Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
H6B — The elixir of immortality is spilled on plants.
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
OverviewThe elixir of immortality, intended for humans, is not delivered to its destination, but falls on plants, which become evergreen, capable of regeneration or bearing fruit. (Traditions in which the "elixir of immortality" is linked to the motif of false news are marked with an asterisk. Cf. motif B115).
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.
H6 has 7 other sub-motifs
RelatedH6a. Mortal humans are contrasted with plants, which regularly shed their bark, bloom in spring after winter dormancy, or reproduce vegetatively. See motif H4.
H6b. The elixir of immortality, intended for humans, is not delivered to its destination, but falls on plants, which become evergreen, capable of regeneration or bearing fruit. (Traditions in which the "elixir of immortality" is linked to the motif of false news are marked with an asterisk. Cf. motif B115).
H6bb. A character is sent to deliver a certain object or substance to people, the possession of which is essential to them. The messenger loses these objects or brings others. Usually, this refers to the ability to be reborn after death. Traditions not related to the explanation of human mortality are marked with an asterisk*.
H6c. The raven (crow, vulture) is associated with death or contrasted with humans as immortal among mortals (sent to bring the elixir of immortality or water that revives the dead; drinks this water himself; teaches people funeral rites; etc.).
H6c1. To obtain the desired object, the character grabs the young or the female bird (snake, crab) and promises to release them if the father (mother, male) bird delivers the desired object.
H6c2. At the edge of the world lies the land of darkness. Those who want to obtain living water or gold strive to get there.
H6c3. Large birds that fly in wedge formations (storks, cranes, swans, geese – German: Zugvögel) are associated with the otherworld (they bring children from there, carry children away to the non-human world, control living and dead water, etc.).
H6d. Having obtained a means of ensuring immortality, the character falls asleep or leaves the means unattended. At this time, another character steals the means.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| K27R1 | 98.20% | The antagonist believes that the hero was burned, but returned safely from the afterlife, so he orders himself or his representative to be burned. |
| K91 | 97.48% | Dogs, the hero's horse, or the hero himself fight the enemy in the underworld. Those watching from a distance judge the course of the battle by the colour of the water or foam rising to the surface, the colour of the first animal to emerge, etc. |
| K174 | 97.34% | To signal their arrival, a person places, or more often discreetly throws, a ring or other small item of personal jewellery or toiletries into the jug of a maid or servant. Upon discovering it, the other person understands that the first is nearby. |
| M91B | 96.96% | A person manages to fraudulently sell or exchange ash for gold and money. Others are unsuccessfully offering ash for sale. |
| K12A | 96.65% | An unrecognised hero arrives at a place where his bride or wife is to be given to another man or turned into a servant. Contrary to expectations, he manages to draw a tight bow (raise a spear), with which he kills his rivals. |
| M149B | 96.12% | A person says that in his stomach (in a box) there are dangerous creatures that he has swallowed (put in a box) and that they may come out. A predator that is about to eat (bite) a person believes this and runs away. |
| N1 | 96.09% | The fabulous and epic texts start from the beginning, which states that today's huge objects were tiny at the time. |
| I50A | 96.05% | A demon sequentially tears off the legs of an animal that helps the hero (usually the horse on which the hero rides). |
| I87A | 96.04% | A character of gigantic size turns out to be small in comparison with a character of even greater size, or the same character turns out to be small in some episodes and gigantic in others. |
| I51A | 95.83% | The earth is supported by or has a large mammal at its centre. See motif I8B. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
32 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 32 traditions: Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Kru: Kru proper, Sapo (Sapã), Grebo, Kran (Krahn, Guere-Krahn; incl. Putu, Tchien), Bete, Neyo, Wobe, Devoin (Dey), Belle (Kuwaa), Bassa, Sikon, Palau (Western Carolines), Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Namuci (Namuyi), Naxi; Pumi (Primi), Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Uzbek, Tajik, Persians, Tats, Armenians, Kalmyk, Azeris (Azerbaijanis), Talysh, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Tofa (Karagas), Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Udeghe, Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang Chinese; Manchuria Chinese (data not specified on particular provinces), Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Liberia, Japan, Palau
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