The Mythology and Folklore Database
C25B - The Moon Spinner.
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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
In the sky, on the moon (rarely – on the sun), somewhere outside our world, a certain character spins, weaves, knits, embroiders or makes bast fabric.Berezkin category: Disasters
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations
C25 has 3 other sub-motifsC25. If a certain event occurs, the world will be destroyed. C25a. In the sky, on the moon, somewhere outside our world, a character (usually an old woman) cooks soup. The fate of the universe depends on his (her) behaviour. C25b. In the sky, on the moon (rarely – on the sun), somewhere outside our world, a certain character spins, weaves, knits, embroiders or makes bast fabric. C25c. A change in the configuration of a certain constellation (usually the Big Dipper) or its disappearance from the sky will signal a global catastrophe. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of C25's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| E9N | 93.66% | A man marries a female seal, seal or dolphin that has taken the form of a woman and lives with her among people. |
| L85A | 92.26% | The character is born as half a person or becomes one as a result of an accident. He or she does not belong to a special category of mythical half-beings and usually regains physical completeness. See motif L85, cf. motif L112. |
| E12 | 88.79% | A character draws an object or creature on sand, ash, a wall or the surface of water, and it comes to life. |
| I37F | 88.66% | Mushrooms are called "ears". |
| I44 | 87.41% | A huge serpent encircles, embodies or supports the earth. |
| I96 | 85.87% | A rainbow consisting of blood either heralds war and death. |
| K29B | 84.88% | The hero is asked to climb (or is thrown) into a pit, which is immediately filled with earth or into which a pole or stones are lowered, K959,6 (Posthole murder). The hero proves his magical abilities by climbing out of the pit alive. |
| L112 | 84.80% | A physically defective boy is born (tiny, with one head, half a body, etc.). After a series of adventures, he gains physical completeness. |
| M187 | 84.69% | Participating in a race, a snail (mollusc, sea cucumber, etc.) defeats a faster opponent. |
| M183 | 82.72% | Numerous relatives of the character, who all look the same, work together to accomplish a task that is impossible for one person to do alone, while their competitors believe that the task was accomplished by only one person. Usually, the fast and slow characters agree to race (jump over an obstacle). The slow one places others who look like him at the finish line or along the entire distance, and they respond to the fast one on his behalf. The fast one does not notice the substitution and admits defeat. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 34 traditions: Tonga, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Samoa, Society Islands: Tahiti, Borabora, Raiatea, Southern Cook Islands: Mangaia, Rarotonga, Atiu, Iatutakim Pukapuka, Tubuai (=Austral Islands, incl Rapa), Hawaii, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Tuvalu (Ellice), 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), Negrito (incl. Mamanwa), Bengali, Punjabi, Seraiki (Multani), Gujarati, Balahi; Lambadi (Banjaaa), Early Chinese written sources, Poles, Czech, Czechs, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Armenians, Lenape (Delaware), Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Shawnee, Chontal, Wallons, Picardie, Egypt