Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

H16B — Milk pond.

97 Myths, legends and folktales
97 Unique narratives for motif H16B
52 Cultures & traditions where H16B is told
2 Sub-motifs of motif H16B
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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 narratives (in various contexts) mention a milk pond (river, lake, wave in the sea) existing on earth (but not among the stars). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34.

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.

H16 has 2 other sub-motifs

Related

H16.  In another world, there are rivers of tears. Tears shed on earth fill large containers there. Cf. motifs K33F, N34, N35.
H16a.  The narratives (in various contexts) mention rivers (lakes) of blood (as well as water used to wash the dead, pus, bones, sweat). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34.
H16b.  The narratives (in various contexts) mention a milk pond (river, lake, wave in the sea) existing on earth (but not among the stars). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of H16’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
G6A99.47%The year is described as a tree, the number of branches, twigs, and leaves of which corresponds to the number of seasons, months, days, etc. (or the year is a column with a certain number of objects on it; a building with a certain number of rooms).
K27F99.43%An authoritative character demands that the hero obtain a woman.
K32G99.42%The antagonist is executed by being tied to a horse (camel, bull), which drags him along the ground or tears him to pieces.
K10299.34%A woman who is initially friendly to the hero (his sister, mother, less often his wife or lover) then tries to destroy him by acting in concert with his enemy. To this end, she persuades the hero to take actions that are fatal to him.
K73A499.25%Malicious women replace the newborn with a puppy (telling the father that his wife has given birth to a puppy). See motifs K73, K73A.
K27X299.14%The character is able to get an egg or chick (and put them back) from under a bird in a nest, or change the bird's feathers (pluck feathers), or get a fruit from an animal's womb so that the bird or animal does not notice.
M29B199.02%As a result of his stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolf dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
L93A99.01%The fox, jackal or coyote, resorting to cunning, helps the hero, heroine or people in general, saving them.
L10498.96%The fleeing character successively takes on the appearance of various creatures or objects; the pursuer also changes his appearance, each time transforming into someone who is dangerous to the pursued in his current form.
I13B98.92%A small snake, the snake has horns on its head.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

52 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 52 traditions: Old and New Testament, Ugarit, Phoenicia, Mehri; Harsusi, Jibbali (Shahri, Shauri), Western Sahara and Mauritania Arabs; Berbers of Mauritania (Zenaga), Masai, Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo, Dards (Kalash, Kho, Kohistani, Shina, Pashai), Burusho (Hunza), Lepcha, Portuguese, Portugal, Basques, Sicily, Sicilians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Estonians, Setu, Karelians, Vepsians, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Western Ukrainians, Yazgulami, Persians, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Kirghiz, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Chuvash, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Nivkh, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Mustang, Arabs of Kuwait, Bahrein, Qatar, Emirates, Oman,, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Terek Cossacks, Transylvanian Saksons, Oman, Russian Federation

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