The world was or will be (almost) burned when several suns had (will) appear(ed) simultaneously; or the only sun was too hot (or bright)
The Moon is male, the Sun is also male or (much more rare) asexual
Some creature or creatures regularly (sunrise and sunset, summer and winter, lunar phases) or irregularly (solar and lunar eclipses, eschatological events) attack the luminaries or shade their light
A figure or an imprint of some being or object are seen in the Moon. (For statistical analysis motifs A32A – A32J are also included into A32)
Human being or imprint of human being is seen in the moon
The earth is a female person (alone or together with a male person); she is female being or associated with a woman
Original earth was small and later increased in size or the fertile soil grew from a small amount of original substance
When some person or animal is killed, blood paints the sky (origin of the sunrise or sunset, of reddish colors of Aurora borealis) or other natural objects (Moon, autumn vegetation)
An insect brings the earth (from under the water, from a lower world or from a far-away place)
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
The Sun (the day light) that was absent, stolen or hidden appears (again)
Supernatural person rubs his or her skin, creates the entire earth, human or other beings of dirt (from under his or her nails) and cuticle
One supernatural creates the body of the first people, another revives them
After making human body, creator goes away for a time. In his absence another person makes attempt to break human figure that was not yet alive
Originally the earth was unstable and swung, then it was fixed up
World is supported by fish or fish-like monster or the earth itself is such a monster
The animal or the fish which supports the earth is bothered by an insect. The animal moves and the earth tremblesThe animal or the fish which supports the earth is bothered by an insect. The animal moves and the earth trembles (or an animal being afraid of the insect does not dare to move)
Milky Way is the path over which souls travel to the beyond or a path of the funeral procession
First one, then another man meets a powerful person or persons. The first man is worthy and rewarded with treasure, prestige or the like. The second man (or two men) follows him, behaves in a wrong way and is punished
A man loses an axe. A spirit or a powerful official suggests him a golden axe but the man does not accept it. The spirit (official) gives him axes of gold and silver as a reward for his honesty. Usually another man intentionally loses his axe, claims the golden one but receives nothing
A baby or small child proves to be a demon, devours or injures people
Several young men (usually three brothers) decide to choose wives (usually shooting arrows or throwing objects on the off-chance). The wife of the youngest initially is ugly or non-human (a frog, a snake) but proves to be beautiful enchantress. She and her husband triumph. Or girls choose their husbands and the youngest one gets a youth who has guise of a snake
A young man shoots an arrow or throws an object on the off-chance He finds the girl to be married or something that helps to obtain her at the place where his arrow (other object) falls
To get a girl in his possession, the antagonist creates a situation when her relations must put her in a box (barrel, bag, etc.) and then abandon, throw it into the river or give it to him. The girl is imperceptibly replaced with a ferocious dog or other animal. Usually when the antagonist opens the box, the animal kills or injures him
Master of the house allows person to feel himself (herself) free bit not to look into particular place. The person breaks prohibition
A person promises to fulfill somebody’s request if another gets to know why certain man or woman acts regularly in a strange way
In episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is fox, jackal or coyote
A stronger (animal)-person gets to seize a leg or tail of a weaker one. To get free the weaker one pretends that his pursuer got hold of a tree root, and the pursuer lets his enemy free
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)
A youth breaks or overthrows a vessel of a woman or girl. This episode is a trigger for the narrative
When a lion (tiger, bear, elephant, man) gets into a trap, a mouse (rat) makes him free (usually bites through the ropes)
Death (also Old Age, Disease, etc.) is a particular person not identical with the Master of the Dead. He kills people usually carrying away their souls
Person is lured into a trap being invited to lie in a box or a hole to measure it. Being unable to liberate himself from the box etc., the person remains in power of his enemies
To get a girl, a minister of religion persuades her father to put her into the box (barrel) and throw it into the river or abandon in a wilderness
Initially, the Moon was as bright and hot as the Sun
In a certain time in the past three or more suns were on the sky simultaneously
Man marries monkey-woman; supernatural woman takes form of a monkey or the man pretends that the house-keeper is a monkey
A man consciously marries a woman related to the non-human world
God, animal, some person warns one of the people about the catastrophy (usuallly the flood) that will become soon and in which most of the people must perish
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
The Pleiades is a flock of birds (in flight)
Certain stars or constellations are interpreted as hunters, their dogs and game that the hunters pursue
In the cosmic hunt tale the game pursued by the hunters is an ungulate (elk, deer, mountain sheep, etc.)
The Belt of Orion is the animal or three animals, other star (of the Orion or outside of this constellation) is the hunter
Astral objects or lunar spots are associated with a story of a stealing and the value of the stolen objects is low (straw, firewoods, cabbage, etc.)
The Pleiades is a flock of birds (in flight)
Alcor (a weak star near the second star of the handle of the Big Dipper) is selected as a particular sky object
Alcor (a weak star near Mizar, the second star of the Big Dipper’s handle) is a baby
A creditor comes from time to time to the Sun or the Moon to claim back his money producing eclipses
As a result of some intimate contacts and/or love affair, the Moon acquires its present appearance (often, the stains on his face) and/or ascends to the sky
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
Certain stars or constellations are interpreted as hunters, their dogs and game that the hunters pursue
The Belt of Orion is the animal or three animals, other star (of the Orion or outside of this constellation) is the hunter
Three stars of Big Dipper’s handle are three persons. Four stars of the Dipper itself are objects of animals (one or several)
Alcor (a weak star near the second star of the handle of the Big Dipper) is selected as a particular sky object
Milky Way is a trace of big animals who were walking or running along it
Shining sky objects or atmospheric phenomena are excrements of sky dwellers
The Pleiades are a group of boys or men, or a group of different people but predominantly males
The Pleiades are a group of girls or women (with children)
Constellation are interpreted as agricultural tools or people occupied with agricultural works (mostly ploughing and haymaking)
In the cosmic hunt tale the game pursued by the hunters is an ungulate (elk, deer, mountain sheep, etc.)
One of costellations is a hunting or fishing net, trap, snare
The Sun has the mother who shares with him (rare: her) his dwelling place