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Traditions
Motifs — first 20 of 26
- Giant goddess bestrides entire land. One foot is in the north of the country and the other is in the south. A133.2
- God of north star. A253
- Goddess of north star. A253.1
- Gods of the Quarters. A god or spirit for each of the world-quarters, north, south, east, and west. A417
- Pre-existing world of gods above. Such a world is assumed before the real creation of the universe. Though this belief is not explicitly set forth in many mythologies, it seems to be implied in most of the North American Indian systems. See, for example, motif A31, Creator's grandmother. A631
- Hell located to the north. A671.0.1
- Sky supported by north star ("nail of the north") around which it revolves. (Cf. A665, A774.) A702.3
- Origin of the Southern Cross. Analogous legends in the southern hemisphere with those of Ursa Major in the northern. A771.1
- Origin of the North Star. (Cf. A702.3.) A774
- Origin of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). A795
- North wind tempers fury of south wind. A1127.1.1
- Seasons produced by marriage of North and South. A1153
- Origin of the potlatch. A feast of the Indians of the Northwest Coast of America in which large amounts of property are given away to the guests. These feasts must be returned. A1535.1
- Forbidden direction: north. C614.1.1
- Saint's body miraculously moves so that it is laid properly north and south, not northeast and southwest. E411.0.8
- Land of dead in north. E481.6.1
- Otherworld in northwest. F136.3
- Entrance to otherworld guarded by north and south winds. F150.2.3
- Dwarf. (Underground spirit.) The dwarf, especially in Northern Europe, is considered an underground spirit. He is to be distinguished from the other conception of dwarf, viz., a very small person, pigmy, or thumbling (F535). [Note: For help in the preparation of this item I am indebted to Mr. Alfred Thomas of Chicago. For full titles of references see F420.] F451
- Giants live in the utmost northwest. F531.6.2.4
Episodes
- Myths of the Cherokee · Miscellaneous Myths and Legends — Myth 122 122. LOCAL LEGENDS OF NORTH CAROLINA
- Tales of the North American Indians · Tale 12 XII. MARRIAGE OF THE NORTH AND
- The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (abridged) · Chapter XLV XLV. The Corn-Mother and the Corn-Maiden in Northern Europe