The Mythology and Folklore Database
E12 - The living drawing.




17 Myths, Legends and Folktales
17 Unique Narratives for Motif E12
12 Cultures & Traditions where E12 is told
39 Mythemes Indexed
0 Sub-Motifs of Motif E12


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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

A character draws an object or creature on sand, ash, a wall or the surface of water, and it comes to life.

Berezkin category: The origins of people and culture

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 5, Origin of human beings, ethnic groups, etiology of human anatomy, strange body configuration, ways of behavior, marriages before the establishment of the present norms



Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
I9695.26%A rainbow consisting of blood either heralds war and death.
K29B91.65%The hero is asked to climb (or is thrown) into a pit, which is immediately filled with earth or into which a pole or stones are lowered, K959,6 (Posthole murder). The hero proves his magical abilities by climbing out of the pit alive.
I133A90.68%There is a constellation that represents a bird and corresponds to several large constellations in European traditions (mainly equatorial, rather than circumpolar).
E9N90.29%A man marries a female seal, seal or dolphin that has taken the form of a woman and lives with her among people.
H9B89.39%People have become like plants, which, although mortal, live on in their descendants (shoots).
I4488.82%A huge serpent encircles, embodies or supports the earth.
C25B88.79%In the sky, on the moon (rarely – on the sun), somewhere outside our world, a certain character spins, weaves, knits, embroiders or makes bast fabric.
I37F88.63%Mushrooms are called "ears".
E3988.63%The child of a pig or boar is a woman or man – the ancestor of a certain group of people.
J6487.62%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 12 traditions: Hawaii, Truk, Eastern Fayu, Losap, Pulap, Puluwat, Mortlock (incl. Satawan), Batak (Toba, Dairi), Marathi (incl. Bhamta; incl. Mumbai area), Nanai, Kekchi; Mopan, Kuikuro, Kalapalo, Calapalo, Kamayura, Chorote, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Papua-New Guinea Northern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Komba, Gimi, Susure, Orokaiva, Bogadjim, Ngain, Sentani, Bargam, Imonda, Nankina, Yupta Valley, Urawa Valley, Warupu (Barupu), Pondoma (Anam), Maldives


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