Mythological motifs

5,822 motifs · page 22 of 30

• Eagle's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302.4
• Wolf's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302.5
• Lice made smaller. A2302.6
• Origin of animal's flat body. A2305
• Origin of fish's flat body. (Cf. A2231.9.) A2305.1
• Origin of steel-head salmon's flat body. A2305.1.1
• Origin of flounder's flat body. (Cf. A2126.) A2305.1.2
• Why lobster is flat. (Cf. A2213.2.4.) A2305.1.3
• Why bedbug is flat. A2305.2
• Why animal is slippery. A2306
• Why eel is slippery. A2306.1
• Origin of animal characteristics: body covering. A2310
• Origin of animal's skin. A2311
• Origin of dog's skin. (Cf. A2210, A2229.2.) A2311.1
• Origin of cat's skin. (Cf. A2210.) A2311.2
• Origin of wolf's skin. (Cf. A2210.) A2311.3
• Origin of hedgehog's skin. (Cf. A2210, A2220.1.) A2311.4
• Origin of porcupine's skin. (Cf. A2210.) A2311.5
• Origin of cow's and buffalo's hides. (Cf. A2247.1.) A2311.6
• Why crocodile has rough skin. (Cf. A2315.2.) A2311.7
• Why frog has rough skin. A2311.8
• Why snakes and lizards change skins. (Cf. A2250.2.) A2311.9
• Origin of animal shell. A2312
• Origin of tortoise's shell. (Cf. A2215.3, A2231.1.4, A2213.3, A2211.10.) A2312.1
• Origin of cracks in tortoise's shell. A2312.1.1
• Origin of snail's shell. A2312.2
• Origin of dents in crab's shell. A2312.3
• Origin of bird's feathers. A2313
• Origin of cuckoo's feathers. (Cf. A2241.6.) A2313.1
• Origin of magpie's feathers. Exchanges with dove. (Cf. A2247.) A2313.2
• Origin of peacock's feathers. (Cf. A2241, A2245.) A2313.3
• Origin of nkundak's feathers. (Cf. A2223.2.) A2313.4
• Why young ravens have white feathers. A2313.5
• Origin of fish's scales. A2315
• Origin of shell-fish's black scales. A2315.1
• Origin of alligator's scales. (Cf. A2311.7.) A2315.2
• Why certain animals are bare of covering. A2317
• Why swine's belly is bare. A2317.1
• Why fly is bald. A2317.2
• Why buzzard is bald. A2317.3
• Why crow's head is bald. A2317.4
• Why raven is bald. A2317.5
• Why magpie is bald. A2317.6
• Why vulture is bald. A2317.7
• Why bat is bald. A2317.8
• Why bird's feet are bare. A2317.9
• Why baboon has bare place on back. (Cf. A2213.2.3.) A2317.10
• Why john-crow has bald head. A2317.11
• Why opossum has bare tail. A2317.12
• Why kangaroo-rat's tail is not bushy. A2317.12.1
• Why jackal has bare tail. A2317.12.2
• Why rat's tail is round and without any hair. (Cf. A2378.9.5.) A2317.12.3
• Origin of animal characteristics: head. A2320
• How snake got small head. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2320.1
• Why weaver bird's head is small. A2320.1.1
• How turtle got snake-like head. (Cf. A2247.2.) A2320.2
• How lizard got red head. (Cf. A2211.8.) A2320.3
• Origin of mudhen's red head. A2320.3.1
• Why crab has no head. A2320.4
• Why bird's head is so large. A2320.5
• Why crocodile has marks of water pot on head. A2320.6
• Why palm-rat has swollen head. A2320.7
• Origin of bird crests. A2321
• Origin of goose's crest. A2321.1
• Origin of hoopoe's crest. A2321.2
• Origin of woodpecker's crest. A2321.3
• Origin of crested-lark's crest. A2321.4
• Origin of kingfisher's crest. A2321.5
