The Mythology and Folklore Database
K37D - Recognised by teeth marks.




8 Myths, Legends and Folktales
8 Unique Narratives for Motif K37D
5 Cultures & Traditions where K37D is told
37 Mythemes Indexed
5 Sub-Motifs of Motif K37D


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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

The character recognises the presence of another by noticing traces of their teeth or nails on fruit or leaves.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part group 10, Adventures


K37 has 5 other sub-motifs


K37.  In order to return or obtain a wife, son or husband (in Africa also a domestic animal or object), a person must identify her or him among several identical people or animals (objects).
K37a.  The character must identify his son or husband among many identical people or animals. See motif K37.
K37b.  A man must identify his chosen one blindfolded. He does this by touch, knowing that one of her fingers is damaged or missing.
K37c.  The character must identify an animal or object among several identical ones. See motif K37.
K37d.  The character recognises the presence of another by noticing traces of their teeth or nails on fruit or leaves.
K37e.  The clairvoyant cannot identify the person who revealed the secret, because that person does so while hiding among objects that are never found together in everyday life.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
A21A100.00%The moon is an object that was accidentally released by its owners or stolen from them and ended up in the sky.
B118100.00%A character who was unable to reach the sky or returned from the sky to earth becomes an owl.
B74B100.00%The owl is forced to part with the moon and now cries out when it sees the moon. Usually, the story tells how the marriage of the owl and the moon fell apart or did not take place.
E39A100.00%An animal (snake, pig) conceives from a man's urine and gives birth to a human child (or twins).
F43C100.00%The husbands of the first women, Amazons or single women are small animals - usually flying foxes.
K32F100.00%A woman or girl raises a bird of prey chick, which brings her food and fire. This usually happens after an evil spirit leaves the girl or young woman in a tree or on an island.
L132100.00%When one member of a small (family) group, left alone, secretly eats food, this leads to serious conflict, often resulting in the murder of the guilty party.
L133100.00%The character keeps his limbs separately, connecting them to his body when necessary.
M5A100.00%Small animal characters sail in the boat, it sinks, everyone escapes as best they can.
M5B100.00%rat drowns, has difficulty getting to the shore (usually an aquatic animal takes it), and mocks other animals (usually its savior).

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 5 traditions: Tonga, Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Tuvalu (Ellice), Minahasa (incl. Tondano, Tentemboan), Bantik, Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan


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