Motif (folkloristics)

Alright, so imagine you have a bunch of stories from different parts of the world. These stories might be very different, but they might have some parts that are the same. Those parts that are the same are called "motifs". It's kind of like finding a puzzle piece that fits in lots of different puzzles.

For example, let's say you have a story about a hero who has to defeat a monster to save a princess. That's a common motif in lots of stories from all over the world. It's like a rule that lots of stories follow.

People who study folklore like to find these motifs because they can help them understand how stories are related to each other. So it's kind of like finding clues to solve a mystery or making a map of a big forest.

Motifs are really important in folklore because they show us how stories from different cultures and times can be connected. They also help us see what's important to people in different parts of the world.