Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

B60 — Offended children leave their parents.

49 Myths, legends and folktales

49 Unique narratives for motif B60

31 Cultures & traditions where B60 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif B60

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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

Overview

Children come into conflict with their parents over food, clothing, attention, which they demand and which their parents deny them, and sexual behaviour. They leave their parents, turning into birds, bats, stars or atmospheric phenomena. See motif B59.

Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
F42A	93.60%	In the community of the first ancestors, young men or boys turn into birds or bats and fly away.
B13A	93.29%	A stream of water (with a predator in it) rushes after a character who is trying to escape from it.
F42	92.83%	Feeling wronged, men leave their wives or sisters.
H24F	92.26%	The character has the ability to put a large amount of meat or fish into a bag or container that is easy to carry.
M18A	92.19%	The character becomes the object of fishing or hunting, presenting himself as a target for enemies. Numerous arrows, darts, and harpoons stick into his body without causing harm, and he carries them away. See motif M18.
F95	91.77%	Two companions or brothers live together. One has a wife, whom he hides. The other suspects her existence, destroys her, or tries to get a wife for himself.
L9A	91.67%	The character's leg is crippled (intentionally or accidentally) or originally pointed. He uses the pointed bone for hunting, fishing or killing people.
E13A	91.53%	Sacred knowledge, objects and rituals were first obtained by humans from the inhabitants of the underwater world.
M73	91.26%	Two characters compare their excrement or vomit to learn about each other's diet and decide which of them is the more powerful beast. One of them manages to replace the selections. (Traditions in which vomiting is substituted are greasy).
L21	91.03%	A cannibal or demon under a tree intends to grab a person who has climbed a tree; the person throws his prey or some object far away, and while the cannibal is looking for, picking up or eating what has been thrown, he runs away.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

31 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 31 traditions: Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Society Islands: Tahiti, Borabora, Raiatea, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Nanai, Negidal, Nivkh, Lenape (Delaware), Huron (incl Wyandot), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Caddo, Chumash, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Makiritare (Yecuana), Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Aimara, Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, Bororo, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Apinaye (Apinage, Apinaje), Makka, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Halkomelem (Snaymuk)

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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com

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