The Mythology and Folklore Database
A1 - The ancient sun.




94 Myths, Legends and Folktales
93 Unique Narratives for Motif A1
35 Cultures & Traditions where A1 is told
112 Mythemes Indexed
1 Sub-Motifs of Motif A1


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 Motif Summary  -   Motifs with Simlar Dispersals  -    Map of Myth Distribution   -   List of Traditions  -   Myths



Source Data from Berezkin's Analytics Catalogue, if using this data please acknowledge and link to it here:
Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.



Summary of Motif

Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one.

Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 1, Sun and Moon


A1 has 1 other sub-motifs


A1.  Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one.
A1a.  Before the sun appeared, the world was lit by a large bird with bright colours (a parrot or toucan).

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
K1693.59%Taking the form of a bird, bat, insect, small animal, or fish, the man enters the young woman's home (her father's house).
J5091.71%The father or mother of twin heroes dies or is killed. An attempt to revive the deceased fails.
H2491.40%A vessel or other small container with valuables or living beings (creatures) is opened (prematurely). Its contents get out of control or disappear.
A11B91.28%The sun or moon has one eye (usually the second eye is knocked out or sucked out, but sometimes the reason is not explained; among the Munduruku, the sun of the rainy season has lost both eyes, while the sun of the dry season has retained both). See motif 11A.
K15A91.12%The hero secretly replaces the weapon or magical tool of a powerful character with a worthless fake. Traditions in which the replaced weapon belongs to Grom are highlighted in bold.
A2491.12%The first ancestors live in twilight. When they first find themselves in the rays of the sun, they (spontaneously or by someone's will) perish, turning into animals, spirits, or stones.
J2990.71%Murdered parents themselves inform their children about the circumstances of their death.
D4G90.68%Hummingbird steals, finds or spreads fire. See motif D4A.
E2290.55%Once inside a certain creature, the swallowed character learns rituals, songs, ornamental motifs, obtains drugs or poison, and, once outside again, passes this knowledge on to people.
I10B90.28%Individual layers or categories of earth differ in colour (and other characteristics).

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 35 traditions: Congo (Koongo, Bacongo; incl Vili, Fioti, (Ma)Yombe, MuKunyi), Ndombo, Luango (Loango), Zombo (Sambo), Laadi (Laari), (Ba)Fioti, Woyo (Kiwoyo), Ronga, Melanesians and Papuans of Bismark Archipelago: New Britain (Paparatava, Lakalai, Kuni, Sulka, Gazelle peninsula), New Ireland, St Matthias Group, Mioko (Melanesians between New Britain and New Ireland), Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Svans, Naskapi, Tonkawa, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Comox, Pentlatch, Cherokee, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Panamint, tarasques, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tojolabal, Chuj, Jacalteca, Kanjobal, Mocho (incl Tuzantec), Acatec, Tzotzil, Yucatec, Itza, Lacandon, Kekchi; Mopan, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Chimila (Ette), Guajiro, Panare (Eñape), Colorado (Tsachila), Barasana, Taibano, Macuna, Witoto, Ocaina, Juruna, Amuesha, Machiguenga, Mundurucu, Curuaia, Nambikwara, Paresi, Selknam


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