Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

M8 — A destroyed obstacle

81 Myths, legends and folktales

81 Unique narratives for motif M8

41 Cultures & traditions where M8 is told

4 Sub-motifs of motif M8

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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

Some characters (not humans) are struggling to break a strong barrier that prevents access to the desired location or to a high-value object. See also M8A - M8D motifs; they are included in the M8 motif in the correlation tables.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.

M8 has 4 other sub-motifs

M8.  Some characters (not humans) are struggling to break a strong barrier that prevents access to the desired location or to a high-value object. See also M8A - M8D motifs; they are included in the M8 motif in the correlation tables.
M8a.  Animals, and more often birds, find it difficult to break through a rock from the outside or inside, make a hole in the tree, in the body of an absorber creature, tear fetters, etc., to help a character or get out of the confined space by yourself. The list includes groups whose texts deal with the exit of the first ancestors to earth from a confined space.
M8b.  Animals, and often birds, struggle to break through the rock to get water or honey hidden inside it.
M8c.  Birds pierce through a layer of clay, wax, resin, etc., that covers the character's eyes or anus.
M8d.  Birds break through the hard cover on the character's body to reach his entrails.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of M8’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
J29	97.76%	Murdered parents themselves inform their children about the circumstances of their death.
C13	97.59%	During or before the onset of a global catastrophe (flood, darkness) or (surui) at night, household items and/or stones, trees, domestic animals, and cultivated plants turn into wild birds and animals or come to life.
J8	97.16%	A woman or girl sets out in search of a husband (fiancé, etc.). Bird feathers left on the trail, at a crossroads or near a dwelling mark the right or wrong path. See motif J7.
J50	96.81%	The father or mother of twin heroes dies or is killed. An attempt to revive the deceased fails.
F34B	96.49%	A girl, woman or group of women voluntarily take as their lover a penis that exists as a special creature, snake, moray eel, lizard, worm, crab, large aquatic animal or aquatic monster, or large terrestrial mammal. People kill or maim the lover, the woman and/or her offspring, or she herself loses her human nature. The woman's behaviour is condemned.
K6	96.47%	A vine or rope emerges from tears, snot, urine, saliva, and chewed substance. See motif K1A.
G26	95.97%	After swallowing or hiding food in their mouth, the character brings it to earth (passes it on to people).
M76	95.87%	A woman cuts off a man's leg when he climbs a tree; a man cuts off a woman's leg when she climbs a tree. See K13A motif.
M2	95.58%	The hero descends from a tree or rock on the back of an animal or on the backs of animals.
L3	95.42%	The demon takes on human form and comes to his wife (less often to another woman). Usually, the woman (alone or with a child) runs away and/or kills the monster, either by herself or with someone's help.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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🌐 Open as Airocean (Dymaxion) map ↗

Traditions

41 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 41 traditions: Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Li , Lahu, Kucong, Nosu, Nisu, Nusu, Sani, Jino, Chukchi, Eastern Cree, Plains Cree, Yana, Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec, Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Pipil, Tepehua, Totonac, Gulf Nahuatl, Tzotzil, Kekchi; Mopan, Bribri, Cabecar, Terraba; Chiriqui (AD 800-1500) iconography, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Bari, Paez, Guambia, Pijao; Ilama culture, Yupa (Yukpa), Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Akawai, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Mai Huna (Coto, Orejon), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Chayahuita , Letuama, Tanimuca, Ufaina, Yahuna, Cubeo, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Andoque, Bora, Yagua, Ticuna (Tucuna), Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Caraja, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay)

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