Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
B122 — Infants and birds.
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
OverviewBirds (cranes/storks, geese or crows) carry children away to another world or bring them back from there. See motif H6c3, "The Immortal Stork".
Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 5, Origin of human beings, ethnic groups, etiology of human anatomy, strange body configuration, ways of behavior, marriages before the establishment of the present norms.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| K61A1 | 100.00% | A dangerous character mistakes two people sleeping (hiding) in a sack or two people lying with their feet towards each other for a single creature. |
| A32D1 | 100.00% | Cain and Abel are associated with the moon, usually distinguishable (both or only Cain) in the silhouette of lunar spots. |
| M39A5A3 | 100.00% | Realizing that a wife telling the truth will cause trouble for the family, the husband says that the sounds she hears are the screams of her master (official, etc.) who is beaten, dragged to hell, etc. She repeats this to the master (official), who declares her insane. |
| B87B | 99.99% | The Great Bear β a cart harnessed by a wolf or bear. Usually, the shape of the handle of the dipper is explained by the fact that a wolf or bear attacked an ox harnessed to the cart and took its place. In this case, it is associated with Alcor or the last star of the handle of the dipper β Ξ·. |
| M38E | 99.99% | mushroom (pumpkin) thinks that it is as durable as a tree. |
| B33E1 | 99.98% | It is said that the cold, which is stronger than anything else, can freeze boiling water, a foetus in the womb, etc. |
| I114 | 99.98% | Describes a ram or sheep with golden wool or the skin of such a ram. |
| L73A | 99.98% | The fugitives make sure that darkness spreads behind them, hindering their pursuers (while light pours in front of them). |
| K38B3B | 99.98% | A mighty bird (rarely β another creature) helps a person for sheltering (warming) its chicks (offspring, children). |
| K56A2B | 99.97% | A supernatural character asks a girl to redeem (feed) his (her) children. These are snakes, beetles or wild animals. The girl does everything she is asked and is rewarded. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
5 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 5 traditions: Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, ThΓΌringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, RΓΌgen, Czech, Czechs, Livonians, Ingush, Russian Federation
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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