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Aarne–Thompson–Uther index

About this index and how to read it

The ATU index classifies international folktales by type. Each row gives the type number, its title and summary, followed by the references it inherits: Arne Thompson is the earlier Aarne–Thompson type number, and Thompson lists the motif references from Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature associated with that type.

Cross-references inside a summary open the relevant tale-type or motif record. Thompson motif references in the final column are linked directly to the corresponding entry in the Stith Thompson Motif Index when that reference exists in the database. Any column heading can be clicked to sort by it, and clicking again reverses the order. Following a type number opens that type on its own page.

Animal Tales 1–299

153 tale types

Sorted by title, ascending

Showing 101–150 of 153 · Page 3 of 4

ATU Title ▲ Summary Arne Thompson Thompson
238 The Keen Sight of the Dove and the Keen Hearing of the Frog They boast to each other.
201 The Lean Dog Prefers Liberty to Abundant Food and a Chain Sie hielt allein Prozession, als die Menschen dies versäumten (als über den Prozessionsweg Streit war). 201 L451.3.
118 The Lion Frightened by the Horse The horse strikes sparks with his hooves. The wolf (bear) boasts of having eaten horses. The lion thereupon picks up the wolf to show him the horse and squeezes him to death.
92 The Lion in the Water The hare, sent to be the lion's dinner, says he has been detained by a more powerful enemy and shows the lion his own reflection in a well. The lion leaps in and is drowned. Cf. Types 34, 34A, 1168A, 1336, 1383. , 92 K1715.1.,              
51 The Lion's share The ass divides booty equally between himself, the fox, and the lion. The lion eats the ass. The fox then divides: gives the lion meat and keeps bones. 51 J811.1.
212 The Lying Goat A father sends his sons one after the other to pasture the goat. The goat always declares he has had nothing to eat. The father angrily sends his sons from home and learns, when he himself tries to pasture the goat, that he has been deceived. Cf.… 212 K1151.
93 The Master Taken Seriously She-fox and her children do not flee from the vineyard until owner begins in earnest to root it out. (Also told of other animals.) 93 J1031.
294 The Months and the Seasons Symbolic actions. 294 NA
85 The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage The mouse, the bird, and the sausage keep house together each with appropriate duties. When they exchange roles, all goes ill. 85 J512.7.
168 The musician in the wolf-trap There he encounters a wolf already trapped, and saves himself by playing music. [B848.1]. Cf. Types 160A, 1652.
90 The Needle, the Glove, and the Squirrel The needle at first has little success; receives blows from the others. Finally it slips into an elk's stomach andkills the elk.
234 The Nightingale and the Blindworm No examples in the Database yet 234, 234A* , A2241.5.
44 The Oath on the Iron In a dispute between the fox, the wolf, and the bear concerning the theft of their winter supplies, the fox denies the guilt and swears by touching iron (a trap). The bear follows his example but hits the iron so hard that his paws are caught. 44 K1115.
241 The Officious Bird and the Monkey A bird, sitting in its nest during a cold rain, asks shivering monkey why it doesn't build a house since it has hands like a man. The enraged monkey destroys the bird's nest.
101 The old dog rescues the child A farmer plans to kill a faithful old dog. The wolf makes a plan to save the dog. The latter is to rescue the farmer's child from the wolf. The plan succeeds. The wolf in return wants to steal the farmer's sheep. The dog objects and loses the wolf's friendship. 101 K231.1.3.
243 The Parrot Pretends to be God Cf. Types 1380, 1422. I. The Tell-tale Parrot. (a) A parrot decides a lawsuit against a woman,or (b) reports a woman's infidelity to her husband. (c) The woman orders the…
237 The Parrot That Talked Too Much A magpie is punished by his master, who throws him into a mud puddle. The magpie sees a muddy sow. He says, "You also must have had a quarrel with your master." 237 J2211.2.
252 The Pike and the Snake Race to Land The winner is to remain on land.
72 The Rabbit Rides Fox A-Courting The fox is the favorite suitor of the girl the rabbit wants. The rabbit tells the girl that the fox is his horse. She refuses to believe him. She agrees to marry if he will ride to her house. He persuades fox to carry him—usually by feigning lameness—and wins the girl. (Sometimes told of human beings.) Cf. Type 4. 72, 72* J61., K1241.
275 The Race of the Fox and the Crayfish The latter hangs on to the fox's tail and wins. Cf. Types 250, 1074. (The Keen Sight of the Dove and the Keen Hearing of the Frog. See Type 238.) 275, 275A, 275A* K11., K11.1., K11.3.
230 The Rearing of the Large-headed and Large-eyed Bird When the one rearing the owl learns its great age he kills it.
180 The rebounding bow A hunter kills several animals but is in turn bitten by a snake. A jackal comes by, nibbles at the hunter's bow, and is killed when the bow rebounds.
163 The singing wolf By his singing the wolf compels the old man to surrender his cattle, his children and grandchildren, and finally his wife. The old woman goes into the wolf's service. She returns home bringing butter, etc. [Z33.4.2]. 163 Z33.4.2.
