Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
M94A1 — Mountain riding: trickster animals
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
OverviewBy stupidity or negligence, a zoomorphic character rolls down a mountain and as a result dies or suffers damage (attacks the edge, falls into the water, etc.).
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.
M94 has 4 other sub-motifs
RelatedM94. One character invites the other to roll down the mountain to destroy him. Cf. Motive L42C.
M94a. The demonic character kills his victims, provoking them to slide down the mountain.
M94a1. By stupidity or negligence, a zoomorphic character rolls down a mountain and as a result dies or suffers damage (attacks the edge, falls into the water, etc.).
M94b. The character is lured to look under the mill wheel, he dies or is maimed.
M94b1. The character is lured to look under the mill wheel, he dies or is maimed.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| B112 | 97.26% | The character is called upon to help perform a task (usually to transport property or provisions across a river) and takes away what has been entrusted to him. A woodpecker or titmouse returns the stolen goods. The owner of the property paints or dresses the bird, hence the colour of its plumage |
| M108B | 97.26% | The deceiver takes away someone else's property in a boat or carries it away. A bird (usually a woodpecker) deceives him and returns the property to its owners. |
| I84 | 97.03% | The Milky Way â ski tracks. |
| E9I4 | 97.02% | Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) takes the form of a crane. |
| B109A | 96.87% | Originally, the (human) bear lived in the sky, then descended to earth (and became a bear). |
| M60B1 | 96.87% | The crow promises to cure the fish, and eats it herself. |
| L17A2 | 96.85% | Instead of a beautiful woman, a man takes a devil with an odd number of eyes. |
| D13I | 96.76% | The character amuses the audience in order to identify the deceiver and thief by his broken tooth. The latter laughs and gives himself away. |
| K25A7 | 96.65% | The older brother hunts, the younger brother takes care of the household. After catching the winged maiden, the older brother takes her as his wife, while the younger brother, out of naivety, returns her wings to her. The older brother sets off in search of his wife. |
| K89 | 96.46% | After getting married, the heroine and her rival (witch, frog) must bring gifts from their relatives. The heroine finds her brother, brothers or sister who went missing at the beginning of the story and receives rich gifts from them, while the gifts brought by her rival are worthless. |
See the 100 most similar distributions →
Map of motif dispersal
DistributionDrag the map to pan, use the scroll wheel to zoom — choose a texture or projection below
Traditions
30 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 30 traditions: Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Western Tungus (Evenki), Western Siberia Tungus (Evenki): Sym River, Ket River, Ainu, Udeghe, Nanai, Negidal, Nivkh, Kerek, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chukchi, Central Yupik, Dogrib, Slavey, Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Han, Tutchone, Tagish, Kaska, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), North Alaskan Inupiat, Polar Inuit, Caraja, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area
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