μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Filed across the traditions
  • Norse MacCulloch Eddic 331ff., De la Saussaye 346ff.
  • Babylonian Spence 138
  • N. Am. Indian *Thompson Tales 286 n. 56a.
  • general **Holmberg Baum des Lebens. – Irish myth: Cross
  • general Hagen MPh I (1903–4) 57
  • general **Olrik Danske Studier, 1917, 49ff.
Within the index

Filed under The universe as a whole.

4 finer motifs beneath it
Tree to heaven Tree hanging from sky. A tree hangs upside down in the sky. By its branches men pass back and forth to the upper world Tree in upper world Sky as overshadowing tree. Shadowing the earth
Filed beside it
Hierarchy of worlds. A series of worlds, one above the other Earth under umbrella Primary elements of universe. (Earth, air, fire, water, etc.) World as egg. The two halves are heaven and earth River connecting earth and upper and lower worlds Size and distances of the universe The universe as a whole – miscellaneous
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Earth-tree. Tree of life or fate
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Hierarchy of worlds. A series of worlds, one above the other 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 Origin of death Distribution of tribes Birds cling to sky in flood: cause of tail colors. (Cf. A2412.2.)

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