Motif
nested containment of the vulnerable life-token
nested_containment_of_the_vulnerable_life_token
A motif of the External Soul and Life-Token family, within the sub-family Nested Containers and Guarded Hiding Places. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
2 occurrences
2 traditions
comparative (1) · slavic (1)
comparative
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The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 2 of 2) The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 2 of 2) / CONTENTS; lines 6847-6926 confidence: high
Russian Koshchei says his death is in an egg inside a duck, hare, casket, and under an oak; a prince breaks the egg and Koshchei dies.
Several examples hide the vital object inside a chain of animals, objects, or remote places, such as egg in duck in hare under oak, bird in heart in fox in mountain, or pigeon in boar in dragon in lake.
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slavic
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Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folk-lore INTRODUCTORY. / FOOTNOTES: / CHAPTER II. / MYTHOLOGICAL.; lines 4828-4914 confidence: high
A Norse Giant's heart lies in an egg, inside a duck, swimming in a well, in a church, on an island.
Several variants hide the life-token through nested layers, such as egg in duck in well, light in egg in duck on pond in mountain, egg in animal chains, sparrow within successive animals, and parrot under stacked jars of water.
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