Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
J52A — Antagonist – female bear.
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
OverviewA she-bear or bear treacherously kills his companion, neighbour, etc., who is associated with a herbivorous animal or a weaker predator. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children or flee. See motifs J52, J54.
Berezkin category: Avenger heroes: The amerinday cycle
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
J52 has 2 other sub-motifs
RelatedJ52. A character (usually zoomorphic and female) treacherously kills another. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children.
J52a. A she-bear or bear treacherously kills his companion, neighbour, etc., who is associated with a herbivorous animal or a weaker predator. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children or flee. See motifs J52, J54.
J52b. A girl, young woman or children associated with hares (rabbits) are heroes-victors or successful tricksters.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| J53A | 99.84% | A character invites another to play. The latter follows the rules, but the initiator of the game does not and kills the other. |
| J52 | 98.98% | A character (usually zoomorphic and female) treacherously kills another. The victim's children take revenge by killing the murderer's children. |
| A5A | 98.95% | The younger brother (usually the Sun) is made from the urine and swaddling clothes of his older brother (usually the Moon), who was kidnapped as a baby. See motif A5. |
| B107 | 98.95% | During the (world) fire, the oyster burns, which is why oyster shells are black. |
| B28B | 98.95% | The inhabitants of the area where the hero finds himself are afraid of creatures that are tools, utensils, and plants that are now harmless. The hero easily defeats these creatures and usually transforms them into what they are now. |
| B28D1 | 98.95% | Not understanding who he is facing, the man promises to kill the Transformer. The Transformer turns his weapon into deer antlers and him into a deer. |
| B61 | 98.95% | The mole had to hold up the fallen sky and sun. Since then, its paw (hand) has remained dislocated backwards. |
| B64C | 98.95% | Fish, together with other earthly creatures, wage war on the inhabitants of the sky. Falling to the ground, they break their bones, which is why fish have many small bones in their bodies. See motif B64. |
| B91 | 98.95% | The snail had (the most keen-eyed) eyes. Another character borrows them and does not return them. |
| D1A | 98.95% | A girl marries a man whose mother is fire. |
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
36 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 36 traditions: Lavrung, Jiarong; Qiang (incl rGyalrong), Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Yuchi, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lillooet, Comox, Pentlatch, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Kalapuya, Takelma, Coos, Klamath, Modoc, Wailaki, Mattole, Lassik, Sinkyone, Cahto, Yuki (Yuki proper, Coastal Yuki, Huchnob), Wappo, Pomo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Sierra Miwok, Coastal Miwok, Yana, Yokuts, Salinan, Mono (Monache), Tubatulabal, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Northern Khanty (Ostyaks), Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)
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