Mythological motifs

5,822 motifs · page 13 of 30

• Behavior of moon at end of world. A1053
• Moon shining by day as sign of Doomsday. (Cf. A1002.) A1053.1
• Seven days silence in whole universe at the end of the world. A1057
• End of world when culture hero removes one of the world-props. A1058
• Earth-disturbances at end of world. A1060
• Earth sinks into sea at end of world. A1061
• Earthquakes at the end of the world. A1061.1
• Mountains fall together at end of world. A1062
• Water-disturbances at end of world. A1063
• Sea makes extraordinary noise and throws out fishes at end of world. A1063.1
• Sea water mixes with fresh water at end of the world. A1063.2
• Continuous drought at end of world. A1065
• Sun will lock moon in deep ditch in earth's bottom and will eat up stars at end of world. A1066
• Extraordinary wind at end of the world. A1067
• Sun thrown on fire: period of darkness, rain. A1068
• Flow of molten metal at end of world. A1069
• Fettered monster's escape at end of world. Giant, or monster, is fettered in depths of the earth. His movement causes earthquakes. When he succeeds in freeing himself from the fetters and escapes, the world will end. A1070
• Birth of monsters as sign at end of world. A1070.1
• Fettering of underground monster. A1071
• Underground monster fettered by trick. Is persuaded to try on fetters. (Sometimes told of fettering Satan, who plays same role.) A1071.1
• Forging of chain for fettered monster. Smiths hit once in three or four times on the bare anvil. All of these blows go to forging chains for the monster (devil). A1071.2
• Form of fettered monster. A1072
• Fettered monster in human form. A1072.1
• Fettered monster as ferocious animal. A1072.2
• Fettered monster as snake. A1072.3
• Fettered monster as dragon. A1072.4
• Fettered monster's captivity. A1074
• Monster fettered with sword just out of reach. If he reaches it he will free himself. A1074.1
• Fettered monster's vain attempt to reach sword with man's help. Could he reach it he would escape. A1074.2
• Fettered monster questions visitor. He asks "Are lambs still being produced?" or the like; i.e. is nature still normal? He must remain fettered till he hears that nature's laws no longer hold. A1074.3
• Fettered monster preyed upon by vulture. Cf. Prometheus. A1074.4
• Fettered monster kept just out of reach of water. The water is always drunk by vulture as he is ready to take it. A1074.5
• Fettered monster vainly loosens his stake. Each time he loosens it, it is driven in the ground. A1074.6
• Fettered monster's weakened chains renewed by supernatural power. Are almost licked in two by dog but then renewed. A1074.7
• Fettered monster's weakened chains renewed by stroke of a smith. (Cf. A1071.2.) A1074.8
• End of world heralded by coming of Antichrist, a gigantic destructive one-eyed monster. A1075
• Signs before the birth of Antichrist. A1075.1
• Battle at end of world. Armageddon. A1080
• Horse shall wade in blood at Armageddon. A1080.1
• Battle of the gods at end of world. A1081
• Battle of gods and monster at end of world. A1082
• Battle of gods and giants at end of world. A1082.1
• Odin battles Fenris Wolf at end of world. (Cf. A1070.) A1082.2
• Other gods battle Fenris wolf at end of world. A1082.2.1
• God battles hound of hell at end of world. A1082.2.2
• Thor battles Midgard serpent at end of world. A1082.3
• End of world to come at disease and death of snake encircling the world. A1082.3.1
• God battles Leviathan at end of world. A1082.4
• God conquers Satan at end of world. A1082.5
• Battle of saints with Lucifer at end of world. A1082.6
• Battle of angels with Leviathan and Behemoth at end of world. A1082.7
• Prophecy of defeat in battle as sign of end of the world. A1084
• End of the gods. A1085
• Monsters kill each other off at end of world. A1087
• World calamities and renewals – miscellaneous motifs. A1090
• Natural laws inoperative at end of world. A1091
