Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I41 — Rainbow serpent, A791.2.

407 Myths, legends and folktales
405 Unique narratives for motif I41
151 Cultures & traditions where I41 is told
5 Sub-motifs of motif I41
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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 rainbow is a reptile (usually a snake), less often a fish or snake-like, usually dangerous, object (snake tongue, scorpion tail).

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 3, Cosmogony, the earth and the sky, etiology of the elements, natural and biological phenomena (fire, water, soil, thunderstorms, dream, etc.), cataclysms and cosmic threats, spirits of nature.

I41 has 5 other sub-motifs

Related

I41.  A rainbow is a reptile (usually a snake), less often a fish or snake-like, usually dangerous, object (snake tongue, scorpion tail).
I41a.  A rainbow rises from an anthill or termite mound.
I41b.  The rainbow drinks (draws into itself) water (and living creatures).
I41b1.  The rainbow drinks, swallowing fish, people, etc. along with the water. Sometimes this fish falls from the sky to the ground.
i41b2.  A rainbow emerges from the mouth of a reptile, amphibian or invertebrate animal.
I41c.  Rainbow or Milky Way – reflection of a snake (fish) on land or in the sea.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I41’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
A1495.48%The meeting of the sun and the moon is the cause of eclipses or lunar phases.
H493.58%Those who change their skin (bark, clothing) are immortal (forever young). (Cf. motif K56a5a: Skinning oneself to become young: To become a young beauty, an old or ugly woman asks to have her skin skinned off).
H593.43%Reptiles or invertebrates possess a life-giving agent; they are contrasted with humans as immortal mortals and/or responsible for the fact that humans die and are not reborn; the dead turn into snakes. See motif H4. (The first death comes from a snake bite (centipede), but snakes are not opposed to humans as immortals to mortals.)
A3592.53%Dark spots on the lunar disc – dirt, blood, paint, marks from blows, burns on the body or face of a character; they do not form a specific image. See motif A31.
I10892.00%The Pleiades are a single character, not a group of people.
M2191.66%The character runs away from his pursuer. The person, animal or object that the character asks for help hides him (and kills the pursuer).
G891.55%People or animals cut or gnaw at a tree, mountain, or pillar of the sky. The damage disappears as soon as the workers are distracted from their task (usually when they take a break) or periodically (at certain times).
E5A91.13%The first humans (or only the first men or first women) were not created by a demiurge, but emerged from under the ground (from a cave) or from a small object on its surface (a tree, stone, pumpkin, etc.). There are many emerging humans (or humans and animals). Cf. motif E5B: first ancestors from the underworld.
I4290.96%The rainbow is a pair of creatures, usually a man and a woman, male and female.
H1190.87%People are mortal or defective because they respond to the call (or pronounce the name) of a creature that brings death, or do not hear the call (do not pronounce the name; do not respond to the call, do not notice) of a creature that promises immortality (power).

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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🌐 Open as Airocean (Dymaxion) map ↗

