Khoekhoe (=Hottentot; incl Nama, Korana); Damara



Tradition title rus: 
Готтентоты (хойхой), вкл нама, корана; дамара
Areal ID: 
1.1.1.2
Language: 
Tradition analysis result motif count all: 
83.00
Tradition analysis result motif count cosmo: 
34.00
Motifs: 

Motif

a35


Name_eng: 
Spots on the lunar disc
Description: 

Dark spots on the lunar disc are dirt, blood, paint, traces of beating, burning, scratching, etc. on the Moon person's body or face (Kiliwa: spots on the Sun) and do not form any particular figure




Motif

a36


Name_eng: 
The immortal Moon
Description: 

The Moon, unlike people, revives or rejuvenates every month; or those who live in the Moon are immortal; or the Moon makes decision if people should die forever or regularly revive




Motif

b42


Name_eng: 
Cosmic hunt
Description: 

Certain stars or constellations are interpreted as hunters, their dogs and game that the hunters pursue




Motif

b42b


Name_eng: 
Sky hunters pursue an ungulate
Description: 

In the cosmic hunt tale the game pursued by the hunters is an ungulate (elk, deer, mountain sheep, etc.)




Motif

b42n


Name_eng: 
Orion is one person
Description: 

Constellation of Orion or the Belt of Orion is identified with only one male person, usually with a warrior or hunter




Motif

d4a


Name_eng: 
Theft of fire
Description: 

Fire is stolen from its original owner or brought back to the people from somebody who had stolen it before




Motif

d11


Name_eng: 
Food baked in armpits
Description: 

Before fire became known, people prepared food using warmth of their bodies (usually putting food in their armpits); or a person keeps fire in his or her armpits




Motif

e5a


Name_eng: 
Mankind ascends from the underworld
Description: 

The first people (or only the first men or the first women) are not created but come to earth from the underworld (from a cave) or from a small enclosure under the earth or on its surface (tree trunk, rock, gourd, etc.). Many people of both sexes and of different ages or people and different species of animals come out together




Motif

e32


Name_eng: 
People born from trees
Description: 

First people are born by trees or come out of a tree, flower, reed




Motif

f30


Name_eng: 
Snake paramour
Description: 

A woman or a girl takes a snake, an eel (i.e. Pacific snake-eel), a lizard, or a worm for husband or paramour. People kill or badly injure him, the woman and/or her progeny or the woman herself is transformed into snake. Cf. motif k76b: the snake-husband becomes and remains a handsome man




Motif

f99


Name_eng: 
Baby copulates with his mother
Description: 

A baby son turns into an adult man, copulates with his mother, then acquires his baby guise




Motif

g8


Name_eng: 
Restored tree
Description: 

A deep notch in the tree (or in the sky support) is magically restored as soon as persons or creatures who cut or gnaw it stop working




Motif

g8b


Name_eng: 
Cutting tree to get a person
Description: 

Person hides in a tree. Somebody tries to fell it but the notch disappears and the tree becomes intact




Motif

h34d


Name_eng: 
Piece of sky bitten off
Description: 

Animal person climbs (or attempts to climb) to the sky or to the Moon to bite off a piece of it




Motif

h36


Name_eng: 
The muddled message
Description: 

Person is sent by god to bring instructions or certain objects but distorts, forgets or replaces them. This has fatal consequences for humans or for a certain species of animals. (Lithuanian case can be a mistification)




Motif

h36a


Name_eng: 
Origin of death from the falsified message
Description: 

Person distorts instructions that he must pass to others, intentionally lies, forgets or replaces certain objects that must be given to others. Because of this human beings become mortal (do not revive after death)




Motif

h36b


Name_eng: 
Death and the chameleon
Description: 

Chameleon is responsible for introduction of permanent death or hard life; loses object that the deity trusted him to bring to the earth




Motif

h36d


Name_eng: 
Death and the hare
Description: 

Hare is responsible for introduction of permanent death




Motif

i28


Name_eng: 
Animals in the underworld
Description: 

Game animals live inside a mountain, in a cave or in the underworld where they often look like humans and have a master




Motif

i100


Name_eng: 
The Pleiades are girls
Description: 

The Pleiades are a group of girls or women (with children)




Motif

i100b


Name_eng: 
The Pleiades are a group of people
Description: 

The Pleiades are any people (of any ages and sex, combined data of i99-i100a)




Motif

i115a


Name_eng: 
Orion and the Pleiades as a man and women
Description: 

Orion and the Pleiades are opposed as a man or men and a woman or women. Orion is usually male




Motif

j42


Name_eng: 
Waters split apart
Description: 

When person comes to the water body, waters are split apart so the person reaches the other bank walking on the dry ground




Motif

j46


Name_eng: 
Enemy drowns
Description: 

