Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I4D1 — The stolen tendons of Grom, ATU 1148B.
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
OverviewAn 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."
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| G8G | 98.06% | There is a unique tree that must be bent or felled. Different creatures inhabit its separate parts and/or objects of special importance are made from its wood. |
| F98 | 95.26% | A heavenly anthropomorphic deity descends to earth and mates with a cow. |
| M114J | 93.00% | A woman does not refuse those who harass her, but calmly explains that there is no point in trying to possess many, since they are all the same (they differ no more than eggs painted in different colours). |
| A19C | 90.69% | The sun is associated with a horseman or rides in a carriage drawn by horses (equidae). |
| K56AB | 90.45% | A girl marries a monster. On their wedding night, he orders her to take off her shirt, and she orders him to take off his skin. The girl survives, and the monster becomes handsome â usually because she has more shirts (or skins worn in advance) than he does. |
| M90B | 90.37% | The character was wrong when he claimed that the sun would never rise in the west or go down after midnight. |
| A19C1 | 89.95% | The sun or moon travels across the sky in a chariot or sleigh. |
| J62B1 | 89.44% | A sorceress living on an island turns men into animals. |
| K56F2 | 87.25% | In order to divide a certain number (often five) of eggs equally among people of different sexes, a cunning woman takes into account that each of the men already has two eggs. |
| L72I | 87.06% | Fleeing for his life, the character throws soap behind him, which turns into an obstacle for his pursuer (a slippery mountain, river, etc.). |
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
2 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 2 traditions: Hittite, Hurrit, Greece
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