Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

J42 — Parting waters.

188 Myths, legends and folktales

188 Unique narratives for motif J42

116 Cultures & traditions where J42 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif J42

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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 character creates a dry passage across the bottom of the water body, and after passing through, the waters close again.

Berezkin category: Avenger heroes: The amerinday cycle

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
M120	98.01%	A zoomorphic character takes on the responsibility of caring for other people's children (raising them, teaching them, healing them), but in reality has no intention of doing so, and usually eats the children.
M29W3	97.71%	As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the lion dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
B2F	95.57%	The character cannot bury the deceased, not knowing how to do it or not finding a place for burial.
L65B3	95.35%	A character who climbs a tree manages to escape from a demon (who usually tries to knock the tree down).
L110	95.21%	A character swallows many people and/or animals. In the end, his stomach is cut open, and those who were swallowed unharmed come out or are extracted and revived. Cf. motif K8a.
M157	95.11%	The character claims that a man, male animal or object gave birth (or had a period), or that an animal of one species gave birth to a young of another species, or that a woman gave birth to an animal or inanimate object.
M157A1	94.33%	The character proves the absurdity of another's statements by responding that his or her father (or another male or male animal) has given birth or is about to give birth, or that he or she is menstruating.
B98	93.16%	The bat (rarely: ostrich) tries to join either the beasts or the birds, or finds itself excluded from both.
L108	93.13%	Each time the departed character returns, he or she sings a song or gives a signal to a relative (usually a child) or friend who remained at home, who then lets him or her in. The antagonist pretends to be the departed person, imitating his or her voice, showing his or her hand, etc. Cf. motif L27a.
B111	92.69%	Bees or wasps fly out of the carcass or body of a large animal (lion, bull) (usually the episode explains the origin of bees).

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

116 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 116 traditions: Ancient Egypt, Egyptian, Old and New Testament, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Algeria Arabs, Bilin (Blin, Bilen), Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Somali, Mangbetu (Ngbetu), Mangbutu, Moru, Madi, Lugbara, Lendu (=Bale), Zande (Azande, incl Nzakara), Amhara; Zay, Harari; Silte, Gogot, Oromo (Galla), Konso, Sidamo, Darasa, Bussa (Bassa), Kambata, Guji, Masai, Yao, Makua, Ila (Baila), Kerewe, Sukuma, Kwaya, Kumbi, Busiba, Gusii, Suba, Fipa (Bafipa), Iramba, Bende, Chagga (Jagga; incl Wasu), Pare, Digo, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), 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, Mbundu (Umbundu, Kimbundu, Chimbundu, Ovimbundu), Kwanyama, Owambo (=Ambo), Luchasi (Ngangela), Chokwe (Konwe); Mbukushu, Lozi (Losi, Rotse, Barotse), Lui, Subiya (Subia), Zulu, Swazi, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Hausa, Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Mandingo (Manden, incl San, Samo), Kagoro, Bambara (Bamana), Malinke, Kassonke, Diula, Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Ewe, Songhai, Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara, Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Marshall Islands, incl Ailinglapalap, Arno, Jaluit, Kili, Lae, Maloelap, Majuro, Ratak, Wotho, Ujae, Jaluit (=Jalooj), Namdrik, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Gondi (mostly Northern Gondi), Telugu (incl. Yanadi, Chenchu), Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Bengali, Sindhi, Gujarati, Sinhalese; Vedda, Kafir, or Nuristani: Prasun; Kati (incl. Paruni), Ashkun (Ashunu), Waigali, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Spain, Spaniards, France, Dutch, Flemish, Czech, Czechs, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Slovenians, Slovenes, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Swedes, Danes, Danish, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Wakhi, Ishkashimi (including Sanglich), Munji, Yazgulami, Iranian literary tradition (including Avesta, Pahlevi scripts, Sah-nameh, Marzban-nameh); Zoroastrians of Iran, Indian Parsees, Zoroastrianism, Laks, Avar, Andi, Akhvakh, Nogai, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Hui (Dungan) of Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Dungan texts from Southern and Eastern China are clustered with the Chinese ones), Turkmen, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Mordvins, Udmurt, Mongols (Khalkha), Daur (Daghur), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Khakas, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Tlingit, Miami, Illini, Cheyenne, Arikara, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Yurok, Alabama, Koasati, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Warao, Kono (=Kone), Wai, Kpelle (incl Kono), Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Mustang, Urums, Rumei, Kumaoni (Central Pahari), incl. Garhwali, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Scythians, Scythe, Tunisia, Russian Federation

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