The Mythology and Folklore Database
A12C - Reptiles or fish eclipse the sun.
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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
Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12.Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 1, Sun and Moon
A12 has 8 other sub-motifsA12. A creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, winter and summer, night and day, phases of the moon) or occasionally (eclipses, eschatological catastrophes) attack the luminaries or block their light. A12a. During an eclipse or under other circumstances, predators attack the luminaries: wolves, bears, jaguars, pumas, dogs, foxes, raccoons. See motif A12. A12b. During an eclipse or at sunset (marked *), the luminaries are swallowed by a toad or frog. A12c. Eclipses of the sun, moon or their setting (marked*) are caused by a snake, lizard, dragon, fish or crocodile; these creatures attack the luminaries now or attacked them at the beginning of time. See motif A12. A12d. Birds attack the sun or moon during an eclipse (covering them with their wings) or (*) cover the sun during sunrise or sunset. See motif A12. A12e. The spider attacks the sun or moon (usually causing lunar eclipses). A12f. The stars fade because the moneylender demands that they repay their debt. A12g. The character tries to eclipse the moon for telling on him. A12H. Eclipses of the sun or moon are caused by a woman's attack. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of A12's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| I39 | 96.56% | The rainbow is a bridge, a road, a staircase. |
| K176 | 94.10% | A man sets out on a journey to find or bring back a bride or wife. |
| I44 | 93.19% | A huge serpent encircles, embodies or supports the earth. |
| E11 | 92.37% | The future family member reveals himself or remains with the person after the object that defines the character's non-human appearance is destroyed. After the person destroys (usually burns) the discarded animal skin, the character retains his human appearance. See motif E9. |
| F35A | 92.18% | The character, unaware of this, eats or prepares meat (slowly kills) a member of his household (a relative, rarely a servant or spouse) or feeds it to his acquaintances, or uses its bones for household needs. |
| A32 | 91.93% | A figure or imprint of some creature or object is visible on the lunar disc. Statistical calculations also include motifs A32A – A32J (a rabbit, frog, predatory animal, human, tree, etc. are visible on the moon). |
| K75 | 91.90% | The girl (usually the youngest of the sisters) does not reject the hero, who temporarily takes the form of an animal, a freak, an old man, a poor man, or a loser, or she picks up the hero's remains and he comes back to life. After some time, the hero reveals his true nature. |
| A12 | 91.76% | A creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, winter and summer, night and day, phases of the moon) or occasionally (eclipses, eschatological catastrophes) attack the luminaries or block their light. |
| K12 | 91.49% | The hero returns the woman whom his enemy or rival tried to take away from him. |
| B2A | 91.45% | The earth is a female character (alone or alongside a male character) and is considered to be female or associated with women. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 55 traditions: Greeks of Cyprus, Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Zulu, Swazi, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Northern Halmahera Papuans: Galela, Loda, Pagu, Modole, Tabaru (Tobaru), Tobelo, Tidore, Ternate, Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Minangkabau; Kerinci, Lampung (Lampong); South Sumatra Malays (incl. Bengkulu), Mentawai, Central islands and Bikol: Vizaya, Mansaká, Bikol, Mangyan, Panayan, Sulod, Cebuano (Cebu), Capiz, Romblomanon, Manuyu, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Nicobarese, Semang, Senoi, 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, Indian literary tradition (Vedic, Brahman, Purana, Indian Buddhism, Hinduism, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Jatakas); iconography of Hindu temples, Kannada, Lingayat, Halakki, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Early Chinese written sources, Koreans, Poles, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Estonians, Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Russians: Central part of ethnic territory as in A.D. 1500 (Tver, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Kostroma, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk provinces; in case of absence in other areas also Russians in Vyatka, Perm, Kazan provinces), Persians, Abaza (Abazins), Ingush, Svans, Georgians, Armenians, Gagauz, Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Takelma, Oregon Athabaskans: Lower Umpqua, Tututni (incl Joshua), Upper Coquille, Galice, Tolowa, Karok, Hupa, Chilula, Yurok, Atsugewi, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Huichol, Western Mexico Nahuatl, Lacandon, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Ese’ejja, Tupari, Makurap, Sakirap, Ajuru (Wayoro), Rejang, Egypt