Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
M152D — Elephant saved from tiger's claws.
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 elephant and the tiger (lion) engage in combat (usually competing to see who can roar louder). The tiger wins and is about to eat the elephant, but a small animal saves it.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 11, Tricks and competitions won thanks to deception, absurd and obscene behavior.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| M152E | 99.97% | A tiger (lion) and another animal compete to see whose roar is louder. The tiger roars louder, but ultimately loses. |
| K27ZZ2 | 99.95% | Several wives of one man (several sisters) go blind â the older ones in both eyes, and the younger one in one eye. |
| H34C | 99.79% | Rice flew (came) from the field to the house. |
| I8H | 99.68% | The earth is supported by a man and a woman in the underworld. |
| K33A3 | 99.68% | A woman, turned into a turtle because of her rival's intrigues, tries to establish contact with her children or husband. |
| A2 | 99.26% | There was a time when several, i.e. more than two, suns shone in the sky at the same time. |
| C8B | 99.25% | A brother and sister (or mother and son) find themselves alone, without marriage partners. Both of them (or only the brother, son) refuse to marry, but do so after accepting each other (or the brother accepts the sister, the son accepts the mother) as strangers. They give birth to new people. |
| A46 | 99.11% | The sun and moon (Rigveda: only the sun) emerge from the eyes of an anthropomorphic creature. |
| K65D | 98.99% | The first human couple initially only have miscarriages, or their children are spirits or unpleasant and dangerous animals. After performing a formal marriage ceremony or repeating it according to new rules, the woman gives birth to real people or gods. |
| B3D | 98.72% | The earth is obtained by a worm; it arises from worm excrement, extracted from the worm. |
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
10 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 10 traditions: Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Burmese, Intha, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Palaung (De Ang, Deang), Viet, Muong, Northern Naga: Konyak, Lungshang, Wancho, Nokte, Moclum, Lunshan, Chang, Maring, Naga of Myanmar, Tats, Ainu, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Arakan, Chakma, Khyang
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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