The Mythology and Folklore Database
I131 - The thread of life.
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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
Every person's life corresponds to a thread; when the thread breaks, the person dies.Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects
I13 has 5 other sub-motifsI13a. A huge aquatic or celestial serpent, dragon, or snake-like creature with horns on its head. I13b. A small snake, the snake has horns on its head. I13c. Reptiles possess a treasure that humans take or try to take. Usually it is a crown, a precious stone, or horns on a snake's head. I13d. A person enters the dwelling of snakes, spends a long time there, is released or escapes. While in the dwelling of snakes, he usually licks a stone that relieves thirst and hunger. I13e. The snake agrees to let the man go on condition that he does not tell anyone about their meeting. Under threat of death, the man breaks his promise. The snake teaches him to drink a broth made from its flesh and takes revenge not on the man, but on those who forced him to break his word. I13F. In autumn, a man falls asleep in a bear's den. When he wakes up, he thinks that the night has passed, but it is already spring. Usually, the bear gives him advice before parting. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of I13's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| F9A1 | 97.91% | A girl or young woman says (pretends) that she has a predatory mouth in her vagina. {Unlike variants characteristic of the circum-Pacific region, the corresponding texts do not suggest that the female womb is actually dangerous}. |
| A45 | 97.70% | A man teases and insults the moon and is punished as a result. |
| M39B1 | 97.38% | Once in the boat, some people row in one direction and others in the opposite direction, the boat remains in place. |
| K102A3 | 97.18% | Someone (usually a woman) places a poisonous tooth (bone, nail, etc.) in the hero's bed. The young man dies, but is then revived. |
| B3C | 97.09% | When the creator, having created the land, lies down to rest, the antagonist tries to drown him, dragging him to the edge of the earth. As a result, the earth expands, and the antagonist is unable to reach its edge. |
| I41B1 | 96.94% | The rainbow drinks, swallowing fish, people, etc. along with the water. Sometimes this fish falls from the sky to the ground. |
| C31A | 96.83% | The master (mistress) of the underworld receives (should receive) heavenly lights or fire. Due to a trick or accident, they are not given to him or are returned. |
| D4H | 95.88% | The swallow obtains fire for people. See motif D4A. |
| L120B | 95.88% | The hero fights the serpent and calls for help, but no one hears him. Then he throws an item of his footwear or clothing, and his awakened brothers or his horse come to his aid. |
| K62A | 95.86% | A mouse (rat, mole, etc.) and a bird quarrel after failing to divide their winter supplies. (This episode usually serves as the beginning of a story about a war between birds and animals). |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 23 traditions: Easter Island, Ifaluk, Woleai, Lamutrek, Faraulip Satawal, Elato, Western Fayu, Ancient Italy: Latins, Etruscans, Magna Graecia, Czech, Czechs, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Serbs, Monte Negro, Balkarians, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Latvians, Scandinavians: early written sources ("Edda"; Saxo Grammaticus etc.); Gothland picture stones; Ancient Germans (Late Bronze Age in Scandinavia), Western Ukrainians, Ossetians, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nganasans, Southern Selkups, Northern Selkups, Dolgans, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Northern Khanty (Ostyaks), Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians