Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

M179 — Bark and ice huts, ATU 43.

33 Myths, legends and folktales
33 Unique narratives for motif M179
16 Cultures & traditions where M179 is told
2 Sub-motifs of motif M179
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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

Two zoomorphic characters live nearby, one's house is destroyed, he asks the other to shelter him. Usually he breaks in and drives out the owner, strong animals fear the invader, while weak or small ones drive him away.

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.

M17 has 2 other sub-motifs

Related

M17.  A wife, mother or grandmother directs the arrow of a blind man or boy at game, lies that he missed, cooks and eats the meat herself. See motif M16 (man is blind, K333.1).
M17a.  The mother or grandmother of a blind man or boy secretly eats (the meat or fish he has caught), pretending that there is no food in the house.
M17b.  The wife directs the blind man's arrow at game, lies that he has missed, and eats the meat herself.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of M17’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
L37C99.88%A person encounters the incarnations of Fortune (and Misfortune) – his own or someone else's. He manages to influence their behaviour and change (for himself) the course of events for the better.
K119C99.78%The antagonist believes that he has been attacked by the lord of thunder (the father of the bride, whom a zoomorphic assistant has tricked into marrying a poor young man, motif K119).
L23A99.78%In an attempt to free himself, the captured character sequentially changes his appearance, in particular turning into fire (and water).
L42B199.78%A character kidnapped by a demon advises him to stack pots, pans and other kitchen items on top of each other and climb up them. He does so, falls and breaks.
K35A399.71%In order to obtain the privileges enjoyed by the hero, the deceiver manages to swap status with him.
K15199.70%A magical helper grants a poor man's simple wish. The poor man or his wife ask for more and more. In the end, the helper punishes the beggar (usually by taking away everything that was given). {Many references to texts outside Europe in Uther 2004 are not related to the plot of ATU 555 and do not contain the K151 motif. This applies in particular to the Arabic and Ossetian variants}.
H7D99.63%A man calls Death, and when it comes, asks it to help him lift a bundle of firewood or pull a cart with firewood.
N28A99.60%The roots (belt) of mountains or stones are mentioned in myths, riddles, spells, and songs as something that does not really exist.
K38F599.59%Flames burst from the horse's mouth and/or nostrils, or the entire horse is engulfed in fire.
E9I299.57%Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper, adopted daughter) takes the form of a duck.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

16 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 16 traditions: Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Kannada, Lingayat, Halakki, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Konkani (incl Goa), Bulgarians, Balkarians, Latvians, Estonians, Setu, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Mordvins, Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Lutsi (Ludza), Russian Federation

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