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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| B776.3 | Venomous hound. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B776.7 | Venomous serpent. (Cf. B776.5.3.)—Irish myth: Cross; Norse: Herrmann Saxo II 602, MacCulloch Eddic 105, Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B776.1 | Venomous sheep destroy enemy. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 63, Irish myth: Cross. |
| B765.12 | Venomous snakes play with precious stones. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B776.4 | Venomous swine. |
| B776.6 | Venomous worm. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B155.2.1 | Village founded on spot when cock crows, dog barks, and mithian bellows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B221.6.1 | Village of wer-tigers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B147.2.2.6 | Vulture as bird of ill-omen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B291.1.8 | Vulture as messenger. Africa (Upoto): Einstein 144; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B511.5.1 | Vulture cures blindness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B159.4 | Vulture's chicks will not eat dead hero's leg, since they know he has been treacherously murdered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B263.5.1 | War between birds and eagle. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B263.4 | War between birds and reptiles. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B263.3 | War between crows and owls.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Hindu: Penzer V 98—113.—Panchatantra III intr. (tr. Ryder) 291ff; Bødker Exempler 293 No. 52. |
| B262 | War between domestic and wild animals. *Type 104; *BP I 425.—Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B263.2 | War between elephants and ants. Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 132. |
| B263.5 | War between groups of birds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B263.8 | War between lion and other animals. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B263 | War between other groups of animals. |
| B263.7 | War between serpents and storks. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B263.1 | War between toads and frogs. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "crapauds". |
| B261 | War of birds and quadrupeds. *Type 222; BP II 435 (Gr. No. 102); *Dh III 3ff., 226, IV 197ff.—Crane Vitry No. 153; Scala Celi No. 417. Japanese: Ikeda. —Africa: Frobenius Atlantis VIII 253, IX 115, XI 128. |
| B263.6 | War of monkeys and grasshoppers. Chinese: Graham. |
| B268.2.1 | War-dogs. Icel.: *Boberg. |
| B268.3 | War-elephants. Icel.: *Boberg. |
| B143.1.1 | Warning crow. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B143.1.3 | Warning parrot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B143.1.2 | Warning peacock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B376 | Wasp released from vase full of honey: grateful. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B551.4 | Water snake carries boy across river. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B251.2.6.1 | Water-monsters lick saint's feet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B338 | Weapons made from bones of helpful horse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.1 | Weasel as conjurer. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 321 No. 74. |
| B284 | Wedding of amphibians. |
| B285.1 | Wedding of ant. (See B281.8.)—Revue des Langues Romanes 2e Ser. IV (1877) 27ff. (louse); Rhaetian: Decurtins "Rätoromanische Christomatie" Romänische Forschungen XXVII (1910) 182f. (grasshopper); French: Arnaudin Chants pop. de la Grande-Lande I 345ff. (finch); Italian: Nigra Canti pop. de Piemonte No. 127 (cricket), *Zs. f. Vksk. XII 167f., 169n. 2 (grasshopper). |
| B281.7 | Wedding of ass. French: Arnaudin Chants pop. de la Grande-Lande I 365ff. |
| B282.11 | Wedding of blackbird with another bird. German: Grüner Uber die ältesten Sitten u. Gebräuche der Egerländer (ed. A. John) 82f., (starling), Vorpahl Deutsche Volkslieder zur Guitarre (Sammlung I, 1915) (bullfinch), Deutsche Volkslieder Archiv (MS. Freiburg im Breisgau and University of Chicago) Nos. A74020, A72356, A63272, A93372. |
| B282.7 | Wedding of bullfinch with another bird. Russian: Ralston Songs of the Russian People 11f. (quail). |
| B285.6 | Wedding of butterfly. French: Kuhff Les Enfantines 174, RTP V 16f, Bujeaud Chants de l'Ouest I 38. |
| B283.2 | Wedding of carp. Chinese: JAFL VIII 189f. |
| B281.9 | Wedding of cat. (See B282.4.2.) |
| B282.21 | Wedding of cock and hen. German: Blätter für pommersche Volkskunde IX (1901) 43ff. |
