Comparative mythology corpus
Sacred Vessel and Container
54 tagged occurrences across 14 traditions.
The sacred container # cauldron, grail, ark, pot, sealed jar # that holds life, death, wisdom, or transformative power. Includes vessels of resurrection, vessels of preservation, and vessels that must not be opened.
These counts are generated from tagged extraction evidence. Similarity means structural or thematic recurrence unless a source record explicitly supports historical contact.
Child Motifs
Tradition Frequency
Relative bars compare traditions inside this family.How Each Tradition Tells It
Evidence is collapsed by default so the page stays scannable.
Sufi
How This Tradition Tells It
8 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Sufi, this family appears through Cosmos As Inverted Vessel (1), Universal Cup Of Destiny Or Death (1), Cosmos As Vessel (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam and Poems from the Divan of Hafiz. This is a deterministic summary of 8 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poems from the Divan of Hafiz | XXXVIII / XXXIX / XLIII / NOTES; lines 3221-3341 | high | Sealed Vessel Containing Spirits | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | E.H. WHINFIELD, M.A. / INTRODUCTION / E.H. WHINFIELD / QUATRAINS OF OMAR KHAYYAM; lines 7843-8069 | high | Cosmos As Inverted Vessel | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | E.H. WHINFIELD, M.A. / INTRODUCTION / E.H. WHINFIELD / QUATRAINS OF OMAR KHAYYAM; lines 8071-8296 | high | Universal Cup Of Destiny Or Death | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | E.H. WHINFIELD, M.A. / INTRODUCTION / E.H. WHINFIELD / QUATRAINS OF OMAR KHAYYAM; lines 8524-8747 | high | Speaking Vessel Questions Maker And Owner | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | LXXIV. / LXXV. / TAMAM SHUD. / NOTES.; lines 1577-1697 | medium | Empty Cup Marking Absence Or Remembrance | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | LXXXIV. / LXXXV. / LXXXVI. / LXXXVII.; lines 4050-4072 | high | Speaking Vessel Questions Maker's Responsibility | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | MONSIEUR J.B. NICOLAS / THE QUATRAINS OF KHAYYAM / THE QUATRAINS OF OMAR KHAYYAM / FOOTNOTES:; lines 15580-15683 | high | Speaking Vessels In A Potter's Workshop | record |
| The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam | STANZA / STANZA / STANZA / STANZA; lines 4938-4986 | medium | Cosmos As Vessel | record |
Celtic Irish
How This Tradition Tells It
7 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Celtic Irish, this family appears through Cave Refuge During Pursuit (1), Healing Or Restoring Cup In An Enemy Stronghold (1), Inexhaustible Food And Drink Vessels (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Gods and Fighting Men. This is a deterministic summary of 7 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gods and Fighting Men | BOOK EIGHT: CNOC-AN-AIR. / CHAPTER I. TAILC, SON OF TREON / CHAPTER II. MEARGACH'S WIFE / CHAPTER III. AILNE'S REVENGE; lines 13484-13582 | high | Restorative Enchanted Cup | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | BOOK EIGHT: CNOC-AN-AIR. / CHAPTER I. TAILC, SON OF TREON / CHAPTER II. MEARGACH'S WIFE / CHAPTER III. AILNE'S REVENGE; lines 13584-13678 | high | Healing Or Restoring Cup In An Enemy Stronghold | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | BOOK FIVE: THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF LIR / PART TWO: THE FIANNA. / BOOK ONE: FINN, SON OF CUMHAL. / CHAPTER I. THE COMING OF FINN; lines 5669-5774 | high | Tide Dependent Magical Container | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | BOOK SEVEN: DIARMUID AND GRANIA. / CHAPTER I. THE FLIGHT FROM TEAMHAIR / CHAPTER II. THE PURSUIT / CHAPTER III. THE GREEN CHAMPIONS; lines 11733-11826 | high | Cave Refuge During Pursuit | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | CHAPTER IV. OISIN'S MOTHER. / CHAPTER V. THE BEST MEN OF THE FIANNA / BOOK TWO: FINN'S HELPERS / CHAPTER I. THE LAD OF THE SKINS; lines 6557-6658 | high | Magical Vessel Made From Humble Materials | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | CHAPTER V. THE BEST MEN OF THE FIANNA / BOOK TWO: FINN'S HELPERS / CHAPTER I. THE LAD OF THE SKINS / CHAPTER II. BLACK, BROWN, AND GREY; lines 6714-6821 | high | Inexhaustible Food And Drink Vessels | record |
