Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L105 — The invisible hook, B5482.3.

75 Myths, legends and folktales

75 Unique narratives for motif L105

53 Cultures & traditions where L105 is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif L105

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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

A wounded animal, fish or anthropomorphic character runs or swims away – usually with a hook, harpoon, arrow or other hunting or fishing implement stuck in its body; local healers cannot cure the wounded creature (usually because they cannot see the object that caused the wound); a person comes to the wounded person's village and successfully treats them (usually by removing the object that caused the wound). Cf. motif M60A.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.

L10 has 1 other sub-motifs

L10. The character has a sharp (biting) tail or a protrusion on its back. See motif L9, cf. motif L9C.
L10a. A demonic character approaches a man's campfire. The man leaves a log in his place and hides. The character throws himself on the log, mistaking it for a sleeping man; usually, the hunter kills or wounds the demon.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L10’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
H9A	92.35%	Of two women, one of whom is associated with a stone and the other with a plant, only the plant woman leaves offspring, which is why people are what they are (mortal, capable of speech, etc.). Alternatively, children born to two women have opposite characteristics (skilled and unskilled, etc.).
K47A	91.68%	A woman mates with a dog. Her children grow up to be humans and usually become the ancestors of certain ethnic groups.
D10	91.65%	A couple of people serve as the embodiment of a tool for obtaining fire.
M60A	91.06%	The creature/character runs away or swims away with a hook, harpoon, arrow, or other object thrown by the hero in his body. Local shamans can't heal an existence/character. The hero or his friend comes to the wounded man's village, takes out the object that caused the injury, or drives him even deeper into the body. The patient recovers or dies accordingly. See L105 and M60 motifs.
F64B	90.37%	A woman pretends to be someone else in order to seduce her son, brother, daughter or grandson. See motif F64.
B1B	88.80%	Two female progenitors participate in the process of creation. The actions of one bring good, the other evil.
K34	87.70%	The character puts others on the swing and, after swinging them, throws them (or threatens to throw them) into the water, onto rocks, etc.
K26	87.69%	Approaching an opening or making one, the character sees the world below (usually seeing the earth from the sky). See motif K25.
B76	87.10%	The sea waves instantly petrified, forming land with mountains on it.
B82	86.79%	The raven (less often another bird of prey, or another black bird the size of a raven) was first white, and then turned black.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

53 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 53 traditions: Shilluk, Anuak, Fon, Western Australia: Walmanjeri, Njolnjol (Njulnjul, Nyul-Nyul), Worora, Kariara (Karierra), Karadjari (Karadjeri, Garadjari), Djaberdjaber (Djaberadjabera), Ngarluma, Wiilman (Wheelman), Bibbulmum (Pebelman), Burong (Panaka), Papua-NewGuinea Highland Papuans:Trans New Guinea & unclassified:Chimbu,Gimi,KaugelHuli,Gadsup,Kuman,Kutubu,Foi (Foe),Kyaka,Kamano (Kafe),Mawatta,Kukukuku (=Anga,=Sambia;Manki,Nauti,Ejuti),Baruya,Kewa,Tembregak,Menya,Melpa,Wiru,Pondoma, Hawaii, Palau (Western Carolines), Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Roti, Bunak, Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Khmer, Viet, Muong, Koreans, Ireland, Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Mongols (Khalkha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Oroch, Nivkh, Chukchi, Chugach, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, Tahltan, Kaska, Denaina, Koyukon, Tanana, Eyak, Haida, Tsimshian, Heiltsuk (Bellabella), Oowekeeno, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Nootka (Nu-chah-nulth), Makah, Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Micmac, Carrier, Lillooet, Comox, Pentlatch, Coos, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Japan, Palau

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