B2G — The chameleon walks on soft ground.

The chameleon walked on the ground when it had not yet hardened.

Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 7, Etiology of plants and animals and of their peculiar features, particular animals as protagonists of cosmological stories, metamorphoses, weather and calendar.

B2a.  The earth is a female character (alone or alongside a male character) and is considered to be female or associated with women.
B2b.  The earth feeds on the people buried in it. See motif B2A.
B2c.  The earth as a whole, elements of the landscape or fertile soil arise from the human body and (or) the earth (islands) are born of a woman.
B2d.  The sky (the Sun, Thunder, the Wind living in the sky) is considered male and marries the Earth, who is female; The sky is combined with the female Water; with the daughter of the Earth; the creator (master) of the sky and the creator (mistress) of the earth are husband and wife; rarely: the female Sky (or Sun) is combined with the male Earth.
B2e.  The Earth or the world as a whole is a male character (alone or alongside a female character).
B2f.  The character cannot bury the deceased, not knowing how to do it or not finding a place for burial.
B2f1.  (While the earth does not yet exist or has not yet hardened), birds bury the dead in their bodies – usually in their beaks or heads, which explains the unpleasant smell or the origin of the crest, swelling on the beak, etc.
B2f2.  The character carries the body of the deceased for a long time, unable to bury it or not knowing how to do so, but eventually buries the body in the ground.
B2g.  The chameleon walked on the ground when it had not yet hardened.

This motif has been recorded in 5 traditions: Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo), Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Serer (Serer-Sine)