The Mythology and Folklore Database
I74A - Stars – fireflies.




11 Myths, Legends and Folktales
10 Unique Narratives for Motif I74A
2 Cultures & Traditions where I74A is told
9 Mythemes Indexed
1 Sub-Motifs of Motif I74A


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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

Stars – fireflies.

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations


I74 has 1 other sub-motifs


I74.  Stars – (bright) stones, sequins, beads.
I74a.  Stars – fireflies.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
H24C97.30%People open a vessel (a bundle, a basket, etc.) containing death (or old age, illness), and therefore they are mortal.
I82C91.97%Venus or an unidentified star in the eastern and/or western sky – the wife of the Moon. See motif I82b.
E5C91.71%The first humans or deities-ancestors descend to earth from the sky.
M29K91.04%A turtle (toad, frog) defeats strong opponents by cunning or perseverance. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle.
A3691.00%The moon (month) is contrasted with humans as immortal to mortals; it decides whether humans will be mortal; those who live on the moon are immortal. (Cf. Latvians, Dolgans).
B8690.71%To reach the sky (the moon, stars, sun), people build a ladder or tower consisting of separate modules (logs, poles, bricks, etc.), but the structure collapses.
F889.77%In the beginning (.55.60.67.73.) women and men lived separately from each other, then came together. Cf. motif F45 (Amazons).
B389.53%At first, the earth is soft, resembling a swamp.
I72A89.31%Stars – children of the moon and/or sun.
I589.06%Thunder (lightning, rain) has the appearance of a four-legged mammal - a pig, buffalo, camel, anteater, tapir, dog, cat, leopard, monkey, etc.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 2 traditions: Byelarusians, Belarusians, Bari


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