The Mythology and Folklore Database
H16A - Rivers of blood, A671.2.2.
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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 narratives (in various contexts) mention rivers (lakes) of blood (as well as water used to wash the dead, pus, bones, sweat). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34.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
H16 has 2 other sub-motifsH16. In another world, there are rivers of tears. Tears shed on earth fill large containers there. Cf. motifs K33F, N34, N35. H16a. The narratives (in various contexts) mention rivers (lakes) of blood (as well as water used to wash the dead, pus, bones, sweat). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34. H16b. The narratives (in various contexts) mention a milk pond (river, lake, wave in the sea) existing on earth (but not among the stars). Cf. motifs H16, K33F, N34. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of H16's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| L42B | 95.68% | After capturing the hero, the antagonist brings him home and leaves him in the care of a family member. The latter believes the hero's words and follows his instructions. See motif L42. |
| I46 | 93.98% | Rainbow – an ornamented part of clothing, bright fabric, decoration, belt. |
| L126 | 93.96% | An anthropomorphic character cooks and eats a bird, but the bird cries out from inside his stomach and escapes. The character dies or suffers harm. Cf. motif K132. |
| L72A | 93.21% | Fleeing for his life, the character throws behind him a comb (brush), which turns into an obstacle (almost always thickets) in the path of his pursuer. (In South America, this motif is most likely of European origin). See Andreev 1929, No. 313.I. |
| M38D | 93.01% | Two or more characters, which are small objects or small animals, live or travel together and die one by one while committing protozoa actions. |
| M91A | 92.61% | The character pierces a container of animal blood or other red liquid, simulating murder or suicide. Cf. motifs K10C (wrapped in giblets) and M199H (Giant's ripped belly). |
| K66D | 92.21% | A boy who grew up (was conceived) in a bear's den (lion's cave) becomes a bogatyr. |
| M85 | 92.07% | character unable to climb a tree threatens to knock it down or climb a trunk if a bird or squirrel does not drop a cub or egg. The third character explains that the threat is untenable. |
| K73A4 | 91.73% | Malicious women replace the newborn with a puppy (telling the father that his wife has given birth to a puppy). See motifs K73, K73A. |
| K102 | 91.67% | A woman who is initially friendly to the hero (his sister, mother, less often his wife or lover) then tries to destroy him by acting in concert with his enemy. To this end, she persuades the hero to take actions that are fatal to him. |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 35 traditions: Masai, Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Scotland, Scots, Picts, Scotti, Scottish, Spain, Spaniards, Basques, Maltese, Sicily, Sicilians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Lithuanians, Latvians, Western Sami, Persians, Armenians, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Bashkirs, Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Nganasans, Southern Selkups, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Ainu, Udeghe, Nanai, Pomo, Quiche, Achí, Cakchiquel, Pocomchi, Pocomam, Kogi (Cagaba), Sanha, Creols of Aritama Valley, Yanomamo (Yanoama): Yanomam, Yanomami, Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio)