The Mythology and Folklore Database
J22E - Man from the afterbirth, T541.12.




15 Myths, Legends and Folktales
14 Unique Narratives for Motif J22E
9 Cultures & Traditions where J22E is told
41 Mythemes Indexed
4 Sub-Motifs of Motif J22E


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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

The second character emerges from the afterbirth of the first.

Berezkin category: Avenger heroes: The amerinday cycle

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part group 10, Adventures


J22 has 4 other sub-motifs


J22a.  Two men or a brother and sister emerge from a single body or embryo cut in half, or the second emerges from a part of the body or from the secretions of the first. Cf. motif M37.
J22b.  A woman is cut or torn in half, and two new ones appear.
J22c.  There is a demonic character in the form of Siamese twins – two semi-fused women.
J22d.  Foreigners or animals of two different species emerge from a single person or animal cut in half.
J22e.  The second character emerges from the afterbirth of the first.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
L2891.65%A person who eats unusual or forbidden meat or fish, or touches something forbidden, turns into a reptile or a fish.
L2991.09%A person catches fish where it should not be, usually in a small forest pond isolated from running water; those who eat this fish die, undergo metamorphosis and/or are attacked by monsters. See motif L28.
L6990.29%A monster attacks a person; a puma, jaguar or dog fights the monster, kills or drives it away; the person returns home.
H37B84.98%One character gives another his power (usually a skunk gives his volley). The other wastes the resource unnecessarily to test its effect. Usually, when the need arises, the resource no longer works.
G3084.89%A long penis is cut into pieces, which turn into many edible plants or different types of trees. Cf. motif B53.
M2684.89%The character dives under waterfowl and ties a rope to their legs to catch them. Birds soar into the air, lifting the catcher with them. It later falls.
M5584.89%A human or weaker animal character takes a stronger character to sleep in a supposedly dangerous place where hot coals, sticks, etc. can fall on those lying at night; when A strong character falls asleep, his companion burns or hits him, pretending that both of them have suffered equally.
I4B84.78%A person helps thunder defeat the enemy.
M53C84.71%trickster, inviting birds to dance around him with their eyes closed, kills them one at a time and threatens to turn red at the one that opens their eyes; this is an empty threat, or for a bird that opens eyes and eyes have really turned red ever since.
J12J84.66%A girl or sisters end up with a false groom who plays the role of a jester in the chief's house. See motif J12.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 9 traditions: Northern Taiwan: Atayal (Tayal; Taruko (Toda, Taokas, Torok, Taroko), Pazeh, Sedeq (Sediq, Seedeq, Sazek), Saisiyat (Saixia), 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), Arikara, Pawnee, Wichita; Spiro Mound iconography, Plains Ojibwa, Natchez (incl Avoyel), Makiritare (Yecuana), Yagua


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