Motif family
Initiation and Transformative Ordeal
The passage from one state of being to another through ordeal, instruction, or encounter. Includes rites of passage, tests, encounters with death as teacher, and the crossing of thresholds that permanently change the initiate.
105 traditions
8,159 occurrences
277 mapped motifs
12 sub-families
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- arthurian
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- bavili
- biblical
- buddhist
- burmese
- buryat mongol
- caucasian
- celtic
- celtic irish
- celtic welsh
- chaco amerindian
- christian
- christian apocrypha
- comparative
- confucian
- daoist
- egyptian
- ekoi
- estonian
- ethiopian christian
- fijian
- filipino
- finnic
- finnish karelian
- fjort
- ganda
- georgian
- germanic
- gnostic
- greek
- greek roman
- guiana amerindian
- hausa
- hawaiian
- hermetic
- hindu
- hopi
- inca
- indigenous australian
- inuit
- islamic
- islamicate folklore
- jain
- japanese
- jewish christian
- jewish pseudepigrapha
- khoekhoe
- kikuyu
- kimbundu
- korean
- malagasy
- malay
- mangaian
- maori
- maya
- maya quiche
- melanesian
- mesopotamian
- micronesian
- mongol
- nahua
- nahua maya inca
- native american california
- native american great lakes
- native american northeast woodlands
- native american northwest coast
- native american plains
- native american plateau
- native american southeast
- native american southwest
- navajo
- norse
- oceanic
- persian
- roman
- romanian
- samoan
- san
- shan
- shinto
- siberian
- sikh
- slavic
- sufi
- taoist
- temne
- tibetan buddhist
- tongan
- vietnamese
- xhosa
- yoruba
- zoroastrian
- zulu
- zuni
Conserved neighbors: descent · sacred knowledge · threshold guardian · mystical quest
Sub-families · the next landing down
General or Unspecified Initiation
1 motifs
- Initiation 7,799 occurrences · 104 traditions
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- +96 more
Sacred Calling, Conversion, and Faith Tests
11 motifs
- defeat of a tempter before a sacred act 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- failed temptation of the sinless awakened one 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- faith tested by deceptive imitation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- family and wealth as tests of fidelity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- forced test of old belief after conversion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- ordeal by ritual draught 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- prophetic call and messenger conviction 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- prophetic calling with mantle and angelic vision 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- prophetic commissioning from covered withdrawal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Submission to God after signs and tests 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- trial of newcomers for sincere faith 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
Marriage Trials and Wedding Rites
7 motifs
- courtship through difficult or impossible tasks 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- failed suitors before the decisive bow trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- fatal suitor trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- maiden adornments removed at marriage transition 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- marriage race with death penalty 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- perilous cure trial with marriage reward and death penalty 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Threshold transition into marriage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
Status Marking and Restoration
3 motifs
- Captivity and refuge as image of status change 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- restoration of status by bathing, clothing, and appointment 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Ritual bodily marking as status designation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
Training, Education, and Warrior Discipline
10 motifs
- austere heroic-warrior regimen 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- following the master’s footsteps 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- hero checked by fear before overwhelming force 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Hero restrains anger by recalling former ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- heroic childhood signs 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- renewed stage of education 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- shared training across gendered difference 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- skill gained through enforced childhood food test 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Warrior discipline through degradation, abandonment, and honor 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- warrior identity challenged through surrender of weapons 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
Strength, Weapon Skill, and Extraordinary Feats
11 motifs
- competitive trial by archery 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- feat of constrained bodily performance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- fire-breathing animals yoked by protected hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- hero proves strength by extraordinary physical feat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- hero proves strength by impossible shot 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Heroic strength proven by impossible natural feats 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- heroic test of weapon skill 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Heroic weapon feat proves warrior superiority 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Public test of strength after failed first attempt 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- self-invented feats surpassing known training 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Single mighty feat proves exceptional strength 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
Contests, Games, and Formal Challenges
11 motifs
- challenge contests at arrival among another people 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- divine game testing invulnerability 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- impossible contests at a giant court 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Impossible or conditional riding challenge 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- one youthful hero overcomes many opponents in games 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- ordeal of successive waves in argument 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- race challenge leading to defeat of magical opponent 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Rejected contestant withdraws from nearly completed feat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Supernatural stranger challenges a king to a board game 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- written challenge attached to obstacle 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- young hero underestimated by challenger 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
Survival, Environmental, and Endurance Ordeals
11 motifs
- battlefield phantom tests or shames the hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- enemy feast as coercive ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Escape from fiery iron enclosure 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- fire and water used to resist sleep 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- fire ordeal survived by resourceful hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- forest ordeal of the last surviving brother 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Healing under time limit and threat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- magical decoy used to pass a fiery obstacle 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- perilous wilderness as ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Water ordeal during capture of the quarry 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- Withheld sustenance as captivity ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
