Origin of death

Motif

Origin of death.

Mythological motifs. · Creation and ordering of human life. · Ordering of human life. · Beginnings of trouble for man. · view the constellation · filed as A1335

Attested across traditions

North American Indigenous Tales of the North American Indians , Tale 8 receipt
North American Indigenous Tales of the North American Indians , Tale 9 receipt

Filed across the traditions

Irish myth Cross
Jewish Neuman
India *Thompson-Balys
Chinese Graham
Siberian Holmberg Siberian 377
Japanese Anesaki 224, 233
Burmese Scott IndoChinese 264. – Africa (Angola): Wagener Afrikanische Parallelen 9ff., Chatelain 249, (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 60, (Congo): Weeks 217 No. 12, (Ekoi): Talbot 177, (Liberian): Bundy JAFL XXXII 407f., (Fang): Trilles 131. – Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 178
Maori Dixon 54
Australian ibid. 285
Melanesian ibid. 117f. *n. 53
Indonesian ibid. 170 (Borneo), 174, *182
Hawaii Beckwith Myth 43
Sinkyone Kroeber JAFL XXXII 346
Tahltan Teit *JAFL XXXII 206f.
Calif. Indian Gayton and Newman 64
Eskimo (Kodiak) Golder JAFL XX 486, (Cape York): Rasmussen III 48, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 173
S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano) Métraux RMLP XXXIII 171, (Cubeo): Goldman BBAE CXLIII (3) 798, (Yuracare): Métraux ibid. (3) 503, (Warrau): Kirchoff ibid. (3) 880.
general S. S. Cohon The Origin of Death (Journal of Jewish Lore and Philosophy [1919])
general Micronesian: ibid. 252f.
general Raratonga: ibid. 158
general Banks Is.: ibid. 61. – N. Am. Indian: R. Dangel Mythen vom Ursprung dies Todes bei den Indianern Nordamerikas (Mitt. der Anthrop. Gesellschaft in Wien LVIII [1928] 341–374)
general *Krappe Nieuw Theologisch Tijdschrift (1928) 242ff.
general *Thompson Tales 284 n. 51
general Chitimacha: Swanton JAFL XXX 476

Within the index

Filed under Beginnings of trouble for man.

15 finer motifs beneath it

Origin of death from falsified message Origin of death from bad creator's unsuccessful imitation. The bad creator attempts in vain to endow his creations with life like the good creator. Fails and thus introduces death Origin of death from unwise choice. Choice between two bundles, one containing tempting articles, the other everlasting life. People choose the large bundle and lose everlasting life Origin of death when early people put on new skins. Child fails to recognize mother, who puts old skin back on Origin of death: serpent given immortality instead of man. Renews his skin Origin of death: punishment for scorning deity First son who died before his father after the Flood Origin of death because world is overpopulated Origin of death because people weary of living Men die because a snake comes to prey on mankind while creator rests God of world of the dead demands that men die so he will have subjects. (Cf. A487) Death origin: God sends a woman to sell poisoned curds to man God sends centipede down to introduce death into the world through its poisoned sting Death comes into the world by treachery of the gods: stick used by man for scratching his back is changed into cobra God punishes man by killing his child: origin of death

Filed beside it

Paradise lost. Original happy state forfeited because of one sin Confusion of tongues. Originally all men speak same language. Because of a sin they come to speak different languages Origin of murder Origin of disease Origin of physical defects. Wicked people entering heaven on rope fall to earth and are injured. St. Peter misunderstands what God says and lets them fall Origin of blindness Origin of war among men Origin of quarrelling Origin of lying Origin of tears and sighs Origin of hunger Man to earn bread by sweat of his brow. (Cf. A1331.1.) Mankind's escape from trouble

Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)

First woman in Ireland to die of grief for the death of her husband. (Cf. A1335, A1611.5.4.1.)

Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes

Hierarchy of worlds. A series of worlds, one above the other World-tree. Tree extending from lowest to highest world. (Cf. A878.) World-columns. Four (two, etc.) columns or supports sustain the earth Atlas. A man supports the earth on his shoulders Deluge. Inundation of whole world or section Flood from fluids of the body Flood from belly. It flows from pierced belly of monster World-fire. A conflagration destroys the earth. Sometimes (as with the flood legends) the tradition is somewhat local and does not refer to an actual destruction of the whole earth; sometimes the fire marks the end of the world Creation of man Confusion of tongues. Originally all men speak same language. Because of a sin they come to speak different languages Distribution of tribes Birds cling to sky in flood: cause of tail colors. (Cf. A2412.2.)

Carried in tale types

The Origin of Death · ATU 934H 1 recorded variant

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