μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Vital head. Retains life after being cut off. (Cf. D992, F511.)

The dead. · The soul. · Vital bodily members. · view the constellation · filed as E783

Filed across the traditions
  • Irish myth *Cross
  • Icelandic Boberg
  • Spanish Exempla Keller
  • Jewish *Neuman
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • West Indies Flowers 432.
Within the index

Filed under Vital bodily members. They possess life independent of the rest of the body. (Cf. F1096.)

8 finer motifs beneath it
Head cut off and successfully replaced Severed head regrows Severed head reddens and whitens Severed head opens eyes Vital head speaks Headless body vital Headless man lives four (seven) years. (Cf. Q551.8.5.) Dead head grateful for burying it
Filed beside it
Vital body: kills attacking enemies Animal bodily members transferred to person or other animal retains animal powers and habits. (Cf. E781, E782.) Eyes successfully replaced Limbs successfully replaced Flesh regrows Vital skin. Retains life after death of owner Heart successfully replaced Stomach borrowed by animal. Later returned Severed pap regrows when woman bears child Vital bodily members – miscellaneous
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Magic head Beheaded man swims. (Cf. E783.) Person unusual as to his head. (Cf. F501.) Man cuts off own head, picks it up and replaces it. (Cf. E783.)

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