The Mythology and Folklore Database
A32D - Man on the moon, A751.
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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
The figure or imprint of an anthropomorphic creature is visible on the lunar disc.Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations
A32 has 19 other sub-motifsA32. 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). A32a. The figure or imprint of a rabbit or hare is visible on the lunar disc. A32b. The figure or imprint of a toad or frog is visible on the lunar disc; the moon is associated with this animal. A32b1. A woman sits (jumps) on the face (back) of the Moon Man and is now visible in the silhouette of the moon spots. A32c. The figures of a man and a dog are visible (or should have been visible) on the lunar disc. A32c1. The figure or imprint of a predatory mammal (fox, wolf, dog, coyote, jaguar, lion) is visible on the lunar disc. Either this animal is associated with the moon, belongs to it. See motif A34. A32d. The figure or imprint of an anthropomorphic creature is visible on the lunar disc. A32d1. Cain and Abel are associated with the moon, usually distinguishable (both or only Cain) in the silhouette of lunar spots. A32d2. A man with a pitchfork in his hands can be seen in the silhouette of the moon's spots. A32dd. The lunar disc shows the figure or imprint of an anthropomorphic character carrying a bundle of wood or brushwood. A32de. A headless man is visible on the lunar disc. A32e. On the lunar (rarely: solar) disc, a character holding an object or animal is visible. See motif A32D. A32f. On the lunar disc, a character is visible who has gone to fetch water and/or is holding a vessel for liquid in his hands. See motif A32D. A32g. On the lunar disc, a character can be seen holding onto a tree or bush and ending up on the moon with them. See motif A32D. A32h. A tree, bush, branch, snag, etc. are visible on the lunar disc. See motif A32G. A32i. A shepherd (shepherd and girl, shepherd and his flock, dogs) can be seen on the lunar disc. A32j. A shaman with a tambourine ascends to the moon and remains there, visible in the silhouette of the lunar spots. A32k. A character, discernible in the silhouette of the moon's spots, first headed for the sun and only then reached the moon, or the Sun and the Moon argued over who he should belong to. A32l. The silhouette of a certain character is visible on the solar disc. Or it is said that the character fell into the sun and remained there. A32m. The moon is called the "Gypsy sun". Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of A32's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| K176 | 96.70% | A man sets out on a journey to find or bring back a bride or wife. |
| A32 | 96.05% | 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). |
| A32E | 95.53% | On the lunar (rarely: solar) disc, a character holding an object or animal is visible. See motif A32D. |
| L72 | 95.34% | While fleeing, the character throws small objects behind him, which turn into powerful obstacles in the path of the pursuer, or (rarely) the pursuer creates such obstacles in the path of the fugitives. (Cf. SUS 1979, No. 313H = AA 313I, p. 114: escape by throwing magical objects, an episode in various types of fairy tales). |
| L42 | 94.40% | After capturing the character, the enemy brings the prey home or to the place where he intends to eat it. The character runs away and escapes. |
| I22G | 94.13% | Mountains (rocks) are mentioned that constantly collide and diverge, or a crevice or gap in a vertical rock that opens and closes. Cf. motif I22g1, Colliding rocks. |
| K12 | 94.08% | The hero returns the woman whom his enemy or rival tried to take away from him. |
| K75 | 93.82% | 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. |
| I39 | 93.26% | The rainbow is a bridge, a road, a staircase. |
