μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Water-spirits kidnap mortals and keep them under water.

Marvels. · Marvelous creatures. · Spirits and demons. · Water-spirits. · view the constellation · filed as F420.5.2.2

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“But at an unguarded moment Sun lifted the lid, emerged in a rage, seized his magic staff, and threatened to destroy Heaven and exterminate its inhabitants. Yü Huang, at the end of his resources, summoned Buddha, who came and addressed Sun as follows: "Why do you wish to possess yourself of the Kingdom of the Heavens?" "Have I not power enough to be the God of Heaven?" was the arrogant reply. "What qualifications have you?" asked Buddha.”

Myths & Legends of China, Chapter XIV · served from our shelf

On our shelf — the index’s citations, resolved to served chapters
Scholars’ trail — 8references

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.

Within the index

Filed under Malevolent water-spirits.

2 finer motifs beneath it
Water-spirit returns kidnapped man in return for release of his long hair. Victim's father has wound the hair around his fingersMistreated boy sings unto water spirits to take him: waters rise up in tank to engulf him
Filed beside it
Water-spirits lure mortal into waterWater-spirit keeps souls of drowned persons in dishes in his homeWater-spirits steal children and leave changelingWater-spirits interfere with building bridges, dams. (Cf. F451.5.2.5.)Water-spirits take revenge on mortalsWater-spirit turns boat in circleWater-spirit splashes passing peopleWater-spirits lead travelers astrayWater-man sits on back of persons as heavy burdenWater-spirits cause blindnessWater-spirit causes illness and death
Travels with
Dwarfs kidnap mortals. (Cf. F420.5.2.2. and cross-references there given.)
Carried in tale types

wander