The Mythology and Folklore Database
B116C - The Lost Book.




146 Myths, Legends and Folktales
145 Unique Narratives for Motif B116C
39 Cultures & Traditions where B116C is told
184 Mythemes Indexed
2 Sub-Motifs of Motif B116C


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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

In the past, the people possessed writing and knowledge, but these were lost, or the people missed the opportunity to acquire them.

Berezkin category: The Origins of the Characteristics of the environment

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 6, Origin and interpretation of culture elements, in particular related to agriculture, inadequate forms of subsistence and economic activity before the establishment of the present norms


B11 has 2 other sub-motifs


B11.  A river (rarely: a chain of lakes, a narrow strait) or its current course is created by humans or animals. See motifs B12, B13. This section covers other variants of the motif.
B11a.  The mammoth, represented as an underground fish-like creature, creates rugged terrain on wet ground and digs river beds.
B11B.  At the beginning of time or during the flood, the mammoth drowned or sank into the ground, and since then it has not been seen on earth.

 Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of B11's motifs?



Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
B1C99.55%Two creators agree that the older of them (the main creator) will be the one whose object is in a certain state (usually: whose tree or flower grows or blooms earlier). While one was asleep or absent, the other switched the objects and deceitfully achieved primacy.
E31A299.33%The girl must be given to one of several men. She herself or someone else explains that one of the suitors can be called her father, another her brother (etc.), and only one can be her husband.
C6I99.31%A zoomorphic character returns from the underworld covered in mud. He shakes himself off, or the mud is scraped off him, and earth emerges from it.
M78A99.29%A tiny little man emerges from the severed tail of a goat or sheep.
A37B98.77%A small animal (marmot, rabbit, mole, frog) or a person who turns into such an animal tries to hit a target in the sky (a celestial body or a bird) with arrows and as a result loses their thumbs.
K56A8B98.77%A virtuous girl (usually the daughter of a dog) wants to kill herself and puts her hand in a snake's hole. The snake does not bite her, but rewards her.
L90D98.77%The hero attaches the upper lip (jaw) of the monster to the sky, and the lower lip to the earth.
H43A98.40%Having created the human body, the creator leaves. At this time, another character tries to break the figure, which has not yet come to life.
I13298.38%A deer props its antlers against the sky, and a person climbs them to reach the upper world. Alternatively, a person finds themselves in the sky when they touch the deer's antlers.
K101C98.38%The bride stipulates that she will only be with her husband during the day. The husband discovers that at night she meets with heavenly maidens (and usually flies away to dance in the sky). He follows her and in the end she stays with him on earth.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 39 traditions: Southeast Australia: Kamilaroi, Yualarai (Ualarai, Euahlayi), Milpulo (Mailpurgu), Wuradjeri (Wiradjurim, Wiradjeri, Wurundjeri, Yarra, Yarra Yarra), Wongaibon (Wonghibon), Noongahburrah (Narran, Narran River), Kurnai, and many others (see file 0.doc), Torricelli family: Valman, Samap, Arapesh (Upper, Coastal), Monumbo, Lilau, Ngaimbom; Moando (Banara); Menya, Olo, Mindanao and Sulu: Blaan (Bilaan), Bagobo, Bukidnon, Cotabato, Hiligáynon, Binukid, Magindaan (=Magindanao: main Muslim population), Mandaya, Mansaka, Manobo (Agusan, Ata, Dibabawon, Sarangani, Ilianen), Maranao, Samal, Subanon (=Subanun), Subanen, Tboli, Central Taiwan: Bunun (Vonum), La'arua, Tsou, Kanabu, Kanakanabu, Ami, Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Palaung (De Ang, Deang), Khmu (Kammu), Puoc, Khasi, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Northern Naga: Konyak, Lungshang, Wancho, Nokte, Moclum, Lunshan, Chang, Maring, Naga of Myanmar, Garo (Atchik), Kachari (Bodo, incl. Lalung), Dimasa, Tripuri, Riang (of Tripura), Khami, Riga, Mori, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Early Chinese written sources, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Kalmyk, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Hui (Dungan) of Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Dungan texts from Southern and Eastern China are clustered with the Chinese ones), Turkmen, Mari (Cheremis), Mordvins, Chuvash, Udmurt, Mansi, Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Buryats: Western (cis Baikal), Oirats (incl Torgouts, Derbets, Oilots), Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Ainu, Nivkh, Chechens, Gurung; Kaike, China


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