Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif
N5 — Winter is recognized by frost, summer by rain
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
OverviewLong trips, hikes, flights, or battles are described using a formula that indicates that characters learn about winter through snow or frost, and summer through warmth, rain, dew or other similar signs.
Berezkin category: Fabulous and epic formulas
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 13, Formulae.
Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns
Phylogeny| Motif | Similarity | Motif summary |
|---|---|---|
| B74 | 99.70% | The eyes of the capercaillie or black grouse turned red from tears. |
| I55B | 99.47% | The hero chases a deer or elk carrying the sun. |
| J27B | 99.15% | An infant is thrown into a lake or river and occasionally comes ashore. In addition to his earthly parents, he has a father (and mother) in the underwater world. He does not want to part with them, nor do they want to let him go. |
| M91D | 98.85% | The character deceives others by passing off the dead as alive, directing suspicions of murder to innocent people, etc. When a shaman (less often a shaman) is ready to discover the truth, he succeeds in it kill and avoid being charged with murder. |
| M171B | 98.63% | The character pretends to have brought meat on a shoulder blade and gives it to the hosts to cook. Taking a bare bone without meat out of the pot, he accuses the hosts of stealing the meat. |
| B81 | 98.42% | The creator and his opponent consider whether to give the dog the ability to shoot (with a bow or a gun). |
| L42C | 98.37% | The character hides from someone stronger, sometimes inside the house, sometimes outside, and the stronger character cannot catch him. |
| I56A | 98.24% | When a person who has entered another world touches the local inhabitants, they become ill or die. |
| M108A | 98.16% | A lonely elderly couple adopts a trickster. He steals from them (and runs away). |
| B45B | 97.52% | The bull or cow is the embodiment of cold, the reason why winter is cold. |
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
22 recordedThis motif has been recorded in 22 traditions: Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Khakas, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Dolgans, 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, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Creols of Russkoye Ustye, Southern Altai: Teleut, Khamnigans, Buryats: Eastern (trans Baikal), i.e. Khori, Ilimpii Tungus/Evenki, Yerbogachen Tungus/Evenki, Tungus/Evenki of Nercha - Chita area
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How to cite: Fielder-White, J. (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
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