Antagonist perishes falling into the water or trying to cross a water body




Motif

k8c


Name_eng: 
Jonah: swallowed by terrestrial animal
Description: 

Person gets into the belly of ground animal or bird. He kills it from the inside and/or returns to earth by himself (i.e. not extracted by other people)




Motif

k24a


Name_eng: 
Supernatural male hides clothes of human girl
Description: 

Supernatural male person (often a snake, a dragon) hides clothes of a human girl or sits on it. To return her clothes she had to become his wife




Motif

k32


Name_eng: 
The false wife
Description: 

An ugly, old, lazy, etc. woman or (in Chaco) a male trickster comes to man under disguise of his wife or bride who is driven out, confined to the underworld, killed, etc.




Motif

k33b


Name_eng: 
Friends abandon a pretty girl
Description: 

A girl goes with her friends to a river, into a forest, etc. Other girls return home but the heroine has to remain or to go back to the forest, etc. She has a narrow escape from a dangerous creature. marries a supernatural being or a chief, or dies but is avenged




Motif

k86


Name_eng: 
Weeping child stolen
Description: 

Because a small child is ignored or punished by its parents (usually it cries late in the evening), bush spirit or animal carries it away




Motif

l4


Name_eng: 
The unmasked murderer (The Blue Beard)
Description: 

Person kills girls (rare: his nephews or younger brothers of his wife) in succession (usually the male person kills his wives). The last of potential victims escapes, usually after finding remains of those who had been killed or imprisoned earlier




Motif

l6


Name_eng: 
Demon clings to person
Description: 

A demonic being demands that a person would carry it permanently, clings to his shoulder or back




Motif

l27


Name_eng: 
Girl eaten up
Description: 

Two girls or young women meet a demon. One or both are not aware of danger. One is eaten up, another escapes




Motif

l50


Name_eng: 
Cliff ogre
Description: 

A person kills those who are passing by him. Usually he does not attack them all of a sudden but first distracts their attention. Usually he throws down his victims into a precipice, lake, etc.




Motif

l52


Name_eng: 
Hero escapes from top of a tree
Description: 

Hero hides in a tree from an ogre. Before the ogre gets to fell the tree, the hero flies away or a bird helps him to escape




Motif

l53


Name_eng: 
Stones into the maw
Description: 

A monstrous being is killed or neutralized by (burning hot) stones (pieces of metal, heavy fruits, etc.) thrown into its maw or anus or the being retreats when they menace to throw a stone into its maw




Motif

l65


Name_eng: 
Demonic baby
Description: 

A baby or small child proves to be a demon, devours or injures people




Motif

l65b


Name_eng: 
Dogs save their master
Description: 

A demonic woman or (rare) her paramour or a monster is going to kill a man usually after driving him up a tree. At the last moment the man's dogs or other animals or birds who are the man's pets come and kill the demon




Motif

l72


Name_eng: 
The obstacle flight
Description: 

Running away from a dangerous being, person throws small objects behind him or her which turn into mighty obstacles on the way of the pursuer




Motif

l85


Name_eng: 
One-sided people
Description: 

One-sided people have one leg and/or also one arm, one half of a head, etc. The second leg is not cut or burned off, preserved as a stump but is absent completely




Motif

l103


Name_eng: 
Obstacle flight (Atalanta type)
Description: 

Treasure, or the like, is thrown back to tempt pursuer to delay




Motif

l108


Name_eng: 
The wolf and the kids
Description: 

An (animal) person gives a signal (special song, etc.) to his relative or friend who lets him or her in. Antagonist imitates the person's voice or guise and the relative lets him in




Motif

l108b


Name_eng: 
The thin voice
Description: 

To make himself unrecognizable by the victim, a predator or ogre modifies his throat or tongue mechanically (oils or burns it, asks blacksmith to remake it, etc.)




Motif

l114


Name_eng: 
The youngest one saves siblings from demon
Description: 

A group of young people comes to a demon. The youngest brother of sister or a person whom others take for a sick, unpleasant, invalid one and who often accompanies the others against their wish saves them all




Motif

l116


Name_eng: 
Singing girl in a bag
Description: 

A cannibal (old man, Gipsy, etc.) carries away a girl. He walks from village to village forcing her sing or dance. People recognize her (or her voice) and release her




Motif

m12


Name_eng: 
The unlucky hunter
Description: 

Not to return home empty-handed, a hunter or (rare) a fisherman cuts off a piece of flesh from his body (usually from his calf) or (more rare) extracts his blood or entrails. Usually he brings his flesh or blood to other people pretending that is a good game or fish; or a woman cuts off a piece of flesh from her calf to feed her husband




Motif

m29b


Name_eng: 
Trickster-fox, jackal or coyote
Description: 

In episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is fox, jackal or coyote




Motif

m29x


Name_eng: 
The hyena is a failure
Description: 

Because of its stupidity and unsocial behavior, the hyena suffers a reverse, is injured or dies




Motif

m51


Name_eng: 
Meat in a tree
Description: 

One of two animal-persons kills game. In the absence of the stronger one, the weaker one hides the meat to eat it alone later




Motif

m74b


Name_eng: 
Who has eaten up the fat?
Description: 

To demonstrate that the thief who had eaten food supplies is somebody else or to declare somebody else as a victim to be eaten up, animal person smears his sleeping companion with remains of the food or body excretions (exchanges the excretions)




Motif

m85


Name_eng: 
The fox bluffs
Description: 

An animal person (usually a fox or a jackal) threatens to cut down a tree on which mother bird (squirrel) made its nest unless she will throw down one of her nestlings (squirrel children) or eggs. Another bird lets the mother bird know that the predator is unable to realize his threat




Motif

m112


Name_eng: 
Animals dig a well
Description: 

An animal person refuses to dig or clean a source of drinking water together with other animals or birds but takes advantage of the results of the work




Motif

m117


Name_eng: 
Head under wing
Description: 

Fox or other predator asks a bird what does it do when the wind blows. When the bird demonstrates how it puts its head under its wing, the fox kills it




Motif

m128


Name_eng: 
Speckled animals
Description: 

Hero comes to an agreement with antagonist that he can take animals of particular appearance or with particular behavior and takes all or most of them




Motif

m152


Name_eng: 
Why only one wolf?
Description: 

When a weak animal or a person gets to see a predator animal or an ogre, he says in a loud voice (or asks to say his wife or children) something that frightens the predator (ogre): why the predator (ogre) brought to him is lean (small; only one instead of several), or it is good that more food gets to his house, etc. The predator (ogre) runs away




Motif

m152a


Name_eng: 
Animal tied to another for safety
Description: 

A stronger and a weaker predator animals (ogre and an animal) tie together for safety. When the stronger one runs away, he drags the weaker one along with him




Motif

m156


Name_eng: 
The ungrateful one returned to captivity
Description: 

An (animal) person saves a dangerous animal from a snare or the like. The saved one is going to kill his savior but the third person saves the second (usually tricks the first one to captivity again)




Motif

m169


Name_eng: 
Medicine for the sick lion
Description: 

In the presence of powerful person one of his subjects is plotting against the other. The other answers that the problem can be resolved if the first one would be maimed (usually a part of his body used as a medicine). The schemer is killed or injured




Motif

m182


Name_eng: 
The tarbaby
Description: 

The (animal) person threatens another to beat him and sticks to him with all his limbs in succession. Usually it is a figure smeared with some sticky substance that the person takes for somebody alive




Motif

b42h


Name_eng: 
The Belt of Orion is the game, other star is the hunter
Description: 

The Belt of Orion is the animal or three animals, other star (of the Orion or outside of this constellation) is the hunter




Motif

m39a1


Name_eng: 
Misunderstood instructions: a step behind
Description: 

Fool follows instructions that were reasonable in every previous episode but become absurd in every next one




Motif

m166


Name_eng: 
Piece among animals
Description: 

To lure his potential victim down from a tree, a predator pretends not to be dangerous (usually announces that it has been decreed that all animals are united in piece). The victim is dubious and usually asks the predator to announce the same news to the dogs. The predator runs away




Motif

j47


Name_eng: 
Pursuer falls from height
Description: 

Person ascends to the sky (rare: descends from the sky; ascends the cliff) by a rope, a ladder, etc. Another person tries to follow him or her but the rope (the ladder) is broken or severed




Motif

l70


Name_eng: 
Fruit falls and kills
Description: 

Person or animal is killed or injured with a heavy object dropped from a tree (or rock, etc.). The person or the animal knows that the objects will fall but has falls ideas about its character and weight




Motif

j6


Name_eng: 
Children of murdered woman grow up with her murderers
Description: 

Pregnant woman is killed (and eaten up). Twins are cut off from her womb. They should be eaten too but survive, live (unrecognized) in the house of the antagonists and revenge on them




Motif

m29w1


Name_eng: 
The leopard is a failure
Description: 

Because of its stupidity and unsocial behavior, the leopard (panther) suffers a reverse, is injured or dies




Motif

m29w3


Name_eng: 
The lion is a failure
Description: 

Because of its stupidity and unsocial behavior, the lion suffers a reverse, is injured or dies




Motif

m134c


Name_eng: 
The wolf overeats in the cellar
Description: 

The wolf or other wild animal gets into the cellar (storehouse, vineyard, etc.) and eats so much that cannot leave




Motif

a35c


Name_eng: 
Scars and wounds on the Moon’s face
Description: 

