Mythological motifs

5,822 motifs · page 23 of 30

• Why alligator has short tongue. A2344.1.2
• Why animal has no tongue. A2344.2
• Why gnat has no tongue. (Cf. A2236.1.) A2344.2.1
• Why eel has no tongue. A2344.2.2
• Why swallow has no tongue. A2344.2.3
• Why titmouse has no tongue. A2344.2.4
• Why cormorant has no tongue. (Cf. A2422.8.) A2344.2.5
• Why magpie has no tongue. (Cf. A2236.4.) A2344.2.6
• Cause of color of animal's tongue. A2344.3
• Why sheep's tongue is black. A2344.3.1
• Origin and nature of animal's teeth. A2345
• Where horse got his upper teeth. Borrowed them from buffalo. (Cf. A2241.) A2345.1
• Where coyote got his long teeth. A2345.2
• Where reindeer got his small teeth. A2345.3
• Where walrus got his tusks. Traded antlers with caribou for tusks. (Cf. A2247.) A2345.4
• Where snake got his fangs. (Cf. A2247.2.) A2345.5
• How elephant got its tusks. A2345.6
• Why animal lacks teeth. A2345.7
• Why cow has no upper teeth. A2345.7.1
• Why frog has no teeth. (Cf. A2239.8.) A2345.7.2
• Why caribou has no teeth. A2345.7.3
• Why hen has no teeth. A2345.8
• Why gorilla and chimpanzee have large teeth in mouth: punishment for neglecting possessions. A2345.9
• Origin and nature of insect's sting. A2346
• Why bees die after they sting. (Cf. A2232.2.) A2346.1
• Why bee's sting is no longer fatal to man. A2346.2
• Origin of animal characteristics: trunk. A2350
• Origin and nature of animal's neck. A2351
• Why camel's neck bends upwards. A2351.1
• Why eagle-owl's head turns on its neck. A2351.2
• Where Jahrvogel (rhytidoceros) got its necklace. Borrowed form dove. (Cf. A2241.) A2351.3
• Origin of animal's long neck. A2351.4
• Origin of stork's long neck. A2351.4.1
• Why magpie has long neck. A2351.4.2
• Origin of antelope's long neck. A2351.4.3
• Why tortoise's neck is outstretched toward the sky: is looking for his wife, the star. A2351.5
• Where horse got arched neck: arches neck to kick tiger from rear; remains so. A2351.6
• Why munia wears his crop on the back of his neck. A2351.7
• Origin and nature of animal's breast. A2353
• Why apia (bird) is flat-chested. Told wife that he was going away to dine. Was too late for his meal. A2353.1
• Why robin has red breast. (Cf. A2221.2.2.) A2353.2
• Elephant loses its breasts. A2353.3
• Why bears do not have breasts for nursing. A2353.4
• Origin and nature of animal's belly. A2354
• Why flounder is flat-bellied. (Cf. A2231.9.) A2354.1
• Origin and nature of animal's waist. A2355
• Why animal has small waist. A2355.1
• Why spider has small waist. A2355.1.1
• Why ant has small waist. (Cf. A2214.2.) A2355.1.2
• Origin and nature of animal's back. A2356
• Origin of animal's back. A2356.1
• Origin of snake's back. From a stick. (Cf. A2262.3.) A2356.1.1
• Origin of shape of animal's back. A2356.2
• Why frog has hunchback. A2356.2.1
• Why wolf has straight back. (Cf. A2211.3.) A2356.2.2
• Why cat has arched back. A2356.2.3
• Why certain fish have bowed backs. A2356.2.4
• Why water-hen has broad back. A2356.2.5
• Why bear has hump on back. A2356.2.6
• Why ass has cross on back (shoulders). (Cf. A2221.1, A2239.6.) A2356.2.7
• Why spider has thread in back of body. (Cf. A2231.6.) A2356.2.8
• Why tortoise has humpy back. (Cf. A2213.2.2.) A2356.2.9
• Why helldiver has flat stern. Culture hero kicked him. A2356.2.10
• Why alligator has rough back. A2356.2.11
• Why cow's body has hollow on one side. A2356.2.12
• Why camel has humped back. A2356.2.13
• Origin of color of animal's back. A2356.3