• Three horses from dove's egg on last day. A1091.1
• End of world announced by trumpet. A1093
• The Messianic Age. A1095
• Extraordinary man at end of the world. A1097
• World calamities – additional motifs. A1099
• World destroyed by rain of stones. A1099.1
• World devoured by ogre. A1099.2
• World turned topsy-turvy and eaten by an earthworm. A1099.3
• Establishment of natural order. A1100
• The four ages of the world. A development of the present order through four stages or periods, the golden, silver, bronze, and iron ages, or the like. A1101
• Golden age. A former age of perfection. A1101.1
• Reign of peace and justice (under certain king). A1101.1.1
• Even trees could speak in golden age. A1101.1.2
• Former age: spirits and ogres lived with men, and gods appeared in human guise. A1101.1.3
• Reversal of nature in former age. A1101.2
• Formerly men plowed and cattle were their masters. A1101.2.1
• Formerly men ate grass: cattle ate rice and pulse. A1101.2.2
• Formerly men dumb: birds and animals talked. A1101.2.3
• Formerly men could go safely beneath the sea. A1101.2.4
• Why powers of nature work on Sabbath. A1102
• Nature transformed by God once in seven years. A1103
• Establishment of present order: waters. A1110
• Impounded water. Water is kept by monster so that mankind cannot use it. A hero defeats the monster and releases the water. (The monster is sometimes a giant frog.) A1111
• God promises never again to destroy world by water. A1113
• Why the sea is salt. A1115
• Why the sea is salt: because of wrecked salt ship. A1115.1
• Why the sea is salt: magic salt mill. Stolen by sea-captain, who takes it aboard and orders it to grind. It will stop only for its master; ship sinks and mill keeps grinding salt. A1115.2
• Why the sea is salt: heavy rain showers on ashes of wood burnt by primeval fire. A1115.3
• Origin of sea-waves. A1116
• Sea-waves are (manes of) sea-god's horses. A1116.1
• Origin of foam on waters. A1117
• Origin of swirling motion of water. Animals and birds scratch in it. A1118
• Establishment of present order: waters – miscellaneous. A1119
• Why sea is blue. New Guinea: Ker 25. A1119.1
• Why sea waters are warm: kept so by Leviathan. A1119.2
• Origin of sea's unpleasant odor. A1119.3
• Establishment of present order: winds. A1120
• Breathing of deity (spirit) causes winds. A1121
• Cave of winds. Winds originally confined in caves. A1122
• Hole of winds: stopper destroyed. The hole is stopped with a wooden stopper, which is destroyed. The country dries up. A1122.1
• Wind a bird dwelling in mountain-hole. A1122.2
• Lost wind found in hollow tree: has been banished and is needed by men. A1122.3
• Wind comes through holes in sky when gut covering is cut. A1122.4
• Winds as children of titans (giants). A1123
• Winds caused by flapping wings. A giant bird causes the wind with his wings. The wings are cut by the culture hero so that the bird cannot flap so hard. A1125
• Wind caused by flapping of ears of giant. A1125.1
• Wind caused by wind-god's movements. When the son of the wind lies down, the wind blows. A1126
• Winds of the four quarters established. A1127
• Effect of the four winds on weather. A1127.1
• North wind tempers fury of south wind. A1127.1.1
• South wind causes heat and hurricanes. A1127.1.2
• Gentle west wind said to be exhausted from fleeing deity. A1127.2
• Regulation of winds. A1128
• Angels' wings protect earth from winds. A1128.1
• When wind-spirit is awake it storms; asleep, it is calm. A1128.2
• Establishment of present order: winds – miscellaneous. A1129
• Colors of winds. A1129.1
• Creator establishes twelve winds, each a different color. A1129.1.1
• Origin of monsoon: from chewed skin and spit of pair of divine friends eating guavas. A1129.2
• Wind is blind. A1129.3
• Establishment of present order: weather phenomena. A1130
• Angels set over clouds, winds, and rains. A1130.1
• Origin of storms in sixth heaven. A1130.2
• Origin of rain. A1131
• Regulation of rains. A1131.0.1
