Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

H36A — False news: the origin of death, A1335.1.

176 Myths, legends and folktales

176 Unique narratives for motif H36A

78 Cultures & traditions where H36A is told

17 Sub-motifs of motif H36A

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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 character distorts the message conveyed to him, deliberately lies, brings the wrong thing, loses what he is carrying, delays (and is overtaken by another messenger). As a result, people become mortal (they do not revive after death).

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.

H36 has 17 other sub-motifs

H36.  A character is sent to deliver instructions or certain items. The messenger distorts the message, brings the wrong items, loses what he is carrying, delays (and is overtaken by another messenger). This has important consequences for him and for the future lives of the people.
H36a.  The character distorts the message conveyed to him, deliberately lies, brings the wrong thing, loses what he is carrying, delays (and is overtaken by another messenger). As a result, people become mortal (they do not revive after death).
H36aa.  The messenger must tell people what they should do if they want to avoid death, but he distorts the instructions and people become mortal. In Mesoamerican variants, it is not about people in general, but about a specific character.
H36b.  The chameleon is to blame for the fact that man is mortal or that he must labour; he loses the trust placed in him by the deity. See motif H36.
H36c.  The lizard is to blame for the fact that man is mortal. See motif H36.
H36d.  The hare distorts God's command and/or is responsible for the fact that humans are mortal. See motif H36.
H36e.  The rat is to blame for the fact that man is mortal.
H36f.  The raven is sent to deliver an important item or message. He distorts the message or loses what has been entrusted to him.
H36ff.  The raven (crow) or other large bird of prey tries to kill people and/or is responsible for the fact that humans (tigres: domestic animals) are mortal or susceptible to disease.
H36g.  God sends a messenger to the people to tell them to eat infrequently (once a day, once every three days, etc.). The messenger says that one should eat often – at least two or three times a day.
H36g1.  When a bull (ox, cow) is ordered to convey certain instructions to people, he confuses them or deliberately distorts them.
H36g2.  When a character, who later became a dung beetle, was ordered to convey certain instructions to people, he distorted them.
H36gg.  The coyote is to blame for the fact that humans are mortal.
H36h.  Creatures, including a frog or toad, must cross an obstacle. This does not go as planned and results in humans becoming mortal.
H36hh.  The frog or toad is to blame for the fact that humans are mortal.
H36i.  The goat or sheep is to blame for the fact that man is mortal. See motif H36.
H36j.  The lark is to blame for the fact that man is mortal.
h36k.  Trees try to prevent humans from appearing on earth, fearing that they will cut them down.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of H36’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
M109C	99.26%	A character is invisibly tied by the tail and tries to break free (successfully or unsuccessfully). Cf. motif M109.
L110A	99.12%	A character swallows a person or (usually) many people and animals, the hero kills the monster, and while cutting it open, accidentally wounds one of those who were swallowed. Usually, the wounded person is offended and when those who were swallowed come out, they harm or destroy the hero.
M182	99.00%	A character threatens to hit another character and, as a result, gets stuck with all his limbs. Usually, it is a doll covered with something sticky, which the character mistakes for a living creature.
I41A	98.72%	A rainbow rises from an anthill or termite mound.
M104	98.33%	A character suggests that another kill their close relatives (children, brothers, mother), hides their own, and assures them that they have killed them. When the other actually kills their children, mother or brothers, it turns out that the first character's relatives are unharmed. See motif A41 (The Moon hides her star children to provoke the Sun into killing his children).
M119	98.31%	A character repeatedly shows another person the same object or creature; the other person believes that there are as many objects or creatures as the character has shown them. Usually, the character takes care of the other person's young, eats them or they die due to his negligence, or he is hired as a shepherd and eats the other person's livestock. When checked, he shows the parent (the owner of the herd) the same un-eaten young (or the same sheep), and the parent believes that all the young (animals) are safe. In ATU, this is plot 37, but two other plots are included as variants, and the sources are indicated for all three collectively.
B42R	98.17%	The three stars of Orion's Belt are three characters chasing each other.
H36B	97.71%	The chameleon is to blame for the fact that man is mortal or that he must labour; he loses the trust placed in him by the deity. See motif H36.
B3	97.42%	At first, the earth is soft, resembling a swamp.
M29W1	97.34%	As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, the leopard (panther, leopard) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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🌐 Open as Airocean (Dymaxion) map ↗

Traditions

78 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 78 traditions: Arabs of Egypt, Berbers of southern Tunisia and adjacent part of Libya (Matmata and Ghadames areas), Malagasy, Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Bongo, Nyimang (incl Ama), Oromo (Galla), Konso, Sidamo, Darasa, Bussa (Bassa), Kambata, Guji, Yao, Makua, Tonga, Ila (Baila), Malawi (incl Nyanja, Banyanja, Manganja), Tumbuka (incl Henga), Nsenga, Matengo, (Ba)Wenda, Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Kamba, Tharaka, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Safwa, Mkulwe, Ngonde, Kinga, Nyakusa, Nyamwanga, 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, Bemba (Wemba, Babemba; incl Ambo, Lala, Lamba, Bisa), Holoholo, Kaonde, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Yaka (in Angola and Congo), Lozi (Losi, Rotse, Barotse), Lui, Subiya (Subia), Zulu, Swazi, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Duala (Douala), Basa (Basaá), Kwiri (Kweli), Isubu, Fang (Pangwe), Eton, Bafia, Batanga, Benga, Bube (Bubi), Buheba, Yaunde (Ewondo), Yebekolo, Koko, Bulu, Beti (Beti-Bulu), Sekiani, Eghap, Enenga, Mpongwe, Kuta (Koto), Nkomi, Masango, Mindumu, Mbede, Mitsogo, Bawunga, Ndumu (Ndumbo), Duma, Teke, (B)wende, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Igbo (Ibo); Isoko, Urhobo, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Kposso, "Togo-Restvölker" (Adele, Akebu, Akposso, Bowiri/Bowili, Santrokofi, Lelemi, Borada Akrade, Teteman, Baakwa, Bowiri), Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo), Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi), Bia: Anyi, Agni, Baule, Nsema, Mandjak, Mankanya, Pepel, Balant, Felupe, Diola (Jola), Limba, Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara, Bushmen (all groups), Sandawe, 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), Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Viet, Muong, Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, 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, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Lepcha, Portuguese, Portugal, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Tajik, Armenians, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Kets, Ainu, Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Chitimacha, Huichol, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Ndebele, Pedi, Thonga (Tsonga incl Ronga), Hlengwe, Matabele (Tebele), Kono (=Kone), Wai, Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Liberia, Comoros, Egypt, China

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