Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L41A1 — The cauldron split.

23 Myths, legends and folktales
23 Unique narratives for motif L41A1
14 Cultures & traditions where L41A1 is told
4 Sub-motifs of motif L41A1
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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

When the demon tries to shake the meat out of the bag over the cauldron, stones fall from the bag into the cauldron and it splits, or the boiling water spills out and scalds the demon.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

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

L41 has 4 other sub-motifs

Related

L41.  After catching a person, the cannibal carries his prey home, but the captive escapes on the road or at the cannibal's house. See motif L38 (a person falls into a demon's trap).
L41a.  The character runs away from his captor, leaving a stone (or a log, sand) in his place. See motif L41.
L41a1.  When the demon tries to shake the meat out of the bag over the cauldron, stones fall from the bag into the cauldron and it splits, or the boiling water spills out and scalds the demon.
L41b.  A basket in which a cannibal puts people is smeared or filled with tar. See motifs L41, L42.
L41c.  A cannibal grabs children as they slide down a hill.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L41’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
F5494.87%Unaware of this, the son and mother (Konkani: daughter and father) engage in sexual relations and later learn of the incest they have committed. Cf. motifs c8c, f54e.
I6194.80%The Milky Way is a trail of spilled milk.
K65A94.33%After being thrown from a height or expelled, various creatures end up in different locations, acquiring corresponding functions and names.
K93B394.25%To have a child, a woman eats fish, an apple or something else. Part of it (often the peel, broth, skin, etc.) is eaten by a mare, dog or other animals. The woman gives birth to a son (twins), the mare to a foal (foals), the dog to a puppy (puppies).
M29G293.42%Cancer (crab) defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning.
M154A193.04%A man who understands the language of animals hears the mare say that she is carrying four (three): she has a foal in her belly, and the woman in the saddle is also pregnant.
L85C93.00%A character with half a body – a hen, a chick. Sometimes it is only a name, and the character's appearance is more anthropomorphic.
L42I92.89%Creatures from another world carry off a little boy. His sister takes him and safely escapes from their pursuers. Usually the boy has two or three sisters, and only the youngest succeeds.
B33G92.88%Horsemen or horses represent celestial bodies or different periods of the day.
I47A92.88%The rainbow is associated with the wedding of a fox or jackal.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

14 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 14 traditions: Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), 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, Spain, Spaniards, France, Karelians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Norwegians, Yagnobi, Tajik, Khakas, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio)

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