M46 — An imaginary baby

Some creatures steal or own valuables. To return (get) them, the character turns into a small object, from contact with which a woman becomes pregnant, or into a baby. A picked up or born baby takes on its true appearance and steals valuables (including making the girl who picked it up pregnant, if that was his goal).

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.

M46.  Some creatures steal or own valuables. To return (get) them, the character turns into a small object, from contact with which a woman becomes pregnant, or into a baby. A picked up or born baby takes on its true appearance and steals valuables (including making the girl who picked it up pregnant, if that was his goal).
M46a.  The character turns into a baby, is picked up by the owners of valuables, and then steals valuables or converges with a woman. The baby is not a demonic creature and does not intend to kill those who pick it up (cf. Motive L60).
M46b.  The character turns into a tiny object or creature, swallowing or touching which a woman (usually a virgin) becomes pregnant and gives birth to a boy. He steals valuables or gets along with a woman. See M46 motif.
M46c.  The character turns into a needle, a garbage, a small insect. A woman swallows it and becomes pregnant. See M46B motif.
M46d.  A small child cries and calms down only after being given a valuable item hidden in the house to play with. After receiving an item, a child or an associated character takes it away.
M46e.  They (promise to) give a child the Sun (and or the Moon) to play with

This motif has been recorded in 64 traditions: Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Ifaluk, Woleai, Lamutrek, Faraulip Satawal, Elato, Western Fayu, Truk, Eastern Fayu, Losap, Pulap, Puluwat, Mortlock (incl. Satawan), Central Taiwan: Bunun (Vonum), La'arua, Tsou, Kanabu, Kanakanabu, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Basques, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Nenets, Nganasans, Dolgans, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu, Negidal, Aleuts, Central Yupik, Chipewyan, Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Han, Tutchone, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Tahltan, Kaska, Athna, Ingalik (Der Hit’an), Koyukon, Tanana, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Mackenzie Delta, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Yuchi, Chilkotin, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lillooet, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Nez Perce, Quinault, Tillamook, Okanagon, Sanpoil, Kutenai, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Yokuts, Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Kodiak, Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Russian Federation