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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.

Anecdotes and Jokes 1200–1999

281 tale types

Sorted by type number, ascending

Showing 51–100 of 281 · Page 2 of 6

ATU ▲ Title Summary Arne Thompson Thompson
1311 The Wolf Taken for a Colt In the man's absence eats the mare [J1752].
1313 The Man who Thought Himself Dead Has the corpse eat bread. (Usually has eaten from a pot of preserves said to be poisoned.) , 1313, 1313A J2311.1., J2311.1.4., J2311.2., J2311.4.
1314 The Buttercask Taken for a Dead Man Fools knock it in two. [J1783.1]. 1315 J1771.1.
1315 The Big Tree Taken for a Snake Killed with guns and spears. [J1771.1].
1316 Rabbit Thought to be a Cow Servant sent to bring in cows is found chasing rabbits. [J1757]. Cf. Type 570. , 1316 J1751., J1754., J1755., J1757.
1317 Blind Man and Elephant Four blind men feel an elephant's leg, tail, ear, and body respectively, and conclude it is like a log, a rope, a fan, and something without beginning or end. [J1761.10]. NA J1761.10.
1319 Other mistaken identities No examples in the Database yet 1319, 1319A*, 1319J* J1761.11., J1772.1., J1781.2.
1321 Fools frightened Cf. Type 1677. 1321, 1321C J2600., J2614.1.
1326 Moving the church The stolen coat. To see whether the church is moving someone lays down his coat in front of it. It is stolen. They think the church has passed over it. [J2328]. 1326 J2328.
1327 Emptying the Meal Sack To convince arguers of the emptiness of their quarrel he empties sack of meal (pot of oil). [J2062.1]. 1327 J2062.1.
1330 Quenching the Burning Boat People row to land and fetch water from a spring to put out the fire. [J2162.3].
1331 The Covetous and the Envious Of two envious men one is given the power of fulfilling any wish, on condition that the other shall receive double. He wishes that he may lose an eye. [J2074]. Cf. Type 750.
1333 The Shepherd who Cried "Wolf!" too often When the wolf really comes no one believes him [J2172.1]. 1333 J2172.1.
1334 The Local Moon A numskull greets the old moon as if it were new. »I haven't seen it before, for I have just come to the city.» (Each town thought to have a different moon.) [J2271.1]. 1334 J2271.1.
1335 The Eaten Moon The numskull sees a cow drink from a pool where the moon is reflected. The moon goes under a cloud. He thinks the cow has eaten the moon and slaughters her to recover it. [J1791.1]. 1335, 1335*, 1335A J1791.1., J1791.2., J1806.
1336 Diving for Cheese Man (animal) sees moon reflected in water and, thinking it a cheese, dives in for it. [J1791.3]. This is Type 34 with human actors. 1336A J1791.7.
1341 Fools Warn Thief what Not to Steal Explain where everything is and where the key is kept. [J2091, J2091.1]. Cf. Types 1525P, 1577*.
1342 Hot and Cold with the Same Breath No examples in the Database yet 1342 NA
1343 Hanging Game Comrade to rescue fool when he whistles. Hangs himself. [N334.2].
1344 Lighting a Fire from the Sparks from a Box on the Ear Cf. Type 1372.
1347 Living Crucifix Chosen Peasants take their old crucifix to an artist for a new one. The artist asks them whether they want a living or dead crucifix. Argument: living God takes less for upkeep and he can be killed later. [J1738.2]. 1347, 1347* J1738.2., NA
1348 The Imaginative Boy No examples in the Database yet 1348 W211.2.
1380 The faithless wife Asks God how she can fool her husband. The husband from the tree (or rafters) tells her that she can make him blind by feeding him milk-toast. The husband feigns blindness and slays the lover. The body is thrown into the river. Cf. Types 1324*, 1375,… 1380 K1553.
1381 The talkative wife and the discovered treasure The wood-cock in the fish-net and the fish in the bird-trap. The woman under the bath tub (for fear of rumored war). The woman is considered mad and the man can keep his treasure. The husband has foolishly told his talkative wife of discovered… 1381, 1381B, 1381C, 1381D, 1381E H472.1., J1151.1.1., J1151.1.3., J2353., NA
1382 The Peasant Woman at Market The sale of the cow. The woman made drunk or is to give a pawn; cf. Type 1385. Doesn't know herself any more; cf. Type 1383. The husband fishes in the street and thus discovers the buyer of the cow. [J1149.2].
1383 A Woman Does Not Know Herself No examples in the Database yet , 1383 J2012.2., J2012.3.
1384 The husband hunts for three persons as stupid as his wife Cf. Types 1450, Clever Elsie; 1385, The Foolish Wife's Pawn. The man finds three as foolish [H1312.1]. Cf. Type 1540, The Student from Paradise. This type combines with many others, particularly 1310, 1245, 1265, 1286, 1326, 1371*, 1385, 1386, 1387… 1384 H1312.1.
1385 A Woman Loses Her Husband's Money The wife sells cows. Gets one of them back as pledge for the unpaid purchase price [J2086]. Cf. Types 1382, 1384. 1385, 1385* J2086., na
