Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

H28 — Creature turns into reptiles, A2034.

353 Myths, legends and folktales

353 Unique narratives for motif H28

156 Cultures & traditions where H28 is told

3 Sub-motifs of motif H28

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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

A creature that has been killed and destroyed (often burned) (usually a cannibal, a ferocious animal, or a powerful shaman) turns into stinging insects or other harmful, unpleasant, or dangerous creatures.

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.

H28 has 3 other sub-motifs

H28.  A creature that has been killed and destroyed (often burned) (usually a cannibal, a ferocious animal, or a powerful shaman) turns into stinging insects or other harmful, unpleasant, or dangerous creatures.
H28a.  When a character is burned, the smoke and sparks turn into mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects that scatter throughout the world.
H28b.  Shorn hairs on animal skins or ash and smoke from burnt skins covered with wool turn into blood-sucking insects.
H28c.  The character creates blood-sucking insects to influence the behaviour of a mating partner.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of H28’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
L18	95.21%	A bird with two or more heads in descriptions or images.
C5A	95.06%	A bird, various birds, or people who then turn into birds are sent to explore the earth (whether it exists, whether it has dried up, whether there are any survivors, why smoke is rising from the earth, etc.) or with the task of bringing back a piece of solid substance to create dry land.
I14	94.91%	Creatures without an anal opening are described.
B12	92.75%	The riverbed follows the path of a snake, fish, dragon, or crab; the river arises from parts of the snake's body; the river is a snake.
E1A	92.24%	The first humans are made of fragile materials (clay, wax, fire, honey, etc.) and prove to be unviable.
J54	91.89%	The heroes of the narrative exterminate animals or demons of a certain species. This species could have disappeared altogether if one or more individuals (often a pregnant female) had not been saved. {This motif does not include aetiological endings, according to which the current creatures of a certain species originate from a dismembered original creature}.
C2	91.34%	The inhabitants of the middle world (in part) are destroyed (or will be destroyed) once by fire or drought, another time by a flood, or the world is flooded with a stream of fire and boiling water.
I78	90.81%	The earth is thought of as rectangular (usually square).
D1B	90.68%	The man is the master or embodiment of fire (alone or alongside the woman-fire).
L13	89.66%	People feed a dangerous creature, or it grows on its own in a man-made enclosure. Once it becomes big and strong, it starts to destroy people.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

156 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 156 traditions: Berbers of southern Tunisia and adjacent part of Libya (Matmata and Ghadames areas), Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, 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), Tenda (incl Bedik, Basari), Biafada, Nalu, Pajadinka, Badyara (Badiaranke), Chamorro (Guam and other Marianas), Bali, Lombok, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, 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, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Semang, Senoi, Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Lepcha, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Koreans, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Finns, Karelians, Vepsians, Swedes, Western Ukrainians, Iranian literary tradition (including Avesta, Pahlevi scripts, Sah-nameh, Marzban-nameh); Zoroastrians of Iran, Indian Parsees, Zoroastrianism, Karachays, Balkar, Ingush, Armenians, Kalmyk, Anatolia Turks, Kurds, Chuvash, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Mongols (Khalkha), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Nganasans, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Kets, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Ainu, Udeghe, Oroch, Uilta (Orok), Nanai, Olcha (Ulch), Negidal, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chipewyan, Tutchone, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Tahltan, Kaska, Beaver, Netsilik, Iglulik, Tlingit, Haida, Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Lenape (Delaware), Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Blackfoot, Carrier, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Comox, Pentlatch, Sechelt (incl Sisiatl), Squamish, Halcomelem, Flathead, Kutenai, Alabama, Koasati, Navajo, Hopi, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Huichol, Tepecano, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Popoloca; Tlapanec, Tepehua, Totonac, Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Kekchi; Mopan, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Guaymi, Bocota, Dorasque; XVI century data on Western Panama, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Bari, Guajiro, Sicuani, Cuiva, Guayabero, Makiritare (Yecuana), Trio, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Colorado (Tsachila), Mai Huna (Coto, Orejon), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Chayahuita , Karijona, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Puinave, Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena , Tariana, Juruna, Tenetehara, Machiguenga, Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Tacana, Moseten, Chimane, Chacobo, Suruí, Gaviâo, Zoro, Arua, Cinta Larga, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Kamayura, Nambikwara, Paresi, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Apinaye (Apinage, Apinaje), Chamacoco (Ishir), Mataco, Toba (incl Pilagá), Caduveo, Mbaya, Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Selknam, Yughs, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Dong, Maonan, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Greece, China, Japan, Russian Federation

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