Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
B28E — The Moon as the Creator of the World.
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
OverviewThe Moon (alone or together with the Sun) transforms the original "incorrect" world into the one in which people now live.
Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 1, Sun and Moon.
B28 has 6 other sub-motifs
RelatedB28. Travelling from one locality to another, the character successively transforms people into birds and animals, into stones, sanctuaries (or transforms monstrous animals into ordinary ones), establishes cultural norms, determines the biological characteristics of creatures, the appearance of the locality, etc.
B28a. A character pinned to the ground by a rod, transported somewhere to the edge of the world and associated with an object that continues to influence people.
B28b. The inhabitants of the area where the hero finds himself are afraid of creatures that are tools, utensils, and plants that are now harmless. The hero easily defeats these creatures and usually transforms them into what they are now.
B28c. Lice grab a person and drag him into the sea.
B28d. Not understanding who they are dealing with, the characters respond to the wandering Transformer that they are preparing weapons to kill so-and-so or a hiding place to escape from so-and-so. The Transformer kills them himself or turns them into animals.
B28d1. Not understanding who he is facing, the man promises to kill the Transformer. The Transformer turns his weapon into deer antlers and him into a deer.
B28e. The Moon (alone or together with the Sun) transforms the original "incorrect" world into the one in which people now live.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| D4A1 | 100.00% | 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. |
| B14 | 98.36% | In order to regulate the flow of the river in a certain way, the character creates rapids and waterfalls. |
| F94 | 97.25% | A man ascends to the upper world, where he can choose a wife associated with either life or death. |
| E23 | 96.80% | A handful of fleas or lice must be thrown at the character; only this will make him or her move, which is necessary for revival or for the existence of people. |
| K3 | 96.67% | 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. |
| M76 | 96.49% | 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. |
| J50 | 96.47% | The father or mother of twin heroes dies or is killed. An attempt to revive the deceased fails. |
| D4G | 96.08% | Hummingbird steals, finds or spreads fire. See motif D4A. |
| A34 | 95.88% | The jackal, coyote or fox are associated with the moon (usually with the appearance of lunar spots). |
| K87A | 95.18% | A forest woman receives or kidnaps a little boy and raises him to be her lover. |
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
13 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 13 traditions: Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Twana (Skokomish), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Tillamook, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Mai Huna (Coto, Orejon), Kofan, Amuesha, Ashaninca (Campa), Siriono, Caraja
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