Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

I74 — Stars – stones.

37 Myths, legends and folktales
37 Unique narratives for motif I74
30 Cultures & traditions where I74 is told
1 Sub-motifs of motif I74
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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

Stars – (bright) stones, sequins, beads.

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.

I74 has 1 other sub-motifs

Related

I74.  Stars – (bright) stones, sequins, beads.
I74a.  Stars – fireflies.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of I74’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
A2A192.62%At first, the moon was as bright and hot as the sun.
E991.66%The character notices that someone is running the house in his absence and catches the person doing so by surprise.
K2490.92%Women (rarely men) possessing magical powers and usually coming from another world (from the sky, from under water, they are winged creatures, bird-people, animal-people; rarely: a girl of higher social status than the hero) take off their clothes (feather coverings, etc.) or part of them. The character hides the clothes (one of them), forcing him (rarely her) to fulfil his (rarely her) desire.
A490.30%The Sun is a woman (the Moon is usually a man, sometimes also a woman, see motif A6; highlighted in bold italics in the list of ethnic groups below).
L6489.44%A certain character removes, takes out a part of his body (head, scalp, lungs), takes it in his hands, puts it back.
K2588.93%A man consciously marries a woman who belongs to the non-human world.
K73A288.89%The ill-wishers of the new mother replace the baby with a broom (they tell the father that his wife has given birth to a broom).
I8G88.74%A single giant holds up the earth or the sky.
I1188.38%The turtle (toad, frog) serves as a support (embodiment) of the earth (sky), or the supports of the sky are made from its body.
B73B88.37%Two teenagers or young people are looking for each other, calling out to each other (or one of them is calling the other): a girl is looking for her missing (deceased) brother or brother's wife; a brother is looking for his sister or brother; young parents are looking for their child; one or both of those calling out turn into birds with a characteristic call.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

30 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 30 traditions: Chagga (Jagga; incl Wasu), Pare, Digo, Teda (Tedaga), Arnhem Land: Enindhilyagwa (Groote Eilandt), KuTiwi, Yulengor, Mara, Oenpelli, Murngin, Roper River, Maung, Murinbata, Murngin (Duwal), Millingimbi, Goulburn Island, Ngulugwongga, Yirrkalla, Voctoria River Downs, Alawa, Anu, Kunwinjku, Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, 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, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, England, British, Bretons, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Wakhi, Ishkashimi (including Sanglich), Munji, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Armenians, Kazakh, Mordvins, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Udeghe, Oroch, Nanai, Manchu, Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Tzotzil, Tunebo, Guajiro, Kodiak, Toto, Rabha (northern Western Bengalia), China

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