The Mythology and Folklore Database
M4 - Careless step
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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
When crossing a pond or descending from a tree, the character (usually despite a warning) steps at a specific animal or part of the animal's body . As a result, it falls into the water and often sinks.Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes
This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part group 10, Adventures
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| K27N3C | 98.58% | A character who gives the hero difficult tasks or subjects him to trials is associated with a land or water animal or a fish. See motif K27. |
| L5E | 98.20% | The decapitated body of a woman pursues her husband, while her head pursues their children. |
| A38B | 98.00% | The sun gets caught in a trap. Only a mouse or other small animal manages to gnaw through the trap and free the sun. |
| A38C | 96.38% | The Sun exchanges a cape made of animal or bird skins with a boy or girl, or spoils it. As a result, the boy or girl raises their status or takes revenge on the Sun. |
| C6B | 95.28% | The desired object is brought up from the bottom by a muskrat (rarely a beaver or otter). |
| M93 | 94.83% | When falling asleep or going to do something else, the character tells a certain part of his body to wake him up in case of danger. The organ did not give a signal or the character himself did not listen to it, as a result, the misfortune happened. |
| L9B | 94.58% | The sharp elbows or (rarely) knees of the character resemble knives or awls. |
| K27Y | 94.29% | The hero is sent or, knowing the danger, goes himself to obtain various (at least two) materials for making a bow and arrows (shafts, feathers, bowstring, flint for arrowheads, paint for colouring arrows, resin and fibres for attaching the arrowhead or feather to the shaft, etc.). See motif K27. |
| K27YY1 | 94.20% | The hero brings the feather (feathers) of a dangerous bird. |
| B97A | 94.20% | A strip of light or dark feathers (rarely: wool) on the neck of a bird (animal) is its necklace (scarf). |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 3 traditions: Koyukon, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa