Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
K37D — Recognised by teeth marks.
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
OverviewThe character recognises the presence of another by noticing traces of their teeth or nails on fruit or leaves.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
K37 has 5 other sub-motifs
RelatedK37. In order to return or obtain a wife, son or husband (in Africa also a domestic animal or object), a person must identify her or him among several identical people or animals (objects).
K37a. The character must identify his son or husband among many identical people or animals. See motif K37.
K37b. A man must identify his chosen one blindfolded. He does this by touch, knowing that one of her fingers is damaged or missing.
K37c. The character must identify an animal or object among several identical ones. See motif K37.
K37d. The character recognises the presence of another by noticing traces of their teeth or nails on fruit or leaves.
K37e. The clairvoyant cannot identify the person who revealed the secret, because that person does so while hiding among objects that are never found together in everyday life.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| A21A | 100.00% | The moon is an object that was accidentally released by its owners or stolen from them and ended up in the sky. |
| B118 | 100.00% | A character who was unable to reach the sky or returned from the sky to earth becomes an owl. |
| B74B | 100.00% | The owl is forced to part with the moon and now cries out when it sees the moon. Usually, the story tells how the marriage of the owl and the moon fell apart or did not take place. |
| E39A | 100.00% | An animal (snake, pig) conceives from a man's urine and gives birth to a human child (or twins). |
| F43C | 100.00% | The husbands of the first women, Amazons or single women are small animals - usually flying foxes. |
| K32F | 100.00% | A woman or girl raises a bird of prey chick, which brings her food and fire. This usually happens after an evil spirit leaves the girl or young woman in a tree or on an island. |
| L132 | 100.00% | When one member of a small (family) group, left alone, secretly eats food, this leads to serious conflict, often resulting in the murder of the guilty party. |
| L133 | 100.00% | The character keeps his limbs separately, connecting them to his body when necessary. |
| M5A | 100.00% | Small animal characters sail in the boat, it sinks, everyone escapes as best they can. |
| M5B | 100.00% | rat drowns, has difficulty getting to the shore (usually an aquatic animal takes it), and mocks other animals (usually its savior). |
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
10 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 10 traditions: Tonga, Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Tikopia, Bellona, Rennell, partly Aneytium, Futuna (=Erronan, not to be mixed with Futuna in Western Polynesia), Vaeaka-Taumato, incl Matema, Nifeloli, Nukapu, Nupani, Pileni, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Tuvalu (Ellice), Ceram: Alune and Wemale (West Ceram), Patasiwa (Ceram), Honitetu (West Ceram Highlands); Nusawele, Hatuolu, Huaolu, Patasiwa; Ambon; Buru, Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, 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, Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Japan
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