| Gods and Fighting Men | Part One, Book One, Chapter I: The Fight with the Firbolgs; Tuatha de Danaan arrival and four treasures | medium | Sacred Cauldron | record |
Islamicate Folklore
How This Tradition Tells It
7 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Islamicate Folklore, this family appears through Hidden Treasure Discovered Inside An Ordinary Container (1), Sealed Mysterious Container From The Water (1), Hidden Treasure Concealed In Humble Containers (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Arabian Nights Entertainments. This is a deterministic summary of 7 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
Roman
How This Tradition Tells It
6 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Roman, this family appears through Forbidden Or Mistaken Opening Of A Container Holding Winds (1), Self Replenishing Vessel Signals Divine Presence (1), Contained Winds Released By Curiosity Causing Storm (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV and The Aeneid of Virgil. This is a deterministic summary of 6 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Aeneid of Virgil | BOOK EIGHTH / THE EMBASSAGE TO EVANDER / BOOK NINTH / THE SIEGE OF THE TROJAN CAMP; lines 5620-5714 | medium | Fire Assault On Sacred Or Protected Vessels | record |
| The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books I-VII | EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE SEVENTH. / EXPLANATION.; lines 11123-11206 | high | Magical Cauldron Of Renewal | record |
| The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV | BOOK THE FOURTEENTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 10710-10786 | high | Contained Winds Released By Curiosity Causing Storm | record |
| The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV | BOOK THE FOURTEENTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 10788-10883 | high | Forbidden Or Mistaken Opening Of A Container Holding Winds | record |
| The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV | EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / BOOK THE NINTH.; lines 2152-2232 | high | Severed Horn Becomes Sacred Abundance Vessel | record |
| The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV | EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 1676-1772 | high | Self Replenishing Vessel Signals Divine Presence | record |
Japanese
How This Tradition Tells It
5 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Japanese, this family appears through Dangerous Container Opened From Impatience Or Greed (1), Dangerous Trophy Kept In A Sealed Container (1), Fatal Flawed Vessel (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Japanese Fairy Tales. This is a deterministic summary of 5 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Fairy Tales | COMPILED BY / PREFACE / JAPANESE FAIRY TALES / MY LORD BAG OF RICE; lines 379-393 | high | Magical Cooking Vessel Requiring No Fuel | record |
| Japanese Fairy Tales | JAPANESE FAIRY TALES / MY LORD BAG OF RICE / THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW / THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD; lines 1101-1205 | high | Instant Aging After Release From A Sealed Object | record |
| Japanese Fairy Tales | MY LORD BAG OF RICE / THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW / THE STORY OF URASHIMA TARO, THE FISHER LAD / THE FARMER AND THE BADGER; lines 1413-1523 | high | Fatal Flawed Vessel | record |
| Japanese Fairy Tales | PREFACE / JAPANESE FAIRY TALES / MY LORD BAG OF RICE / THE TONGUE-CUT SPARROW; lines 614-726 | medium | Dangerous Container Opened From Impatience Or Greed | record |
| Japanese Fairy Tales | THE WHITE HARE AND THE CROCODILES / THE STORY OF PRINCE YAMATO TAKE / MOMOTARO, OR THE STORY OF THE SON OF A PEACH / THE OGRE OF RASHOMON; lines 6883-6997 | high | Dangerous Trophy Kept In A Sealed Container | record |
Finnish/Karelian
How This Tradition Tells It
4 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Finnish/Karelian, this family appears through Magic Vessel Moved By Command Or Will (1), Personified Lamenting Vessel Awaiting Release (1), Magic Vessel Made From Chosen Tree (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland. This is a deterministic summary of 4 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland | JOHN MARTIN CRAWFORD. / THE KALEVALA. / PROEM / BOOK II; lines 16866-17047 | high | Personified Vessels Longing For War | record |
| Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland | JOHN MARTIN CRAWFORD. / THE KALEVALA. / PROEM / BOOK II; lines 20371-20542 | high | Personified Lamenting Vessel Awaiting Release | record |
| Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland | JOHN MARTIN CRAWFORD. / THE KALEVALA. / PROEM / BOOK II; lines 22275-22460 | high | Magic Vessel Moved By Command Or Will | record |
| Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland | PREFACE / JOHN MARTIN CRAWFORD. / THE KALEVALA. / PROEM; lines 8385-8568 | high | Magic Vessel Made From Chosen Tree | record |
Celtic Welsh
How This Tradition Tells It
3 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Celtic Welsh, this family appears through Cauldron Brought From A Lake By A Giant Stranger (1), Inexhaustible Or Unfillable Vessel Used As Trap (1), Unfillable Container As Trap (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Mabinogion. This is a deterministic summary of 3 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Mabinogion | PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC / GERAINT THE SON OF ERBIN / THE DREAM OF RHONABWY / PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED; lines 6161-6214 | high | Inexhaustible Or Unfillable Vessel Used As Trap | record |
| The Mabinogion | PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC / GERAINT THE SON OF ERBIN / THE DREAM OF RHONABWY / PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED; lines 6216-6305 | high | Unfillable Container As Trap | record |
| The Mabinogion | PEREDUR THE SON OF EVRAWC / GERAINT THE SON OF ERBIN / THE DREAM OF RHONABWY / PWYLL PRINCE OF DYVED; lines 6666-6754 | high | Cauldron Brought From A Lake By A Giant Stranger | record |
Greek
How This Tradition Tells It
3 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Greek, this family appears through Release Of Evils From A Sealed Container (1), Leaky Vessel Of Insatiable Desire (1), Vessel Fitted To One Body Excludes Another (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Aesop's Fables; a new translation and Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica. This is a deterministic summary of 3 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aesop's Fables; a new translation | THE MISTRESS AND HER SERVANTS / THE GOODS AND THE ILLS / THE HARES AND THE FROGS / THE FOX AND THE STORK; lines 1342-1353 | high | Vessel Fitted To One Body Excludes Another | record |
| Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica | INTRODUCTION / BIBLIOGRAPHY / HESIOD / HESIODS WORKS AND DAYS; lines 1623-1702 | high | Release Of Evils From A Sealed Container | record |
| The Republic | The Republic / THE REPUBLIC / INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS.; lines 5259-5329 | medium | Leaky Vessel Of Insatiable Desire | record |
Greek/Roman
How This Tradition Tells It
3 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Greek/Roman, this family appears through Container Of Human Afflictions (1), Forbidden Opening Of A Guarded Container Releases Destructive Forces (1), Heroic Vessel Consecrated And Placed Among The Stars (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome. This is a deterministic summary of 3 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome | ALCMAEON AND THE NECKLACE. / THE HERACLIDAE. / THE SIEGE OF TROY. / RETURN OF THE GREEKS FROM TROY.; lines 10110-10199 | high | Forbidden Opening Of A Guarded Container Releases Destructive Forces | record |
| Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome | CADMUS. / PERSEUS. / THE ARGONAUTS. / STORY OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE.; lines 7432-7522 | high | Heroic Vessel Consecrated And Placed Among The Stars | record |
| Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome | RETURN OF THE GREEKS FROM TROY. / PRONOUNCING INDEX. / A COMPLETE COURSE IN THE STUDY OF ENGLISH. / NOTES; lines 11638-11773 | medium | Container Of Human Afflictions | record |
Buddhist
How This Tradition Tells It
2 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Buddhist, this family appears through Hidden Precious Vessel In A Poor Household (1), Vessel That Provides Nourishment And Releases Destructive Water (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1 and The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India. This is a deterministic summary of 2 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1 | GLORY BE TO THE BLESSED, THE HOLY, THE ALL-WISE ONE. / BOOK I. / END OF THE STORY ON HOLDING TO THE TRUTH. / END OF THE STORY OF THE SANDY ROAD.; lines 8039-8169 | high | Hidden Precious Vessel In A Poor Household | record |
