Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
K110 — Reflection of the golden sword.
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
OverviewThe character is asked to retrieve treasure from the bottom of a pond. He does not understand that he is only seeing a reflection and that the treasure is located above.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
K11 has 5 other sub-motifs
RelatedK11. Brothers (brother and sister) kill a monstrous bird. Its eyes turn into heavenly bodies (among the Oaxacan Indians) or something else (among the present-day Condors of the Yokuts).
K11a. Plucked feathers of a (huge) bird turn into actual birds (or their plumage) or humans emerge from them.
K11a1. Pieces of flesh or feathers from a monstrous/unusual bird turn into present-day birds (or their plumage).
K11b. The bones of a huge bird are turned into reeds or bamboo for making arrows or sarbacanes.
K11C. The plucked feathers of a huge bird turn into plants.
K11D. Pieces of flesh from a huge creature that has fallen apart or been cut into pieces turn into ordinary animals, birds or fish.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| M153B | 99.54% | The wolf is killed or maimed after agreeing to a domestic animal's offer to ride it. |
| L9E | 99.45% | The anthropomorphic character has a nose resembling a copper or iron beak. |
| M198A1 | 98.92% | Three characters sequentially and without apparent reason determine the characteristics of an object or person they have not seen. |
| K40 | 98.88% | Two (rarely more) characters consider themselves doomed to death, but the one whose death will come later rejoices, while the one whose death will come earlier grieves. Cf. motif N30. |
| M39A6A | 98.87% | After a long search, the ruler finds an intelligent wife for his son. At the mercy of his enemies, he sends a message with one of them, the true content of which is understood only by his daughter-in-law. She destroys enemies and frees her father-in-law. (The boys have a younger wife instead of an intelligent daughter-in-law). |
| M75B2 | 98.70% | bird tries in vain to prevent the marriage, which she learned was inevitable when the future spouses were still children. |
| J32E | 98.60% | Every time a mare foals, the foal is stolen. The hero finds out who is doing this. |
| K148 | 98.60% | Every night or every year, a mare gives birth to a foal, and every time someone steals it. |
| I87 | 98.52% | The characters use an object belonging to the world of giants (a skull, an animal shoulder blade, a mitten) as a shelter. Cf. I87C: animals use an object belonging to the world of humans (a skull, a mitten, a sieve, etc.) as a shelter. |
| L65A1 | 98.10% | A demonic character successively devours parts of the horse on which the hero arrived, each time returning to the hero and then leaving to devour another part. (Often asks whether the hero arrived on a three-legged, two-legged or one-legged horse). |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
26 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 26 traditions: Old and New Testament, Saudi Arabia, Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Arabs of Iraq, Iraqi, Arabs of Egypt, Lahu, Kucong, Nosu, Nisu, Nusu, Sani, Jino, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Uzbek, Tajik, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Nogai, Tats, Kurds, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Siberian Tatars, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Russian Federation
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