• Why it rains most in the hills. A1131.0.2
• Rain from tears. A1131.1
• Rain from urine. A1131.1.1
• Rainy weather sent by saint as punishment. A1131.2
• Rain from sea in upper world. A1131.3
• Rain from container in sky. A1131.4
• Rain kept in waterskin dragged along sky floor. A1131.4.1
• Rain from rain-god (rain spirit). A1131.5
• Rain shed by stars. A1131.6
• Origin of dew. A1132
• Origin of clouds. A1133
• Origin of clouds from Ymir's brain. A1133.1
• Origin of clouds: creator ornaments the sky with clouds so that the mountains are sometimes shaded. A1133.2
• Clouds as smoke rising to sky. A1133.3
• Clouds as God's shield. A1133.4
• Origin of mist (fog). A1134
• Origin of wintry weather. A1135
• Origin of cold in winter. A1135.1
• Origin of cold: sun turns fiery face upward. A1135.1.1
• Origin of snow. A1135.2
• Snow from feathers or clothes of a witch (Frau Holle). A1135.2.1
• Origin of frost. A1135.3
• Origin of hail. A1135.4
• Causes of hot weather: God bores hole in hell. A1137
• Origin of lightning. A1141
• Lightning as fiery snake. A1141.1
• Lightning from flashing sword. A1141.2
• Lightning from heavenly horses striking hoofs against stars. A1141.3
• Lightning as god's whip. A1141.4
• Lightning as God's messenger. A1141.5
• Lightning produced by deity. A1141.6
• Lightning from fire. A1141.7
• Lightning as torches of invisible dancers. A1141.7.1
• Origin of lightning – other motifs. A1141.8
• Origin of thunder. A1142
• Origin of thunderbolt. A1142.0.1
• Creator's (deity's) voice makes thunder. A1142.1
• Thunder from flying dragon. A1142.2
• Persons escape to sky and become thunder. A1142.3
• Origin of thunder clouds: from wings of mountains. A1142.4
• Thunder is sound of God's gun. A1142.5
• Thunder caused by God beating his weapon. A1142.5.1
• Thunder from crashing of stones in moon as goddess beats tapa. A1142.5.1.1
• Thunder from thunder-spirit beating his children. A1142.5.1.2
• Cause of thunder: sounds of the horses' hoofs as gods play ball. A1142.6
• Thunder from clashing weapons of warring spirits in sky. A1142.6.1
• Thunder from deity separating the winds which try to unite. A1142.7
• Thunder is noise of waterskin which rain-god drags along sky floor. A1142.8
• Thunder made by giants in sky. A1142.9
• Thunder the drums of dead. A1142.9.1
• Cause of earthquakes. A1145
• Earthquakes from movements of subterranean monster. (Cf. A844). A1145.1
• Earthquakes from movements of sea-monster. A1145.2
• Origin of stormy sky. A1147
• Origin of red sky (blood). A1147.1
• Origin of tornado sunsets; i.e., peculiar sunsets foreboding tornadoes. A1148
• Determination of seasons. A1150
• Establishment of times for sowing and reaping. A1150.1
• Theft of the seasons. Certain seasons are lacking. A culture hero steals the season from a monster and brings it to his people. A1151
• Boneless man turned over to produce seasons. A1152
• Seasons produced by marriage of North and South. A1153
• Genealogy of summer and winter. A1154
• Why days lengthen in spring. A1155
• Why days shorten in autumn: the real sun sets very early because the red cockscomb plant, used to kill his brother sun with, grows to its full height during this time. A1156
• Causes of seasons – deities push sun back and forth at solstices. A1157
• Determination of the months. A1160
• February's shortage of days. Days stolen by January and March. A1161
• Origin of night and day. A1170
• Origin of day. A1171
• Opening of creator's eyes creates day. (Cf. A0.) A1171.1
• Windows in firmament shed light. A1171.2
• Angels of the day. A1171.3
• Origin of day: son of the night and the dawn. A1171.4
• Determination of night and day. After much discussion, the relative length of these divisions is determined. A1172
• Regulation of sunshine. A1172.1
• Wallet containing night and day. A1172.2
• Night and day have steeds and chase each other. A1172.3
• Origin of night. A1174
• Night (darkness) in package. Released. A1174.1