Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
K19G — Stars differ in brightness and colour.
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
OverviewOne star is an old man, the other is a young man; both stars differ in brightness or colour, but it is impossible to determine the age of the star-man by these characteristics (a dim star may be young and vice versa); usually two girls want to marry stars of different types (one bright, the other dim, one red, the other blue, etc.). See motif K19B.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
K19 has 7 other sub-motifs
RelatedK19. A man or woman marries a star. See motifs K19A, K19B.
K19a. A man marries a star woman.
K19b. The star man takes an earthly woman as his wife.
K19c. A man brings home a small creature with which he makes love at night. The man's mother, sister or wife finds the creature in his bed or purse.
K19d. Once in the sky, the husband of the star suffers from the cold. He freezes to death or perishes after touching forbidden fire.
K19e. Returning from the sky to earth, a woman or two sisters encounter a male wolverine who tries to capture them. Usually, the women who have descended first find themselves in a tree. Some animals cannot or will not help them descend to the ground. The wolverine descends to take the sisters as wives; they run away from him. See motif K19B.
K19f. A star or many stars descend from the sky to work in the fields. See motif K19B.
K19g. One star is an old man, the other is a young man; both stars differ in brightness or colour, but it is impossible to determine the age of the star-man by these characteristics (a dim star may be young and vice versa); usually two girls want to marry stars of different types (one bright, the other dim, one red, the other blue, etc.). See motif K19B.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| M86 | 99.81% | A rock stalks or otherwise punishes a character when he unfairly insults her (usually takes away her property, see motive L33). |
| M22A | 99.50% | In a foreign house, in a foreign country, where the hero finds himself, the crane or heron is a watchman who must raise the alarm in case of strangers appearing. |
| M82 | 99.47% | The character sees that something is tied to the other's tail. He also wants such a tail for himself, and as a result he suffers damage. |
| L33A | 99.23% | The trickster takes an object lying on or near a rock or other inanimate object, which he has given to that object. The object pursues or otherwise punishes the offender. See motif L33. |
| L33E | 98.91% | The trickster demands back or takes the cloak belonging to the skale or another character (usually he himself had previously given this cloak as a gift). |
| L74A | 98.54% | The enemy carries the hero away or tears off and carries away part of his body, after which he hangs his victim or part of his body (usually over a fire) in order to cause the victim torment. Another character rescues the hero himself or returns the stolen part of his body to him. |
| F68 | 98.30% | A woman pretends to be dead or actually dies. Her (former) lover comes to her grave. She goes with him, trying to avoid exposure, puts on men's clothes, but is eventually recognised. |
| M29C | 98.30% | See the motives in square brackets. |
| J20 | 98.25% | While the husband or brother is hunting, an evil spirit comes to his wife or sister; he kills or maims her or her brother after she breaks the taboo of opening the door to the guest, looking at him or talking to him. See motif J19. |
| L1B | 98.21% | A young woman turns into a monstrous bear and kills most people except her younger sister (Ojibwa: the younger sister of her former husband). Their brothers (or one brother) return from hunting and kill the bear, or she dies while chasing them. Cf. motif L65D. |
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
12 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 12 traditions: Cheyenne, Teton (incl Oglala), Oto, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Crow, Caddo, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Washo, Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone
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