μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Waters magically divide and close.

Magic. · Magic objects. · Function of magic objects. · Magic object miraculously opens and closes. · view the constellation · filed as D1551

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“For instance, one of these seven visitors was wonderfully enamoured of a fine country, and expressed a de- sire to remain there, and to live long; whereupon, at Glooscap’s direction, Earthquake took him and stood him up, and he be- came a cedar-tree.'® When the wind blew through its boughs, they were bent and broken with great fracas, — making a thunder-storm that rolled far and wide over the country, ac- companied by strong winds,…”

— Tales of the North American Indians, Tale 3 · served from our shelf  receiptuncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

Attested across traditions
Scholars’ trail — 10references

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

  • BretonSébillot Incidents s. v. "rivière"
  • IrishPlummer cxlviii, Cross
  • IcelandicBoberg
  • EnglandBaughman
  • Spanish ExemplaKeller
  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • N. Am. Indian*Thompson Tales 276 n. 15b
  • Africa (Zulu)Callaway 82, 93
  • general *Frazer Old Testament II 456ff.
  • general (Hottentot): Bleek 75 No. 36.
Within the index

Filed under Magic object miraculously opens and closes.

10 finer motifs beneath it
Water becomes shallow so man is able to cross the riverMagic salt causes waters to divide. (Cf. D1039.2.)Magic rod causes waters to divide and close. (Cf. D1254.2.)Magic root causes waters to divide and close. (Cf. D967.)Magic powder causes waters to divide. (Cf. D1246.)Saint's bachall causes sea to divide. (Cf. D1277.)Magic stick causes waters to divide. (Cf. D956.)Magic diamond on ogre's waist opens passage in tank by its reflection on waterMagic brick causes waters to divide. (Cf. D935.4.)Magic formula causes sea to open up. (Cf. D1273.)
Filed beside it
Mountains or rocks open and close. (Cf. D931, D932.)Symplegades. Rocks that clash together at intervals. (Cf. D931.)Magic forest opens and closes for hero to pass. (Cf. D941.)Underground passage magically opensSelf-opening tree-trunk. (Cf. D950.)Magic charm causes door to open. (Cf. D1273.)
Travels with
Magic gem causes river waters to recede. (Cf. D1071, D1551.)Man proof against wet. (Cf. D1524.1, D1540, D1551, D2125, D2151.)The waters of seas, lakes, and streams turn aside and let the holy man walk through untouched by moisture. (Cf. D1551.)Passing through sea unscathed. (Cf. D1551.)
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Creator's grandmother. Casually mentioned in the course of the creation mythDivinity's departure for westCulture hero's (divinity's) expected return. Divinity or hero is expected to return at the proper time and rescue his people from their misfortunes. Often joined with A571Boneless man turned over to produce seasonsTabu: looking into box (Pandora)Magic airshipsMagic canoe. (Cf. D1121.)Canoe made by magicLove-compelling man sickens of bargain. A man given the power of making all women love him is smothered to death by themRising and falling sky. Sky rises and falls at horizon, giving periodic access to the other worldModesty brings rewardKind and unkind. Churlish person disregards requests of old person (animal) and is punished. Courteous person (often youngest brother or sister) complies and is rewarded

wander