Motif-Index of Folk-Literature/Volume 1/A/0

by Stith Thompson

A. MYTHOLOGICAL MOTIFS

A0—A99. Creator.

A0. Creator. — For a general bibliography of creation myths, see Alexander N. Am. 278 n. 15. For bibliographies of North American Indian mythologies arranged by areas, see Thompson Tales 272 n. 1; **Feilberg Skabelses og Syndflodssagn; Jewish: Neuman. — Mexican Indian: (Tarascan) Alexander Lat. Am. 85, (Zapotecan) ibid. 87; Guarayú: Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147; Polynesia: Dixon 21 n. 47; Hawaiian: Beckwith Myth 42; Mono-Alu: Wheeler 28, 66f., 70; Easter Is.: Métraux BMB CLX 313; Marshall Is.: Davenport Folk Tales 221f.; Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti 335ff.; New Hebrides: Codrington II 365. — Armenian: Ananikian 20; African: Werner African 127ff., **Frobenius and Fox, (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 267; Hindu: Penzer I 10; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 338; Icel.: Boberg, MacCulloch Eddic 326; Irish myth: Cross.

A610. Creation of universe by creator. A631. Pre-existing world of gods above. A810.1. God and devil fly together over primeval water. A830. Creation of earth by creator. A923. Ocean from creator's sweat. A1187. Creator appoints chief for each class of created things: Lucifer for demons, Zion for mountains, etc. A1210. Creation of man by creator.

A1. Identity of creator.

A1.1. Sun-god as creator. — Egyptian: Müller 69; Persian: Carnoy 260.

A220. Sun-god.

A1.2. Grandfather as creator. — S. Am. Indian (Paressi): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 359, (Guarayú): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147.

A1.3. Stone-woman as creator. — Paressi: Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 359.

A1.4. Brahma as creator. — Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 338.

A2. Multiple creators.

A2.1. Three creators. — Icel.: Boberg, MacCulloch Eddic 327. — Oceanic: Dixon 24; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 42.

A2.2. First human pair as creators. (Cf. A1270.) Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 115 No. 70.

A3. Creative mother source of everything. — India: Thompson-Balys.

A5. Reason for creation.

A73. Lonely creator.

A5.1. Gods make earth to have place to rest their feet. — Hawaiian: Beckwith Myth 43.

A7. Creator's descendants. (Cf. A32.)

A7.1. Creator has two sons. — Guarayú: Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147.

A10. Nature of the creator. — India: Thompson-Balys.

A11. Invisible creator. — Jewish: Neuman. — Ackawoi: Alexander Lat. Am. 269.

A11.1. Invisibility of creator learned from the impossibility of staring at the sun, his servant. — Jewish: Neuman.

A12. Hermaphroditic creator. The creator is half man and half woman or is thought of as both male and female. — *Lang Myth I 200f., 299; Güntert 324. — Greek: Eisler 396; Egyptian: Maspéro Histoire ancienne des peuples de l'Orient classique 141; Indian (Hindu): Keith 75. — Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 88.

A111.3.0.1. God of double sex. F547.2.1. Hermaphroditic pygmies.

A12.1. Male and female creators. Japanese: Anesaki 222; Hawaii: Henry Ancient Tahiti 345.

A13. Animal as creator.

A13.1. Beast as creator.

A13.1.1. Cow as creator. *Schröder Altgermanische Kulturprobleme 132; *Güntert Weltkönig 365ff. — Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 63, 324.

A1245.4. Mankind from salty stone licked by cow. B19.2. Nectar yielding cow.

A13.2. Bird as creator. Hawaii: Henry Ancient Tahiti 345.

A13.2.1. Raven as creator. Eskimo: Nelson RBAE XVIII 454; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 218.

A13.2.2. Eagle as creator of man. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 94.

A13.2.3. Black-winged bird as creator. Greek: Fox 4.

A13.3. Insect as creator.

A13.3.1. Spider as creator. India: Thompson-Balys.