| The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India | THE GIANT CRAB / THE HYPOCRITICAL CAT / THE CROCODILE AND THE MONKEY / THE AXE, THE DRUM, THE BOWL, AND THE DIAMOND; lines 507-608 | high | Vessel That Provides Nourishment And Releases Destructive Water | record |
Islamic
How This Tradition Tells It
2 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Islamic, this family appears through Cave Or Hidden Refuge For The Fearful (1), Cave Refuge From Pursuers (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Koran (Al-Qur'an). This is a deterministic summary of 2 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Koran (Al-Qur'an) | IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. / CHAPTER VIII. / IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD. / CHAPTER IX.; lines 18188-18276 | medium | Cave Or Hidden Refuge For The Fearful | record |
| The Koran (Al-Qur'an) | THE KORAN. / PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE / SECTION I. / SECTION II.; lines 2914-2964 | high | Cave Refuge From Pursuers | record |
Norse
How This Tradition Tells It
2 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Norse, this family appears through Quest For A Ritual Feast Vessel (1), Giant Helper Launches Divine Vessel (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas. This is a deterministic summary of 2 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas | CHAPTER XVI: VALI / CHAPTER XVII: THE NORNS / CHAPTER XVIII: THE VALKYRS / CHAPTER XIX: HEL; lines 7085-7194 | medium | Quest For A Ritual Feast Vessel | record |
| Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas | CHAPTER XVIII: THE VALKYRS / CHAPTER XIX: HEL / L. E. R. / CHAPTER XXI: BALDER; lines 7698-7821 | medium | Giant Helper Launches Divine Vessel | record |
Biblical
How This Tradition Tells It
1 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Biblical, this family appears through Portable Sanctuary (1). The strongest concentration is currently in Exodus. This is a deterministic summary of 1 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exodus | Exodus 32:1-20; 34:1-10; 40:17-38 | medium | Portable Sanctuary | record |
Comparative
How This Tradition Tells It
1 occurrences
How This Tradition Tells It
In Comparative, this family appears through Wind Enclosed And Released From Knots Or Containers (1). The strongest concentration is currently in The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2). This is a deterministic summary of 1 tagged motif occurrences, not a claim of historical transmission.
| Text | Line Range | Confidence | Child Motif | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) | PREFACE. / J. G. FRAZER. / CHAPTER I. THE KING OF THE WOOD. / MACAULAY.; lines 854-921 | high | Wind Enclosed And Released From Knots Or Containers | record |
Shared Structure
The convergence is broad rather than concentrated in one child motif: traditions repeatedly tag passages into this family while emphasizing locally different scenes.
Local Emphasis
Celtic Welsh leans toward Cauldron Brought From A Lake By A Giant Stranger; Islamic leans toward Cave Or Hidden Refuge For The Fearful; Celtic Irish leans toward Cave Refuge During Pursuit; Roman leans toward Forbidden Or Mistaken Opening Of A Container Holding Winds; Greek/Roman leans toward Container Of Human Afflictions; Sufi leans toward Cosmos As Inverted Vessel.
Reading Rule
Timeline
Approximate eras from the cultural timeline index.Pentateuch
Biblical - Ancient Israelite Torah composition and redaction - 1 tagged occurrences
Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
Greek - Archaic Greek poetic and hymnic tradition - 3 tagged occurrences
The Iliad
Greek - Archaic Greek heroic epic tradition - 3 tagged occurrences
Dhammapada, a Collection of Verses
Buddhist - Early Buddhist verse collection - 2 tagged occurrences
The Koran (Al-Qur'an)
Islamic - Early Islamic revelation corpus - 2 tagged occurrences
Gods and Fighting Men
Celtic Irish - Medieval Irish mythic and heroic material - 7 tagged occurrences
The Poetic Edda
Norse - Old Norse mythological and heroic poetic tradition - 2 tagged occurrences
The Mabinogion
Celtic Welsh - Medieval Welsh narrative and romance tradition - 3 tagged occurrences
Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland
Finnish/Karelian - Finnish/Karelian oral-poetry epic compilation - 4 tagged occurrences