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Berezkin/Duvakin Catalogue of Motifs
English translation, enhancements and additional metadata by Jonathan Fielder-White
Source: Berezkin and Duvakin's Analytical Catalogue · Original catalogue (Russian)
About the catalogue and its sources
Unless otherwise stated, narrative and tradition data comes from Berezkin and Duvakin's Thematic classification and distribution of folklore and mythological motifs by area (Analytical catalogue).
Original Berezkin/Duvakin catalogue (Russian)
The English translation uses AI assistance alongside manual verification. Errors may occur; consult the original source when in doubt.
N - Fabulous and epic formulas
| Ref | Title ▲ | Summary | Traditions | Narratives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N26 | When wheat grew on ice | said that the action took place when cultivated plants (wheat, cotton) grew on ice or salt. | 4 | 6 |
| N38 | Which key is better | The character asks others which key is better - lost and found or new. This refers to a forgotten and newfound marriage partner (less often a direct question is asked about this). | 19 | 28 |
| N6 | Whip a horse | horse tells the rider to whip it so hard that his blood splashes, his skin peels off, the meat is cut to the bone, etc. The rider follows these instructions. | 15 | 22 |
| N9 | Who's coming closer? | Two characters discuss the rider's approach. A person with a higher social status explains that what seems like crows are actually clods of earth flying from under the horse's hooves, and what seems like snow, cloud or fog is falling from his foam or his breath. | 4 | 10 |
| N5 | Winter is recognized by frost, summer by rain | Long trips, hikes, flights, or battles are described using a formula that indicates that characters learn about winter through snow or frost, and summer through warmth, rain, dew or other similar signs. | 22 | 47 |
Tradition and narrative counts are the stored catalogue totals for each entry.