μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Filed across the traditions
  • Irish myth *Cross
  • Jewish Neuman
  • India Thompson-Balys
  • N. Am. Indian (California) Gayton and Newman 86.
  • general *Dickson 16f., 69 n. 17
Within the index

Filed under Circumstances of recognition.

5 finer motifs beneath it
Recognition of son by gushing up of milk in mother's breasts Child mystically recognizes woman as his mother Sick prince's pulse beats violently when his loved one passes by Fire issues spontaneously from fireless hearth when man approaches Ghost of unknown child passes over heads of parents and bursts in a spray of blood
Filed beside it
Attention drawn and recognition follows Recognition through accidental encounter Outcast wife (children) builds castle identical with king's, invites him, and is recognized Recognition of abandoned child when parent comes to him for relief from famine Abandoned queen invites all to forest, gives appropriate food to her persecutors, and is recognized King finds note with children in casket floated down river identifying them as his. (Cf. S141.) Recognition of transformed person among identical companions. Prearranged signals Recognition of disguised princess by bee lighting on her Recognition of own cow in herd of twenty thousand. Hornet helper Father recognizes son after having thrown him in oven Animal (object) indicates election of ruler Animal will serve only certain man Disguised man recognized by dog Recognition by unmasking Beating brings about outcry and recognition Identification by nurse. Long-missing person identified by his childhood nurse
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
World-fire. A conflagration destroys the earth. Sometimes (as with the flood legends) the tradition is somewhat local and does not refer to an actual destruction of the whole earth; sometimes the fire marks the end of the world Looking tabu Sky-basket. Ascent to or descent from upper world in a basket Escape by use of substituted object. The object is attacked rather than the intended victim

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