Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

J52 — Children kill children in revenge for their parents.

93 Myths, legends and folktales

93 Unique narratives for motif J52

49 Cultures & traditions where J52 is told

2 Sub-motifs of motif J52

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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

A character (usually zoomorphic and female) treacherously kills another. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children.

Berezkin category: Avenger heroes: The amerinday cycle

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

J52 has 2 other sub-motifs

J52.  A character (usually zoomorphic and female) treacherously kills another. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children.
J52a.  A she-bear or bear treacherously kills his companion, neighbour, etc., who is associated with a herbivorous animal or a weaker predator. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children or flee. See motifs J52, J54.
J52b.  A girl, young woman or children associated with hares (rabbits) are heroes-victors or successful tricksters.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of J52’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
J53A	99.20%	A character invites another to play. The latter follows the rules, but the initiator of the game does not and kills the other.
H20A	99.00%	A woman or several women keep fish or water in some kind of container; a man releases all the fish into rivers or the sea, releases the water. See motif H20.
J52A	98.98%	A she-bear or bear treacherously kills his companion, neighbour, etc., who is associated with a herbivorous animal or a weaker predator. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children or flee. See motifs J52, J54.
J53	98.97%	The children of a character associated with a hoofed animal (deer, antelope) come into conflict with an enemy associated with a predator or a larger hoofed animal. They kill his children and/or run away from him. See motif J52.
E37	98.94%	The creator collects many sticks, feathers, reeds, etc., and turns them into people (either people of both sexes and all ages, or no mention is made of gender or age).
A32B	98.89%	The figure or imprint of a toad or frog is visible on the lunar disc; the moon is associated with this animal.
D4E	98.80%	The thief or giver of fire, light or sun is a coyote or fox (indicated in square brackets). See motif 4A.
H18A	98.77%	The owner of the hunting animals hides them underground; one of the first ancestors turns into a puppy, which is picked up by the owner's children, and releases the animals. See motif H18.
J22A	98.76%	Two men or a brother and sister emerge from a single body or embryo cut in half, or the second emerges from a part of the body or from the secretions of the first. Cf. motif M37.
A5A	98.76%	The younger brother (usually the Sun) is made from the urine and swaddling clothes of his older brother (usually the Moon), who was kidnapped as a baby. See motif A5.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

49 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 49 traditions: Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Northern Halmahera Papuans: Galela, Loda, Pagu, Modole, Tabaru (Tobaru), Tobelo, Tidore, Ternate, Ceram: Alune and Wemale (West Ceram), Patasiwa (Ceram), Honitetu (West Ceram Highlands); Nusawele, Hatuolu, Huaolu, Patasiwa; Ambon; Buru, Numfoor, Warope, Wamesa (Wandamen, Windesi), Lavrung, Jiarong; Qiang (incl rGyalrong), Mansi, Chukchi, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Menominee, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Yuchi, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lillooet, Comox, Pentlatch, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Kalapuya, Takelma, Coos, Shasta; Chimariko, Klamath, Modoc, Yurok, Wailaki, Mattole, Lassik, Sinkyone, Cahto, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Wappo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Salinan, Mono (Monache), Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Serrano, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Chamacoco (Ishir), Mataco, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Eastern Tibetans (Kham; Sichuan, NW Yunnan), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Salars, Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)

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