Motif family
Sacred Exchange and Reciprocity
The principle of reciprocal giving between humans and the divine, or between sacred parties. Includes gift exchange, hospitality obligations, filial duty, and the idea that sacred relationship requires mutual offering.
105 traditions
14,424 occurrences
853 mapped motifs
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- arctic inuit
- armenian
- arthurian
- australian aboriginal
- basque
- bavili
- biblical
- buddhist
- burmese
- buryat mongol
- caucasian
- celtic
- celtic irish
- celtic welsh
- 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
- khoisan south african
- kikuyu
- kimbundu
- korean
- malagasy
- malay
- mangaian
- maori
- maya
- maya quiche
- melanesian
- mesopotamian
- micronesian
- mongol
- 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: sacrifice · covenant · betrayal violated trust · hospitality test stranger guest · sacred substance
This family has not yet been binned into sub-families; its mapped motifs are listed directly, most widespread first.
Mapped motifs
853 motifs, showing the 60 most attested
- Sacred Exchange 13,559 occurrences · 105 traditions
- aboriginal australian
- african akan
- african bantu
- afro caribbean
- ainu
- akan
- amazonian
- andamanese
- +97 more
- hospitality to a distressed stranger 3 occurrences · 3 traditions
- finnish karelian
- greek
- islamicate folklore
- Bride service before marriage 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- ekoi
- siberian
- divine hearing of prayer 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- egyptian
- hindu
- Hospitality, service, and reciprocal reward 2 occurrences · 2 traditions
- celtic
- celtic welsh
- cave or grotto worship with libations 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
- hospitality to a traveling royal party 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- hungry traveller received by a hospitable host 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- persian
- ingratitude after life-saving aid 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- marriage alliance without bride-price 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- perpetual prayer by rotating priests 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- poverty preventing hospitality 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- Royal diplomatic gift exchange 2 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamicate folklore
- abandonment after rejected aid 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- abundant hospitality and ritual feeding 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- finnish karelian
- address to an absent figure with imagined offerings 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hawaiian
- Affinal reciprocity and marriage-linked relations 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- andamanese
- aid exchanged for transformative coloring 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- aid to fugitives with water and bread 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- biblical
- Aid to the needy traveler 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- all-for-one precious exchange 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Alliance-building through gifts, pressure, and persuasion 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- alliance of mutual aid before rescue 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- Alliance secured by payment and marriage 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- Alliance secured through gifts, payment, obligation, or refusal of bribes 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- alms exchange regulated for lay protection 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Alms service before request for teaching 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Alms-supported sacred community 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Almsgiving as purification of wealth and soul 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Almsgiving to a holy figure 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Altar establishment after safe arrival 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- alternating friendship feast 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- norse
- altruistic reception of refugees by fellow believers 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- islamic
- Angered discarded doll appeased to restore child survival 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- ainu
- animal community ceremony for collective welfare 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- zuni
- Animal field helpers rewarded with food 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- shan
- Animal friend tests human loyalty by feigning death 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- akan
- animal helper rewards kindness 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- japanese
- animal repays care by supporting an elderly human 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- animal son as filial food provider 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- inuit
- Animal swallows tiny traveler and releases him after a bargain 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- germanic
- Animals rewarded with human food after cosmic service 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- ainu
- Animate glacier provides salmon when addressed 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american northwest coast
- Animate landscape punishes refusal of food 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- afro caribbean
- anticipated victory thanksgiving 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- Apology and honor to slain dangerous animals 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Apology or respectful address to killed animal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- appeal for liberation from bonds 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- celtic irish
- appeal to substitute ritual mediators after priestly refusal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- hindu
- appeased animal victim after killing 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Appeasement of the slain animal 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- comparative
- Appeasement through compensation gifts fails 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek
- arms-for-alliance exchange 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southeast
- ascetic charity as sign of female sanctity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- ascetic garment repair from humble materials 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- buddhist
- Ascetic poverty rebukes royal indifference and elicits charity 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- persian
- ascetic saint as charitable protector of the vulnerable 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- sufi
- Ascetic sun prayer for superhuman power 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- native american southwest
- Assigned sacred burden-bearing service 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- jewish christian
- Athletic contest in honour of a goddess 1 occurrences · 1 traditions
- greek roman
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