Comparative mythology corpus

Texts

Complete rights-cleared Markdown source texts with provenance.

source text

Aino Folk-Tales

animal_helper, culture_hero, trickster_boundary, cosmic_origin, wisdom

texts/public-domain/ainu/project-gutenberg/aino-folk-tales-chamberlain.md

source text

Deuteronomy

covenant, divine_judgment, sacred_exchange, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/biblical/world-english-bible-classic/deuteronomy.md

source text

Exodus

divine_judgment, covenant, sacrifice, sacred_exchange, ascent, world_center

texts/public-domain/biblical/world-english-bible-classic/exodus.md

source text

Genesis

sacred_birth, serpent, flood_and_renewal, sacrifice, covenant, sacred_tree_axis

texts/public-domain/biblical/world-english-bible-classic/genesis.md

source text

Leviticus

sacrifice, covenant, sacred_exchange, divine_judgment

texts/public-domain/biblical/world-english-bible-classic/leviticus.md

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Numbers

departure, return, divine_judgment, serpent, covenant

texts/public-domain/biblical/world-english-bible-classic/numbers.md

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Buddhist birth stories; or, Jataka tales, Volume 1

death_rebirth, wisdom, animal_helper, sacrifice, teacher_disciple

texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/buddhist-birth-stories-volume-1-rhys-davids.md

source text

Dhammapada, a Collection of Verses

wisdom, initiation, return

texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/dhammapada-max-muller.md

source text

The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India

wisdom, animal_helper, trickster_boundary, sacred_exchange

texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/giant-crab-old-india-tales-rouse.md

source text

Jataka tales

wisdom, animal_helper, sacrifice, trickster_boundary

texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/jataka-tales-babbitt.md

source text

More Jataka Tales

wisdom, animal_helper, trickster_boundary, sacrifice

texts/public-domain/buddhist/project-gutenberg/more-jataka-tales-babbitt.md

source text

Gods and Fighting Men

otherworld, divine_race, sacred_treasures, hero_band, sovereignty, shape_shifting

texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/gods-and-fighting-men-gregory.md

source text

Heroic Romances of Ireland

otherworld, sovereignty, tragic_hero, boundary_combat, shape_shifting

texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/heroic-romances-of-ireland-leahy.md

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The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Tain Bo Cualnge

cattle_raid, warrior_frenzy, boundary_combat, tragic_hero, geas

texts/public-domain/celtic-irish/project-gutenberg/tain-bo-cualnge-dunn.md

source text

The Mabinogion

otherworld, sovereignty, magical_animal, shapeshifter, sacred_cauldron, hero_quest

texts/public-domain/celtic-welsh/project-gutenberg/mabinogion-guest.md

source text

The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 1 of 2)

sacred_king, sacrifice, seasonal_cycle, sacred_marriage, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-1-frazer.md

source text

The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)

sacrifice, scapegoat, seasonal_cycle, death_rebirth, world_destroying_fire

texts/public-domain/comparative/project-gutenberg/golden-bough-volume-2-frazer.md

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The Analects of Confucius

wisdom, ethical_command, ritual_order, social_harmony, teacher_disciple

texts/public-domain/confucian/project-gutenberg/analects-legge.md

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The Sayings of Confucius

wisdom, ethical_command, ritual_order, social_harmony, teacher_disciple

texts/public-domain/confucian/project-gutenberg/sayings-of-confucius-giles.md

source text

Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social Reformer

wisdom, shapeshifter, duality, trickster_boundary, initiation

texts/public-domain/daoist/project-gutenberg/chuang-tzu-giles.md

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The Tao Teh King, or the Tao and its Characteristics

chaos, wisdom, mother_goddess, world_center

texts/public-domain/daoist/project-gutenberg/tao-teh-king-legge.md

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The Book of the Dead

hero_descent, death_rebirth, divine_judgment, resurrection, wisdom

texts/public-domain/egyptian/project-gutenberg/book-of-the-dead-budge.md

source text

Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland

cosmic_origin, wisdom, sacred_song, world_object, smith_craft, hero_descent, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/finnish-karelian/project-gutenberg/kalevala-crawford.md

source text

Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome

cosmic_origin, sacred_birth, divine_parent_child, hero_quest, underworld_trial

texts/public-domain/greek-roman/project-gutenberg/myths-legends-ancient-greece-rome-berens.md

source text

Aesop's Fables; a new translation

wisdom, trickster_boundary, animal_helper, sacred_exchange

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md

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Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica

chaos, sacred_birth, divine_parent_child, trickster_boundary, wisdom

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md

source text

The Iliad

heroic_wrath, divine_intervention, fate_lament, warrior_honor, death_in_battle

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/iliad-pope.md

source text

The Odyssey

departure, return, hero_descent, trickster_boundary, wisdom

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/odyssey-butler.md

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Phaedrus

wisdom, ascent, divine_beloved, initiation

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/phaedrus-jowett.md

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The Republic

wisdom, ascent, royal_legitimacy, divine_judgment

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/republic-jowett.md

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Symposium

wisdom, divine_beloved, ascent, sacred_marriage

texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/symposium-jowett.md

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Maha-bharata

warrior_duty_under_crisis, divine_judgment, sacred_exchange, exile, return

texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md

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The Ramayan of Valmiki

departure, return, stolen_beloved, royal_legitimacy, chaos, sacrifice

texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/ramayana-griffith.md

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The Song Celestial; Or, Bhagavad-Gita

divine_judgment, wisdom, initiation, ascent

texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/song-celestial-bhagavad-gita.md

