The Mythology and Folklore Database
I45B - Do not point at a rainbow, C843.1.
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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
If you point your finger or stare intently at a rainbow, you will fall ill, or the finger you pointed with will rot or wither away.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
I45 has 2 other sub-motifsI45a. Pointing at or staring at the moon or stars will cause illness (death) or the pointing finger to rot or wither. I45b. If you point your finger or stare intently at a rainbow, you will fall ill, or the finger you pointed with will rot or wither away. I45c. Those who count stars are destined for misfortune and illness. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of I45's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| A16 | 93.76% | Every night, the sun passes by creatures or objects that try to swallow or destroy it. |
| L53 | 90.30% | The terrifying creature is killed or neutralised by throwing (red-hot) stones, pieces of iron, etc. into its mouth or anus, or the creature retreats when threatened with a stone being thrown into its mouth. |
| A21 | 90.17% | The sun and/or moon were objects that were thrown or placed into the sky. |
| E35 | 88.25% | The first humans or creatures created by the Creator's rival were incomplete, not fully anthropomorphic (they resembled larvae, had webbing on their fingers, etc.). |
| H12 | 87.69% | The living visit the afterlife to bring back the dead (except for texts about a shaman bringing back the soul of a sick person), or, without a specific goal, go there accompanied by or following in the footsteps of the recently deceased. |
| H12C | 87.58% | The husband follows his dead wife into the afterlife, but cannot bring her back, or brings her back but loses her again. |
| L14 | 87.56% | People bring a small creature (usually a worm or reptile) into their home and raise it, or it settles into a man-made dwelling on its own. The creature turns into something terrifying or magnificent. See motif L13 (raised monster attacks people). |
| I22E | 87.45% | The deceased, travelling to the afterlife, must pass by colliding rocks or other moving obstacles. |
| A3 | 87.41% | The Moon is female or hermaphroditic, the Sun is male or, possibly, male. |
| B41 | 87.24% | Because the dog spread certain information, argued with its owners, and spoke at inappropriate times, it lost the gift of speech. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 57 traditions: Tonga, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Dogon, Bia: Anyi, Agni, Baule, Nsema, Melanesians and Papuans of Central Solomons: Vella la Vella (Bilua language), Shortland islands (Mono language), San Cristobal, Saint Georgia, Eddystone, Vangunu, Loyalty Islands (Uvea, Lifu, Mare), Mangareva, 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), Flores, incl Mangarai (Western Flores), Nage, Keo, Riung, Ngada or Nad'a (Central Flores), Sika (Eastern Flores), Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, 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, Central Taiwan: Bunun (Vonum), La'arua, Tsou, Kanabu, Kanakanabu, Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Early Chinese written sources, 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, Czech, Czechs, Croatians, Croats; Italians of Dalmatia (if the motif is absent among other Italians), Lithuanians, Livonians, Estonians, Finns, Western Ukrainians, 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), Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Japanese folklore outside of Ryukyu, Kiowa Apache, Shasta; Chimariko, Hupa, Chilula, Klamath, Modoc, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Atsugewi, Achomavi, Yokuts, Kawaiisu, Mono (Monache), Tubatulabal, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Washo, Bannock, Panamint, Chemehuevi, Cahuilla, Cupeño, Luiseño, Juaneño, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Diegueño: Ipai, Tipai, Kamia (Kumeai), Pame, Jonaz (Chichimeca-Jonaz), Mazahua, Otomi, Tzotzil, Chorti, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Kayabi