The Mythology and Folklore Database
M97 - A blind man asks trees, D1313.4.




41 Myths, Legends and Folktales
40 Unique Narratives for Motif M97
22 Cultures & Traditions where M97 is told
81 Mythemes Indexed
3 Sub-Motifs of Motif M97


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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

Blinded or far from the target, the character walks, bumping into trees of various species and asking everyone a question or request. He eventually achieves his goal.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part group 11, Tricks and competitions won thanks to deception, absurd and obscene behavior


M97 has 3 other sub-motifs


M97.  Blinded or far from the target, the character walks, bumping into trees of various species and asking everyone a question or request. He eventually achieves his goal.
M97a1.  
M97a2.  
M97B.  

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
L5E197.86%A woman who has become a monster pursues her own children.
M6996.63%character is attracted by the inside of a large animal's skull (small animals or insects are dancing or feasting inside, or eating some meat); he sticks his head inside , it gets stuck.
D4C96.50%Characters obtain the warm season from its original owners.
C6B96.32%The desired object is brought up from the bottom by a muskrat (rarely a beaver or otter).
J19B96.15%An evil spirit kills a woman by burning through her body.
L9996.01%Having captured the character, the ogre orders him to bring wood or a spit to roast him. The character deliberately procrastinates, brings the wrong thing, or is helped to escape by some animal.
M5395.98%The character invites others to gather around him, focusing on an activity (usually dancing with their eyes closed or lowered), and then kills the crowd (usually one at a time).
L9B95.62%The sharp elbows or (rarely) knees of the character resemble knives or awls.
A38C95.33%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.
M6694.45%After eating certain foods frivolously or rubbing his body with his spine, the character suffers from itching, diarrhea, or an irrepressible eruption of intestinal gases.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 22 traditions: Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Estonians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Chipewyan, Gwich'in (Kuchin, Loucheux), Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Attikamek, Menominee, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Arapaho, Iowa, Gros Ventre, Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Okanagon, Sanpoil, Shasta; Chimariko, Maidu, Nisenan, Konkov, Northern Paiute (=Paviotso)


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