The Mythology and Folklore Database
H48 - Fever sisters.




55 Myths, Legends and Folktales
55 Unique Narratives for Motif H48
34 Cultures & Traditions where H48 is told
5 Mythemes Indexed
0 Sub-Motifs of Motif H48


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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

Illnesses – female sisters (less often male brothers), usually children of an evil spirit.

Berezkin category: Paradise Lost

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 8, Queer and monstrous beings, creatures, objects and loci, folk beliefs related to particular phenomena and objects



Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
L94A99.73%When a person leans over the water, a demon grabs him by the beard and releases him on the promise that he will fulfil his demand.
K25A299.63%An anthropomorphic character flies away or tries to fly away, attaching feathers shed by birds flying in the sky to his body.
K15B99.46%By secretly switching the vessels containing living and dead (giving and taking away strength) water (rarely: oil, etc.), from which the combatants drink during a duel, the hero defeats his opponent.
B52B99.33%The character regurgitates the earth hidden (usually in his mouth), thereby creating mountains, swamps, and other inconveniences. See motif B52.
M38D699.28%Several characters embody small objects and die one at a time. The last one left laughs and rejoices so much that he bursts with laughter (breaks his head, etc.).
H6C98.96%The raven (crow, vulture) is associated with death or contrasted with humans as immortal among mortals (sent to bring the elixir of immortality or water that revives the dead; drinks this water himself; teaches people funeral rites; etc.).
K62A198.83%A man saves (spares) and nurses a wounded bird. Having regained its strength, the bird puts him on its back and carries him to a distant land or to the sky.
M74A98.66%The character pretends to be invited to visit several times in connection with the birth of a child, or gives names to various tracts that the boat passes by. The names and titles sound strange, but they become clear when it turns out that the character ate supplies.
K66D98.58%A boy who grew up (was conceived) in a bear's den (lion's cave) becomes a bogatyr.
I120B98.56%The character takes food, clothing, and other valuables from the ear of an animal (most often a horse or cow).

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 34 traditions: Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, Sindhi, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Estonians, Finns, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Western Ukrainians, Byelarusians, Belarusians, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Mordvins, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Khakas, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Nenets, Nganasans, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Mehinaku, Waura, Yaulapiti, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Terek Cossacks, Russian Federation


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