Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I48A — Those who fell through the earth.

44 Myths, legends and folktales

44 Unique narratives for motif I48A

35 Cultures & traditions where I48A is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif I48A

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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 hero's adversary descends into the underworld.

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects.

I48 has 1 other sub-motifs

I48. The character is deprived of the ability to move, after which he acquires cosmic dimensions: he supports the earth (sky) or his movements cause earthquakes (less often - storms).
I48a. The hero's adversary descends into the underworld.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I48’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K27S	96.76%	Competition: running, racing. See motif K27.
M29B	94.37%	Fox (a), Jackal, Coyote (or Wolf when, apparently, we mean a steppenwolf, i.e. the same coyote). See the motives in square brackets.
K12	94.28%	The hero returns the woman whom his enemy or rival tried to take away from him.
K27Z	91.87%	A character gains power over another by winning a game of chance or an intellectual game (not a sporting competition). The motif includes all texts with motif K27z4.
B3A	90.85%	The waters are primary. The earth is lowered onto the water, appears above the water, grows from a piece of solid substance placed on the surface of the water or liquid mud, from an island in the ocean, is exposed when the waters recede, etc.
M29B2	90.69%	As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the bear dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
K176	90.66%	A man sets out on a journey to find or bring back a bride or wife.
M29B3	90.44%	As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the fox (jackal) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. If it is not specified that a “jackal”, then the protagonist is a fox.
K1F	90.19%	One man traps another, driven by jealousy or the desire to possess his rival's wife. See motifs K1A, K1E, K2A.
I45A	89.53%	Pointing at or staring at the moon or stars will cause illness (death) or the pointing finger to rot or wither.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

35 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 35 traditions: Old and New Testament, Sara, incl. Ngambaye (Ngambaï), Mbaï, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Northern Vanuatu: Banks Islands (incl Mota, Mota Lava, Gaua, Santa Maria), Torres Islands, Vepsians, Western Ukrainians, Chuvash, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Khakas, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Udeghe, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Tuscarora, Klamath, Modoc, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Diegueño: Ipai, Tipai, Kamia (Kumeai), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Pima, Papago, Gulf Nahuatl, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Southern Altai: Teleut, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Early Russian written sources, Bhutan

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0009-0006-1672-4451
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