77 The Stag Admires Himself in a Spring The stag admires himself in a spring. He is proud of his horns, ashamed of his legs. In flight his horns are caught and the dogs overtake him. 77 L461.
295 The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean The coal burns the straw in two and falls into the water. The bean laughs till it splits. 295 F1025.1.
175 The Tarbaby and the Rabbit The rabbit, who has been stealiug fruit from a garden, is captured by means of a tarbaby, an image with tar. The rabbit tries to make the tarbaby talk and finally becomes so angry that he strikes it. He sticks to the tarbaby and is captured. Usually… 175 K741.
1 The theft of fish The fox plays dead; a man throws him on his wagon of fish. The fox throws the fish off and carries them away. The wolf imitates and is caught. 1, 1* K371.1., NA
171 The Three Bears No examples in the Database yet
124 The Three Little Pigs The goose builds a house of feathers; the hog one of stone. The wolf blows the goose's house in and eats her. Cannot blow down the hog's house. Finally he is allowed to enter. He is tricked into the chimney (or churn) where he is burned up. 124 Z81.
228 The Titmouse Tries to be as Big as a Bear She ruffles up her feathers but does not succeed in fooling her young. But in her own form she flies into the bear's ear and kills him. 228 L315.1.
225 The Tortoise That Wanted to Fly Lets him fall to the earth 225, 225A J2357., K1041.
210 The Traveling Animals and the Wicked Man The animals and objects hide themselves in various parts of a house. They punish with their characteristic powers the owner of the house and finally kill him. Cf. Type 130. 210 K1161.
9 The unjust partner In the field and in the stable. The bear works: the idle fox cheats the bear. 9, 9B, 9C K1251.1, K171.2., K471.
158 The wild animals on the sleigh The sleigh comes in two. The animals get satisfactory material for repairs from the forest. [B831]. While the owner goes for good material they eat the horse.
222 The Willow-Wren and the Bear Birds win by cleverness. The fox's lifted tail is to be the signal. The gnats stick him under the tail. He drops it and the quadrupeds flee. Cf. Type 104. It often serves as introduction to Type 313. 222, 222A B261., B261.1.
76 The Wolf and the Crane The crane pulls a bone from the wolf's windpipe. When he asks for payment the wolf says, "That you were allowed to take your beak from my throat is payment enough." 76 W154.3.
123 The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids The wolf comes in the absence of the mother and eats up the kids . The old goat cuts the wolf open and rescues them . Cf. Type 333. , 122E, 123, 123B F913., K1832., K553.2., K828.1., Q426.
100 The Wolf as the Dog's Guest Sings The wolf as the dog's guest sings. Has drunk too much. Sings in spite of the dog's objections. Is killed. 100 J581.1.
34 The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese The wolf and the fox think the reflection of the moon in the water is a cheese. The fox lowers the wold into the water, the wolf fall into the water and the cheese disappears. 34, 34A J1791.3., J1791.4.
125 The Wolf Flees from the Wolf-head The sheep have found a sack and wolfhead. They make the wolf believe that they have killed a wolf. He flees in terror.Cf. Type 1149. 125 K1715.3.
165 The wolf in the company of saints Promises to give up slaying animals. After wringing the gander's neck, excuses himself, saying: »He should not have hissed at the saint.« [K2055.1].
122 The Wolf Loses His Prey The wolf loses his prey. Escape by false plea. 122, 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D, 122F, 122G K550., K551.8., K553., K553.1., K553.5., K561.2., K562.
41 The Wolf Overeats in the Cellar The fox persuades the wolf to enter a cellar (smokehouse or kitchen) and steal food. The wolf eats so much that he cannot escape through the hole he has entered by. He is killed. Cf. Types 33*, 33**. 33*, 33**, 41, 41* K1022.1.
131 Tiger as False Friend to the Cow A tiger and a cow become friends and both bear offspring. The tiger drinks water downstream from the cow, decides her flesh would be sweet, and kills and devours her. The calf has been forewarned (lifetoken: cup of milk). The cub, ashamed of its… 131 J427.
81 Too cold for hare to build house in winter Too cold for hare to build house in winter, not necessary in summer: must go without a house. Cf. Types 43, 1238.
112 Town Mouse and Country Mouse Country mouse visits town mouse. Former prefers poverty with safety. 112 J211.2.
103 War between Wild Animals and Domestic Animals The cat shrieks; the bear falls out of the tree and breaks his backbone. 103, 103A, 103A*, 104 B262., B281.9.1., NA
224 Wedding of the Turkey and the Peacock All birds are invited to the wedding except the eagle. This omission starts a great conflict.
179 What the bear whispered in his ear Paid guide climbs tree and leaves traveler to mercy of a bear. Traveler feigns death and the bear sniffs at him and leaves. The guide: »What did the bear say to you?« »He said, never trust a coward like you.« 179 J1488.
96 When the hare was married No examples in the Database yet

Showing 101–150 of 153 · Page 3 of 4





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