Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L6 — The clingy demon.

123 Myths, legends and folktales

121 Unique narratives for motif L6

84 Cultures & traditions where L6 is told

1 Sub-motifs of motif L6

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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

The creature demands that the person carry it constantly, not allowing itself to be thrown off.

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.

L6 has 1 other sub-motifs

L6. The creature demands that the person carry it constantly, not allowing itself to be thrown off.
L6a. An unremarkable, weak-looking character asks a person to carry him or her on their back, and then refuses to get off.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of L6’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
A3	87.94%	The Moon is female or hermaphroditic, the Sun is male or, possibly, male.
D4O	87.91%	In order to steal fire from its owner, the character pretends to be wet and cold, and after receiving permission to dry off, runs away, bringing fire to the people.
I41	87.90%	A rainbow is a reptile (usually a snake), less often a fish or snake-like, usually dangerous, object (snake tongue, scorpion tail).
E5A	87.46%	The first humans (or only the first men or first women) were not created by a demiurge, but emerged from under the ground (from a cave) or from a small object on its surface (a tree, stone, pumpkin, etc.). There are many emerging humans (or humans and animals). Cf. motif E5B: first ancestors from the underworld.
A14	87.37%	The meeting of the sun and the moon is the cause of eclipses or lunar phases.
I72	85.71%	Stars – anthropomorphic beings. See motif K19 (marriage to a star). Cases where the Star is a unique object, e.g. Venus, rather than one of many Star-people, are not included.
L17B	85.43%	A character or creature has a second face or a second mouth on the back of its head.
H24	84.86%	A vessel or other small container with valuables or living beings (creatures) is opened (prematurely). Its contents get out of control or disappear.
M21	84.82%	The character runs away from his pursuer. The person, animal or object that the character asks for help hides him (and kills the pursuer).
I82B	83.62%	The Morning and/or Evening Star – a female character.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

84 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 84 traditions: Mehri; Harsusi, Jibbali (Shahri, Shauri), Algeria Arabs, Ngbakka, Mbum (incl Mbai), Mundang, Fali, Tupuri, Maya (=Bali), Nyong, Zande (Azande, incl Nzakara), Masai, Gogo, Kaguru, Luguru, Zigula, Taveta, Shambala (Sambala), Bondei, Taeta, Dabida; Zaramo, Lega, Bangubangu, Boa, Komo, (Ba)Nyanga, Mbole, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Cross-River: Efik, Ibibio, Anaang (Anang), Ikom, Abua, Hausa, Other West Chadic: Ngas, Bolanchi, Tangale, Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Mandingo (Manden, incl San, Samo), Kagoro, Bambara (Bamana), Malinke, Kassonke, Diula, Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo), Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara, Bushmen (all groups), Sepik-Ramu stock: Abelam, Yatmul, Aibom, Ayom (incl Tembregak, Asai-river pygmies), Tangu, Porapora (Ambakich), Rao and other groups of Middle Ramu and Upper Keram River tribes; Kwanga, Watam, Kaian, Gamei, Awar; Kire (Lower Ramu), Kanaka (New Caledonia), Ot Danum, Ngadju, Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Koreans, Spain, Spaniards, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Czech, Czechs, Slovakians, Slovaks, Karelians, Vepsians, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Western Woods Cree, Eastern Cree, Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Tuscarora, Omaha, Ponca, Iowa, Arikara, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Tonkawa, Plains Cree, Assiniboine, Nez Perce, Tillamook, Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Okanagon, Sanpoil, Natchez (incl Avoyel), Alabama, Koasati, Cherokee, Yana, Pipil, Lacandon, Kekchi; Mopan, Warao, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Wayana, Aparai, Wayapi, Emerillon, Colorado (Tsachila), Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kofan, Chayahuita , Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Wanana, Tucano proper, Pira-Tapuya, Arapaso, Cubeo, Tariana, Bora, Ticuna (Tucuna), Xipaya, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Machiguenga, Yabuti, Amniapä, Kumana, Wari (Aikana), More (Itene), Trumai, Iranxe, Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Western Yakuts (Sakha): Olekma and Vilyuy Basins, Northwestern Yakuts (Sakha): Yessey, Anabar, Olenyok and Lower Lena Basins, Northeastern Yakuts (Sakha): Yana, Indigirka and Kolyma Basins, Early Russian written sources, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Itelmen, Russian Federation

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