Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
B14 — The character creates river rapids.
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
OverviewIn order to regulate the flow of the river in a certain way, the character creates rapids and waterfalls.
Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature.
B14 has 1 other sub-motifs
RelatedB14. In order to regulate the flow of the river in a certain way, the character creates rapids and waterfalls.
B14A. Rivers, springs, the sea, floodwaters, and rain arise from tears (for rivers of tears in the world of the dead, see motif H16).
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| F94 | 99.83% | A man ascends to the upper world, where he can choose a wife associated with either life or death. |
| A34 | 98.62% | The jackal, coyote or fox are associated with the moon (usually with the appearance of lunar spots). |
| B28E | 98.36% | The Moon (alone or together with the Sun) transforms the original "incorrect" world into the one in which people now live. |
| D4A1 | 98.36% | A certain character possesses fire or steals it. His attention is attracted or distracted by singing, music, dancing, unusual gifts, indecent or strange behaviour, offers of sex, food and/or alcohol. |
| K87A | 98.00% | A forest woman receives or kidnaps a little boy and raises him to be her lover. |
| K3 | 97.05% | The hero climbs a tree or rock to get bird eggs, chicks, fruit, honey, etc. He cannot climb down because another character makes the tree (rock) very tall or makes the tree trunk thick. See motif K1A. |
| C22 | 96.91% | During a severe drought or global fire, birds and animals are sent to the thunder gods living at the edge of the world to bring rain. The last of those sent achieves the goal. The toad plays an important role in the action. |
| I9A | 96.67% | Zenith and/or nadir are considered together with the four cardinal directions as one (or two) more main directions. |
| H20 | 95.57% | All the fish or (rarely) molluscs were concentrated in one place. A certain character allows them to escape or deliberately releases them into rivers or the sea. {In some cases, the theme of the spread of fish concentrated in a small container is difficult to separate from the theme of the spread of water. In any case, neither of these exist in Africa}. |
| I75 | 95.57% | Before the emergence of the present world or present humans, there were others (at least two worlds or races). |
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
16 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 16 traditions: Basques, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Okanagon, Sanpoil, Flathead, Wailaki, Mattole, Lassik, Sinkyone, Cahto, Sicuani, Makiritare (Yecuana), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Karijona, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena
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