A12C — Reptiles or fish eclipse the sun.

Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12.

Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 1, Sun and Moon.

A12.  A creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, winter and summer, night and day, phases of the moon) or occasionally (eclipses, eschatological catastrophes) attack the luminaries or block their light.
A12a.  During an eclipse or under other circumstances, predators attack the luminaries: wolves, bears, jaguars, pumas, dogs, foxes, raccoons. See motif A12.
A12b.  During an eclipse or at sunset (marked *), the luminaries are swallowed by a toad or frog.
A12c.  Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12.
A12d.  Birds attack the sun or moon during an eclipse (covering them with their wings) or (*) cover the sun during sunrise or sunset. See motif A12.
A12e.  The spider attacks the sun or moon (usually causing lunar eclipses).
A12f.  The stars fade because the moneylender demands that they repay their debt.
A12g.  The character tries to eclipse the moon for telling on him.
A12H.  Eclipses of the sun or moon are caused by a woman's attack.

This motif has been recorded in 75 traditions: Ancient Egypt, Egyptian, Greeks of Cyprus, Efe Pygmies, Kango (Mbuti) Pygmies, Malawi (incl Nyanja, Banyanja, Manganja), Tumbuka (incl Henga), Nsenga, Matengo, (Ba)Wenda, Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Zulu, Swazi, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Tuamotu, incl Pukapuka (different from Pukapuka in Cook Islands), Vahitahi, Anaa, Hao, Fangatau, Northern Halmahera Papuans: Galela, Loda, Pagu, Modole, Tabaru (Tobaru), Tobelo, Tidore, Ternate, Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Minangkabau; Kerinci, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Mentawai, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Nicobarese, Semang, Senoi, Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, 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, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Kannada, Lingayat, Halakki, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Toda, Kota, Kuruba (Kurumba), Badaga, Maravar, Pulaya, Kadar, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Early Chinese written sources, Koreans, France, Poles, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Estonians, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Wakhi, Ishkashimi (including Sanglich), Munji, Persians, Abaza (Abazins), Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Ingush, Rutul, Tsakhur, Tats, Svans, Georgians, Armenians, Gagauz, Hui (Dungan) of Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Dungan texts from Southern and Eastern China are clustered with the Chinese ones), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Carrier, Takelma, Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Karok, Hupa, Chilula, Yurok, Atsugewi, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Huichol, Lacandon, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Yuracare, Mojo, Baure, Itonama, Kanichana, Chiquito, Manasi, Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Rejang, Bosnians, Montenegro, Russian Federation