Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

C2 — Flood and fire.

375 Myths, legends and folktales

375 Unique narratives for motif C2

162 Cultures & traditions where C2 is told

2 Sub-motifs of motif C2

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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

The inhabitants of the middle world (in part) are destroyed (or will be destroyed) once by fire or drought, another time by a flood, or the world is flooded with a stream of fire and boiling water.

Berezkin category: Disasters

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.

C2 has 2 other sub-motifs

C2.  The inhabitants of the middle world (in part) are destroyed (or will be destroyed) once by fire or drought, another time by a flood, or the world is flooded with a stream of fire and boiling water.
C2a.  Two characters meet a woodpecker and receive an object from it, which causes the ground to catch fire upon contact. The stronger and smarter of the two characters escapes, while the weaker and stupider one is burned or burned to death.
C2b.  The Sun and the Moon are caught in a fire. The strong and intelligent Sun escapes, while the weak and foolish Moon is burned or consumed, but the Sun revives it.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of C2’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
G31	95.13%	A character ties trees with rope and effortlessly knocks them all down at once or pretends to do so.
I24	93.87%	A snake (or fish) forms a bridge across a river.
L35	93.60%	A shaman or spirit comes at night and, reaching his hand into the hut, steals food or disturbs a woman. A man in the hut cuts off or tears off the hand.
A19B	92.67%	Moving across the sky, the sun changes its mounts depending on the season – in summer it rides on a slow animal, in winter – on a fast one. Or in winter the sun is carried by a young man, and in summer – by an old man.
F16	92.66%	Men possessed biological characteristics that are now characteristic of women, or vice versa (beards, menstruation, breasts, childbearing).
M11	92.20%	The character gives others food extracted from his or someone else's body or contaminated with bodily secretions, without revealing the source of the food.
L18	92.16%	A bird with two or more heads in descriptions or images.
B12	91.50%	The riverbed follows the path of a snake, fish, dragon, or crab; the river arises from parts of the snake's body; the river is a snake.
E7	91.39%	The path from one part of the world to another passes through a narrow opening. The character gets stuck in the opening, permanently severing the connection between the worlds.
H28	91.34%	A creature that has been killed and destroyed (often burned) (usually a cannibal, a ferocious animal, or a powerful shaman) turns into stinging insects or other harmful, unpleasant, or dangerous creatures.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

162 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 162 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Rwanda (incl Hutu, Tutsi, Kiga), Rundi, (Ma)Shi, Banyabungu; Rega, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Ami, Burmese, Intha, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Mon, Khmer, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Viet, Muong, Santali, Turi, Mahli, Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Khasi, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Oraon (Kurukh), Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Toda, Kota, Kuruba (Kurumba), Badaga, Maravar, Pulaya, Kadar, Nepali; Tharu, Sinhalese; Vedda, Meo (Hmong) of Thailand, Laos and Northern Vietnam, Li , Lahu, Kucong, Nosu, Nisu, Nusu, Sani, Jino, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, France, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Western Ukrainians, Abaza (Abazins), Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Ingush, Tats, Armenians, Bashkirs, Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Forest Nenets, Tundra Nenets, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Khakas, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Dolgans, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Manchu, Mackenzie Delta, Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Pawnee, Gros Ventre, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Flathead, Klamath, Modoc, Caddo, Cherokee, Pomo, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Atsugewi, Yana, Bannock, Ute, Hopi, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Eastern Keres (Cochiti, Sia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Paguate, Seama), Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Pima, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Huichol, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec, Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec, Huastec (Teenek), Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Lacandon, Guaymi, Bocota, Dorasque; XVI century data on Western Panama, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Chimila (Ette), Paez, Guambia, Pijao; Ilama culture, Yaruro, Makiritare (Yecuana), Sanema, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Trio, Kaxuyana (Warikyana, Arikena), Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Locono, Wayana, Aparai, Colorado (Tsachila), Cañari, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Letuama, Tanimuca, Ufaina, Yahuna, Cubeo, Tariana, Andoque, Bora, Mura (Pirahã), Maue (Mawe), Tupinamba, Urubu (Urubu-Kaapor), Tenetehara, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Aimara, Chipaya, Culina, Paumarí, Arauá, Apurina, Cuniba, Tacana, Yuracare, Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Yabuti, Amniapä, Kumana, Wari (Aikana), More (Itene), Mundurucu, Curuaia, Umotina (Umutina), Caraja, Tapirape, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Sherente, Kamakan; Kutasho, Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Vilela, Mataco, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Mapuche, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Northern Khanty (Ostyaks), Salars, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Dong, Maonan, Peru, Greece, China

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