• Why eagle's back is brown. A2356.3.1
• Why jackal has black back. (Cf. A2218.2.) A2356.3.2
• Why wolverine has peculiar marks on back. A2356.3.3
• Why spider has markings on back. A2356.3.4
• Origin and nature of animal's buttocks. A2362
• Why monkey's buttocks are red. A2362.1
• Origin and nature of animal's teats. A2363
• Why cow has so few teats. A2363.1
• Origin and nature of animal's loins. A2364
• Why wolverine has red hair on loins. A2364.1
• Origin and nature of animal's genitals. A2365
• Nature of animal's testicles. A2365.1
• Why elephant has testicles inside. Persuaded to eat them. (Cf. A2284.4.) A2365.1.1
• Nature of animal's penis. A2365.2
• Why goat's and cat's members are as they are. A2365.2.0.1
• Why animal's penis is large (long). A2365.2.1
• Why horse's penis is long. A2365.2.1.1
• Why elephant's penis is large. A2365.2.1.2
• Why donkey's penis is large. A2365.2.1.3
• Animal characteristics: inside of body. A2367
• Animal characteristics: bones. A2367.1
• Why sucker has small bones in body. A2367.1.1
• Animal characteristics: internal markings. A2367.2
• Why grizzly bears have three stripes on inside of stomach. A2367.2.1
• Animal characteristics: blood. A2367.3
• Origin of serpent's blood and venom. A2367.3.1
• Animal characteristics: extremities. A2370
• Origin and nature of animal's legs. A2371
• Origin of animal's legs. A2371.1
• Shape of animal's legs. A2371.2
• Why sheep has thin legs. (Cf. A2231.7.2.) A2371.2.1
• Why hog has "toes" on back of foreleg. Mark of devil's teeth. (Cf. A2287.1.1.) A2371.2.2
• Why ravens have crooked legs and walk lame. A2371.2.3
• Why bears have short, crooked legs. A2371.2.4
• Why there is meat in front of the caribou's lower legs. A2371.2.5
• Why coyote's right leg is thin. (Cf. A2284.5.) A2371.2.6
• Why horse has eye-like marks on forelegs. (Cf. A2262.1.) A2371.2.7
• Why he-goat has shaggy legs. Braved the wolf, who tore his legs. A2371.2.8
• Why diver (loon) holds legs backward. (Cf. A2215.6.) A2371.2.9
• Why kangaroo has short front legs. (Cf. A2284.1.) A2371.2.10
• Why hare has short pair of legs. A2371.2.11
• Why daddy-long-legs has long legs. A2371.2.12
• Why animal lacks legs. A2371.3
• Why snake has no legs. (Cf. A2234.2, A2236.2.1, A2241.8.) A2371.3.1
• Origin of color of animal's legs. A2371.4
• Why curlew has red legs. A2371.4.1
• Why fox's legs are black. A2371.4.2
• Origin and nature of animal's feet. A2375
• Where animal got feet. A2375.1
• Nature of animal's feet. A2375.2
• Why partridge has pretty feet. Exchanged with peacock. (Also told of jay and flamingo.) (Cf. A2241.) A2375.2.1
• Why peacock has ugly feet. (Cf. A2232.7, A2236.2.2, A2375.2.1.) A2375.2.2
• Why dog has hairy paws. Stole from rabbit. (Cf. A2245.) A2375.2.3
• Why rabbits have soft pads on feet. A2375.2.4
• Why hyena has short left hind foot. Deceived into jumping by jackal. (Cf. A2284.6.) A2375.2.5
• Why mole has hand like man. A2375.2.6
• Why mole's "hands" are turned backward. A2375.2.7
• Explanation of duck's feet. A2375.2.8
• Why toad has no thumbs. A2375.2.9
• Why the guinea fowl has red feet. Cheated and could not stand the ordeal of hot oil poured on his feet. A2375.2.10
• Animal characteristics: claws and hoofs. A2376
• Why cow has cloven hoof. A2376.1
• Why ass does not have cloven hoof. A2376.1.1
• Dog's claws as grains under paws. In the great famine, God leaves the dog grain under his paws. From this grows new seed. A2376.2
• Why porcupine has only four claws. A2376.3
• How crab got its claws. A2376.4
• Why crab has legs like teeth of a comb. A2376.5
• Animal characteristics: wings. A2377
• Why emu has no wings. (Cf. A2284.1.) A2377.1
• Origin and nature of animal's tail. A2378
• Why animals have tail. (Cf. A2286.2.4.) A2378.1
• Where baboon got tail. (Cf. A2262.2.) A2378.1.1
• Where rat got tail. (Cf. A2241.7.) A2378.1.2
• Where lizard got tail. From the snake. (Cf. A2247.) A2378.1.3
• Where mole got tail. Traded eyes for it. (Cf. A2247, A2332.6.5.) A2378.1.4
• Where squirrel got tail. (Cf. A2241.7, A2242.) A2378.1.5
• Where beaver got tail. (Cf. A2241.10.) A2378.1.6
• How dog got its tail. A2378.1.7
• How monkey got its tail. A2378.1.8
• How peacock got its tail. A2378.1.9
• Why animals lack tail. A2378.2
• Why quail has no tail. Tricks crab into pulling out tail instead of killing her. Says that gripping her neck would not hurt but that pulling tail will be fatal. A2378.2.1
• How goats lost tails. (Cf. A2216.2.) A2378.2.2
• How frogs lost tails. (Cf. A2231.4, A2236.3.) A2378.2.3
• How bear lost tail. (Cf. A2216.1.) A2378.2.4
• Why hydrax has no tail. (Cf. A2235.) A2378.2.5
• How frog lost tail. (Cf. A2242, lent to squirrel.) A2378.2.6
• How toad lost tail. A2378.2.7
• Why flies lack tail. A2378.2.8
• Why animal has long tail. A2378.3
• How magpie got long tail. (Cf. A2236.4.) A2378.3.1
• How muskrat got long, thin tail. A2378.3.2
• How wolf got long tail. (Cf. A2215.1; Cf. A2262.) A2378.3.3
• Why fox has long tail. (Cf. A2213.4.2.) A2378.3.4
• Why animal has short tail. A2378.4
• Why hare has short tail. (Cf. A2215.2, A2262.) A2378.4.1
• Why bear has short tail. (Cf. A2378.2.4.) A2378.4.2
• Why marmot has short tail. A2378.4.3
• Why tortoise has short tail. (Cf. A2216.4.) A2378.4.4
• Why jackal's tail is short. A2378.4.5
• Why monkey has short tail. A2378.4.6
• Why crow has short tail. A2378.4.7
• Why animal has forked tail. A2378.5
• Why swallow has forked tail. (Cf. A2214.1.) A2378.5.1
• Why hawk has forked tail. (Cf. A2216.5.) A2378.5.2
• Why animal has bushy tail. A2378.6
• Why fox has bushy tail. A2378.6.1
• Why animal has flat tail. A2378.7
• Why beaver has flat tail. (Cf. A2247.6, A2241.10, A2378.1.6.) A2378.7.1
• Why magpie's tail is like a chisel. A2378.7.2
• Origin of color of animal's tail. A2378.8
• Why end of fox's tail is white. (Cf. A2215.5.) A2378.8.1
• Why end of fox's tail is black. A2378.8.1.1
• Why tail of West African grey parrot is red. A2378.8.2
• Why tip of weasel's tail is black. A2378.8.3
• Why tip of ermine's tail is black. (Cf. A2218.) A2378.8.4
• Why minivet has red tail. A2378.8.5
• Why swallow has black feathers in tail and only two feathers. A2378.8.6
• Why bird has two beautiful feathers in his tail. A2378.8.7
• Nature of animal's tail – miscellaneous. A2378.9
• Why king-salmon is thick around root of tail. A2378.9.1
• Why salmon has tapering tail. A2378.9.1.1
• Why baboons have crooked tails. (Cf. A2262.2.) A2378.9.2
• Why hares have cotton tail. Deity rubs cotton on hare. A2378.9.3
• Why deer's tail tastes like liver. A2378.9.4
• Why rat's tail looks like a folded leaf. (Cf. A2317.12.3) A2378.9.5
• Animal characteristics: other bodily features. A2380
• Flesh of animal. A2381
• Why hog has good flesh. (Cf. A2221.1.) A2381.1
• Why animal is a hybrid. A2382
• Magpie is a hybrid of dove and raven; was not baptized by water of the flood in Noah's time. (Cf. A2291.) A2382.1
• Excrements of animals. A2385
• Why dung of ass is triangular. A2385.1