The Mythology and Folklore Database
M144A - Burning straw on the back of a tiger.




7 Myths, Legends and Folktales
7 Unique Narratives for Motif M144A
3 Cultures & Traditions where M144A is told
37 Mythemes Indexed
1 Sub-Motifs of Motif M144A


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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 character asks a large and dangerous animal (a tiger or an elephant) to carry a load of straw and sets it on fire. Then he or someone else advises the victim to run not to the river, but to the mountain.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part group 11, Tricks and competitions won thanks to deception, absurd and obscene behavior


M14 has 1 other sub-motifs


M14.  A man brutally murders his wife (rarely: children, fiancée, sister) and/or eats her flesh himself, or brings her flesh to her relatives (if he kills children, he brings the flesh to his wife).
M14a.  To take revenge on his wife or her relatives for (allegedly) causing him offence, the husband roasts his wife alive. See motif M14.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
A8100.00%The sun, moon and stars – three brothers or three sisters.
B119100.00%A woman of non-human nature agrees to live with a man, but leaves him upon learning of his real or imagined infidelity.
B121100.00%A small bird carries pebbles and sticks, trying to fill the sea.
B49A100.00%Powerful animals could have many cubs, but now they give birth to only one every few years.
B6A100.00%The first woman gives birth to several eggs. One or two of them remain unchanged for a long time and are thrown into the river, believing them to be spoiled. However, it is precisely from these eggs that characters of high status emerge (or should have emerged).
B77B2100.00%The sky moved away and/or the connection between people and the deity ceased after the sky or the heavenly deity was touched or struck with a broom.
B93A100.00%Once a year, birds form a bridge across the heavenly river with their bodies. Usually, the feathers on their heads are worn away as a result.
C39100.00%When the sky split or partially collapsed, it was repaired.
C39A100.00%A hole in the sky or a crack in the ground was plugged with a piece of ice, which is why it is cold in the north (north-west, north-east).
C40100.00%At first, stones fell from the sky and crushed people.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 3 traditions: Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma


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