• Origin of nkundak's crest. (Cf. A2223.2.) A2321.6
• Origin of buzzard's crest. A2321.7
• Origin of red lump on rail's head. (Cf. A2215.4.) A2321.8
• Origin of willow-grouse's crest. A2321.9
• Origin of cock's red crest. A2321.10
• Why the cock's comb becomes white when he is angry. A2321.10.1
• Origin of woodpecker's crest. A2321.11
• Origin of hair and mane. A2322
• How buffalo got hair under chin. A2322.1
• How zebra got its mane. A2322.3
• How goat got his beard. A2322.4
• How goat got his mane. A2322.4.1
• Why sheep may keep wool which grows on his forehead. (Cf. A2255.1.) A2322.5
• Why the gorilla and chimpanzee have hair all over the body. Punishment for not guarding possessions at creation. A2322.6
• Origin of animals' ears. A2325
• Why rabbit has long ears. A2325.1
• Why hare's ears are black. (Cf. A2212.1.) A2325.2
• Why ass has long ears. A2325.3
• Why camel has short ears. (Cf. A2232.1.) A2325.4
• Why zebra has long ears. A2325.5
• Why cat has jagged ears. A2325.6
• Why camel has no ears. (Cf. A2232.1.) A2325.7
• Why serpent has no ears. A2325.8
• Origin and nature of animal's horns. A2326
• How animals got horns. A2326.1
• How stag got antlers. From camel. A2326.1.1
• Why deer has antlers: as reward for not cheating. A2326.1.1.1
• How caribou got antlers. Exchanged his teeth for walrus's horns. (Cf. A2247.) A2326.1.2
• How sheep got horns. A2326.1.3
• How ox got horns. Exchanged for horse's teeth. (Cf. A2247.) A2326.1.4
• How goats got horns. A2326.1.5
• How horned-viper got horns. A2326.1.6
• Why some animals have no horns. A2326.2
• Why cats have no horns. A2326.2.1
• Why dog has no horns: they were stolen by deer (goat). A2326.2.2
• Originally cock had horns. A2326.2.3
• Nature of animal's horns. A2326.3
• Why cows have two horns. (Cf. A2286.2.3.) A2326.3.1
• How stag got long antlers. A2326.3.2
• Why antelope's antlers reach backward. A2326.3.3
• Why buffalo's horns are bent. A2326.3.4
• Why mountain-sheep's horns are close together. A2326.3.5
• Origin of animal characteristics: face. A2330
• How wildcat got his mashed face. (Cf. A2213.2.1.) A2330.1
• How lynx got his squint. (Cf. A2211.1.) A2330.2
• Why monkey's face is black. A2330.3
• Origin of marks on tiger's face. A2330.4
• Why flea's face is red. A2330.5
• Why pheasant's cheeks are red. A2330.6
• Why dove's head is marked as it is. A2330.7
• Why rail (bird) has red forehead. A2330.8
• Origin and nature of animals' eyes. A2332
• Origin of animals' eyes. A2332.1
• How mouse got his eyes. A2332.1.1
• How fly got his eyes. A2332.1.2
• How herring got his eyes. A2332.1.3
• How fox got his eyes. Stole from birch tree. (Cf. A2245.) A2332.1.4
• Where owl got his eyes. A2332.1.5
• Number of animal's eyes. A2332.2
• Why horse has only two eyes. (Cf. A2286.2.2.) A2332.2.1
• Size of animals' eyes. A2332.3
• Why lemur has big eyes. (Cf. A2234.3.) A2332.3.1
• Why zabi's eyes are narrow: because he laughs so hard. A2332.3.2
• Why caribou has small eyes. A2332.3.3
• Shape and position of animal's eyes. A2332.4
• Why hare has deep-set eyes. (Cf. A2239.1.) A2332.4.1
• Why crab lifts eye out of body or has eye behind. (Cf. A2231.10, A2231.1.3.) A2332.4.2
