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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.

Realistic Tales 850–999

86 tale types

Sorted by summary, ascending

Showing 51–86 of 86 · Page 2 of 2

ATU Title Summary ▲ Arne Thompson Thompson
945 Luck and Intelligence. Which is More Powerful? Test: peasant who has intelligence in his head is brought to court. Luck saves trim. I. Introduction. (a) Intelligence end Luck dispute as to which is the more powerful. (b) As a test a gardener is endowed with intelligence. II. The Wooden Doll. (a)… , 945 D435.1.1., F1023., F954.2.1., H343., H621., N141., Z16.1.
927 Out-riddling the judge The accused is set free when the judge cannot solve the riddles propounded to him. The riddles: (a) what has seven tongues in one head? (bird's nest with seven young found in a horse's head); (b) formerly I was a daughter, now I am a mother; (c) or… , 927 H542., H792., H793., H804., H805., H806., H807.
957 The Bear Chases the Robbers The bear-keeper end his bears overnight in the stable when the robbers come. [K335.1.9]. Cf. Types 177, 1161.
885 The Poor Boy Betrothed to the Maiden The bride stolen. The girl's parents coerce her into pledging herself to the preacher. The hero comes in disguise to the wedding. The preacher in jest trusts him with the girl. [K1371.1]. He reveals himself.
976 Which was the Noblest Act? The bridegroom, the robber, and the lover. A bridegroom permits his bride to fulfill a promise to visit her lover on her wedding night. On the way she meets robbers. When he hears her story one of the robbers conducts her to her lover. On hearing her… 976 H1552.1.
920 The son of the king (Solomon) and of the smith The children are exchanged. In the children's play Solomon acts as king. Shows his cleverness. I. Expulsion of the Prince. (a) The prince is expelled from home because (a1) he reports from his mother's womb her scandalous conduct. (b) He is ordered… , 920B, 920C H486.2., J412.1., L13.
935 The Prodigal's Return The fortunate marriage and the visit home. The youngest of three brothers [L10] is a prodigal [N172]. He goes abroad as a soldier and swindles his father into sending him money. Through cleverness he makes his fortune and marries the princess [L161].… , 935 K1815., K1837., L161.
940 The Haughty Girl The haugty girl entices three suitors (unknown to one another) into the churchyard. They revenge themselves by having her marry the hangman thinking he is the governor's son. [K1218.3].
862 "He that Asketh Shall Receive." The hermit wants to prove the truth of these words of the Gospel. He asks for the hand of the princess. Performs the difficult task imposed upon him. [V316.1].
887 Griselda The king marries a maiden of the lower class. She promises to be always complacent. The king puts her to the proof by making her believe that he has killed their children and married another wife [H461]. Cf. Types 712, 881, 900. 887 H461.
955 The Robber Bridegroom The maiden in the den of robbers. While hidden under the bed she sees another maiden murdered. The severed finger serves her as a token. The girl usually strews her path into the forest with ashes or pees [R145]. When the bridegroom appears, she uses the severed finger of the murdered girl to expose him [H57.2.1]. Cf. Type 311. , 955 B143.1., H57.2.1., K1916., R135.
893 The Unreliable Friends. (The HalfFriend). The man kills a hog. He tells his friends that he has killed a man and asks where he can hide the body. All of them drive him away and only his father's halffriend remains true to him in his feigned trouble [H1558.1]. , 893 H1558.1., R169.6.
925 Tidings Brought to the King: You Said it, not I The messenger arranges it so that the king says the words in the form of a question [J1675.2.1].
960 The Sun Brings All to Light The murderer repeats as he sees the ray of the sun the last words of the dying man [D1715]. In this way the crime is brought to light [N271.1]. Or the murder is revealed by the unusual names of boys [N271.2]. Cf. Types 883C, 1376C*, 1530*. , 960, 960A D1715., N271.1., N271.3.
953 The Old Robber Relates Three Adventures The old robber relates three adventures to free his sons [R153.3.3, J1185]. Each adventure is more frightful than the last [R151.1]. The tales: (1) an adventure with ghostlike cats, (2) Odysseus and Polyphemus (cf.Type 1137), (3) an ogre fooled by… , 953 J1185., K1011., K527., Q53., R153.3.3.
850 The Moles of the Princess The pipe and the dancing hogs.
  • I. The Markings. (a) In return for his dancing hogs the princess lets the youth see her naked. (b) With this knowledge he wins the princess.
  • II. To Whom She Turns. (a) As a further test the princess is to be given to the suitor to whom she turns in the night. (b) Rivals sleep with her and contest in enticements: she turns to the hero.
    • Cf. Type 62    		 , 850 H315., H51.1., H525., K1358., K443.6.
    851 The Riddle of the Suitor The prince saved by his true servant in a robber's den. The poisoned raven. The riddle from the hero's own experiences. He wins the princess's hand. Cf. Types 516518. I. The Riddle Contest. A princess is offered in marriage to the youth who can… , 851 H117., H342., H551., H565., H721.1., H734., H762., H792., H802., H81.2.
