Abstract. – The article presents 12 variants of a Papuan myth of self-sacrifice: Mother Marge dwells alone without village in the forest. Troubled by creatures from the earth to get fresh water, she receives two eggs by a bird. Two boys appear from the eggs, and she adopts them. Later on, the boys kill the creatures and guarantee her the access to fresh water. Because the boys are alone in the forest, she decides to sacrifice herself by killing through the boys. Wives for the boys and a whole village arise from the dismembered body of mother Marge. The myth is presented in all variants at hand and the text is divided into phases and episodes to facilitate comparison and gain a deeper understanding of the myth. A short reverence is made to the Hainuwele myth and the dema concept, which should be understood as freely wanted or demanded death to create not only useful plants but also living beings and a population. [Papua New Guinea, myths, Hainuwele myth, dema concept, mythology, self-sacrifice]