Yu.E. Berezkin, E.N. Duvakin

Thematic classification and distribution of folklore and mythological motifs by area

Analytical catalogue

Introduction
Bibliography
Ethnicities and habitats

M16A. He sees the light by diving. .29.40.41.-.43.46.50.

A character (usually a loon) restores a person's eyesight and/or health by diving with him into the water. See M16 motif.

(Wed. Caucasus - Asia Minor. The Avars [Khan has a son Ismail; when he is 18 years old, the teacher warns him not to give him meat and bone; when he is 20 years old, they gave him a piece of bone, he threw it out the window, was surprised at the sunlight, fell ill; the widow said that I. exchanged rings with the girl, would go look for her; I. defeats the enemies of seven brothers, who give him a sister, he puts a sword on the bed, explains that he will not get together with his wife until finds that girl; goes on, meets the hero Arabuzan, marries, but also puts a sword on bed; A. goes with him, they give the ring to the girl they marry, the girl recognizes her ring ( who ended up with I.); I. returns to his father with three wives; A. knows that his father wants to destroy I., gives his ring, which neutralizes the poison, I. eats, remains unharmed; the khan tells the viziers to kill I. in the forest; those they gouge out his eyes, tie him to a tree, but bring Khan clothes moistened with the blood of birds; the dove throws his feather on I., tells him to run through his eyes, I. heals; his eyes change, but his voice is the same; Khan did not recognize him, his wives recognized him; A. kills Khan, she is elected Khansha, I. lives with three wives]: Ganiyeva 2011b, No. 23:253-257; Avars [Khan has a son Shahismail; he defeats the enemies of seven brothers, gets their sister; goes to look for the hero Arabuzinka, he won everyone, killed everyone; S. defeated him, it turned out that the girl took her, returned to her father with two wives; the father is jealous, wants to destroy him; sent a horse with a saddle soaked in poison; A. ordered him to sit on another; gave poisoned food, A. ordered the plates to be moved; S. replied to his father that if he tied his fingers with iron, he would be helpless; the father tied, ordered to dazzle Sh., put his eyes in his son's pocket, drove him out; the pigeons said to insert his eyes, plunge into the lake; saw the light, but saw badly; came to his father, he did not recognize him; the people ordered to kill the khan, S. chose khan, he had a wedding]: Ganiyeva 2011b, No. 24:259-260).

The Arctic. Loon. Central Yupik; Bering Strait and Northern Alaska Inupiate; Copper; Caribou; Netsilik; Igloolik; Baffin Island; Polar Eskimos; stranger [a blind young man asks Loon to heal him; Loon puts him on his back, dives, he sees the light; gives Gagara a white apron from the dentalium shells, she still wears it]: Birket-Smith 1953:151 (=Johnson 1984:38-39); (cf. Northern Alaska Inupiate (Cape Barrow) [a blind boy Imok lives with his grandmother; learns to shoot his grandfather's bow; kills a polar bear, cuts it with his grandmother; a swan puts him on his back, transports across the lake, I. gains sight; promises never to kill swans; becomes the best hunter]: Burkher 1989:33-36).

Subarctic. Loon. Kuchin; tanaina; tanana; upper tanana; atna; helmet; taltan; tagish; southern tutchoni; hea.

NW Coast. Loon. Eyak; Tlingit; Haida; Tsimshian; Uvikino; Quakiutl.

The coast is the Plateau. Chilcotin [Loon]; Quarry [Loon]; Puget Sound [Water Spirit].

Plains. Sarsi [Swan]; assiniboine [Seagull?].

The Great Southwest. Zunyi: Hodge 1993 [At the beginning of the Zunyi era, they began to look for a center of the world where they could live warmly and without earthquakes; scouts were sent in different directions; K'yaklu, the son of a priest named K'ya-kwi-mo-si, was sent north; so cold and tired that he was blind; heard the scream of waterfowl, understood their language; the Duck told him to tie shells to it to ring, follow her south by the Wild Geese and Cranes ; they reached the border of the snowy country, then to the big water; the Rainbow Worm, having received beautiful plume-sticks from K., stretched out as a bridge over the water under the clouds, lowered K. to the Holy Lake; Duck She flew there herself; she dived, told the priests about K., the Ducks brought him to the deep lake on their wings; he went down the stairs under the water; there the Little God of Fire lit the torch, K. regained his sight; god-priests from six sides (six regions) told him about the past and future; dancing, taught him what he should tell people; K. was brought back to earth, he came to people accompanied by sacred clowns; The duck was sitting on his arm when he told the Privy Council stories about his creation and his adventures]: 24-28; Cushing 1896 [(about the same, but in great detail)]: 406-414.