Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

F55A — Placing on the naked body (demon and woman).

15 Myths, legends and folktales
15 Unique narratives for motif F55A
8 Cultures & traditions where F55A is told
1 Sub-motifs of motif F55A
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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

A demonic character persuades a woman to expose a certain part of her body, because that is the only place where a certain object should be placed. The demon kills the woman, tearing off that part of her body. Usually, the woman uses or names various locations, and the character rejects each one in turn until he finds the right one.

Berezkin category: Gender and sex

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

F55 has 1 other sub-motifs

Related

F55.  Not understanding what her interlocutor of the opposite sex wants, a woman or girl names or shows various objects and body parts. The interlocutor is satisfied when she names or exposes her genitals. Cf. motif f55a.
F55a.  A demonic character persuades a woman to expose a certain part of her body, because that is the only place where a certain object should be placed. The demon kills the woman, tearing off that part of her body. Usually, the woman uses or names various locations, and the character rejects each one in turn until he finds the right one.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of F55’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
F7297.59%A woman asks a man to tie her up before intercourse so that it looks like she is being raped.
K27XY96.95%Several men (animals), each of whom can do something better than the others, work together to accomplish difficult tasks set before them by their opponents. The competition is not intended to find a worthy suitor for a girl or to get rid of an unwanted suitor. Cf. motif K27o3 (Competition between two teams).
L11996.61%The hero and antagonist fight in the air, tearing off each other's limbs. Usually, their allies on the ground try to preserve the limbs of their leader and destroy those of their enemy.
A32B96.30%The figure or imprint of a toad or frog is visible on the lunar disc; the moon is associated with this animal.
L8796.08%A character accidentally tastes blood or human flesh, after which he devours himself and/or others.
F1095.06%A woman has a second mouth (usually in her vagina) with sharp teeth. A man inserts or throws a stone, bone, stick, etc. into this mouth, knocking out the teeth or extracting toothy animals from it in this way.
L1C195.00%Fleeing from demonic characters, a group of men – relatives of a girl – ascend to the sky and remain there. See motif L1C.
J59A94.34%After shooting an arrow (rarely: throwing a ball), a person flies on it, behind it or in front of it, or sends another person on the flying arrow. Cf. motif J59.
M29X194.06%See the motives in square brackets.
M7494.05%A weak character regurgitates previously swallowed unusual food, or replaces his belching with a strong character's belching, or interprets his secretions as remains strong animals he ate. The strong believe that the weak are strong or have unusual abilities.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

8 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 8 traditions: Nanai, Negidal, Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Arapaho, Gros Ventre, Crow, Hidatsa

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