H36E. A rat betrays a person .19.20.24.66.
The rat is to blame for the fact that a person is mortal.
Melanesia. Mountain arapes [1) The snake peeled off the skin while the Rat was in the forest; the Rat smelled the skin, went into the water and died; if the Rat removed the skin and the Snake smelled, people would live forever and snakes would die; 2) The Snake persuaded the Rat to jump first into the abyss, the Rat crashed, so humans are mortal; if the Snake had jumped first, it would not die and people would live forever; they would only have to change their skin]: Mead 1940, No. 4: 362; kukukuku [The serpent seems to be dead; the rat believed it, died too, its corpse has decomposed; the snake has changed its skin and has come to life; people die like a Rat before the snake comes to life]: Fischer 1968, No. 36:394; abelam [the snake died; the rat said that her husband died, destroyed all provisions; but the snake took off its skin and came to life; the rat also decided to die to come to life, but did not come to life, her corpse decomposed; the snake took another wife, her children; lbdi followed the example of a rat]: Huber-Greub 1988, No. 8. 8:281; kukukuku [people saw the Rat fight with the Snake; the Rat bit the Snake's skin, which changed its skin; the Rat changed its skin; the Rat bit the Snake, it died; the Rat lay on it, died too; if it hadn't died, people would not die; since then, the dead have been skinned (scraped off before smoking on fire)]: Blackwood 1939:215; Pentecost (New Hebrides) [man and Rat argue about people's fate; the Rat wants them to be mortal like her; the man killed the rat, it began to decompose; the man said the rat stinks, it replied that she would have the same last word with a person]: Codrington 1891:286-287; Fiji [The moon wanted people to be immortal like her; the Rat wanted people to die, but had kids like her; that's why people hate rats]: Polinskaya 1989: No. 12:88.
Micronesia-Polynesia. Merir (SW Carolina) [The Rat and the Month decide to create man; the Month wants him to be immortal like himself, the Rat wants him to die; the Rat brings the dog, threatening that if the Month insists , he himself will become mortal; the month goes away, man becomes mortal]: Anell 1964:20; Mortlock (Truk County) [god Luk wanted man to grow old, die, and be reborn; asked the Rat, that replied that humans should die forever and only gods should be immortal]: Anell 1964:20; Ontong Java [1) The Lizard and the Rat argue which of them eats the most; decide to jump off the tree; the Lizard jumped, stayed motionless; the Rat jumped and crashed to death; then the Lizard got up, her descendants were given eternal life, and rats and all other creatures die forever; 2) The Lizard and the Rat they quarreled, the Lizard jumped from the high pole of the temple, froze; the Rat called people to witness its victory; then the Lizard jumped up, killed the Rat, called her friends, wildworms (virmin); so Rat friends humans die, but Lizard friends don't]: Anell 1989:24; Nukumanu [the green Lizard and the Rat decided to jump off the tree on a bet; the Lizard jumped, stayed motionless, but did not die; The rat jumped and crashed to death; so humans die and lizards change their skin and rejuvenate]: Sarfert, Damm 1931:458.
Malaysia-Indonesia. Kenya [Bungan Malam thinks about what people's lives should be like, asking the Rat for advice every time; first suggests what a banana is like; the Rat objects that a banana brings too much fruits, the earth will overflow, and parents will die when they have children; then like the moon, but then people will die for a short time and always be reborn; it is decided that like a tree; like man, it grows up and to death]: Elshout 1923:217 in Fischer 1932:220-221, 241.
Montagna - Jurua. Characterbet [Bat: If I die, I'll be back; back in two days; Rat: If I die, I won't come back; people have died forever ever since]: Calífano 1980:126.