Traditions

151 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 151 traditions: Tunisia Arabs, Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Shilluk, Anuak, Bari (incl Fajulu), Kakwa, Murle, Me'en (Bodi), Didinga, Efe Pygmies, Kango (Mbuti) Pygmies, Mangbetu (Ngbetu), Mangbutu, Moru, Madi, Lugbara, Lendu (=Bale), Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Zande (Azande, incl Nzakara), Masai, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Kamba, Tharaka, Safwa, Mkulwe, Ngonde, Kinga, Nyakusa, Nyamwanga, 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, Lunda (Alunda), Kete, Luba-Kasai, Bena (Bene) Lulua; (Bena-)Kanioka, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Boa, Komo, (Ba)Nyanga, Mbole, Mongo (Mongo-Nkundu), Nkundu, Ngelima, Ngombe, (Ba)Tetela), Pende, Wu(Kusu), (Ba)Mbala (incl Saie, Kwilu), Zulu, Swazi, Fang (Pangwe), Eton, Bafia, Batanga, Benga, Bube (Bubi), Buheba, Yaunde (Ewondo), Yebekolo, Koko, Bulu, Beti (Beti-Bulu), Sekiani, Eghap, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Hausa, Igbo (Ibo); Isoko, Urhobo, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Mandingo (Manden, incl San, Samo), Kagoro, Bambara (Bamana), Malinke, Kassonke, Diula, Dan (=Gio), Guro (=Kweni, incl Gagu, Neio), Toura, Mano, Ngere, Beng, Guro , Fon, Ewe, Songhai, Dogon, Bia: Anyi, Agni, Baule, Nsema, Arnhem Land: Enindhilyagwa (Groote Eilandt), KuTiwi, Yulengor, Mara, Oenpelli, Murngin, Roper River, Maung, Murinbata, Murngin (Duwal), Millingimbi, Goulburn Island, Ngulugwongga, Yirrkalla, Voctoria River Downs, Alawa, Anu, Kunwinjku, Kimberley Plateau: Gwini, Roebuck Bay, Forest River tribes, Drysdale River tribes, Njulnjul, Ungarinyin, Unambal, Bad (Baada), Central Australia: Kaitish, Warramunga, Arunta (Aranda), Loritja (Kukatja), Pijandjara (Pitjantjara), Adnjamatana (Andjamathana, Wailpi), Aluridja, Walpiri (Walbiri), Aluridja, Matuntara (Maduntara), Nambutji, Wamma (=Wommana?), Queensland: Mungkan (Wikmunkan), Wiknatara, Bloomfield River, Cape Bedford, Cape Grafton, Kokowara (Koko-Warra), Koko-yalunyu (Kokokulunggur), Bunya Bunya, Waka-Waka (Wakawaka), Kabikabi, Chepara, Papua-NewGuinea Highland Papuans:Trans New Guinea & unclassified:Chimbu,Gimi,KaugelHuli,Gadsup,Kuman,Kutubu,Foi (Foe),Kyaka,Kamano (Kafe),Mawatta,Kukukuku (=Anga,=Sambia;Manki,Nauti,Ejuti),Baruya,Kewa,Tembregak,Menya,Melpa,Wiru,Pondoma, Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Fiji, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Fataluku, Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), Bali, Lombok, Minangkabau; Kerinci, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Negrito (incl. Mamanwa), Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Semang, Senoi, Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, 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, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Gondi (mostly Northern Gondi), Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Himachali-Pahari (Western Pahari), Dards (Kalash, Kho, Kohistani, Shina, Pashai), Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Meo (Hmong) of Thailand, Laos and Northern Vietnam, Early Chinese written sources, England, British, Bretons, Sardinia, Corsica, Sardinians, Corsicans, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Poles, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Albanians, Balkarians, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Estonians, Finns, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Persians, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Armenians, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Western Swampy Cree (incl. Rock Cree), Eastern Cree, Yuchi, Cheyenne, Plains Cree, Comox, Pentlatch, Cherokee, Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Zuni, Warihio (Guarijío), Tarahumara, Mayo, Yaqui, Sinaloa, Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec, Mam, Ixil, Aguatec, Avakatec, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Tzutujil, Tepehua, Totonac, Sayula Popoluca (=Veracruz Mixe), Sierra Popoluca, Veracruz Zoque, Chinantec, Mazatec, Tzotzil, Chorti, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Rama, Guatuso, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Bari, Paez, Guambia, Pijao; Ilama culture, Cuiva, Makiritare (Yecuana), Panare (Eñape), Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Waiwai, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Akawai, Orinoco Kariña, Yaruri, Tamanak, Wayapi, Emerillon, Colorado (Tsachila), Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kandoshi (Murato, Maina); Iquito, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Baniwa (incl. Wakuenai), Bare, Piapoco, Curripaco, Siusi, Guarikena , Andoque, Bora, Yagua, Ticuna (Tucuna), Cocama, Omagua, Ashaninca (Campa), Kanamari, Caraja, Vilela, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), Papua-New Guinea Southern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Gimi, Kiwai, Bina, Mawabula, Mawatta, Keraki, Gambadi (incl. Kwavaru), Purari River delta, Masingara, Wiram (=Suki), Ngain, Daga, Elema, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Gorontalo, Rejang, Bosnians, Fiji, Congo, Australia, China, Russian Federation

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