• Why frog's eyes bulge out. A2332.4.3
• Color of animal's eyes. A2332.5
• Why coyote has yellowish eyes. A2332.5.1
• Why cuckoo has red eyes. A2332.5.2
• Why water-hen has red eyes. A2332.5.3
• Why toad has red eyes. A2332.5.4
• Why turkey has red eyes. A2332.5.5
• Why wooddove has green eyes. A2332.5.6
• Why wild duck has red eyes. Dances for trickster. A2332.5.7
• Why herring's eyes are red. A2332.5.8
• "Blindness" in animals. Animals really or supposedly blind. A2332.6
• Why blindworm has no eyes. (Cf. A2241.5.) A2332.6.1
• Why giant lizard is blind. Chose poison instead of eyes. A2332.6.2
• Why grasshopper is born blind. (Cf. A2233.4.) A2332.6.3
• Why worm is blind. (Cf. A2284.3.) A2332.6.4
• Why mole is blind. A2332.6.5
• Why owl is blind by day. (Cf. A2233.3.) A2332.6.6
• Why elephant sees half-blindly. A2332.6.7
• Why leech is blind. A2332.6.8
• Why bee is blind. A2332.6.9
• Origin and nature of animal's nasal organ (nose, snout, proboscis, etc.). A2335
• Origin of animal's nose. A2335.1
• Nature of animal's nose. (Cf. A2213.4.3.) A2335.2
• Why deer has white mark on nose. From white ashes. A2335.2.1
• Why lynx has short, blunt nose. A2335.2.2
• Why raven has nose marked as if it had been broken off. A2335.2.3
• Why hare's nose is closed during sowing season. (Cf. A2238.1.) A2335.2.4
• Why steer has no hair on his nose. (Cf. A2221.5.1.) A2335.2.5
• Origin and nature of animal's proboscis. A2335.3
• Origin of anteater's proboscis. Transformed digging-stick. (Cf. A2262.) A2335.3.1
• Why tapir has long nose. A2335.3.2
• Origin and nature of animal's snout (muzzle). A2335.4
• Why hog has short snout. (Cf. A2287.1.) A2335.4.1
• Why hog has round snout. Creation of hog incomplete since God had to go to fire. (Cf. A2286.1.1.) A2335.4.2
• Why dog has black muzzle. (Cf. A2229.1.) A2335.4.3
• Why coyote has long muzzle. (Cf. A2213.4.1.) A2335.4.4
• Why the wolf's muzzle is black. A2335.4.5
• Why rat has long snout. A2335.4.6
• Origin and nature of animal's mouth. A2341
• Why flounder's mouth is crooked. (Cf. A2252.4, A2231.1.2.) A2341.1
• Why animal's mouth is large. A2341.2
• Why opossum's mouth is large. A2341.2.1
• Why zebra's mouth is large. A2341.2.2
• Why animal's mouth is closed. A2341.3
• Why serpent's mouth is closed. A2341.3.1
• Origin and nature of animal's lips. A2342
• Why hare's lip is split. (Cf. A2234.4, A2216.3, A2211.2.) A2342.1
• Why ox has no hair on his lips. (Cf. A2221.5.1.) A2342.2
• Origin and nature of bird's beak. A2343
• Origin of bird's long beak. A2343.1
• Where kingfisher got his long beak. A2343.1.1
• Where snipe got his long beak. A2343.1.2
• Why loon has big beak. A2343.1.3
• Where hornbill got his big beak. (Cf. A2241.9.) A2343.1.4
• Why bird's beak is colored. A2343.2
• Why parrot's beak is black. A2343.2.1
• Why toucan's beak is black. A2343.2.2
• Origin of other features of birds' beak. A2343.3
• Why starling's beak is split. A2343.3.1
• Why woodpecker has sharp beak. A2343.3.2
• Origin and nature of animal's tongue. A2344
• Why animal has short tongue. A2344.1
• Why crocodile has short tongue. A2344.1.1
• Why crocodile has half a tongue. (Cf. A2239.7.) A2344.1.1.1
• Why crocodile has no tongue. A2344.1.1.2