Tabu: uttering name of supernatural creature — Mythoi

Motif

Tabu: uttering name of supernatural creature.

Tabu. · Speaking tabu. · Name tabu. · view the constellation · filed as C432

Filed across the traditions

Irish myth Cross
Icelandic Boberg.

Within the index

Filed under Name tabu: prohibition against uttering the name of a person or thing.

1 finer motif beneath it

Guessing name of supernatural creature gives power over him. (Tom-Tit-Tot)

Filed beside it

Tabu: uttering name of god (or gods) Tabu: uttering name of malevolent creature (Eumenides). To avoid the evil results of naming these creatures other names are substituted. The Furies are spoken of as Eumenides; rats and mice as "the large" and "the small" Tabu: uttering relative's name Tabu: disclosing own identity. A supernatural person must not tell who he is Tabu: giving child a name lest it die early

Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)

Gods (supernatural beings) have many names. (Cf. C432.)

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