Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

H11 — The call of God.

76 Myths, legends and folktales

76 Unique narratives for motif H11

46 Cultures & traditions where H11 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif H11

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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

People are mortal or defective because they respond to the call (or pronounce the name) of a creature that brings death, or do not hear the call (do not pronounce the name; do not respond to the call, do not notice) of a creature that promises immortality (power).

Berezkin category: Paradise Lost

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K55	95.26%	A powerful character finds out whether his guest has made love to his daughter or wife (if the character is a woman: whether he has attempted to have sexual contact with her). A man who is impotent or (successfully pretends to be) chaste is rewarded (at least not punished). In most cases, the other character engages in sexual contact or is unable to hide what he has done and is punished as a result.
M72	94.62%	The character puts his hand into the anus of a tapir or other large herbivore and is unable to pull it out. The animal rushes to run and drags a person with it for a long time.
F50	94.54%	Children have the ability to leave their mother's womb and return to it again.
F4	94.25%	In the days of the first ancestors, children were conceived not through sexual intercourse, but in vessels, piles of earth, lumps of clay, etc.
B22	94.21%	The character left under the tree is offended by those who climbed up the tree (usually they do not share their food with him or her). In retaliation, he or she knocks down the tree. The events described are of cosmic proportions.
G28	94.04%	The tree contains a fish in its trunk.
J6	93.79%	A pregnant woman is killed (and eaten). Twins are taken from her womb, who are usually also destined to be eaten, but they escape, live (secretly) in the house of their antagonists, and take revenge on them.
L7	93.58%	While chasing a person, spirit, monster or beast, mistakenly chases after a large two-legged object passing by, usually an animal.
L7A	93.53%	A character who sticks to another creature and refuses to let go, first sticking to a human, then to an animal, or first sticking to an animal, then to a bird.
H8	93.53%	Unable to bring themselves to touch something unclean, poisonous, dangerous or hot, people lost their immortality (var.: did not receive the blessings that came to Europeans).

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

46 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 46 traditions: Fipa (Bafipa), Iramba, Bende, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Rwanda (incl Hutu, Tutsi, Kiga), Rundi, (Ma)Shi, Banyabungu; Rega, Lunda (Alunda), Lingala, (Ba)Ngala, Ntomba, Kioque, (Ki)Bangi, Bolia, Balolo, Boloki, (Ba)Akwa, (U)Poto, Mongo (Mongo-Nkundu), Nkundu, Ngelima, Ngombe, (Ba)Tetela), Pende, Wu(Kusu), (Ba)Mbala (incl Saie, Kwilu), Luchasi (Ngangela), Chokwe (Konwe); Mbukushu, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Palawan (incl Agutaynen), SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Dards (Kalash, Kho, Kohistani, Shina, Pashai), Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Choctaw, Chicasaw, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Yupa (Yukpa), Sicuani, Warao, Trio, Hixkariyana, Locono, Orinoco Kariña, Yaruri, Tamanak, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Mai Huna (Coto, Orejon), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Karijona, Letuama, Tanimuca, Ufaina, Yahuna, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Ticuna (Tucuna), Xipaya, Urubu (Urubu-Kaapor), Amuesha, Ashaninca (Campa), Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Harákmbet (=Mashco), Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Calapalo, Kamayura, Caraja, Apinaye (Apinage, Apinaje), Manao, Katawishi (Teffe lake); groups of uncertain affiliation mostly from Rio Jamunda

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