Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I6A — Male and female: different types of precipitation.

35 Myths, legends and folktales
35 Unique narratives for motif I6A
32 Cultures & traditions where I6A is told
1 Sub-motifs of motif I6A
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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 male and female of a huge bird carry different types of precipitation (for example, the eagle carries snow, and the eagle carries rain). Or (Buryats of Mongolia) the same bird carries different types of precipitation depending on whether it is angry or not. See motif i6. Traditions associated with Na-Dene languages are highlighted in italics in the list.

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.

I6 has 1 other sub-motifs

Related

I6.  A person encounters a huge bird carrying clouds, rain, snow, thunderstorms, etc.
I6a.  The male and female of a huge bird carry different types of precipitation (for example, the eagle carries snow, and the eagle carries rain). Or (Buryats of Mongolia) the same bird carries different types of precipitation depending on whether it is angry or not. See motif i6. Traditions associated with Na-Dene languages are highlighted in italics in the list.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I6’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
M81B99.08%The character is warned not to try to reach an arrow if it gets stuck in a tree. He breaks the ban and gets into trouble.
L7998.92%The girl marries a powerful, benevolent character; his first wife is a monster; he kills her or is satisfied that she has been killed by his new wife.
K1D98.79%The hero's wife's brothers try to kill him by leaving him on an island.
K27Y198.57%The character believes or pretends that arrowheads should be made of bark, coal, grass, and similar materials.
M2098.18%The character does something unacceptable, is caught, and his beak or jaw is damaged. Usually (except for the Koryaks), people keep the torn-off beak (jaw) in their homes, and the character comes and takes it back.
K27Y98.18%The hero is sent or, knowing the danger, goes himself to obtain various (at least two) materials for making a bow and arrows (shafts, feathers, bowstring, flint for arrowheads, paint for colouring arrows, resin and fibres for attaching the arrowhead or feather to the shaft, etc.). See motif K27.
M1797.89%A wife, mother or grandmother directs the arrow of a blind man or boy at game, lies that he missed, cooks and eats the meat herself. See motif M16 (man is blind, K333.1).
A13A197.73%The raven rescues or obtains the hidden or stolen sun (daylight).
M16A97.35%A character (usually a loon) restores a person's sight and/or health by diving into the water with them. See motif M16.
L10297.17%A girl or woman (for various reasons, jokingly or seriously) calls an animal or animal remains her husband, or steps on bones and addresses them. The animal (comes to life and) carries her away. Her human husband, parents or brother come for her, and they flee; usually the animal husband pursues them, but stops the chase or dies.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

32 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 32 traditions: Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Mongols (Khalkha), Chipewyan, Dogrib, Slavey, Hare (K'ahsho Got'ine), Han, Tutchone, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Kaska, Koyukon, Tanana, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Beaver, Tlingit, Arapaho, Omaha, Ponca, Kiowa Apache, Gros Ventre, Crow, Kutenai, Choctaw, Chicasaw, Navajo, Jicarilla, Chiricahua, Mescalero, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), Hopi, Zuni, Lipan, Yellowknife, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori

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