| B285.8 | Wedding of cockroach and rat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B283.1 | Wedding of crab. Bulgarian: Rosen Bulgarische Volksdichtungen 232 (frog); Roumanian: Schuller Romänische Volkslieder 34ff. (toad). |
| B285.2 | Wedding of cricket. (See B285.1.)—Lettish: Andrejanoff Lettische Volkslieder 39 No. 115. |
| B282.22 | Wedding of crow and titmouse. |
| B282.19 | Wedding of cuckoo with another bird. French: Perroud RTP V 15 (lark), Wallona (V 1897) 138f. (titmouse). |
| B282.2.1 | Wedding of eagle and kite. Kite promises to secure ostrich as attendant. Fails and is put to shame.—Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 250), 100 (ST 139); Thiele Der lateinische äsop des Romulus 96. |
| B282.2 | Wedding of eagle with another bird. Wendish: Haupt-Schmaler Volkslieder der Wenden II 144 No. 194 (kite). |
| B282.5 | Wedding of finch with another bird. (Cf. B285.1.)—French: Rolland Faune Populaire de la France II 180ff. (greenfinch), 182ff. (goldfinch); Canadian: Gagnon Chansons pop. du Canada 279ff. |
| B283 | Wedding of fish. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B285.5 | Wedding of flea. French: Bladé Poésies pop. de la Gascogne III 291ff., Soleville Chants pop. du Bas-Quercy 310ff.; Spanish: Marín Cantos pop. Espaсoles I 74ff. |
| B285.4 | Wedding of fly. Danish: Abrahamson, Nyerup, og Rahbek Udvalgte Danske Viser (II) 104f. No. 40 (horsefly); German: Hoffmann-Richter Schlesische Volkslieder 71f., Jungbauer Bibliographie d. deutschen Volksliedes in Böhmen 31 (beetle); Zs. f. Vksk. XXII 421. |
| B281.1 | Wedding of fox and hyena. Fox refuses to marry hyena, since, according to belief, hyena yearly changes sex.—Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 251), 131 (ST 376, 401); Halm Aesop No 405. |
| B284.1.1 | Wedding of frog and mouse. ("Frog went a-courtin'").—United States: JAFL XXVI 134f., XXV 392—399 No. 138, Cox Folksongs of the South 470ff. No. 162, Scarborough On the Trail of Negro Folksongs 46ff., Pub. Texas Folklore Soc. V 5—48; English: Williams Folksongs of the upper Thames 133f.; Welsh: Journ. Welsh Folksong Soc. I (IV) 178 No. 18. |
| B284.1 | Wedding of frog. (See B283.1.) |
| B286.1 | Wedding of garlic and onion. Lettish: Andrejanoff Lettische Volkslieder 39 No. 116. |
| B282.6 | Wedding of goldfinch with another bird. French: Rolland Faune pop. de la France II 182ff. (finch), Bladé poésies pop. de la Gascogne III 104ff. (finch); Ukranian: Chodzko Les chants historiques de l'Ukraine 12f. No. 10. |
| B285.3 | Wedding of grasshopper. (See B285.1.) |
| B282.15 | Wedding of heathcock with another bird. German: Blätter für pommersche Volkskunde IX (1901) 42f.; Lettish: Baton Chansons nationales latviennes (Riga 1922) No. 2691. |
| B282.18 | Wedding of hoopoe with another bird. Slavic: Wenzig Westslav. Märchenschatz 241; Czech.: Walda Böhmische Granaten 132 No. 163 (jay). |
| B285 | Wedding of insects. |
| B282.3 | Wedding of lark and another bird. |
| B282.3.2 | Wedding of lark and cuckoo. French: Perroud RTP V 15. |
| B282.3.6 | Wedding of lark and finch. French: Daymard Vieux chants recueilles en Quercy 106ff., Kuhff Les Enfantines 178, Lambert Chants et Chansons du Languedoc I 327ff.; Catalonian: Mila y Fontanals Romancerillo Catalán 398f. |
| B282.3.1 | Wedding of lark and nightingale. German: Wossidlo Mechlenbürgische Volksüberlieferungen II (1) 255 No. 1675; Lettish: Baton Chansons nationales latviennes (Riga 1922) No. 2696. |
| B282.3.4 | Wedding of lark and pigeon. French: Lembert Chants et Chansons du Languedoc I 332. |
| B282.3.3 | Wedding of lark and sparrow. French: Tiersot RTP I 3f. |
| B282.3.5 | Wedding of lark and spotted woodpecker. Lettish: Andrejanoff Lettische Volkslieder 45 No. 134. |
| B281.4 | Wedding of lynx. Lettish: Ulmann Lettische Volkslieder 136 No. 431 (marten), Baton Chansons nationales latviennes I (Riga 1922) No. 2685 (marten). |
| B282.14 | Wedding of magpie with another bird. German: Hoffman-Richter Schlesische Volkslieder 75f., Haupt-Schmaler Volkslieder der Wenden (Pt. I) 256 No. 273 (raven); Lettish: Baton Chansons nationales latviennes (Riga 1922) No. 2684 (wagtail). |
| B281.5 | Wedding of marten. (See B281.4.) |
| B281.10 | Wedding of monkey. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B281.2.2 | Wedding of mouse and cockroach. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B281.2.1 | Wedding of mouse and weasel. Estonian: Neus Esthnische Volkslieder 352 No. 98C; Greek: Passow Pop. Carmina Graeciae Recentioris 458 No. 623. |
| B281.2 | Wedding of mouse. (See B284.1.1.) |
| B282.4.1 | Wedding of owl and another bird. French: Arnandin Chants pop. de la Grande-Lande I 350ff. (goat-sucker); Slavic: Herder Stimmen der Völker (Slavische Lieder No. 23) (wren). |