Dark spots on the Moon are scars and wounds on her face




Motif

j6a


Name_eng: 
Woman is eaten up, her daughter escapes
Description: 

Pregnant woman and her small daughter get to ogres. The ogres find the woman and devour her but her daughter and her baby that was extracted from her womb survive and escape




Motif

l121


Name_eng: 
Demonic woman marries hunter to kill him
Description: 

A wild animal, ogress or ogre turns into woman and marries a hunter with a special aim to kill him. Usually she goes with the hunter to the forest and acquires there her real guise




Motif

m29k


Name_eng: 
The turtle (tortoise, toad, frog) wins thanks to his smartness
Description: 

Being smart and persistent, the turtle (toad, frog) overcomes strong adversaries




Motif

m29b3


Name_eng: 
The fox (jackal, coyote) is a failure
Description: 

Because of its stupidity and unsocial behavior, the fox, jackal or coyote suffers a reverse, is injured or dies




Motif

l65b3


Name_eng: 
The escape on the tree
Description: 

Persons climbs a tree and thanks to this escapes from a demon (who usually tries to fell the tree)




Motif

k87a1


Name_eng: 
Baby passed to the demon’s hands
Description: 

Mother of a baby child is asked by demonic woman to give her the baby for a short while or the demon imperceptibly replaces another person who must take the baby. As soon as the demon gets the baby she carries it away to her place




Motif

f34b


Name_eng: 
The paramour is not a human being
Description: 

A girl (a woman, a group of women) intentionally takes a penis-being, a snake, an eel, a lizard, a worm, a big water animal or water monster or a big terrestrial mammal for paramour. People kill or maim the paramour, the woman and/or her progeny or she is transformed herself into an animal. She is blamed for her behavior




Motif

c8


Name_eng: 
The couple of close relations originates the mankind
Description: 

In the beginning of time or after the natural disaster brother and sister, mother and son, or father and daughters are the only human beings. They marry and the present day people are their descendents




Motif

c8c


Name_eng: 
Mother and son produce people
Description: 

After the world cataclysm, in the beginning of time or coming to a new land a woman marries her son and produce people




Motif

j4a


Name_eng: 
Revenge for the death of the mother
Description: 

A woman is murdered. Her son or children (rare: grandchildren, nephews) revenge for her death




Motif

j1


Name_eng: 
The vengeful heroes
Description: 

Persons avenge the death of their father, mother or other relatives who are one (rare two) generations older than they




Motif

m105a


Name_eng: 
Make believe killing of children
Description: 

Person conceals her children and tells another one that she has killed them. Another person really kills her own




Motif

m105a1


Name_eng: 
Make believe killing of children: two birds
Description: 

One of two birds (usually both, rarely only one of them, do not fly) suggests another one two break their eggs. Another bird agrees and later discovers that the eggs of the first one are preserved




Motif

m104


Name_eng: 
Make believe killing of kinsfolk
Description: 

Person conceals his or her close relatives (children, mother, brothers) and tells another that he or she has killed them. Another believes and agrees to kill his or her own children, mother, etc.




Motif

c8aa


Name_eng: 
Brother and sister beget the people
Description: 

In the beginning of time or after the natural disaster brother and sister are the only human beings. They marry and the present day people are their descendents





Similar traditions based on Cosmology and Etiology motifs:
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 4 Tradition: Bushmen (all groups)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Kamba, Tharaka
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Lozi (Losi, Rotse, Barotse), Lui, Subiya (Subia)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Luba (Baluba, Luba-Katanga, Shaba), (Ba)Holoholo, Tumbwe, Bena-Piana, Tabwa, Benabena-Mitumba, Zela, Bene-Marungu
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Ila (Baila)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Biu-Mandara: Margi, Kilba, Bura, Kera, Karekare (Kerri-Kerri), Bachama, Zulgo, Giziga, Hdi, Kapsiki, Mandara (incl Mukulehe, Matakam), Mofu (Mofu-Gudur), Somrai (Sibine, Shibha)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Nyatutu, Kiniramba, Isanzu

Similar traditions based on Adventures and Tricks motifs:
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 4 Tradition:
Hausa
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Bemba (Wemba, Babemba; incl Ambo, Lala, Lamba, Bisa), Holoholo, Kaonde
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Yoruba; incl Ife), Nupe, Bini (Edo), Engenni, Chamba, Dakka, Kukuruku
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 3 Tradition:
Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Sakata
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Akan, Ashanti, Akwapim; Ga (Accra), Kra, Twi (Chwi, Chi)
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Fon
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Duala (Douala), Basa (Basaá), Kwiri (Kweli), Isubu
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Chuvash
Shared motifs (from a list of 10 less used): 2 Tradition:
Bushmen (all groups)