Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I4C — Thunder in captivity.
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 enemy of the thunderer temporarily defeats and captures him.
Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
I4 has 7 other sub-motifs
RelatedI4. When a vehicle moves across the sky, thunder rumbles.
I4a. Thunder falls to earth and cannot rise. Usually, a person helps it return to the sky.
I4b. A person helps thunder defeat the enemy.
I4c. The enemy of the thunderer temporarily defeats and captures him.
I4d. An enemy steals a weapon (usually a musical instrument) used by the thunder god to summon a storm. The thunder god or his assistant comes unrecognised to the thief, takes possession of his weapon and kills his enemies.
I4d1. An enemy steals the tendons (heart and eyes) of a thunder god, who returns them and prevails over his enemy. Cf. motif L57A, "The hero's companion returns his organ."
I4e. An anthropomorphic deity (associated with thunder and rain) rides on a cloud or a cloud.
I4F. The hero and his opponent engage in single combat and are still fighting in the sky. This is thunder.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| M204A | 88.08% | Gold is placed in a person's path so that they can take advantage of it. At that moment, the person accidentally closes their eyes and walks past. |
| L15I | 86.61% | A man dies or loses his strength (or pretends to) if his hair is cut or pulled out. |
| F98 | 85.77% | A heavenly anthropomorphic deity descends to earth and mates with a cow. |
| A32L | 83.56% | The silhouette of a certain character is visible on the solar disc. Or it is said that the character fell into the sun and remained there. |
| L16B | 83.56% | The eyes or mouths of creatures are located on joints (knees, etc.). |
| H49 | 83.32% | A dog or other animal kills a creature that threatened a small child. The owner or other people mistake the saviour for an aggressor and kill it. |
| I82D | 83.22% | The Morning and Evening Stars are contrasted as man and woman. See motifs I82a, I82b. |
| A19C1 | 82.67% | The sun or moon travels across the sky in a chariot or sleigh. |
| L108C | 82.50% | To prevent the victim from recognising him and opening the door, the predator, the cannibal, shows part of his clothing, his hand, his paw, making the victim believe that his mother, teacher, etc. has come. |
| M196A | 81.67% | Arguing over a trivial matter, a husband and wife (or one of them) lie down and do not move, and people gather to bury them. At the last moment, the supposed dead person opens their mouth, and people think that the dead have come back to life; or the supposed dead person is actually buried in the ground. |
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
11 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 11 traditions: Ugarit, Phoenicia, Yao, Makua, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Hittite, Hurrit, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Greece
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