A13.3.2. Beetle as creator. So. Am. Indian (Lengua): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 367.

A13.4. Reptile as creator.

A13.4.1. Snake as creator. Mono-Alu, Fauru, Buin: Wheeler 67.

A13.4.2. Worm as creator.

Guarayú: Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 437.

A15. Human creator.

A15.1. Female creator. Chibcha: Kroeber BBAE CXLIII (2) 908.

A15.1.1. Old woman as creator. Lepers Is.: Codrington II 372f.

A15.2. Brothers as creators. So. Am. Indian (Guaporé River): Levi-Strauss BBAE CXLIII (3) 379.

A15.3. Old man as creator.

A15.3.1. Old man with staff as creator (cf. A1.2). Inca: Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 316.

A15.4. Artisan as creator.

A15.4.1. Potter as creator. India: Thompson-Balys.

A17. Angel as creator. Jewish: Neuman.

A18. Pictorial representations of creator.

A137. Pictorial representations of gods.

A18.1. Creator with dragon's head. Chinese: Werner 77.

A18.2. Creator with two horns on head. Chinese: Werner 76.

A131.6. Horned god. F545.2.2. Horns on forehead.

A18.3. Dwarfish creator. Chinese: Werner 76.

A18.4. Creator clothed in bear-skin (or in leaves). Chinese: Werner 76.

A18.5. Creator with hammer and chisel in hands. Chinese: Werner 76.

A137.1. God with hammer.

A18.6. Creator with sun and moon in hands. Chinese: Werner 76.

A19. Nature of creator — miscellaneous.

A19.1. Sun and moon (man and wife) as creators. So. Am. Indian: (Cashibo) Steward-Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 594.

A19.2. Creator with appearance of Negro. Africa (Luba): Danohugh V 180.

A20. Origin of the creator.

A21. Creator from above.

A21.1. Woman who fell from the sky. — Daughter of the sky-chief falls from the sky, is caught by birds, and lowered to the surface of the water. She becomes the creator. — *Iroquois: Thompson Tales n. 27. — Cf. Finnish: Kalovala rune 1.

A21.2. Old man from sky as creator. — Old man with his wife comes from the sky. Are the first couple on earth. Have seven sons and seven daughters. Each son marries a daughter. — Ekoi: Talbot 366.

A22. Creator comes out of chaos. Chinese: Werner 76, Ferguson 57.

A23. Creator offspring of dual powers of nature. (Male and female principles.) — Chinese: Werner 76.

A25. Creator from below. God rises from beneath (the center of the spiritual world) and creates the world. — Hottentot: Bleek 74 No. 35.

A25.1. Creator emerges from lake. So. Am. Indian (Chibcha): Kroeber BBAE CXLIII (2) 908, (Aymara): Tschopik BBAE CXLIII (2) 570.

A26. Creator comes from certain direction.

A26.1. Creator comes from east. Africa (Luba): Donahugh V 80.

A27. Creator born from egg. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 98f.

A114.2. God born from egg.

A30. Creator's companions. Inca: Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 315; Tahiti: Henry 342; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 45.

A31. Creator's grandmother. Casually mentioned in the course of the creation myth. — American Indian: *Thompson Tales 275 n. 13.

A32. Creator's family. (Cf. A7.)

A32.1. Creator's son. India: Thompson-Balys. — So. Am. Indian: (Chibcha): Kroeber BBAE CXLIII (2) 908.

A32.2. Creator's daughter. India: Thompson-Balys.

A32.3. Creator's wife. India: Thompson-Balys. — So. Am. Indian (Mundurucu): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 281.

A32.3.1. Creator's wife seduced by his son. So. Am. Indian (Mundurucu): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 281.

A32.3.2. Creator beats his wife while intoxicated from beverage he invents. So. Am. Indian (Guarayú): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147.

A33. Animal as creator's companion. India: Thompson-Balys.

A33.1. Beast as creator's companion.

A33.1.1. Creator's dog. The creator is accompanied by a dog (cf. A63.4). — *Dh I 98—111 passim, especially 108. — Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 347. — Kato: Goddard UCal V 183ff.

A33.2. Bird as creator's companion. India: Thompson-Balys; Sumatra: Dixon 160; Samoa, Tonga: ibid. *164 n. 33, 34.

A132.6.2. Goddess in form of bird. B450. Helpful birds.

A33.3. Insect as creator's companion.

A33.3.1. Bee as God's spy. God, the creator, sends a bee to overhear the devil's secrets. — *Dh I 3, 127ff.

B481.3. Helpful bee. K2375. Secrets learned by deception.

A33.4. Other animal companions of creator.

A33.4.1. Armadillo as creator's companion. So. Am. Indian (Mundurucu): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 281.

A36. Creator's companions: unicorn, phoenix, tortoise, and dragon. Chinese: Werner 76.

B11. Dragon. B13. Unicorn. B32. Phoenix.

A37. Joint creators.

A37.1. Falcon and crow as joint creators. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 54.

A38. Heavenly bodies as creator's companions.

A38.1. Creator's companions: sun and moon. Jewish: Neuman.

A40. Creator's advisers. Jewish: Neuman.

A41. Men as God's advisers. *Dh I 3.

A42. Angels as God's advisers. Dh I 3, 31ff., 55, 187; Jewish: Neuman.

A42.1. Seraphim as creator's advisers. Jewish: Neuman.

A42.1.1. God consults two angels on creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A42.2. God consults mercy on his right and justice on his left. Jewish: Neuman.

A43. Devil as adviser of God. *Dh I 2f., 6, 12, 28, 31, 42, 44, 127ff., 144, 240, 388. — Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 313ff.

A812.1. Devil as Earth Diver. A810.1. God and Devil fly together over primeval water. A835. Earth from nut in devil's mouth. G303. Devil.

A44. Tora as God's adviser. Jewish: Neuman.

A45. Souls of pious as Creator's advisers. Jewish: Neuman.

A50. Conflict of good and evil creators. *Dh I 1—89 passim, 172ff. — Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Persian: Carnoy 261f., 275. — Banks Island: Dixon 106.

A106. Opposition of good and evil gods. A162. Conflict of the gods. A525. Good and bad culture heroes. A716. Dispute at creation of sun. God plans two suns; devil persuades otherwise. A810.1. God and devil fly together over primeval water. A1750. Animals created through opposition of devil to God. G11.0.1.1. As result of fraud, Saturn swallows stone instead of infant Jove. G303. Devil.

A50.1. Creation of angels and devils. Jewish: Neuman.

A63. Devil as marplot at creation. G303.1.4. The devil creates other devils.

A51. Creation of devil(s) (cf. A63).

A52. Creation of angels.

V230. Angels.

A52.0.1. Angels created to execute God's will. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.2. Degraded gods become angels. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.3. Angels existed prior to creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.4. Angels are transformed souls of the pious. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.5. Angels created from three elements. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.6. Angels created from words uttered by God. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.0.7. God drops water from his finger and the drops become angels. Lucifer imitated God and created devils. — Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 2.

A52.0.8. God created angels by striking one small stone with another. Lucifer created devils by imitation. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 1, 3.

G303.1.4.2. Devils are created by striking two stones together.

A52.1. Creation of Individual angels.

A52.1.1. Angel of death created by God. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.1.2. Angel Michael created from fire. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.1.3. Angel Gabriel created from snow. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.1.4. Angel Raphael created from water. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.1.5. Angel of destruction created from hail and fire. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.2. Time of creation of the angels.

A52.2.1. Angels created on first day of creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.2.2. Angels created on second day of creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.2.3. Angels created on third day of creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.2.4. Archangels created on first, angels on third day of creation. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.2.5. Angels created on fifth day with other winged creatures. Jewish: Neuman.

A52.3. Material of which angels are created (fire, water and snow). Jewish: Neuman.

