Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
L73C — The scarf opens and closes the way.
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
OverviewBy waving a piece of cloth (towel, scarf, item of clothing) or throwing it, placing it on water, etc., the character creates obstacles (in the path of the pursuer) or a means of overcoming them (bridge, etc.).
Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
L73 has 4 other sub-motifs
RelatedL73. Trying to drink a river, lake, or sea, the antagonist bursts.
L73a. The fugitives make sure that darkness spreads behind them, hindering their pursuers (while light pours in front of them).
l73a1. Throwing some object behind him, the fleeing character creates fog or darkness in the path of his pursuer.
L73b. The fugitive draws a line on the ground (ice), creating an obstacle in the path of the pursuer.
L73c. By waving a piece of cloth (towel, scarf, item of clothing) or throwing it, placing it on water, etc., the character creates obstacles (in the path of the pursuer) or a means of overcoming them (bridge, etc.).
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| M114E | 99.82% | A girl offers a visitor to tie his horse to winter or summer, which means to a sleigh or a cart. |
| M199D | 99.68% | A man and his opponent agree to compete in wrestling and running. The man sends his "relatives" – a bear and a hare – to compete in his place. (ATU numbers 1071 and 1072 are combined, as they are almost always paired.) |
| L120B | 99.66% | The hero fights the serpent and calls for help, but no one hears him. Then he throws an item of his footwear or clothing, and his awakened brothers or his horse come to his aid. |
| K38F7 | 99.42% | The character acquires wild animals (at least two different species) that serve him like dogs. |
| M57D4 | 99.36% | A person receives a reward from a character who is associated with frost. |
| L94B | 99.25% | A person promises to give to a supernatural character the first thing that comes their way (either something they have not yet seen in their own home, or something that is behind the door, etc.). The person thinks that they will have to give something of little value, but it turns out to be their own child. |
| I139 | 99.25% | Two (rarely three) men or women are at a distance from each other, but regularly throw or pass something to each other. This is a sign of their unusual size, strength, and agility. |
| M38D6 | 99.24% | Several characters embody small objects and die one at a time. The last one left laughs and rejoices so much that he bursts with laughter (breaks his head, etc.). |
| M168 | 99.21% | Hares are desperate because they are more cowardly than everyone else, but they rejoice when they learn that there are animals (frogs, sheep) that are afraid of them. |
| I90 | 99.21% | The character goes towards their goal, following a rolling ball of thread (less often an apple or a ball). |
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
34 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 34 traditions: Spain, Spaniards, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Kashubians, Czech, Czechs, Hungarians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Latvians, Setu, Finns, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Karachays, Balkar, Tats, Georgians, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Khakas, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Lutsi (Ludza), Russian Federation
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