| K1F | 92.19% | One man traps another, driven by jealousy or the desire to possess his rival's wife. See motifs K1A, K1E, K2A. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 188 traditions: Akkad, Assyria, Babylonia, Berbers of southern Tunisia and adjacent part of Libya (Matmata and Ghadames areas), Algeria Arabs, Tonga, Tswana (Chwana), Suto (Soto; incl Pedi, Mbire), Duala (Douala), Basa (Basaá), Kwiri (Kweli), Isubu, Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo), Kimberley Plateau: Gwini, Roebuck Bay, Forest River tribes, Drysdale River tribes, Njulnjul, Ungarinyin, Unambal, Bad (Baada), Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Central Vanuatu: Espiritu Santo, Araki, Aore, Maewo, Malekula, Vao, Efate (Vate), Nguna, Mae, Ambrim, Pentecost, Oba (=Aoba, East Ambae, Lepers'), Omba, Samoa, Maori, Moriori (Chatam Islands), Society Islands: Tahiti, Borabora, Raiatea, Southern Cook Islands: Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atiu, Iatutakim Pukapuka, Tubuai (=Austral Islands, incl Rapa), Tuamotu, incl Pukapuka (different from Pukapuka in Cook Islands), Vahitahi, Anaa, Hao, Fangatau, Hawaii, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Tuvalu (Ellice), Marshall Islands, incl Ailinglapalap, Arno, Jaluit, Kili, Lae, Maloelap, Majuro, Ratak, Wotho, Ujae, Jaluit (=Jalooj), Namdrik, Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Northern Halmahera Papuans: Galela, Loda, Pagu, Modole, Tabaru (Tobaru), Tobelo, Tidore, Ternate, Toraja (Toradja), To Mori, Baree (=Eastern Toraja), Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Malay; Temuan (incl Mantra or Mentra), Jakun (Moken), Lampung (Lampong); South Sumatra Malays (incl. Bengkulu), Mentawai, Negrito (incl. Mamanwa), Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Burmese, Intha, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Tjam, Ede, Jörai (Jarai), SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Rawang, Dulong; Anong, Drung, Bengali, Gujarati, Balahi; Lambadi (Banjaaa), Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Meo (Hmong) of Thailand, Laos and Northern Vietnam, Lahu, Kucong, Nosu, Nisu, Nusu, Sani, Jino, Early Chinese written sources, Wales, England, British, Bretons, Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish, Spain, Spaniards, Basques, Catalan, Aragon, Sicily, Sicilians, France, Dutch, Flemish, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Poles, Kashubians, Czech, Czechs, Slovakians, Slovaks, Hungarians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Slovenians, Slovenes, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Latvians, Livonians, Estonians, Karelians, Vepsians, Western Sami, Swedes, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), 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), Sarikoli, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Ingush, Nogai, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Uyghur, Hui (Dungan) of Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Dungan texts from Southern and Eastern China are clustered with the Chinese ones), Bashkirs, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Udmurt, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Forest Nenets, Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Darkhad, Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Khakas, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Nganasans, Southern Selkups, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Dolgans, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Evens (Lamuts), Ainu, Southern and Central; Ryukyu Islands: Yaeyama, Miyako, Okinawa, Udeghe, Oroch, Nanai, Negidal, Nivkh, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chuvans, Russian-speaking Creols of Markovo, Chukchi, Aleuts, Chugach, Chipewyan, Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Tutchone, Inland Tlingit, Tahltan, Tanana, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), North Alaskan Inupiat, Mackenzie Delta, Copper, West Greenland, Tsimshian, Micmac, Wawenock, Abenaki, Penobscot, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Naskapi, Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Blackfoot, Teton (incl Oglala), Mandan, Iowa, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Shuswap, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Comox, Pentlatch, Sechelt (incl Sisiatl), Squamish, Halcomelem, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Twana (Skokomish), Lower Chehalis, Upper Chehalis, (Lower) Cowlitz, Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Nez Perce, Quileute, Chemakum (Hoh), Tillamook, Kalapuya, Coeur D'Alene, Kalispel (Pend d'Oreille; incl Spokane), Flathead, Caddo, Yana, Bannock, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Hopi, Chontal, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Guajiro, Piaroa, Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Chorote, Tokelau, Lao, Wallons, Picardie, Salars, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Germans: South (Upper German dialects): Alsace (Elsass), Baden-Württemberg, Bawaria, Swabia, Switzerland, Bohemia, Sudeten, Austria, Bhutan, Lutsi (Ludza), Frisians, Terek Cossacks, China, Palau