Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

M29W3 — Leo is a loser and a loser

138 Myths, legends and folktales

138 Unique narratives for motif M29W3

114 Cultures & traditions where M29W3 is told

45 Sub-motifs of motif M29W3

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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

As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the lion dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 9, Identification of protagonists of the stories with particular animals or persons with particular qualities.

M29 has 45 other sub-motifs

M29.  trickster is defined as a protagonist in the following characteristic episodes.
M29a.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29a1.  In three or more different episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is raven (crow)
M29b.  Fox (a), Jackal, Coyote (or Wolf when, apparently, we mean a steppenwolf, i.e. the same coyote). See the motives in square brackets.
M29b1.  As a result of his stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolf dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29b2.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the bear dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29b3.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the fox (jackal) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. If it is not specified that a “jackal”, then the protagonist is a fox.
M29c.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29d.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29E.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29f.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolverine dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29g.  See the motives in square brackets. They include traditions in which the hare/rabbit appears only as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox or jackal) often occurs.
M29g1.  In episodes involving deception, ridiculous, obscene, or antisocial behavior, the hare or rabbit is the main trickster. Traditions in which 1) a hare or rabbit occurs only once as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox/jackal/coyote) is typical; 2) Mesoamerican traditions in which a small rabbit is associated with a small a set of episodes and a high probability of recent African influences. See the motives in square brackets.
M29g2.  Cancer (crab) defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning.
M29gg.  hedgehog defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning.
M29h.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29i.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29j.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29k.  A turtle (toad, frog) defeats strong opponents by cunning or perseverance. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle.
M29k1.  A turtle (toad, frog) gets into unpleasant situations due to its own stupidity or carelessness. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle.
M29l.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29m.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29n.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29nn.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29o.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29o1.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the monkey dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29p.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29q.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29qq.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29r.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29S.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29T.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29v.  The character defeats or deceives strong opponents using cunning. The protagonists are dwarf ungulates, usually duker or deer - taxonomically distant from each other, but similar in appearance. In some publications on African traditions, it is difficult to determine which animal we are talking about, but it is certain that these are small cloven-hoofed animals, usually (always?) dukers. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w.  As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, a jaguar (puma, ocelot) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a puma or ocelot; otherwise, a jaguar.
M29w1.  As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, the leopard (panther, leopard) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w2.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the tiger dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w3.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the lion dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29x.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the hyena dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29x1.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29X2.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29y.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29z.  hero of the story is a character named “Beardless” or Aldar-Kose (Aldar is a “deceiver”, a braid is “beardless”).
M29z1.  purely anthropomorphic character, or a character who bears the name of an animal or plant but does not act zoomorphic in the course of his adventures. See the motives in square brackets. {Data not fully entered}
M29z2.  Being smart and witty, the Gipsy overcomes strong adversaries
M29z3.  The Gipsy (more often a female than a male) is an enemy overcome by the hero (heroine) or (rare) a weak failure
M29z4.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of M29’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
J42	97.71%	The character creates a dry passage across the bottom of the water body, and after passing through, the waters close again.
L65B3	96.51%	A character who climbs a tree manages to escape from a demon (who usually tries to knock the tree down).
L106B	96.00%	A girl, a young girl or (rarely) a boy loses an everyday object, usually carried away by water or wind. In search of the lost object, she (he) encounters powerful characters, returns the object and/or receives valuables. Traditions recorded only in Roberts 1994: 103-110 are highlighted in italics.
L108	96.00%	Each time the departed character returns, he or she sings a song or gives a signal to a relative (usually a child) or friend who remained at home, who then lets him or her in. The antagonist pretends to be the departed person, imitating his or her voice, showing his or her hand, etc. Cf. motif L27a.
L110	95.79%	A character swallows many people and/or animals. In the end, his stomach is cut open, and those who were swallowed unharmed come out or are extracted and revived. Cf. motif K8a.
M157	95.54%	The character claims that a man, male animal or object gave birth (or had a period), or that an animal of one species gave birth to a young of another species, or that a woman gave birth to an animal or inanimate object.
K32D	95.14%	As a result of the antagonist's intrigues, a noble girl (young woman) or boy (young man) is turned into a servant or servant, sent to graze cattle or chase birds in the field. Everything is revealed – usually after people hear a song in which the hero or heroine tells about the substitution. Most often, the hero or heroine goes to relatives or (less often) to the groom. The deceiver accompanies her or him and is accepted as a relative or bride. The deceiver is executed. Comoros: the deceiver becomes the mistress, turning the girl's parents into peacocks.
M120	95.08%	A zoomorphic character takes on the responsibility of caring for other people's children (raising them, teaching them, healing them), but in reality has no intention of doing so, and usually eats the children.
L108B	95.01%	To prevent his victim from recognising him, the predator, the cannibal, makes his voice thinner by mechanical means - he smears his throat (tongue) with fat, cauterises it with a hot stone or iron, exposes it to ant bites, consults a blacksmith, etc.
L114	94.90%	A group of young men or women arrives at the demon's lair. The younger brother or sister, or a character who is considered sick, unpleasant, unfit, and often goes with others against their will, saves them all. See motif L113.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

