The Mythology and Folklore Database
K16 - The bird becomes a young man.




89 Myths, Legends and Folktales
88 Unique Narratives for Motif K16
42 Cultures & Traditions where K16 is told
144 Mythemes Indexed
1 Sub-Motifs of Motif K16


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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

Taking the form of a bird, bat, insect, small animal, or fish, the man enters the young woman's home (her father's house).

Berezkin category: Adventures: Acts of heroes

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


K16 has 1 other sub-motifs


K16.  Taking the form of a bird, bat, insect, small animal, or fish, the man enters the young woman's home (her father's house).
K16a.  In an effort to show that he is a good hunter, a man regularly walks in front of a girl, pretending to carry prey. Once he slips, and the imaginary prey turns out to be a scarecrow stuffed with ashes or a bundle of termites.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
K15A94.89%The hero secretly replaces the weapon or magical tool of a powerful character with a worthless fake. Traditions in which the replaced weapon belongs to Grom are highlighted in bold.
I393.84%Lightning (and thunder) is produced by an object (sword, arrow, whip, mirror, etc.) in the hands of a character; lightning is an object.
H2493.81%A vessel or other small container with valuables or living beings (creatures) is opened (prematurely). Its contents get out of control or disappear.
H2793.64%Before spreading throughout the world, stinging or blood-sucking insects or reptiles, diseases or evil spirits were kept in a vessel, bag or other small container. See motif H24.
A193.59%Another sun — less powerful or less favourable to humans — existed before the appearance of the current one.
K1792.93%A male character in the form of a winged creature approaches a girl and either magically or unnoticed by her impregnates her. See motif K16: taking the form of an animal or bird, he enters the girl's house.
L17B91.26%A character or creature has a second face or a second mouth on the back of its head.
E2291.06%Once inside a certain creature, the swallowed character learns rituals, songs, ornamental motifs, obtains drugs or poison, and, once outside again, passes this knowledge on to people.
I7890.46%The earth is thought of as rectangular (usually square).
A389.89%The Moon is female or hermaphroditic, the Sun is male or, possibly, male.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 42 traditions: Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, Gilbert Islands, Nauru, Banaba (Ocean island), 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 Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, England, British, Bretons, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Slovenians, Slovenes, Ancient Greece, Lithuanians, Danes, Danish, Karachays, Balkar, Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Anatolia Turks, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Nanai, Nivkh, Tagish, Inland Tlingit, North Alaskan Inupiat, Comox, Pentlatch, Navajo, Tepecano, Western Mexico Nahuatl, Tzutujil, Lacandon, Kekchi; Mopan, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Guajiro, Piaroa, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Wanana, Tucano proper, Pira-Tapuya, Arapaso, Cubeo, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Tariana, Andoque, Witoto, Ocaina, Lima dep: Costa and adjacent Sierra (Spanish, Kechua, and Jacaru-speaking communities, mostly in Pachacamac, Cajatambo, Canta, Huarochirí; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries), Chechens, Papua-New Guinea Southern Lowland Papuan groups (Trans New Guinea and unclassified): Gimi, Kiwai, Bina, Mawabula, Mawatta, Keraki, Gambadi (incl. Kwavaru), Purari River delta, Masingara, Wiram (=Suki), Ngain, Daga, Elema


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