Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

M28 — Icarus(failed flight on artificial wings), K1041.1.

118 Myths, legends and folktales
118 Unique narratives for motif M28
46 Cultures & traditions where M28 is told
0 Sub-motifs of motif M28
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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 able to take off, the character takes off but falls or stays in a remote place from where he can no longer take off.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 11, Tricks and competitions won thanks to deception, absurd and obscene behavior.

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny
MotifSimilarityMotif summary
M8994.14%A character is humiliated after an object or creature made of wax, resin, or excrement that he made himself or that he thought was strong melts warmly, the present.
K1893.80%A boy is born whose father (rarely mother) is unknown. He chooses his true father (mother), who usually occupies the lowest social position. Usually, a group of men or women gather together, each of whom wants the boy to choose him or her.
E1B92.25%A character made of unsuitable material and turns out to be short-lived or poorly suited to performing his functions.
K8C91.98%The character enters the belly of an ordinary land animal, kills it from within (K952) and/or returns to the outside without outside help. Cf. motif M118.
D4A90.24%Fire is stolen from its original owner, returned to people by the thief, or (the motif of theft is not expressed) brought with difficulty from a distant place.
A590.21%The Moon is male, the Sun is also male or (rarely) has no gender.
M3089.77%character who has no natural wings or can't fly long distances rises into the air, but falls or, having lost its wings, stays where he can't return from. (The motive includes several options, but even when taken together, they don't cover the whole world. Texts with M25 and M28 motifs are counted as including the M30 motif).
J4689.75%Antagonists perish by falling into water or attempting to cross a water barrier. See motifs J42, J44.
L6188.08%The character eats himself, guts himself, or kills himself in order to be eaten.
H1087.92%People are mortal, as they are likened to a stone thrown into water; they usually miss the opportunity to resemble organic matter that floats in water.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

46 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 46 traditions: Batak (Toba, Dairi), Chukchi, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Eastern Cree, Naskapi, Montagnais, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Crow, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Pomo, Wintu, Patwin, Nomlaki, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Ute, Southern Paiute, Navajo, Jicarilla, Chiricahua, Hopi, Zuni, Western Keres (Acoma, Laguna), Eastern Keres (Cochiti, Sia, San Felipe, Santo Domingo, Santa Ana, Paguate, Seama), Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Lipan, Warao, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Aguaruna, Huambiza, Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Moseten, Chimane, Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Mundurucu, Curuaia, Makka, Ayoreo, Mataco, Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Chorote, Toba (incl Pilagá)

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