1386 Meat as food for cabbage The wife places pieces of meat on a growing cabbage. [J1856.1]. Cf. Type 1642. 1386 J1856.1.
1387 A Woman Draws Beer in the Cellar While she chases the dog the beer runs into the cellar; she scatters meal over it. Cf. Types 1408, The Man who Does his Wife's Work; 1450, Clever Elsie; 1653A, Guarding the Door. [J2176, J2176.1]. , 1387, 1387A , J2176., J2176.1.
1391 Every hole to tell the truth No examples in the Database yet
1393 The Single Blanket Quarreling women left by their husbands in very cold room with a single blanket use it together and are reconciled.
1405 The Lazy Spinner The woman hidden in the bushes calls out to her husband, who is cutting wood: »Whoever cuts wood for a spinning wheel will die; whoever uses the wheel will be destroyed.» The man becomes worried and no longer keeps her at the reel [K1971.4.1]. When… , 1405 J2325., K1971.4.1.
1406 The merry wives wager . . . No examples in the Database yet , 1406 J2013.2., J2301., J2311.0.1., J2312., J2314., J2315., J2316., J2317., J2324., K1545.
1407 The Miser Gives his wife too little to eat. On the advice of the servant boy, he spies on her from inside the chimney, under the bolster, etc. Gets burned in the chimney, beaten in the bed. [W153.2]. Cf. Types 1373, 1458. 1407, 1407A K1155., W153.2.
1408 The man who does his wife's work Does everything wrong [J2431]. Lets cow graze on the roof; cf. Type 1210. Ties the rope's end to his foot [J2132.2]. Lets the beer run out; cf. Type 1387. In the chimney. , 1408, 1408B, 1876 J1545.3., J1881.1.3., J2132.2., J2176.1., J2431., J2465.4., X1267.1.
1410 Four Men's Mistress A husband disguises as a priest to hear his wife's confession. She says that she has been the mistress of a servant, a knight, a fool, and a priest; i.e., her husband when he was her servant, and later her knight. He had then been a fool for… 1410 J1545.2.
1415 Trading Away One's Fortune Foolish bargains. He trades his horse for a cow, the cow for a hog, the latter for a goose, until finally he has nothing left [J2081.1]. Wins the wager when his wife does not get angry [N11]. 1415 J2081.1.
1416 The mouse in the silver jug. The new Eve The New Eve. A poor woman laments at Eve's curiosity and says women are no longer so. The king lets them enjoy themselves in castle, but they must not open a certain silver jug [C324]. The woman can not let it alone. There is a mouse in the jug.… , 1416 C324., H1554.1.
1417 The Cutt-off Nose (Hair) Lai of the Tresses. A woman leaves her husband's bed and has another woman take her place. The husband addresses her, gets no answer, and cuts off her nose (hair). In the morning the wife still has her nose (hair). The husband is made to believe that… , 1417 J2315.2., K1512.
1418 The Equivocal Oath A husband insists that his wife take oath that she has been intimate with no one but himself. The paramour masks as ass-driver. She hires an ass from him, falls down, and lets him pick her up. She swears no one has touched her except the husband and… 1418 K1513.
1422 The Parrot and the Adulterous Woman No examples in the Database yet 1422 J1154.1.
1423 The Enchanted Pear Tree The wife makes the husband, who has seen her adultery from the tree, believe that the tree is magic (or that he has seen double) [K1518]. 1423 K1518.
1425 Putting the Devil into Hell Obscene trick used to seduce woman. [K1363.1]. 1425, 1425B* K1363.1., na
1430 Air Castles They make great plans for success but disagree over the conclusion. They quarrel over details and lose everything. Cf. Type 1681*. , 1430, 1430A J2060., J2060.1., J2061., J2061.1., J2061.1.2., J2061.2.
1431 The contagious yawns A husband planning to punish his wife, who has yawned in church at the same time as a man, sees his error when his wife in the woods calls out, »The squirrels hop from bough to bough as the yawns from mouth to mouth.» [J1448].
1437 A Sweet Word A quarrelsome husband asked by his dying wife for a sweet word answers, "Honey is sweet" or throws a Bible at her. [J1541.1, J2497]. Cf. Type 1696B*.
1450 Clever Elsie The girl is to get beer from the cellar. Falls into a study as to what her first child's name shall be. Likewise the girl's father and mother. The suitor departs. [J2063]. Cf. Types 1384, 1387, 1430A. 1450 J2063.
1451 A suitor chooses the thrifty girl The thrifty girl makes herself a dress from the flax the lazy fiancé has thrown on the floor. The young man chooses the thrifty girl. [H381.1]. 1451 H381.1.
1452 Choosing a Bride by How She Cuts Cheese Three girls tested. First eats rind and all, second cuts away good cheese, third cuts away just enough. [H381.2]. 1452 H381.2.

Showing 51–100 of 281 · Page 2 of 6





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