Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
I73 — Stars – sparks.
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
OverviewStars (rarely suns and moons) – sparks, hot coals.
Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| L1C2 | 92.72% | Fleeing from a demonic creature, the characters hide their children (younger brother or sister) in a camouflaged pit, usually under the hearth. See motif L1C. |
| H34E | 92.52% | The snow was edible. |
| A37 | 92.17% | The character deliberately and by resorting to special means (usually shooting with a bow) strikes the sun or several suns or attempts to do so. |
| F77A | 91.82% | A huge penis serves as a bridge. |
| B6 | 91.75% | The first or only remaining man and woman move towards each other, going around a mountain, a pole or otherwise following a circle from opposite sides, and when they meet, they get married. |
| B46D | 91.28% | Men, each of whom excels others in a particular art, turn into stars. |
| A12B | 90.66% | During an eclipse or at sunset (marked *), the luminaries are swallowed by a toad or frog. |
| A4B | 90.56% | The sun decided to walk across the sky during the day because it is afraid of the night. |
| I11 | 89.57% | The turtle (toad, frog) serves as a support (embodiment) of the earth (sky), or the supports of the sky are made from its body. |
| A2A | 89.23% | The world was or will be (almost) burned when several suns lit up or will light up simultaneously; or destructive heat (or light) once emanated from one sun. |
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
17 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 17 traditions: Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Juang, Sora (Savara, Saora), Parenga, Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Karachays, Balkar, Ingush, Labrador Inuit (Koksoagmiut), Tsimshian, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Pomo, Chumash, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Mende, Loma, Gbunde (Gbandi, Bandi), China
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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