Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I51A — Four-legged animals – the pillars of the earth.

138 Myths, legends and folktales

138 Unique narratives for motif I51A

79 Cultures & traditions where I51A is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif I51A

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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 earth is supported by or has a large mammal at its centre. See motif I8B.

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.

I51 has 1 other sub-motifs

I51a. The earth is supported by or has a large mammal at its centre. See motif I8B.
I51b. The earth or sky is perceived as a large mammal or created from parts of its body.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I51’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K174	97.97%	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.
L15E	97.47%	The hero's life is in a certain object, usually his weapon. An enemy steals or discards this object, the hero weakens or dies, his friends or brothers return the object, and the hero comes back to life. {In ATU, this is motif 302B; at least some of the references cited by Uther do not contain the motif in our formulation (not found in Japan or Burma); original publications are required}.
M39A6D	96.92%	One of the relatives or spouses transfers a text or object to the other through third parties. Only the recipient understands the meaning of the words or the item handed over, saves the sender and/or destroys his enemies.
K77B2	96.52%	The goat (goat, ram, etc.) responds to the predator's questions in the sense that parts of its body are weapons and other objects designed to kill the questioner, or that the goat is actually armed.
K136B	96.28%	A character finds precious stones or unusual flowers (usually in a river) and learns where they come from.
M84C	96.17%	Sleeping in a deserted place, a person finds himself among spirits. One of them explains that he has a guest, that is the same person.
K93B2	96.14%	A childless woman conceives a child after eating a fruit (usually an apple; in northern traditions also cabbage, eggs, peas, etc., in India – mangoes).
K91	96.13%	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.
M152C	96.00%	The weak companion of a large predator pretends to be strong and brave. When he is carried away by the river or drowns in a swamp, and the predator pulls him out, the companion pretends to be angry (for preventing him from catching fish, etc.).
F14	95.96%	The hero is born as a result of the union of a man with a stone or rock.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

79 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 79 traditions: Saudi Arabia, Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Arabs of Iraq, Iraqi, Arabs of Egypt, Kabylia and other Berber of Northern and Central Algeria: Beni Snous, Beni Menacer (incl Zuav), Shaui, etc.), Berbers of southern Tunisia and adjacent part of Libya (Matmata and Ghadames areas), Morocco Arabs, Masai, Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Hausa, Fula (Fulbe, Fulani, Pular), Temne (Timne), Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Minangkabau; Kerinci, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Ami, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Mon, 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, SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Malayali; Kannikaran, Toda, Kota, Kuruba (Kurumba), Badaga, Maravar, Pulaya, Kadar, Bengali, Punjabi, Seraiki (Multani), Sindhi, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Rajasthani (Radjasthan and Madhya Pradesh), Himachali-Pahari (Western Pahari), Dards (Kalash, Kho, Kohistani, Shina, Pashai), Hungarians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Slovenians, Slovenes, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Uzbek, Pashto, Persians, Iranian literary tradition (including Avesta, Pahlevi scripts, Sah-nameh, Marzban-nameh); Zoroastrians of Iran, Indian Parsees, Zoroastrianism, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Ingush, Lezgians, Archin, Kürin; Khinalug, Rutul, Tsakhur, Tabasaran, Aghul, Dargin (Dargwa), incl. Müregin, Khürkilin, Kubachi, Avar, Andi, Akhvakh, Dido (Tsez), Hunsib, Khvarshi, Kumyk, Terekemen, Nogai, Tats, Armenians, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Azeris (Azerbaijanis), Kurds, Talysh, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Cherokee, Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Chechens, Bosnians, China

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