Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

F49C — The first humans do not know how to give birth.

27 Myths, legends and folktales

27 Unique narratives for motif F49C

26 Cultures & traditions where F49C is told

3 Sub-motifs of motif F49C

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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

In the beginning of time, women do not know how to give birth. See motif F49.

Berezkin category: Gender and sex

F49 has 3 other sub-motifs

F49.  Women had their stomachs cut open to remove the baby. Someone explains how to give birth or makes childbirth possible.
F49a.  A small animal (mouse, rat, rabbit, two-wombed animal, bird) explains how to give birth. See motif F49.
F49B.  The hero comes to a people whose women do not know how to give birth. See motif F49.
F49C.  In the beginning of time, women do not know how to give birth. See motif F49.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of F49’s motifs

No dispersal data found for motif 'f49c'.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
A1	0.00%	Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one.
A10	0.00%	The sun gets its sparkling eyes (eye) from an animal.
A11A	0.00%	The visible sun or moon are their eyes; if the eyes of the luminaries were not damaged, it would be much brighter and hotter.
A11B	0.00%	The sun or moon has one eye (usually the second eye is knocked out or sucked out, but sometimes the reason is not explained; among the Munduruku, the sun of the rainy season has lost both eyes, while the sun of the dry season has retained both). See motif 11A.
A11C	0.00%	The Sun and Moon kill a monster whose eyes shine differently. At first, the Moon takes the brighter eye, but then swaps with the Sun.
A12	0.00%	A creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, winter and summer, night and day, phases of the moon) or occasionally (eclipses, eschatological catastrophes) attack the luminaries or block their light.
A12A	0.00%	During an eclipse or under other circumstances, predators attack the luminaries: wolves, bears, jaguars, pumas, dogs, foxes, raccoons. See motif A12.
A12B	0.00%	During an eclipse or at sunset (marked *), the luminaries are swallowed by a toad or frog.
A12C	0.00%	Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12.
A12D	0.00%	Birds attack the sun or moon during an eclipse (covering them with their wings) or (*) cover the sun during sunrise or sunset. See motif A12.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

26 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 26 traditions: Nuba, Papua-NewGuinea Highland Papuans:Trans New Guinea & unclassified:Chimbu,Gimi,KaugelHuli,Gadsup,Kuman,Kutubu,Foi (Foe),Kyaka,Kamano (Kafe),Mawatta,Kukukuku (=Anga,=Sambia;Manki,Nauti,Ejuti),Baruya,Kewa,Tembregak,Menya,Melpa,Wiru,Pondoma, Sepik-Ramu stock: Abelam, Yatmul, Aibom, Ayom (incl Tembregak, Asai-river pygmies), Tangu, Porapora (Ambakich), Rao and other groups of Middle Ramu and Upper Keram River tribes; Kwanga, Watam, Kaian, Gamei, Awar; Kire (Lower Ramu), Melanesians and Papuans of Northern Solomons: Buka, Bougainville (Siuai, Buin), Tikopia, Bellona, Rennell, partly Aneytium, Futuna (=Erronan, not to be mixed with Futuna in Western Polynesia), Vaeaka-Taumato, incl Matema, Nifeloli, Nukapu, Nupani, Pileni, Tuamotu, incl Pukapuka (different from Pukapuka in Cook Islands), Vahitahi, Anaa, Hao, Fangatau, Mangareva, Hawaii, Bunak, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Central Yupik, Tahltan, Denaina, Tanana, Karok, Hupa, Chilula, Yurok, Guajiro, Sicuani, Cuiva, Waorani, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Lele, Tobanga

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