μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Magic reawakening of memory. (Cf. D1360, D1910.)

Magic. · Magic powers and manifestations. · Manifestations of magic power. · Temporary magic characteristics. · Magic forgetfulness. · view the constellation · filed as D2006

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“She began to sew her moccasins, and all at once she stuck the awl in one of her fingers. The woman threw it away, and it came back and said: “Brother Turtle, I hurt a woman badly. She was using me while she was sewing her moccasins, and I stuck one of her fingers; she threw me away.” “Well done, brothers, now it is my turn,’ said the turtle. The turtle went into camp, and people saw him and said: “What does this mean?”

Tales of the North American Indians, Tale 38 · served from our shelf  receiptuncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

Attested across traditions
Scholars’ trail — 1reference

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.

  • IrishPlummer lxxx, Cross.
Within the index

Filed under Magic forgetfulness.

2 finer motifs beneath it
Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memorySight of old home reawakens memory and brings about return from other world
Filed beside it
Forgotten fiancée. Young husband visiting his home breaks tabu and forgets his wife. Later she succeeds in reawakening his memory. (For details of the ways in which the memory is lost and regained see D2004 and D2006Means of bringing about magic forgetfulnessYears thought days. (Cf. F379.5.) Years spent in the other world or asleep seem as days because of magic forgetfulnessMoments thought years. In a moment a person seems to experience events of many years
Travels with
Magic object effects temporary change in personMagic memory
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Trickster's burnt flesh becomes gum on treesTransformation to be put in food-bagTransformation to seduceMagic treasure animal killed. (Goose that laid the golden egg)Magic garment (robe, tunic)Killed game revives and flies awayDisintegration: man eats himself up or dismembers himselfPerson eats self upTrickster joins bulrushes in a dance. He thinks they are dancing when he sees them wavingPerson frightened into falling down a cliffDeceptive scratching contestThief frightens owner from goods

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