    954 The Forty Thieves The robbers come with seven casks into the house. In one cask is oil, in the others men are hidden. [K312]. The girl kills the robbers. , 676, 954 D1552.2., F721.4., K312., N455.3., N471., N478., N512.
    958 The Shepherd Youth in the Robbers' Power The Shepherd Youth in the Robbers' Power calls on his him for help. The helpers come. [K551.1]. 958C*, 958E* K311.1., K437.2.
    933 Gregory on the Stone The son of an incestuous union is abandoned and saved by a sailor. He undergoes years of penance and finally becomes pope. The parents come to the pope to be confessed.
    898 The Daughter of the Sun The Speechless Maiden; the Puppet Bride). I. Virgin in the Tower. To avoid fulfillment of a prophecy that a princess shall be impregnated by the sun and bear a child, she is confined in a tower. Nevertheless the prophecy is fulfilled. [T381, T521].… , 898 R131.11.3., S313., T381., T521.
    915 All depends on how you take it The two stepsisters marry. The daughter of the second wife follows the three precepts of her mother literally; the stepdaughter in conformity with her father's explanations. On their visit the parents find that with the first daughter everything is…
    890 The Pound of Flesh The wife as judge saves her husband. I. A merchant buys a bride in Turkey for her weight in gold. II. He gets the money by giving as security a piece of his own flesh. III. (a) The husband is abroad and (b) while he is away three merchants fall in… , 890 J1161.2., K1825.2., K443.2., T52.3.
    990 Revived from Apparent Death by a Grave-Robber The Woman gets a ring stuck in her throat. A man enters the grave to steal a ring from the finger of the dead. The woman wakes up and goes home. [K426] 990 K426.
    923 Loving the Salt The youngest of three daughters says that she loves her father like salt. The sick father is driven forth, etc. [592.1]. See analysis of Type 510: I c; II a; III c; V. , 923 H592.1., M21.
    901 Taming of the Shrew The youngest of three sisters is a shrew. For their disobedience the husband shoots his dog and his horse. Brings his wife to submission. Wager: whose wife is the most obedient. Cf. Type 1370. , 901 H386., L50., N12., T251.2.
    921 The king and the peasant's son The youth's clever answers to the king' questions (1 1/2 men and the horse's head, etc. [H561.4, H583]). Among the riddles are: (a1) What do you see? - 1 1/2 men and horse's head (himself, the legs of the king who is horseback in the door way, and… , 921, 921A, 921B* , 921C*, 921D* H583., H583.1., H583.2., H583.3., H583.4., H583.5., H583.6., H585.1., J1252., L144.2., NA
    982 Ungrateful Heirs They think that the chest of stones contains the inheritance. [P236.2, Q281.1]. , 982 P236.2., Q281.1.
    964 Thief (Murderer) Deceived into Betraying himself by a Gesture Thief (Murderer) Deceived into Betraying himself by a Gesture [J1141.1]. Cf.Type 66A.
    961 Conqueror of Robber Discovers his Money-Stick Thinking that he has killed the robber, the man takes his stick or knife with big handle. The robber recovers and, disguised as beggar, inquisitively looks at the stick. The man is suspicious and by examining finds much money inside it. [K437.4] .
    875 The Clever Peasant girl Through the proof of her cleverness she becomes the king's wife. He becomes angry and banishes her. She takes him home with her as her dearest possession. I. The Clever Daughter. (a) A peasant finds a golden mortar in a field and against the advice… , 875, 875A, 875B, 875B*, 875D D1318.2.1., H1010., H1021.9., H1023.1., H1023.25.1., H1024.1., H1024.1.1.1., H1053., H1054., H561.1., H561.1.1.1., H561.1.2., H582.1.1., H583.7., H586., H631.3., H632., H633., H636., H641.1., H951., J1111.4., J1185.1., J1191.1., J1536.2., J1545.4., J2121., L162.
    926 Judgment of Solomon Two women claim a child. Judge offers to cut it in two. The real mother refuses. [J1171.1]. , 926, 926C J1141., J1141.1., J1141.1.4., J1154.2., J1171.1., J1172.1., J1179.6.
    980 Old Grandfathers and Their Grandsons Ungrateful Son Reproved by Naive Actions of Own Son: Preparing for Old Age [W121]. , 980, 980A, 980B, 980C, 980D D444.2., J121., J121.2., NA
    892 The children of the king While the young prince is traveling, his sister is to govern the country, both their parents being dead. Staying in the service of another king, the boy is told lies about the conduct of his sister by a knight who by treachery has obtained proofs of… , 892 K2112.1., Q261.
    899 Alcestis Wife sacrifices self for husband when his parents refuse. [T211.1]. , 899 M341.1.1., T211.1.
    981 The Killing of Old Men Wisdom of Hidden Old Man Saves Kingdom. In famine all old men are ordered killed. One man hides his father. When all goes wrong in the hands of the young rulers, the old man comes forth, performs assigned tasks, end aids with his wisdom. [J151.1].… 981 J151.1.

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