Comparative Mythology Analyzer Myth Researcher

Purpose

Systematically gather high-quality, citable evidence about each specified mythology system and theme. The output of this sub-skill is the evidential foundation that all subsequent analytical stages depend on. It must identify official ATU/MI classification codes, retrieve primary text passages, and collect peer-reviewed scholarly interpretations — ranked by the evidence hierarchy (primary texts > peer-reviewed > encyclopedias > popular sources).

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Inputs

• Completed intake profile from sub-profile-intake (mythology systems, theme, purpose, depth)
• Any preliminary ATU/MI codes identified during intake

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Workflow

Step 1 — ATU/MI Code Identification

For the specified theme or motif, identify the canonical ATU and Thompson Motif-Index codes:

1. WebSearch: "{theme}" ATU folktale type classification
2. WebSearch: "{theme}" Thompson motif-index code
3. Cross-reference against SECOND-KNOWLEDGE-BRAIN.md ATU code table
4. Record: ATU type number(s), MI code(s), and short description for each code
5. Format validation: every code must match either ATU N or ATU ANNNN (e.g., ATU 300, ATU A1010) or MI XNNNN(.N) (e.g., MI A1010.1). Invalid codes are flagged for re-verification.

Example queries:

• "flood myth ATU motif index classification" → ATU A1010, MI A1010.1
• "trickster figure Thompson motif index" → MI K1816 family, K0 family
• "dragon slayer folktale type" → ATU 300, ATU 300A

Step 2 — Primary Text Research (per mythology system)

For each mythology system in the intake profile, execute the following search pattern:

Search Pattern A — Primary Texts:

WebSearch: "[mythology system] [theme] primary text ancient source"
WebSearch: "[myth name in original tradition] text translation"
WebFetch: worldhistory.org/[relevant topic]

For well-documented traditions: Identify the canonical text (e.g., Epic of Gilgamesh for Mesopotamian flood, Rig Veda for Vedic creation, Theogony for Greek cosmogony)

For oral/indigenous traditions: Identify ethnographic records (Boas, Radin, Frazer's fieldwork; museum digital archives; university oral tradition databases)

Step 3 — Scholarly Analysis Research (per mythology system)

For each mythology system, search for peer-reviewed analyses:

WebSearch: "[mythology system] [theme] comparative analysis scholarly journal"
WebSearch: "[myth name] Campbell monomyth analysis"
WebSearch: "[myth name] Propp functions analysis"
WebSearch: "[myth name] Lévi-Strauss structuralism"
WebFetch: relevant JSTOR article pages (if accessible)
WebFetch: relevant Academia.edu papers

Prioritize sources from:

• Journal of American Folklore
• Folklore (Folklore Society, UK)
• History of Religions (University of Chicago)
• Myth & Symbol (Mouton de Gruyter)
• Current Anthropology
• Journal of Indo-European Studies

Step 4 — Cross-Cultural Comparison Research

Search specifically for existing comparative analyses:

WebSearch: "[tradition A] AND [tradition B] [theme] comparative study"
WebSearch: "[theme] cross-cultural comparison mythology diffusion"
WebSearch: "[ATU code] variants worldwide distribution"

Note: any existing scholarly hypotheses about diffusion (monogenesis, polygenesis, cultural contact) found in this step should be flagged for the diffusion hypothesis section.

Step 5 — SECOND-KNOWLEDGE-BRAIN.md Consultation

Always consult the internal knowledge base:

1. Read SECOND-KNOWLEDGE-BRAIN.md sections 1, 6
2. Check the Key Mythological Motif Clusters (Section 6) for pre-indexed parallels
3. Check Key Research Papers (Section 2) for directly relevant citations
4. Use any pre-indexed content to supplement (not replace) live research

Step 6 — Build Evidence Dossier

For each mythology system, compile a structured research record:

RESEARCH RECORD: [Mythology System] — [Theme]
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Primary Texts:
  - [Text Name] ([date/century]), [language], [author if known]
    Key passage: "[relevant quote or summary]"
    Source: [URL or citation]

Scholarly Analyses:
  - [Author, Year] "[Title]" [Journal/Publisher] [DOI/URL]
    Key finding: [1–2 sentence summary]
    Evidence tier: Peer-reviewed

ATU Folktale Type:
  - ATU [XXX]: [Description]
  
Thompson Motif-Index Codes:
  - MI [Code]: [Description]
  
Key Motif Elements:
  - [Element 1]: [description + where it appears in this tradition]
  - [Element 2]: [description + where it appears in this tradition]
================================================

Step 7 — Evidence Ranking and Flagging

Review the complete dossier and:

1. Rank all sources by evidence tier: Primary > Peer-reviewed > Encyclopedia > Popular
2. Flag any popular-source-only claims with [LOWER EVIDENCE TIER — verify]
3. Flag any gaps: "Evidence gap: no peer-reviewed comparative analysis found for [tradition]"
4. Note where primary texts are unavailable and oral tradition records serve as proxy

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Outputs

Primary Output: Research dossier containing, for each mythology system:

1. Primary text citations with relevant passage summaries
2. Scholarly analysis citations with key findings
3. ATU folktale type code(s)
4. Thompson Motif-Index code(s)
5. Key motif elements relevant to the theme
6. Evidence tier flags and gap notices

Handoff: Pass the complete research dossier to sub-structural-analyzer.

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Quality Gate

Before passing to sub-structural-analyzer, verify:

• [ ] At least 3 sources found per mythology system (any tier)
• [ ] At least 1 peer-reviewed or primary text source found per mythology system
• [ ] ATU code(s) identified and verified for the specified theme (or noted as "ATU unclassified — oral tradition only")
• [ ] Thompson Motif-Index code(s) recorded for key motifs
• [ ] All popular-source-only claims flagged
• [ ] Evidence gaps documented
• [ ] Research dossier is structured and complete for all systems in the intake profile

If fewer than 3 sources found for a system: Expand WebSearch queries; try alternative search terms (myth names in original language); consult SECOND-KNOWLEDGE-BRAIN.md; note limitation if still insufficient.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: dungnotnull
• Source: dungnotnull/comparative-mythology-analyzer-agent-skill
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.