Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

J5 — Brothers as victims.

40 Myths, legends and folktales

40 Unique narratives for motif J5

31 Cultures & traditions where J5 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif J5

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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 role of the victim is played by two or more brothers (friends). See motif J4.

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
I105	97.68%	One of the constellations is associated with the hand (with five marked fingers).
J39	97.47%	The antagonist makes the woman his slave. Other characters secretly come to her and kill a small animal or bird for her. The antagonist suspects that the woman could not have caught the game herself, but she insists that she did.
L97	97.46%	Seeing a character who is unable to move (nailed to the ground, his lower body rooted to the ground, petrified, completely absent), the hero himself manages to avoid a similar fate.
F28C	97.25%	A woman masturbates with the penis of a large animal that one of the men killed while hunting.
I93	97.15%	The Milky Way – the backbone, support, pillar of the sky or world.
B44D	97.10%	Night and day alternate because the slain beast was black and white, spotted.
I37E	97.10%	Tree mushrooms cry out like people.
K27V	97.10%	The character must hit the bird with an arrow or a stone. (Cf. motif K27M, where it is not the accuracy of the archer that is important, but the unusual appearance of the creature that needs to be caught).
L1C	97.10%	Those fleeing from the monstrous bear ascend to the sky and turn into stars.
M29D	97.10%	See the motives in square brackets.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

31 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 31 traditions: Society Islands: Tahiti, Borabora, Raiatea, Tuamotu, incl Pukapuka (different from Pukapuka in Cook Islands), Vahitahi, Anaa, Hao, Fangatau, Santali, Turi, Mahli, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Hindi-speaking peoples and casts (incl. Teli, Parahiya; incl. Chhattisgarhi) of Northern and West-Central India, Svans, Mingrelians (Megrelians), Laz, Kalmyk, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Nenets, Chukchi, Haida, Tsimshian, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Winnebago, Teton (incl Oglala), Iowa, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Shuswap, Quinault, Coos, Flathead, Yokuts, Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Serrano, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), Diegueño: Ipai, Tipai, Kamia (Kumeai), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Papago, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Tariana

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

0009-0006-1672-4451
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