Rescue Quests and Passage Through Hostile Obstacles
6 motifs
- Petrification of failed seekers 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- Heroic follower performs ordeal for master's release 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Impossible recovery task under threat of death 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- magical objects used in successive trials 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- path obstructed by corrupt opponents 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- trial by retrieval from the enemy 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
Moral Self-Mastery and Loyalty Tests
4 motifs
- Invisibility as a test of moral restraint 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Temptation defeats duty 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- subduing the inner monster 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- testing loyalty under concealment 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
Concealed Identity, Humiliation, and Revelation
5 motifs
- Dangerous voice-test of concealed heroes 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- hero’s humiliation in servitude and role reversal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- hidden hero revealed through extraordinary skill 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- humble or mocked newcomer revealed as exceptional 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- Humiliating service inversion for a warrior 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
Labyrinths, Enclosures, and Liminal Spaces
4 motifs
- Labyrinth Initiation 82 occurrences · 27 traditions
- armenian
- bavili
- burmese
- buryat mongol
- caucasian
- celtic
- celtic welsh
- egyptian
- +19 more
- maze-like communal dance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- prison as refuge from sin and site of trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Safety in a liminal or intermediate state 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
Not yet placed in a sub-family
193 motifs, showing the 60 most attested
- Adversary laying snares for the faithful 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- christian apocrypha
- age-marked female tattooing and adornment 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- inuit
- Age-marked transition into adult dress 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- inuit
- angels tested by earthly temptation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- animal skin garment gives new name and marks ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- apple target held by a living person 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- arming and instruction of a young fighter 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southwest
- athletic contest as public test of the stranger 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Attempted destruction in a heated iron enclosure followed by escape 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic welsh
- barren joyless forest as ordeal landscape 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- Bathing, anointing, and clothing after release or hardship 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Battlefield apparition challenges or shames the young warrior 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- binding and encirclement before ordeal-like violence 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- australian aboriginal
- Boundary crossing and loss of privilege 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- capture of wild creatures alive as wonder-feat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- Castle threshold closes behind the champion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- central ritual fire as endurance ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southwest
- childhood skill acquired through enforced food-seeking test 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Combat test with a great spirit 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- filipino
- communal rites of passage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- Concealed support during a prolonged ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
- Confrontation with Mara as bondage and Death 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Courageous visitor survives a deadly haunted treasure test 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- Courtly renewal through cleansing and re-clothing 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
- Cowardly knight challenged to become hardy 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- Custom conformity as admission test 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- amazonian
- Dance as rite of transition and reconciliation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- andamanese
- dangerous retrieval test for rightful possession 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- dangerous sea contest between youthful companions or rivals 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- Dangerous service in a monster household 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- romanian
- Defeat of the Tempter before a marked holy act 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Desert ordeal relieved by life-giving drink 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- egyptian
- deserved ordeal by enchanted forest custom 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- disciplinary isolation leading to remorse and transformation 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Divine temptation of ascetic discipline 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Divine testing of the faithful 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Divine trial of loyalty and perseverance 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Divinely prepared heroic monster trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- early childhood transition into gendered subsistence learning 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- andamanese
- elder-guided preparation for dangerous hunt 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- inuit
- enchanted sleeper behind a fiery heroic barrier 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Encircling fire ordeal and escape through gifted implements 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- Ending a perilous castle custom 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- arthurian
- exact sorting or division task under threat 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- estonian
- extraordinary weapon and object as impossible trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- Failed first test reversed by corrected conduct 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- failed predecessors visible as warnings on the path 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- false accusations create impossible tasks 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- fearless holy persons tested by a dangerous animal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- fearless night at the gallows 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- fetching water from a distant well as decisive race task 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- fire barrier crossed by the true hero 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- fire-breathing animal ordeal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- Fire-breathing animal trial 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- roman
- fire-breathing bulls and dangerous ploughing 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Fire ordeal neutralized by cold 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- slavic
- forest as survival test 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- amazonian
- Foretold trial confirms faith 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Forked forest path as travel test with unequal provisions 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- Foster-parent bond formed through heroic education 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
Each motif link opens its evidence page: every tagged passage with its quote, and a path into the book where the passage lives.