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The Upanishads

wisdom, ultimate_reality, self_knowledge, death_teacher, inner_light, initiation

texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/upanishads-paramananda.md

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Australian Legendary Tales: folk-lore of the Noongahburrahs as told to the Piccaninnies

culture_hero, shapeshifter, trickster_boundary, sacred_birth, wisdom

texts/public-domain/indigenous-australian/project-gutenberg/australian-legendary-tales-parker.md

source text

The Koran (Al-Qur'an)

revelation, divine_judgment, covenant, mercy, prophet_call, eschatology

texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md

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The Koran (Al-Qur'an)

revelation, divine_judgment, covenant, mercy, prophet_call, eschatology

texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-sale.md

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The Arabian Nights Entertainments

trickster_boundary, departure, return, wisdom, shapeshifter

texts/public-domain/islamicate-folklore/project-gutenberg/arabian-nights-lang.md

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Japanese Fairy Tales

hero_quest, divine_child, underworld_journey, animal_helper, trickster_boundary

texts/public-domain/japanese/project-gutenberg/japanese-fairy-tales-ozaki.md

source text

The Popol Vuh

cosmic_origin, hero_twins, underworld_trial, failed_creation, trickster_boundary, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/mesoamerican/project-gutenberg/popol-vuh-spence.md

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An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic

hero_descent, departure, return, wisdom, serpent, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/mesopotamian/project-gutenberg/old-babylonian-gilgamesh-jastrow-clay.md

source text

Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas

cosmic_origin, sacred_tree_axis, trickster_boundary, world_destroying_fire, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/myths-of-the-norsemen-guerber.md

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The Poetic Edda

sacred_tree_axis, chaos, wisdom, death_rebirth, trickster_boundary

texts/public-domain/norse/project-gutenberg/poetic-edda-bellows.md

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The Persian Literature, Volume 2, The Gulistan

wisdom, sacred_exchange, royal_legitimacy, renunciation

texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/gulistan-sadi-ross.md

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Persian Literature, Volume 1

royal_legitimacy, heroic_wrath, wisdom, duality, sacrifice

texts/public-domain/persian/project-gutenberg/persian-literature-volume-1.md

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The Aeneid of Virgil

departure, return, hero_descent, royal_legitimacy, divine_parent_child

texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md

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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books I-VII

cosmic_origin, shapeshifter, sacred_birth, death_rebirth, forbidden_knowledge

texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-1-7-riley.md

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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV

shapeshifter, labyrinth, sacred_marriage, death_rebirth, apotheosis

texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md

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The Confessions of Al Ghazzali

mystical_quest, wisdom, initiation, self_knowledge, revelation, renunciation

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/confessions-al-ghazzali-field.md

source text

The Mesnevi

mystical_quest, divine_beloved, annihilation_union, wisdom, sacred_song, initiation

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mesnevi-book-1-redhouse.md

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Mystics and Saints of Islam

mystical_quest, divine_beloved, annihilation_union, wisdom, teacher_disciple, initiation

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mystics-and-saints-of-islam-field.md

source text

The Mystics of Islam

mystical_quest, divine_beloved, annihilation_union, wisdom, initiation, ascent

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/mystics-of-islam-nicholson.md

source text

The Persian Mystics: Jámí

mystical_quest, divine_beloved, sacred_marriage, wisdom

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/persian-mystics-jami-davis.md

source text

The Persian Mystics: Jalálu'd-dín Rúmí

mystical_quest, divine_beloved, annihilation_union, wisdom

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/persian-mystics-rumi-davis.md

source text

Poems from the Divan of Hafiz

divine_beloved, mystical_quest, wisdom, sacred_exchange

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/poems-from-divan-of-hafiz-bell.md

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The Sufism of the Rubáiyát, or, the Secret of the Great Paradox

wisdom, divine_beloved, mystical_quest, forbidden_knowledge

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufism-of-rubaiyat-hazeldine.md

source text

The Sufistic Quatrains of Omar Khayyam

wisdom, divine_beloved, mystical_quest, death_rebirth

texts/public-domain/sufi/project-gutenberg/sufistic-quatrains-omar-khayyam.md