Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

L61 — Samoyed, F1035.

87 Myths, legends and folktales

87 Unique narratives for motif L61

57 Cultures & traditions where L61 is told

0 Sub-motifs of motif L61

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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 character eats himself, guts himself, or kills himself in order to be eaten.

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
K20	96.13%	Looking at the sky at night, a man or woman expresses a desire to marry a star or the Moon (kuchin: to possess a star as an object). See motifs K19a, K19b.
K10	95.53%	A monstrous bird (bat) attacks people, heroes engage in battle with it. See motifs K10A – K10G.
J44	95.26%	The hero lures the enemy onto a rickety bridge. The enemy falls into the water, into the abyss (see motif J46). See motif J52.
F53	94.79%	An unattractive man marries, but hides his face. When he is seen, the marriage is dissolved.
I1	94.54%	Creatures that cause or embody rain and/or thunderstorms are birds or winged anthropomorphic characters. {Traditions in which birds are associated with thunderstorms and rain, but Thunder itself is not a bird, are marked with an asterisk (*).
C34	94.31%	The flood begins after people kill (harm, maim) some kind of creature (usually aquatic).
M18B	93.66%	The character turns into a fishing object in order to carry away the hook with which he is caught or the spear with which they try to harpoon him, or he turns into a hook to catch fish. See motif M18.
L5C	93.65%	The monster head pursues celestial bodies, people, or attaches itself to someone else's body. See motif L5.
B18	93.60%	Daylight, warmth, sun or moon are stored in a vessel, under a vessel, under a cover, in a bag, etc.
L46	93.39%	The character walks, climbs or descends upside down, or sees the world turned upside down.

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Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

57 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 57 traditions: Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Hausa, Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha), Southern Australia: Dieri, Urabunna (Arabana), Flinderce Mountains, Kujani, Andyamatana (Andjamatana, Wailpi), Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Mon, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Basques, Ancient Greece, Reindeer Koryak, Maritime Koryak (Alyutor), Tahltan, Kaska, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), North Alaskan Inupiat, Mackenzie Delta, Polar Inuit, Eyak, Kwakiutl (Kwakwaka'wakw), Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Naskapi, Montagnais, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Arapaho, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Kiowa, Kiowa Apache, Plains Ojibwa, Crow, Nez Perce, Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Kutenai, Cherokee, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Western Apache (White Mountain, San Carlos), Cuiva, Siona, Secoya, Coreguaje, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Ticuna (Tucuna), Tenetehara, Ashaninca (Campa), Piro (Yine), Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Tacana, Chacobo, Chamacoco (Ishir), Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote

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

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