Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L28 — Snake meat.

105 Myths, legends and folktales

105 Unique narratives for motif L28

64 Cultures & traditions where L28 is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif L28

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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 person who eats unusual or forbidden meat or fish, or touches something forbidden, turns into a reptile or a fish.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

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

L28 has 1 other sub-motifs

L28. A person who eats unusual or forbidden meat or fish, or touches something forbidden, turns into a reptile or a fish.
L28a. People (or a certain person) eat the meat of a snake (dragon, unusual fish). This results in a flood, landslide, or the appearance of a river or lake.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L28’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
L29	93.45%	A person catches fish where it should not be, usually in a small forest pond isolated from running water; those who eat this fish die, undergo metamorphosis and/or are attacked by monsters. See motif L28.
B52A	91.79%	Flying over the world, a bird (usually a vulture) dries the earth after a flood with its wings or otherwise gives it its present appearance.
J22E	91.65%	The second character emerges from the afterbirth of the first.
M24A	90.27%	turtle man goes to war, kills people (usually a woman). He gets caught or killed. In his animal form, he continues to live on. See M24 motif.
K41	89.88%	A character representing a thunderstorm or a giant bird fights a snake or other large creature living in water or underground.
J25	87.60%	Heroes (one, two or one of two), while still infants or embryos, disappear or are thrown away (often into water). To bring them back to the world of humans, they are lured, persuaded or (with difficulty) caught.
J12D	86.68%	After a girl marries a worthy suitor, the rejected suitor or his relatives kill the rival. See motif J12.
H13	86.47%	The character comes to the underworld, brings back the dead person or brings back their remains. The dead person comes back to life and (for a while) remains among the living.
J19	86.19%	While her husband or brother is hunting, an evil spirit comes to his wife or sister; he kills her or takes her away. Her sons, who were torn from her womb or born at that time, are saved.
I9	85.97%	Each (or at least three) of the four cardinal directions (as well as the zenith and nadir) and/or the objects located there have their own colour. Abbreviations: E: east, S: south, W: west, N: north. (Cf. Podosinov 2000: 143-147).

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

64 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 64 traditions: Papua-NewGuinea Highland Papuans:Trans New Guinea & unclassified:Chimbu,Gimi,KaugelHuli,Gadsup,Kuman,Kutubu,Foi (Foe),Kyaka,Kamano (Kafe),Mawatta,Kukukuku (=Anga,=Sambia;Manki,Nauti,Ejuti),Baruya,Kewa,Tembregak,Menya,Melpa,Wiru,Pondoma, 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, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Ot Danum, Ngadju, Nicobarese, Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, Garo (Atchik), Kachari (Bodo, incl. Lalung), Dimasa, Tripuri, Riang (of Tripura), Khami, Riga, Mori, Sinhalese; Vedda, Svans, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Tuscarora, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Yuchi, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Teton (incl Oglala), Mandan, Omaha, Ponca, Arikara, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Tonkawa, Kiowa Apache, Gros Ventre, Plains Ojibwa, Assiniboine, Crow, Hidatsa, Carrier, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Caddo, Tunica, Alabama, Koasati, Hitchiti, Creek, Seminole; Tuskegee; iconography of Kentucky Hopewell, Choctaw, Chicasaw, Navajo, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), tarasques, Huastec (Teenek), Kekchi; Mopan, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Bribri, Cabecar, Terraba; Chiriqui (AD 800-1500) iconography, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Chayahuita , Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Tacana, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Calapalo, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Vanuatu, China

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