Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L28A — Eating a snake causes a flood.

43 Myths, legends and folktales

43 Unique narratives for motif L28A

16 Cultures & traditions where L28A is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif L28A

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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

People (or a certain person) eat the meat of a snake (dragon, unusual fish). This results in a flood, landslide, or the appearance of a river or lake.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

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

L28 has 1 other sub-motifs

L28. A person who eats unusual or forbidden meat or fish, or touches something forbidden, turns into a reptile or a fish.
L28a. People (or a certain person) eat the meat of a snake (dragon, unusual fish). This results in a flood, landslide, or the appearance of a river or lake.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L28’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
K10B	95.03%	A huge bird carries away to its nest a cage, bag or other container in which people are located. See motif 10A.
M56A	94.36%	A weak character hits a crocodile, but the crocodile is safe. He says he would be killed if the attack hit a specific location. Next time, the same character hits this place and kills a crocodile.
L30	93.47%	The one who broke the food taboo experiences terrible thirst and drinks a huge amount of water.
I80A	88.27%	Upon meeting the Thunders, a person becomes one of them.
E33	87.20%	People arise from grains, seeds, dough.
F36	86.50%	(Adopted) children of a woman or man kill the lover (or spouse of non-human nature) of their father or (adoptive) mother.
E34	86.31%	The cannibal is killed. From his ashes arise musical instruments taboo for women, used in male rituals.
G3	86.25%	Cultivated plants or fertile soil for their cultivation are hidden inside the rock. Birds or thunder gods pierce a hole in the rock.
B2B	84.57%	The earth feeds on the people buried in it. See motif B2A.
I8E	84.55%	The sky or the earth is supported by four anthropomorphic male characters located at the four cardinal points.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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🌐 Open as Airocean (Dymaxion) map ↗

Traditions

16 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 16 traditions: Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Li , Eastern Cree, Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Gros Ventre, Plains Cree, Tzutujil, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Bribri, Cabecar, Terraba; Chiriqui (AD 800-1500) iconography, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza

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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com

0009-0006-1672-4451
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