Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
F94 — Betrayal in the sky.
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 man ascends to the upper world, where he can choose a wife associated with either life or death.
Berezkin category: Gender and sex
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 |
|---|---|---|
| B14 | 99.83% | In order to regulate the flow of the river in a certain way, the character creates rapids and waterfalls. |
| A34 | 99.15% | The jackal, coyote or fox are associated with the moon (usually with the appearance of lunar spots). |
| K87A | 98.69% | A forest woman receives or kidnaps a little boy and raises him to be her lover. |
| I9A | 97.62% | Zenith and/or nadir are considered together with the four cardinal directions as one (or two) more main directions. |
| C22 | 97.59% | During a severe drought or global fire, birds and animals are sent to the thunder gods living at the edge of the world to bring rain. The last of those sent achieves the goal. The toad plays an important role in the action. |
| B28E | 97.25% | The Moon (alone or together with the Sun) transforms the original "incorrect" world into the one in which people now live. |
| D4A1 | 97.25% | A certain character possesses fire or steals it. His attention is attracted or distracted by singing, music, dancing, unusual gifts, indecent or strange behaviour, offers of sex, food and/or alcohol. |
| K3 | 96.72% | The hero climbs a tree or rock to get bird eggs, chicks, fruit, honey, etc. He cannot climb down because another character makes the tree (rock) very tall or makes the tree trunk thick. See motif K1A. |
| K15C | 96.61% | The owner of stone (ice) clothing kills people. By hiding or replacing his clothing, the hero kills him. |
| F28D | 96.50% | By masturbating with an artificial penis, a woman conceives children. |
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
9 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 9 traditions: Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Zuni, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Eastern Keres (Cochiti, Sia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Paguate, Seama), Bari, Sicuani, Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
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