Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
L25 — The devil sucks out brains.
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
OverviewBy killing demons, people save the life of a child, girl or woman. Remaining among people, she or he kills people (usually children) left in her or his care.
Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| B2B | 93.68% | The earth feeds on the people buried in it. See motif B2A. |
| A47 | 93.68% | The sun is born or emerges from an egg. |
| A22A | 92.01% | Two characters burn; one turns into the present sun, and the other into a less significant celestial object. See motif A22. |
| I8E | 91.98% | The sky or the earth is supported by four anthropomorphic male characters located at the four cardinal points. |
| B62 | 91.76% | Man believes that vultures live better than humans, changes his appearance to that of a vulture. The former vulture lives with the man's wife, and the man usually does not like his new life. |
| I27B | 91.55% | A dog carries a person across a river to another world. See motif I27. |
| A22B | 91.29% | The sun and its companion burn up. The companion burns in a less intense fire (is thrown into the ashes, etc.); therefore, the moon (or star) is cold. See motif A22. |
| L26 | 91.28% | During the (first) initiation, supernatural beings teach boys rituals and kill them for violating rules related to the consumption and distribution of food. |
| M121 | 91.28% | A louse or other similar creature (flea, tick, firefly) is sent to follow a certain character. |
| K30A | 91.27% | The wife of the first ancestor flies away with the vultures (usually voluntarily, after she has already cheated on her husband), and the chief (Uito: her brother) brings her back. See motif K30. |
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
15 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 15 traditions: Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Kalmyk, Khakas, Shor, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Letuama, Tanimuca, Ufaina, Yahuna, Machiguenga
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