty from a distant place.
I72	93.76%	Stars – anthropomorphic beings. See motif K19 (marriage to a star). Cases where the Star is a unique object, e.g. Venus, rather than one of many Star-people, are not included.
I100B	93.23%	The Pleiades - a group of people of any gender and age. See motifs i99 - i100A, aggregate data.
K8A	92.90%	The character enters the belly of an aquatic creature or a giant creature whose appearance and habitat are not precisely described. He kills the creature from within (K952) and/or returns to the outside without outside help. Upon emerging from the belly, he often finds himself bald (K921). Cf. motifs I81B (Charybdis) and L110 (Devourer).
I10B	92.80%	Individual layers or categories of earth differ in colour (and other characteristics).
A5	92.52%	The Moon is male, the Sun is also male or (rarely) has no gender.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

147 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 147 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Ugarit, Phoenicia, Yemen, Tonga, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Igbo (Ibo); Isoko, Urhobo, Hadza, Southeast Australia: Kamilaroi, Yualarai (Ualarai, Euahlayi), Milpulo (Mailpurgu), Wuradjeri (Wiradjurim, Wiradjeri, Wurundjeri, Yarra, Yarra Yarra), Wongaibon (Wonghibon), Noongahburrah (Narran, Narran River), Kurnai, and many others (see file 0.doc), Arnhem Land: Enindhilyagwa (Groote Eilandt), KuTiwi, Yulengor, Mara, Oenpelli, Murngin, Roper River, Maung, Murinbata, Murngin (Duwal), Millingimbi, Goulburn Island, Ngulugwongga, Yirrkalla, Voctoria River Downs, Alawa, Anu, Kunwinjku, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Tikopia, Bellona, Rennell, partly Aneytium, Futuna (=Erronan, not to be mixed with Futuna in Western Polynesia), Vaeaka-Taumato, incl Matema, Nifeloli, Nukapu, Nupani, Pileni, Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands), Society Islands: Tahiti, Borabora, Raiatea, Ifaluk, Woleai, Lamutrek, Faraulip Satawal, Elato, Western Fayu, Ceram: Alune and Wemale (West Ceram), Patasiwa (Ceram), Honitetu (West Ceram Highlands); Nusawele, Hatuolu, Huaolu, Patasiwa; Ambon; Buru, Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Viet, Muong, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Sinhalese; Vedda, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Ireland, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Latvians, Estonians, Setu, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Svans, Armenians, Uyghur, Chuvash, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Nenets, 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, Nivkh, Aleuts, Ingalik (Der Hit’an), Koyukon, Iglulik, Polar Inuit, West Greenland, Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Montagnais, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Winnebago, Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Arapaho, Santee, Mandan, Osage, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Plains Ojibwa, Assiniboine, Crow, Hidatsa, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Takelma, Coos, Caddo, Pomo, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Ohlone (Costanoan), Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Southern Paiute, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Zuni, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Lipan, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Huichol, Tepecano, tarasques, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Tepehua, Totonac, Tzotzil, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Yucatec, Itza, Lacandon, Kekchi; Mopan, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Cuiva, Makiritare (Yecuana), Trio, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Chayahuita , Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Witoto, Ocaina, Bora, Yagua, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Machiguenga, Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Marubo, Tacana, Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, Parintintin; Villa Bella (tribal affiliation unknown), Rikbaktsa, Tapirape, Sherente, Mataco, Caduveo, Mbaya, Selknam, Yamana (Yaghan), Alacaluf, Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Sulu, Pamun, Samal, Taosug, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Phoenicia, Yemen, China

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