114 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 114 traditions: Sumer, Saudi Arabia, Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Arabs of Iraq, Iraqi, Arabs of Egypt, Berbers of Morocco and adjacent parts of Algeria, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Morocco Arabs, Algeria Arabs, Arabs of Sudan, Sudanese, Saho, Afar, Bilin (Blin, Bilen), Shilluk, Anuak, Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, Sanye (Aweer), Amhara; Zay, Harari; Silte, Gogot, Oromo (Galla), Konso, Sidamo, Darasa, Bussa (Bassa), Kambata, Guji, Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Masai, Yao, Makua, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Tonga, Nyungwe (Tete), Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Kerewe, Sukuma, Kwaya, Kumbi, Busiba, Gusii, Suba, Nyamwesi, Sumbwa, Gogo, Kaguru, Luguru, Zigula, Taveta, Shambala (Sambala), Bondei, Taeta, Dabida; Zaramo, Kamba, Tharaka, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Safwa, Mkulwe, Ngonde, Kinga, Nyakusa, Nyamwanga, Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu, Bemba (Wemba, Babemba; incl Ambo, Lala, Lamba, Bisa), Holoholo, Kaonde, Boa, Komo, (Ba)Nyanga, Mbole, Luchasi (Ngangela), Chokwe (Konwe); Mbukushu, Kosa (Xosa, Xhosa), Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Duala (Douala), Basa (Basaá), Kwiri (Kweli), Isubu, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Hausa, Zaghawa, Soninke, Tenda (incl Bedik, Basari), Biafada, Nalu, Pajadinka, Badyara (Badiaranke), Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara, Bushmen (all groups), Burmese, Intha, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Bengali, Punjabi, Seraiki (Multani), Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Hindi-speaking peoples and casts (incl. Teli, Parahiya; incl. Chhattisgarhi) of Northern and West-Central India, Sinhalese; Vedda, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Koreans, Spain, Spaniards, Portuguese, Portugal, Catalan, Maltese, Sardinia, Corsica, Sardinians, Corsicans, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, France, 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, Hungarians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Latvians, Finns, Karelians, Western Sami, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Rushani, Shughni, Khufi, Bartangi, Tajik, Baluch, Persians, Ingush, Lezgians, Archin, Kürin; Khinalug, Tabasaran, Aghul, Dargin (Dargwa), incl. Müregin, Khürkilin, Kubachi, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Kalmyk, Azeris (Azerbaijanis), Kurds, Kara Kalpak, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Bashkirs, Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Mongols (Khalkha), Daur (Daghur), Central Yakuts (Sakha), Bari, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Lao, Mongols of Inner Mongolia, Kordofan, Parachi, Ormur, Mukulu (Mokilko), Eastern Ukrainians, Early Russian written sources, Fur, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Arakan, Chakma, Khyang, Frisians, Berbers of Algeria, Saudi Arabia, China

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