The Mythology and Folklore Database
A2E - The sun and moon – severed heads.
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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 sun and/or moon – severed heads of anthropomorphic beings.Berezkin category: The Sun and Moon
This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part group 1, Sun and Moon
A2 has 12 other sub-motifsA2. There was a time when several, i.e. more than two, suns shone in the sky at the same time. A2a. The world was or will be (almost) burned when several suns lit up or will light up simultaneously; or destructive heat (or light) once emanated from one sun. A2a1. At first, the moon was as bright and hot as the sun. A2b. In addition to the current sun and/or moon, other suns and moons shone in the sky, which were then destroyed. See motif A2A. A2b1. Two or more suns shine in the sky. When the extra ones are destroyed, there is a danger that the last one will be destroyed along with them and darkness will ensue. A2c. The extra suns that existed in the past or may appear in the future are the children of the Sun-father. See motif A2A. A2c1. The Sun is going to have children. One of the animals warns that if the Sun has children, the world will burn. The Sun has to (refuse marriage and) remain childless. A2c2. The catastrophe threatening the earth is associated with the appearance of not only several suns, but also several moons. A2c3. In extraordinary circumstances, the moon or sun are not round, but have corners and edges. A2d. Other suns illuminate other levels of the universe or will shine sequentially in the future. A2e. The sun and/or moon – severed heads of anthropomorphic beings. A2F. Suns grow on tree branches. A2G. At different times throughout the day, different suns shine in the sky. Click here if would you like to see a distrbution map combining all of A2's motifs? |
Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns
| Motif | Similarity | Motif Summary |
|---|---|---|
| I102 | 86.19% | The Milky Way – a tree, the trace of a tree. |
| K48 | 80.80% | The antagonist orders the wonderful bird captured by the hero to sing or talk, but it remains silent or cries out inappropriately. The bird begins to sing (talk) after the hero has triumphed over his opponents. |
| L49 | 79.98% | Individual parts or pieces of a character's body are successively thrown down. (In American variants, those below usually mistake them for game, honey, or fish). |
| L43 | 79.72% | Characters dangerous to the hero (demons, robbers, merchants) mistake excrement, insects, snakes and other disgusting things (not intended for food) for something pleasant (edible). |
| H7G1 | 79.05% | A man (usually looking for a godfather for his newborn son) rejects God (the saints) and the devil, but praises Death: it treats everyone without prejudice (or is richer than everyone else). |
| K49 | 78.16% | A woman who has been transformed into an animal or found herself outside the human world returns to her child to feed and care for it. Cf. motif K33. |
| L23D | 77.83% | A man captures a desirable woman. Trying to free herself, she transforms into various substances, materials, animals or (urarina, setebo) orders various dangerous animals to attack the man who captured her. |
| K27G2 | 77.50% | The character must build a house out of bird feathers or cover the roof, bridge, etc. with feathers. |
| M13 | 77.47% | A person appeals to higher powers with a request, without considering that his words may have a different meaning than he intended. Either a person accidentally utters the wrong word or accidentally and hastily expresses an empty or absurd desire. As a result, something happens that he did not want at all. Cf. motifs I58B and M13A.Most of the references in ATU 775 (Midas' short-sighted wish) are either incorrect or impossible to verify. In connection with this plot, the reference to Uther 2000 is taken into account only for the Lithuanian variant, since there is a summary of the Latvian one, and for the Greek one, since the motif exists in Ancient Greece and among the neighbouring South Slavs. For ATU 750A, the reference to Bäcker 1988 in connection with the "Chinese" is incorrect; these are Manchus, not Chinese, and the stated motif is not present in the text. |
| L23 | 76.66% | Trying to free himself, the captured character successively transforms into various substances, materials or animals, or (Urarina, Setebo) orders various dangerous animals to successively attack the person who captured him. (In some cases, only one variant of transformation is mentioned, but in the same context as in typical variants with a series of transformations). |
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Map of Motif Dispersal
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This motif has been recorded in 11 traditions: 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, Lithuanians, Western Ukrainians, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Tuscarora, Shuar, Achuar (Shiwiar), Amahuaca, Cashinahua, Sharanahua, Yaminahua, Yawanahua, Capanahua), Mundurucu, Curuaia, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Russian Federation