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Stith Thompson Motif Index
About this index and how to read it
Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature classifies recurring narrative elements in folktales, myths, legends, ballads and related traditional narratives. Each entry below gives Thompson's motif reference and the description recorded in the index.
The index is large, so this browser displays 250 entries per page. You can search by motif reference or by words in the description, restrict the results to one of Thompson's main letter categories, and click motif references mentioned inside descriptions to follow cross-references. Individual motif pages also show any ATU tale types whose concordance explicitly cites that Thompson reference.
All
A
Mythological Motifs
B
Animal Motifs
C
Motifs of Tabu
D
Magic
E
The Dead
F
Marvels
G
Ogres
H
Tests
J
The Wise and the Foolish
K
Deceptions
L
Reversals of Fortune
M
Ordaining the Future
N
Chance and Fate
P
Society
Q
Rewards and Punishments
R
Captives and Fugitives
S
Unnatural Cruelty
T
Sex
U
The Nature of Life
V
Religion
W
Traits of Character
X
Humor
Z
Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs
| Thompson reference ▲ | Description |
|---|---|
| A2791.3 | How banyan got its milk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.4 | Why no one can find flower of wild fig. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.5 | Why tamarind fruit is sour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.7 | Why some trees have no fruit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.8 | Why sap comes from top of palm. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.9 | Why fruit of sago palm looks like an eye. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.10 | Why sago palm gives abundant sap. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.11 | Why fruit of date palm looks like breasts of old woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.12 | Why the bija tree is often struck by lightning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2791.13 | Why the roots of the banyan hang down. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2792 | Sundry characteristics of shrubs. |
| A2792.1 | Why bush holds on to passer-by. (See A2275.5.3, A2741.4.) |
| A2793 | Sundry characteristics of grains and vegetables. |
| A2793.1 | Why bean has black stripe. (See A2741.1.) |
| A2793.1.1 | Why beans bear everywhere. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2793.2 | Why grain of wheat is divided. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII. 90 No. 126b. |
| A2793.2.1 | Why wheat must be planted in one year and harvested in the next. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2793.3 | Why some yams are good, some bad. (See A2741.2.) |
| A2793.4 | Why potatoes are hard. (See A2721.3.2.) |
| A2793.5 | Why grain grows only at top of stalk (punishment for men's sinfulness). Grimm No. 194; BP III 417ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3220, Legends Nos. 305—313; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| A2793.5.1 | Why corn does not yield in the middle. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2793.6 | Origin of shapes of grain. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3221, Legends Nos. 315—322. |
| A2793.7 | Why rice is so abundant. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2793.8 | Why millet is red on top. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2793.9 | Why buckwheat produces twice a year. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2794 | Sundry characteristics of vegetables. |
| A2794.1 | Why mushrooms are slimy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2794.2 | Why yams are small but plentiful in certain place. New Hebrides: Codrington No. II 3. |
| A2795 | Sundry characteristics of flowers. |
| A2795.1 | Why some flowers have no scent. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2811 | Origin of silk. Chauvin VII 59 No. 77 n. 1. |
| A2812 | Origin of musk. Chauvin VII 59 No. 77 n. 1. |
| A2813 | Origin of honey. Chauvin VII 59 No. 77 n. 1.; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Icel.: Boberg. |
| A2814 | Origin of spices. Chauvin VII 59 No. 77 n. 1. |
| A2815 | Origin of floating webs in summer. *Dh II 254. |
| A2816 | Origin of smoke. Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 152 No. 81. |
| A2817 | Origin of the will-o'-the-wisp (jack-o'-lantern). Type 330.—Africa (Fang): Trilles 138. |
| A2817.1 | Smith outwits devil, is admitted to neither heaven nor hell. The devil gives him a light to find his way back in the dark; he is known as the will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern. England, Ireland, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| A2817.2 | Will-o'-the-wisp is girl cursed by her mother for gathering plants for dyestuffs on Sunday. Will-o'-the-wisp is seen where girl disappeared. Scotland: Baughman. |
| A2823 | Origin of churning stick. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2824 | Origin of drum. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2825 | Origin of canes: from whip thrust into ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2826 | Origin of shells. Eskimo (East Greenland): Rasmussen I 114. |
| A2827 | Origin of pearls. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2828 | Origin of particular kinds of basket. Tonga: Gifford 140. |
| A2831 | Origin of demons. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2834 | Origin of fish drug. S. Am. Indian: Wagley-Galvao BBAE CXLIII (3) 253. |
| A2847 | Origin of scum on stagnant water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2849 | Miscellaneous origins. |
| A2849.1 | Miscellaneous Jewish origins. Jewish: **Neuman. |
| A2851 | The four characteristics of wine. Devil helps Noah plant vineyard and kills various animals over it. These illustrate the four qualities of wine. peacock: brilliant colors; ape: jokes; lion: boldness; hog: drunkenness.—*Dh I 298ff.; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 244; *Köhler-Bolte I 577; Basset III 31; *Krappe Bull. Hispanique XXXIX 48; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3242; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2853 | Why sexes differ in form and temperament. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2854 | Why men like tobacco, but spit when smoking. Adam in paradise spat upon the tobacco plant. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3242, Legends No. 338f. |
| A2855 | Trees classified as "pleasant trees, herb trees, shrub trees." Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2861 | Why men become old. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2862 | Why spirits are invisible. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2871 | Why soil in certain country is poor. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2872 | Why coral is soft. Africa (Tonga): Gifford 136. |
| A2875 | Why babies have soft spots in head. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 507. |
| A2877 | Why palm oil is red. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield. |
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