Bush-rat bites off tortoise's tail: hence tortoise's short tail. (Cf. A2378.4.4.)

Motif

Bush-rat bites off tortoise's tail: hence tortoise's short tail. (Cf. A2378.4.4.)

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Various causes of animal characteristics. · Animal characteristics: change in ancient animal. · view the constellation · filed as A2216.4

Filed across the traditions

Ibo (Nigeria) Thomas 70.

Within the index

Filed under Animal characteristics: members bitten or cut off.

Filed beside it

Bear fishes through ice with tail: hence lacks tail. (Cf. A2378.2.4.) Devil pulls off goats' tails: hence lack tails. (Cf. A2378.2.2.) Moon splits hare's lip with hatchet: hence hare-lip. (Cf. A2211.2, A751.5.1, A2342.1.) Hawk's tail cut in two by sword as he is being transformed. Cause of his forked tail. (Cf. A2378.5.2.) God as falcon has tail cut off: hence falcon's short tail Formerly animals have ears like elephant's: hare bites them off

Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)

Why tortoise has short tail. (Cf. A2216.4.)

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