The Mythology and Folklore Database
L56 - Fire in the belly of a monster.




62 Myths, Legends and Folktales
59 Unique Narratives for Motif L56
34 Cultures & Traditions where L56 is told
97 Mythemes Indexed
0 Sub-Motifs of Motif L56


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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 large animal or monster perishes from a fire kindled in its belly. See motif K8A.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Monsters and evil spirits

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



Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
K8694.57%A small (usually capricious) child is ignored, sent away from home, abandoned on the road, or given to another person for a time. As a result, the child is carried away by an animal or a spirit.
I2393.82%The door of the house opens and slams shut by itself, crushing those entering or leaving. See motif I22.
I4993.10%Earthquake – an anthropomorphic character (or category of characters) that moves around, shaking the earth.
K27K92.50%Test: to dive underwater for a long time or deeply. See motif K27.
F6592.14%To satisfy their secret desire, which involves breaking social norms (forbidden sex, refusing to share food with relatives), the character pretends to be dying, abandoned at the burial site.
L5192.11%A cannibal, spirit, or predatory beast regularly throws its victims down, where they are devoured by aquatic or chthonic creatures.
M8191.91%Wandering, the hero finds himself in a place where blind or blind (two or more) live.
L5791.87%The character loses an internal organ or part of the body, which is taken away by others; he approaches unnoticed and takes back what was lost.
M4691.68%Some creatures steal or own valuables. To return (get) them, the character turns into a small object, from contact with which a woman becomes pregnant, or into a baby. A picked up or born baby takes on its true appearance and steals valuables (including making the girl who picked it up pregnant, if that was his goal).
I1591.67%Creatures without mouths. Usually, their mouths are cut open later.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 34 traditions: Bushmen (all groups), Santa Cruz Islands (incl Nguna, Reef Islands), Ontong Java, Nukumanu, Takuu, Nukuria, Basques, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Albanians, Balkarians, Western Ukrainians, Russians: Central part of ethnic territory as in A.D. 1500 (Tver, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Kostroma, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Smolensk provinces; in case of absence in other areas also Russians in Vyatka, Perm, Kazan provinces), Bashkirs, Udmurt, Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Evens (Lamuts), Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Upper Tanana (Nebesna), Tanacross, Athna, Koyukon, Tanana, Eyak, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Shuswap, Comox, Pentlatch, Lushootseed (Puget Sound: Puyallup, Nisqualmi, Snuqualmi, Duwamish, Muckleshoot, Snohomish, Skagit), Western Sahaptin (Upper Cowlitz, Klikitat, Tenino, Umatilla, Yakima, Wallawalla), Nez Perce, Tillamook, Yurok, Choco: Embera, Nonama (Waunana), XVI century Dabaiba, pre-Columbian iconography of Sinu, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Akawai, Colorado (Tsachila), Upper Chinook: Wasco, Wishram, Clackamas, Kathlamet, Kayapa


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