Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
L46 — Head down.
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 walks, climbs or descends upside down, or sees the world turned upside down.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits
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 |
|---|---|---|
| D4A | 97.14% | Fire is stolen from its original owner, returned to people by the thief, or (the motif of theft is not expressed) brought with difficulty from a distant place. |
| J58 | 96.77% | Characters shoot arrows (darts) that stick into each other and form a chain. They usually climb up the chain to the upper world. |
| F53 | 96.14% | An unattractive man marries, but hides his face. When he is seen, the marriage is dissolved. |
| F51 | 95.82% | Someone under cover of night/incognito approaches a person of the opposite sex. The marriage partner deliberately (to determine who it is) or accidentally (thereby exposing the visitor) makes a mark on his/her body (clothing). See motif A31. |
| A5 | 95.55% | The Moon is male, the Sun is also male or (rarely) has no gender. |
| M11 | 95.49% | The character gives others food extracted from his or someone else's body or contaminated with bodily secretions, without revealing the source of the food. |
| J59 | 95.24% | To reach the sky, one must shoot an arrow that will pierce the vault of heaven. See motif J58; see motif J59A: a man flies after or on an arrow (without the motif of an arrow piercing the vault of heaven). |
| I66 | 94.95% | The Milky Way is ash or smouldering embers. |
| K10 | 94.89% | A monstrous bird (bat) attacks people, heroes engage in battle with it. See motifs K10A – K10G. |
| F18A | 94.44% | The penis of a male character is much longer than normal or becomes so. During intercourse, it usually crawls towards the woman like a snake. (Only texts with a focus on authenticity are included, not anecdotes). |
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
60 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 60 traditions: Ancient Egypt, Egyptian, Efe Pygmies, Kango (Mbuti) Pygmies, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, Melanesians of the islands of Massim District ( =Milke Bay Province) to the east of New Guinea: Dobu, Rossel, Fergusson, Goodenough, Murua (Woodlark), Trobrian Islands, d'Entrecasteau Islands, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Sinhalese; Vedda, Lepcha, Finns, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Western Ukrainians, Udmurt, Nenets, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Ainu, Inland Tlingit, Tahltan, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Iglulik, Tlingit, Lenape (Delaware), Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Plains Ojibwa, Lillooet, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Nez Perce, Quinault, Tillamook, Kalapuya, Lower Chinook (Chinook proper), Northern Shoshone, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Kekchi; Mopan, Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma, Locono, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena , Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Chacobo, Parintintin; Villa Bella (tribal affiliation unknown), Suruí, Gaviâo, Zoro, Arua, Cinta Larga, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Kayabi, Iranxe, Nambikwara, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Japan
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