Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
E12 — The living drawing.
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
OverviewA character draws an object or creature on sand, ash, a wall or the surface of water, and it comes to life.
Berezkin category: The origins of people and culture
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 5, Origin of human beings, ethnic groups, etiology of human anatomy, strange body configuration, ways of behavior, marriages before the establishment of the present norms.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| I96 | 95.26% | A rainbow consisting of blood either heralds war and death. |
| K29B | 91.65% | The hero is asked to climb (or is thrown) into a pit, which is immediately filled with earth or into which a pole or stones are lowered, K959,6 (Posthole murder). The hero proves his magical abilities by climbing out of the pit alive. |
| I133A | 90.68% | There is a constellation that represents a bird and corresponds to several large constellations in European traditions (mainly equatorial, rather than circumpolar). |
| E9N | 90.29% | A man marries a female seal, seal or dolphin that has taken the form of a woman and lives with her among people. |
| H9B | 89.39% | People have become like plants, which, although mortal, live on in their descendants (shoots). |
| I44 | 88.82% | A huge serpent encircles, embodies or supports the earth. |
| C25B | 88.79% | In the sky, on the moon (rarely – on the sun), somewhere outside our world, a certain character spins, weaves, knits, embroiders or makes bast fabric. |
| I37F | 88.63% | Mushrooms are called "ears". |
| E39 | 88.63% | The child of a pig or boar is a woman or man – the ancestor of a certain group of people. |
| J64 | 87.62% | Without touching the fire or burning, the character rises into the sky or crosses the river on clouds of smoke. |
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
24 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 24 traditions: Melanesians and Papuans of Bismark Archipelago: New Britain (Paparatava, Lakalai, Kuni, Sulka, Gazelle peninsula), New Ireland, St Matthias Group, Mioko (Melanesians between New Britain and New Ireland), Hawaii, Truk, Eastern Fayu, Losap, Pulap, Puluwat, Mortlock (incl. Satawan), Northern Halmahera Papuans: Galela, Loda, Pagu, Modole, Tabaru (Tobaru), Tobelo, Tidore, Ternate, Numfoor, Warope, Wamesa (Wandamen, Windesi), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Western Ukrainians, Nanai, Chugach, Tanana, Kekchi; Mopan, Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Calapalo, Kamayura, Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá), Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Papua-New Guinea Northern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Komba, Gimi, Susure, Orokaiva, Bogadjim, Ngain, Sentani, Bargam, Imonda, Nankina, Yupta Valley, Urawa Valley, Warupu (Barupu), Pondoma (Anam), Maldives, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Don Cossaks, Russian Federation
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