I70. A reptile with trees on its back .38.45.46.63.64.72.
Trees or reeds grow on the reptile's back or head.
Japan. Ancient Japan [Susa-no-o descended to Torikami in Izumo; met Oo-Yama-tsumi-no-kami, his wife and daughter, they cry: the Yamata-no Orochi dragon comes and swallows every year one of the daughters; swallowed seven, the last eighth remains; the dragon has 8 heads and 8 tails; moss and cypresses with cryptomeria grow on his body, it is 8 valleys long; S. tells the dragon to leave 8 barrels of sake, he got drunk, fell asleep, S. cut it; when he cut his middle tail, his sword broke; inside was another sword, which S. presented to goddess Amaterasu]: Kojiki 1994, scroll 1, ch. 14:58-60.
Northeast. Delaware [one of the twelve hunters hears the voice of a turkey, goes to it, disappears; the same goes for the next; hunters find a snake in a tree, it pops like a turkey, hides in the water; to Call her back, people sing all night; first a big fish got up, then a turtle with trees on its back, finally a big snake; it was burned, everyone took a bone as an amulet]: Bierhorst 1995, No. 78:47.
Plains. Mandan [two hunters shoot a bubbling ball; the wind carries them to the island; the Immortal Woman lives there; they ask her for help; she tells them to sit on a sea serpent; he is tired, ready dive into the water; hunters feed him corn four times, he swims on]: Beckwith 1938, No. 4 [four snakes swim one after another; the first three are rejected, the hunters swim on the fourth; snakes have 1) one sharp horn, 2) antlers, 3) sandbraids on the head, 4) earth on the head with poplars growing on it]: 54-56; Bowers 1950:198-199 [a snake with two horns and one big eye; corn ends; they give dried meat for the fifth time; they reach the shore], 262-264 [brothers call the carrier; snakes swim up with one horn, two, two horns and willow and poplar shoots on their heads, with two horns, willows, poplars, grass on their heads; brothers reject the first three snakes, swim on the fourth; when they reach, ask him to put his head ashore; he does not put it; smart brother jumps off; stupid snake stands on his nose, swallowed; smart lures the snake with corn, pulls his brother out of its mouth; lightning kills the snake].
Central Amazon. Munduruku [see motif M1; Akainoatpyo is his nephew, Karujuribo is his uncle; K. turns into deer and other animals, A. cannot kill them; Grandma A. advises him to kill tapir, putting his hand in his ass; tapir - K.; he jumps up, drags A. through Tapazhos, frees him, emptying his stomach; advises choosing a third crocodile with trees growing on its back to cross the river; now the name A. is Perisvat; P. rejects two smaller crocodiles, swims on a big one; lies that the crocodile's belching is fragrant; jumping ashore, shouts that it stinks; after many adventures returns home to her grandmother; dies when she rubs him with uruku red paint]: Kruse 1949, No. 33:643; Murphy 1958, No. 29:97.
Eastern Amazon. Hissing [see motif M1; the men went camping; the latter put his hand in a hole in the ground, his hand was pinched; in the morning, a bearded and hairy demon (one of the informants identified him with the Sun) threw his Kara's rod, he finds the prey himself; the man pretended to be dead; the demon carried it in a basket of ants; the man twitched, the demon stabbed him, he pretended to be dead again; the demon put the basket outside the house, his son found it empty; the man hid in the hollow, the Kari found it; the demon filled the entrance with a stone; the rodent animals made a hole, the man went out, climbed the tree; the demon sent a snake, her man threw it off; the demon went for the ax, the man ran away, jumping on trees; saw two caimans in the river with bushes and an imbauba tree on their backs; one took him to the other side; the demon ordered him to return, but the caiman swam on; released gases, told him to be called a fart, then a freak; the man replied that the caiman was beautiful, etc.; when on the other side, the man called him a disgusting fat fart; returns home after further adventures; his little son is already grown up]: Nimuendaju 1922:390-393.
Chaco. Matako [a girl sleeps outside, wants a Month for her husband; a handsome man is nearby; during the day she hides him in her hut; he turns old stems into new pumpkins; returning to his world, asks she does not follow him; she goes; Cayman transports her across the lake; a reed stalk grows on his head; asks him to be called crooked, eyed; after a second request, she calls her, he throws it into water, she stays standing in a shallow place; asks the Month for help; She sails to her for a month in Cayman, takes her home; but she wants to go back, returns to the water (the end is not clear)]: Alvarsson MS, No. 308:388- 392.