The Mythology and Folklore Database
I71 - Stars – roots.




24 Myths, Legends and Folktales
23 Unique Narratives for Motif I71
13 Cultures & Traditions where I71 is told
39 Mythemes Indexed
0 Sub-Motifs of Motif I71


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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

Stars – roots of plants growing in the upper world.

Berezkin category: Supernatural objects, objects and creatures

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 2, Moon spots, stars, constellations



Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
B2C90.54%The earth as a whole, elements of the landscape or fertile soil arise from the human body and (or) the earth (islands) are born of a woman.
D13I190.50%The characteristics of a character can be determined by his teeth. By laughing and showing his teeth, the character reveals himself.
L11188.50%The inhabitants of the sky or shamans catch or want to catch earthly people with a hook, net, noose, etc., dragging them up into the sky (somewhere above) like fishermen pull fish out of the water; the inhabitants of the earth fish with hooks for fish, which in their own world are people or domestic animals.
H5087.96%A pair of deities or first ancestors diverge. The man remains on earth or goes to heaven (remains in heaven), the woman becomes the mistress of the world of the dead, the earth, the underworld, usually associated with disease and poisonous animals.
B79A187.60%At the beginning of time, a bird flies and drops pieces of solid ground onto the water, from which land or an island emerges. Sometimes the substrate onto which the piece of solid ground falls is not precisely defined.
F6686.11%In order to commit incest with his daughter, grandmother, sister (brother), father, grandson, brother (sister), the man pretends to be a stranger, or the husband takes on the appearance of his wife's brother so that she treats him as a blood relative. To do this, the character secretly moves to another house for a while, where the object of his desire mistakes him for someone else.
L6085.11%Several sisters pick up a baby. In their absence, it turns into an adult man, and when they approach, it turns back into a child. Taking on its true form, the demon pursues the sisters. See motif M46a.
H28A84.31%When a character is burned, the smoke and sparks turn into mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects that scatter throughout the world.
K6383.26%A man comes to people who hunt humans or catch fish-people. For them, these are wild animals or fish.
M383.25%The character crosses a water or air barrier on the backs of chained animals, birds, or fish.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 13 traditions: Bushmen (all groups), Kayan, Bahau, Kenja, Aoheng, Punan (Bukat, Basap, Oloh Ot, etc); "Klemantan", Bidayuh (incl. Maloh), Iban (Sea Dayak), Sakarram; Brunei, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Eastern Khanty (Ostyaks), Southern Selkups, Oroch, Negidal, Thompson (Nlaka'pamux), Lacandon, Hoti, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon


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