The Mythology and Folklore Database
M29M - The Trickster is the Rat
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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
See the motives in square brackets.Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 9, Identification of protagonists of the stories with particular animals or persons with particular qualities
M29 has 45 other sub-motifsM29. trickster is defined as a protagonist in the following characteristic episodes. M29a. See the motives in square brackets. M29a1. In three or more different episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is raven (crow) M29b. Fox (a), Jackal, Coyote (or Wolf when, apparently, we mean a steppenwolf, i.e. the same coyote). See the motives in square brackets. M29b1. As a result of his stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolf dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29b2. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the bear dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29b3. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the fox (jackal) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. If it is not specified that a “jackal”, then the protagonist is a fox. M29c. See the motives in square brackets. M29d. See the motives in square brackets. M29E. See the motives in square brackets. M29f. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolverine dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29g. See the motives in square brackets. They include traditions in which the hare/rabbit appears only as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox or jackal) often occurs. M29g1. In episodes involving deception, ridiculous, obscene, or antisocial behavior, the hare or rabbit is the main trickster. Traditions in which 1) a hare or rabbit occurs only once as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox/jackal/coyote) is typical; 2) Mesoamerican traditions in which a small rabbit is associated with a small a set of episodes and a high probability of recent African influences. See the motives in square brackets. M29g2. Cancer (crab) defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning. M29gg. hedgehog defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning. M29h. See the motives in square brackets. M29i. See the motives in square brackets. M29j. See the motives in square brackets. M29k. 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. M29k1. A turtle (toad, frog) gets into unpleasant situations due to its own stupidity or carelessness. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle. M29l. See the motives in square brackets. M29m. See the motives in square brackets. M29n. See the motives in square brackets. M29nn. See the motives in square brackets. M29o. See the motives in square brackets. M29o1. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the monkey dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29p. See the motives in square brackets. M29q. See the motives in square brackets. M29qq. See the motives in square brackets. M29r. See the motives in square brackets. M29S. See the motives in square brackets. M29T. See the motives in square brackets. M29v. The character defeats or deceives strong opponents using cunning. The protagonists are dwarf ungulates, usually duker or deer - taxonomically distant from each other, but similar in appearance. In some publications on African traditions, it is difficult to determine which animal we are talking about, but it is certain that these are small cloven-hoofed animals, usually (always?) dukers. See the motives in square brackets. M29w. As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, a jaguar (puma, ocelot) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a puma or ocelot; otherwise, a jaguar. M29w1. As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, the leopard (panther, leopard) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29w2. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the tiger dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29w3. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the lion dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29x. As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the hyena dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. M29x1. See the motives in square brackets. M29X2. See the motives in square brackets. M29y. See the motives in square brackets. M29z. hero of the story is a character named “Beardless” or Aldar-Kose (Aldar is a “deceiver”, a braid is “beardless”). M29z1. purely anthropomorphic character, or a character who bears the name of an animal or plant but does not act zoomorphic in the course of his adventures. See the motives in square brackets. {Data not fully entered} M29z2. Being smart and witty, the Gipsy overcomes strong adversaries M29z3. The Gipsy (more often a female than a male) is an enemy overcome by the hero (heroine) or (rare) a weak failure M29z4. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of M29's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| D4E1 | 89.05% | The thief or giver of fire, light or sun is the dog. See motif 4A. |
| J23C | 87.71% | People in general or older brothers (siblings, older sister) disappear one after another. A woman raises a boy from infancy or, left alone, miraculously conceives a son or finds a baby. He defeats the antagonists, usually reviving or freeing the missing ones. |
| J67 | 86.61% | At night, the character places light-coloured stones or shells over his eyes. Thinking that the character's eyes are open, the antagonist either does not dare to attack him or takes the stones away instead of gouging out his eyes. |
| J23B | 83.20% | To defeat the monster, the young man (twins) prepares spears in advance and leaves them along the supposed retreat route. Fleeing from the monster, the young man throws spears at it one after another and eventually kills it. |
| B1B | 82.69% | Two female progenitors participate in the process of creation. The actions of one bring good, the other evil. |
| D13E | 82.28% | Hunters perish because they laughed at the killed (and revived) animal. |
| I45B | 82.23% | 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. |
| G8A | 81.98% | A man cuts down a tree to make a boat or something else from the trunk (Yap: a board for building a house; one of the texts from Ulithi: a wooden bird), goes away to rest, and upon returning finds the tree intact again. Usually, the character who restored the tree in the man's absence then cuts down the tree himself and makes what the hero needs. |
| M115 | 81.53% | The character kills an animal that is dangerous to him by cunning. Relatives or friends of the killed animal find out about this and come to take revenge. The character escapes. |
| J64 | 81.25% | Without touching the fire or burning, the character rises into the sky or crosses the river on clouds of smoke. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 22 traditions: Kalenjin; including Sabaot, Nandi (Nande), Arusha, Kipsigis, Pokot (Suk), Keiyo (Elgeiyo), Marakwet, Sebeei, Tonga, Fang (Pangwe), Eton, Bafia, Batanga, Benga, Bube (Bubi), Buheba, Yaunde (Ewondo), Yebekolo, Koko, Bulu, Beti (Beti-Bulu), Sekiani, Eghap, Enenga, Mpongwe, Kuta (Koto), Nkomi, Masango, Mindumu, Mbede, Mitsogo, Bawunga, Ndumu (Ndumbo), Duma, Teke, (B)wende, Niue, Wallis (=Uvea, different from Melanesian Uvea), Futuna, Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, Tuvalu (Ellice), Ulithi, Ngulu, Ponape, Ngaik, Mwoakil (Mokil), Kusaie (Kosrae), Marshall Islands, incl Ailinglapalap, Arno, Jaluit, Kili, Lae, Maloelap, Majuro, Ratak, Wotho, Ujae, Jaluit (=Jalooj), Namdrik, Punjabi, Seraiki (Multani), Sindhi, Kawaiisu, Owens Valley Paiute, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso), Northern Shoshone, Western Shoshone, Gosiute, Eastern Shoshone, Ute, Southern Paiute, Tonga (Tsonga; incl, Soli, Sala, Lenje)