A54. Rebel angels.

A54.1. Angel of sea rebels at world's creation; put to death by God. Jewish: Neuman.

A60. Marplot at creation. An evil opponent attempts to undo or mar the work of the creator. — Jewish: Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 315f. — Borneo: Dixon 170; Melanesian: *Codrington JAI X 293; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 45. — So. Am. Indian (Toba, Mataco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 368f. — India: *Thompson-Balys.

A1217.1. Angels oppose creation of man.

A61. Coyote as marplot at creation. *Thompson Tales 285 n. 52.

A63. Devil as marplot at creation. *Dh I 6—89 passim, 127—205 passim; *Handwb. d. Abergl. IX (Nachträge) 276f. — Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 458f.

A63.1. Devil works during God's sleep at creation. *Dh I 2, 42f., 55, 60, 102, 115ff.; India: Thompson-Balys.

A1335.10. Men die because a snake comes to prey on mankind while creator rests.

A63.2. Devil plans to drown God at time of creation. *Dh I 184f. — Lithuanian: Balys Index 3005; Balys Legends No. 11.

A63.3. Devil and God wrestle at time of creation. *Dh I 184f.

A63.4. Devil and God create animals. Wolf created as God's dog. The devil creates goats to destroy things. — BP III 199 (Gr. No. 148); Dh I 127—205 passim.

A33.1.1. Creator's dog. A33.3.1. Bee as God's spy overhears devil's secrets. A106.2. Revolt of Evil Angels against God. A1750. Animals created through opposition of devil to God.

A63.4.1. God and the devil torment each other with their creations. Devil pesters God with gnats. God makes a fire and safeguards himself; God plagues the devil with fleas — devil is unable to find means of protecting himself. — Lithuanian: Balys Index 3082; Balys Legends No. 131ff.

A2032. Creation of flea. A2033. Creation of gnat.

A63.5. Lucifer causes fall of man. Irish Myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman.

A63.5.1. Satan seduces Adam to sin because he is jealous of him. Jewish: Neuman.

A63.6. Devil in serpent form tempts first woman (Satan and Eve). Jewish: Neuman. — India: Thompson-Balys.

A63.7. Rebel god is author of all poisonous things. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 81.

A63.7.1. Poisonous water created by the devil. Irish myth: Cross (A63.7).

A63.8. Satan attempts to create another world. Jewish: Neuman.

A67. God makes things and tosses them into the air; what he catches is good for mankind, what opponent catches is bad. New Hebrides: Beckwith Myth 61.

A70. Creator: miscellaneous motifs.

A71. Creator tries to devour his son, the culture hero. Greek: cf. Roscher II 1540. — Tehuelche (Patagonia): Alexander Lat. Am. 335.

A72. Original creator followed by transformers. These demigods change the original creation into the present forms. — See A900ff. for work of the transformers, with references. — Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 85; So. Am. Indian: *Métraux RMLP XXXIII 122, BBAE CXLIII (3) 437.

A73. Lonely creator. The creator is tired of solitude and therefore inaugurates the creation. — Finnish: Kalevala rune 2. — So. Am. Indian (Yuracare): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 503.

A5. Reason for creation.

A74. Reluctant creator.

A74.1. Creation on condition that Israel accept Tora. Jewish: Neuman.

A74.2. Creator repents of creating certain things. Jewish: Neuman.

A75. Creator as ancestor of heaven and earth. Chinese: Werner 76.

A76. Creator's death. (Cf. A192.) Chinese: Werner 77.

A77. Creator's works survive him. Chinese: Werner 77.

A78. Creator goes to make afterworld. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 59.

A81. Creator goes to sky. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 57.

A84. Creator of animals.

A84.1. Creator of buffaloes. India: Thompson-Balys.

A85. Creation match between goddess-wife, god-husband. India: Thompson-Balys.

A87. Creator drunk from beverage he invents. So. Am. Indian (Guarayú): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147.