H1A — He who wished death upon another is himself in mourning.

The character decides that people should die. His or her child, mother, or some other being whose life is dear to him or her dies. Now the decision-maker agrees to make people immortal, but it is impossible to change the decision that has been made.

Berezkin category: Paradise Lost

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 4, Origin of death, diseases and hard life.

H1a.  The character decides that people should die. His or her child, mother, or some other being whose life is dear to him or her dies. Now the decision-maker agrees to make people immortal, but it is impossible to change the decision that has been made.
H1b.  The character performs actions that lead to death, because he is indifferent to or desires the death of the child or woman loved by another character. See motif H1A.
H1bb.  One character refuses to resurrect another's beloved dog, and this conflict is linked to the loss of the ability to resurrect people.
H1c.  People cease to be reborn (or no longer come to the living) after the deceased is buried in the ground for the first time or someone tramples the earth on a fresh grave, preventing the deceased from rising from the grave.
H1d.  The deceased returns, but people send him back, dissatisfied with his appearance, refusing to accept him or burying him again. From then on, death is final.
H1e.  A certain character is the first to enter the world of the dead, after which all people follow the same path; he paves the way to the world of the dead; the first to die becomes the master or guardian of the afterlife.
H1f.  People learn how to treat the dead by observing the behaviour of crows.

This motif has been recorded in 56 traditions: Berbers of Morocco and adjacent parts of Algeria, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Masai, Ila (Baila), Kerewe, Sukuma, Kwaya, Kumbi, Busiba, Gusii, Suba, Nyamwesi, Sumbwa, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu, Lozi (Losi, Rotse, Barotse), Lui, Subiya (Subia), Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Bia: Anyi, Agni, Baule, Nsema, Blackfoot, Kiowa, Kiowa Apache, Hidatsa, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Quileute, Chemakum (Hoh), Quinault, Kalapuya, Takelma, Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Coos, Alcea, Okanagon, Sanpoil, Kutenai, Shasta; Chimariko, Klamath, Modoc, Yurok, Cherokee, Pomo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Sierra Miwok, Lake Miwok, Plains Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Achomavi, Yana, Yokuts, Tubatulabal, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Ute, Southern Paiute, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), Lipan, Caduveo, Mbaya, Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins