Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L19A — Creature with an even number of heads.

191 Myths, legends and folktales

191 Unique narratives for motif L19A

104 Cultures & traditions where L19A is told

4 Sub-motifs of motif L19A

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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

Creatures (any except ornithomorphs) with an even number (but not more than ten) of heads at one end of the body are described or depicted, except when such creatures are mentioned among others and the series ends with an odd number or a number greater than ten.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects.

L19 has 4 other sub-motifs

L19a.  Creatures (any except ornithomorphs) with an even number (but not more than ten) of heads at one end of the body are described or depicted, except when such creatures are mentioned among others and the series ends with an odd number or a number greater than ten.
L19b.  Creatures (any, except ornithomorphic ones) with more than 10 heads or an odd (but more than one) number of heads are described or depicted (in the case of listing creatures in order of increasing number of heads, the series ends with an odd number).
L19b1.  Describes or depicts a monster (usually a reptile) with seven heads (except in cases where snakes with an increasing number of heads are described sequentially and "seven" is not the largest number).
L19b2.  A creature with nine heads is mentioned – either singly or at the end of a series of creatures with fewer heads.
L19b3.  A creature with 12 heads is mentioned – either singly or at the end of a series of creatures with fewer heads.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L19’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K8D	90.70%	The character enters the body of an anthropomorphic creature, kills it from within (K952) and/or returns to the outside without outside help.
E2	90.22%	When creating humans, the creator does not immediately achieve perfection. The first versions of the creation are rejected, then the appropriate form and material are found. See motif E1A.
A3	88.91%	The Moon is female or hermaphroditic, the Sun is male or, possibly, male.
B2E	88.65%	The Earth or the world as a whole is a male character (alone or alongside a female character).
L14	88.58%	People bring a small creature (usually a worm or reptile) into their home and raise it, or it settles into a man-made dwelling on its own. The creature turns into something terrifying or magnificent. See motif L13 (raised monster attacks people).
G8	88.43%	People or animals cut or gnaw at a tree, mountain, or pillar of the sky. The damage disappears as soon as the workers are distracted from their task (usually when they take a break) or periodically (at certain times).
K25E	88.13%	Humans in general or a specific ethnic, tribal or social group are considered descendants of an earthly man and woman of supernatural origin.
I27	87.53%	The dog and/or (rarely) the domestic cat is the master, guardian of the land of the dead, guide on the way there; dogs live on the way to the land of the dead. (For indirect evidence and similar beliefs, see also Benson 1991).
I8G	87.25%	A single giant holds up the earth or the sky.
K25	86.85%	A man consciously marries a woman who belongs to the non-human world.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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🌐 Open as Airocean (Dymaxion) map ↗

Traditions

104 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 104 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Masai, Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Tonga, Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Kikuyu, Chuka, Embu, Emberre, Mwimbe, Hehe, Pangwa (Upper Rufudji area), Bena, Matumbi, Ngoni, Pogolo, (Ma)konde, Mawiha, Rwanda (incl Hutu, Tutsi, Kiga), Rundi, (Ma)Shi, Banyabungu; Rega, Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Mbundu (Umbundu, Kimbundu, Chimbundu, Ovimbundu), Kwanyama, Owambo (=Ambo), Southeast Australia: Kamilaroi, Yualarai (Ualarai, Euahlayi), Milpulo (Mailpurgu), Wuradjeri (Wiradjurim, Wiradjeri, Wurundjeri, Yarra, Yarra Yarra), Wongaibon (Wonghibon), Noongahburrah (Narran, Narran River), Kurnai, and many others (see file 0.doc), Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Rotuma, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Palau (Western Carolines), Ulithi, Ngulu, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), 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, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Telugu (incl. Yanadi, Chenchu), Early Chinese written sources, Lepcha, Ireland, Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish, Macedonians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Estonians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Norwegians, Swedes, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Karachays, Balkar, Armenians, Kazakh, Uyghur, Bashkirs, Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Nganasans, Kets, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Dolgans, 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, Ainu, Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu, Nanai, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Inland Tlingit, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Menominee, Mandan, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Quinault, Tillamook, Karok, Hupa, Chilula, Seri, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Pame, Jonaz (Chichimeca-Jonaz), Mazahua, Otomi, Huastec (Teenek), Lacandon, Bribri, Cabecar, Terraba; Chiriqui (AD 800-1500) iconography, Muisca, Muzo, Sicuani, Piaroa, Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Machiguenga, Bolivian Guarani: Chiriguano (including assimilated Chane Arawaks), Pauserna (=Guarasu), Guarayu, Tapiete, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Paresi, Sanapana, Lengua (incl Angaite), Kpelle (incl Kono), Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje), Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Early Russian written sources, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area, Byzantine, Mexico, Japan, Palau

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