The Mythology and Folklore Database
M59A - Porcupine at the crossing




11 Myths, Legends and Folktales
1 Unique Narratives for Motif M59A
9 Cultures & Traditions where M59A is told
13 Mythemes Indexed
1 Sub-Motifs of Motif M59A


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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

After asking a large animal to transport it across the river, a porcupine kills or damages it. See M59 motif.

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


M59 has 1 other sub-motifs


M59.  A small animal asks a large one to transport it across the river; consistently rejects all the seats on the carrier's body that he offers; climbs to where the carrier is You can kill when the crossing is over.
M59a.  After asking a large animal to transport it across the river, a porcupine kills or damages it. See M59 motif.

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Top 10 Motifs with similar dispersal patterns

MotifSimilarityMotif Summary
M29R100.00%See the motives in square brackets.
H18A99.78%The owner of the hunting animals hides them underground; one of the first ancestors turns into a puppy, which is picked up by the owner's children, and releases the animals. See motif H18.
M12299.77%In a difficult situation, the character asks for advice from his tail, penis, or some creatures in his stomach (these are excrement, intestinal parasites, his "sisters," etc.).
L8099.75%A demonic creature or animal is killed, but comes back to life or can come back to life if even a small piece of its flesh or blood is left behind, unnoticed.
M81A99.75%The hero meets two blind women and makes them sighted. These women are birds (geese, ducks, hazel grouses, partridges).
K5099.70%A man approaches the enemy disguised as a woman and kills him at night (usually cutting off his head and taking it with him).
M5999.70%A small animal asks a large one to transport it across the river; consistently rejects all the seats on the carrier's body that he offers; climbs to where the carrier is You can kill when the crossing is over.
K25C99.68%While digging roots, gathering shellfish, etc., a woman finds a baby. He grows up and enters into a struggle with dangerous characters.
M5499.68%The character lives or stays at someone else's house; then goes far away, falls asleep, but wakes up again in the same house.
J5399.65%The children of a character associated with a hoofed animal (deer, antelope) come into conflict with an enemy associated with a predator or a larger hoofed animal. They kill his children and/or run away from him. See motif J52.

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Map of Motif Dispersal

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This motif has been recorded in 9 traditions: Menominee, Crow, Chilkotin, Nez Perce, Klamath, Modoc, Upland Yuma: Walapai, Havasupai, Yavapai, Navajo, Jicarilla, Chiricahua


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