Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

H12C — Orpheus: bringing back his dead wife.

131 Myths, legends and folktales

131 Unique narratives for motif H12C

74 Cultures & traditions where H12C is told

3 Sub-motifs of motif H12C

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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

The husband follows his dead wife into the afterlife, but cannot bring her back, or brings her back but loses her again.

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.

H12 has 3 other sub-motifs

H12.  The living visit the afterlife to bring back the dead (except for texts about a shaman bringing back the soul of a sick person), or, without a specific goal, go there accompanied by or following in the footsteps of the recently deceased.
H12a.  The wife dies, the husband comes for her, or he kills her himself for adultery; she turns into a monster and haunts him.
H12b.  In the afterlife, the dead or demons feed on excrement.
H12c.  The husband follows his dead wife into the afterlife, but cannot bring her back, or brings her back but loses her again.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of H12’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K3	96.52%	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.
H12	95.93%	The living visit the afterlife to bring back the dead (except for texts about a shaman bringing back the soul of a sick person), or, without a specific goal, go there accompanied by or following in the footsteps of the recently deceased.
H20	92.74%	All the fish or (rarely) molluscs were concentrated in one place. A certain character allows them to escape or deliberately releases them into rivers or the sea. {In some cases, the theme of the spread of fish concentrated in a small container is difficult to separate from the theme of the spread of water. In any case, neither of these exist in Africa}.
F45B	92.17%	A woman gives birth to a son conceived by (the rays or light of) the sun.
H32A	92.06%	A young woman is the embodiment of fertility; she comes to live with people, and food becomes readily available. The woman is wronged, she leaves, and the superabundance ends.
B14	92.05%	In order to regulate the flow of the river in a certain way, the character creates rapids and waterfalls.
F94	92.00%	A man ascends to the upper world, where he can choose a wife associated with either life or death.
M63	91.39%	Before reaching the part of the body that is most suitable for certain purposes, others are named or tried. (Cf. Motive F22: The enumeration is related to finding the partner's genitals).
A34	90.87%	The jackal, coyote or fox are associated with the moon (usually with the appearance of lunar spots).
I75	90.46%	Before the emergence of the present world or present humans, there were others (at least two worlds or races).

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

74 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 74 traditions: Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, 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, Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, 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), Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Santali, Turi, Mahli, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Sinhalese; Vedda, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, Ancient Greece, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Nivkh, Inland Tlingit, Tlingit, Lenape (Delaware), Blackfoot, Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Yuchi, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Quinault, Shasta; Chimariko, Karok, Yurok, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Chumash, Yokuts, Northern Foothills Yokuts (Chukchansi, Dumna, Kechayi), Mono (Monache), Tubatulabal, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Ute, Serrano, Gabrielino (Tongva), Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Huichol, Tepecano, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tepehua, Totonac, Gulf Nahuatl, Zapotec, Chatino, Tzotzil, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Yucatec, Itza, Lacandon, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Guajiro, Yaruro, Waiwai, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Wayapi, Emerillon, Cayapa (Chachi); Cuaiquer (Kwaiker), Xipaya, Ashaninca (Campa), Machiguenga, Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, 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), China, Japan, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)

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