Sailors unknowingly land and camp on creature
A motif · Behaviour · Thompson B876.1, Animals
2 figures carry it.
Nearby in Thompson's index
Motifs this bestiary also holds from B870 and below. The codes are the index's; the names and counts are ours.
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B875.1Whirlpool maelstrom creation 7 figures -
B875.1Shell or back mistaken for island 3 figures -
B875.1Island disguise collapses when weight accumulates 2 figures
Carried by
Aspidochelone
When ships approach and crews disembark onto its back, the creature remains still, allowing them to set up camp and light fires.
Lyngbakr
It lies in wait, sometimes for years, until unsuspecting sailors mistake its back for a welcoming island shore.