Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
K20 — Mortal desires a star, C15.1, C15.1.1.
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
OverviewLooking at the sky at night, a man or woman expresses a desire to marry a star or the Moon (kuchin: to possess a star as an object). See motifs K19a, K19b.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes
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 |
|---|---|---|
| L61 | 96.13% | The character eats himself, guts himself, or kills himself in order to be eaten. |
| M29H | 96.06% | See the motives in square brackets. |
| L31 | 95.25% | People are forced against their will to follow an object, person or animal (usually sticking to it) that carries them far away (usually into water or into the sky). |
| B27 | 94.83% | The characters ponder what object or creature they should transform into, and once they have made their choice, they undergo metamorphosis. |
| M18B | 93.62% | The character turns into a fishing object in order to carry away the hook with which he is caught or the spear with which they try to harpoon him, or he turns into a hook to catch fish. See motif M18. |
| M22 | 93.27% | A long-necked bird living near water (crane, heron, bittern, swan) helps a fugitive escape from his pursuer (indicated in brackets). See motifs J44-J46 (a long-legged bird helps cross the river, drowns the pursuer; the pursuer is most often a bear). |
| C34 | 93.16% | The flood begins after people kill (harm, maim) some kind of creature (usually aquatic). |
| M19 | 92.95% | The character ties another person (usually a child) to the end of a line, using them as bait or forcing them to catch fish with their hands. |
| B27B | 92.90% | The characters ponder what they should transform into and decide to become a celestial object. |
| K18A | 92.58% | The boy's father is recognised as the man whose bow or arrows he chooses. See motif K18. |
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
71 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 71 traditions: Maka (Makaa), Baya, Kaka, Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Basques, Bashkirs, Dogrib, Slavey, Tutchone, Tagish, Tahltan, Tsetsaut, Kaska, Tanana, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Eastern Cree, Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Arapaho, Gros Ventre, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Assiniboine, Chilkotin, Shuswap, Lillooet, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Twana (Skokomish), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Quinault, Tillamook, Coos, Kutenai, Caddo, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Washo, Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Kamayura, Iranxe, Nambikwara, Paresi, Umotina (Umutina), Caraja, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Craho, Apinaye (Apinage, Apinaje), Shavante, Sherente, Makka, Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Ayoreo, Chamacoco (Ishir), Mataco, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Caduveo, Mbaya, Kodiak, Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet
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