| B282.4.2 | Wedding of owl and cat. English: Mother Goose rhymes. |
| B282.4 | Wedding of owl. |
| B281.6 | Wedding of pig. Rhaetian: Decurtins "Eine rätoromanische Ballade" Schweizerisches Archiv f. Vksk. XX 93f. (mole). |
| B282.20 | Wedding of pigeon with another bird. French: Lambert Chants et Chansons de Languedoc I 332 (lark), Soleville Chants pop. du Bas-Quercy 303ff. (falcon). |
| B282.17 | Wedding of quail with another bird. Russian: Ralston Songs of the Russian People 11f. (bullfinch). |
| B281.11.1 | Wedding of rat and cockroach. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B281.11 | Wedding of rat. |
| B282.16 | Wedding of raven with another bird. Danish: Nyerups Udvalg II 97ff.; Grüner-Nielsen Danske Skæmteviser I 34f. No. 15 (crane); Wendish: Haupt-Schmaler Volkslieder der Wenden I 256f. No. 273 (magpie). |
| B282.10 | Wedding of sparrow and another bird. French: Tiersot RTP I 3f. (lark); Bukovina: Kaindl Zs. f. Vksk. VII (1897) 427 (jackdaw).—Waldbrühl Slawische Balalaika 302.—Japanese: FLR I 131ff. |
| B281.8 | Wedding of squirrel. French: Mélusine I (1878) 287 (ant). |
| B282.12 | Wedding of thrush with another bird. German: Hainhoferi Lautenbücher II 130ff., Norrenberg Beiträge zur Localgeschichte des Niederrheins IV 102, Frischbier-Sembrzychi Hundert ostpreussische Volkslieder 52f. No. 32. |
| B282.8 | Wedding of titmouse with another bird. French: Wallonia V (1897) 138f. (cuckoo); Prussian: Frischbier Zehn Masurische Volkslieder 69. |
| B284.2 | Wedding of toad. Bulgarian: Rosen Bulgarische Volksdichtungen 233. (See also B283.1.) |
| B282.1 | Wedding of turkey and peacock. All birds invited except eagle. This omission starts great conflict.—*Type 224; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XII 169. |
| B285.7 | Wedding of wasp. RTP VIII 552 (hornet). |
| B281.3 | Wedding of wolf. Slavic: Wenzig Westslavischer-Märchenschatz 242ff. (goat); Wendish: Haupt-Schmaler Volkslieder der Wenden I 386 (goat); Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *91; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B282.13 | Wedding of woodpecker with another bird. Estonian: Neus Esthnische Volkslieder 351f. No. 98B. |
| B282.9 | Wedding of wren with another bird. Slavic: Herder Stimmen der Völker (Slawische Lieder No. 23) (owl); English: FLJ I 166 (robin), Eckenstein Comparative Studies in Nursery Rhymes (London 1906) (robin); French: Kuhff Les Enfantines 345ff., Mélusine I (1878) 193f. |
| B214.4 | Weeping animal. |
| B214.4.1 | Weeping toad. Chinese: Graham. |
| B184.6.1 | Wethers leap from well; payment for saint's baptism. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B291.4.3 | Whale as messenger. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 360. |
| B874.3.1 | Whale cast ashore—three golden teeth and five ounces in each of these teeth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B523.2 | Whale fights monster pursuing saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.12 | Whale raises back so that voyaging clerics can land to celebrate. Easter Irish myth: Cross. |
| B852 | When cow calls her calf, all cattle graze. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B103.7.1 | When destructive bird is killed, barn is found full of gold. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B81.12 | When mermaid appears. |
| B214.2 | Whistling animals. |
| B157.1 | Whistling of bird leads searcher. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 68. |
| B214.2.1 | Whistling toad. Chinese: Graham. |
| B792 | Why certain animals are thought of as good or bad. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B335.4 | Wife demands magic parrot who has accused her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B771 | Wild animal miraculously tamed. |
| B771.5 | Wild animal performs for king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B771.3 | Wild animal will not attack royal person. Dickson Valentine and Orson 198 n. 86. |
| B771.0.1 | Wild animal will not harm chaste woman. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B251.2.7 | Wild animals as saint's disciples. *Loomis White Magic 63. |
| B845 | Wild animals herded. *Fb "hare" IV 201a; *Type 570; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B575.1 | Wild animals kept as dogs. Icel.: *Boberg; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 308 n. 113d; Eskimo (E. Greenland): Rasmussen I 318, 363, Rink 248 (fox), (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 599 (walrus). |
| B558.6 | Wild animals yoked by saint to his plough. *Loomis White Magic 60. |
| B291.3 | Wild beast as messenger. |
| B251.4.1.1 | Wild beast seeks protection of saint against hunters. *Loomis White Magic 61f. |
| B563.5 | Wild leopards guide Jesus and the Holy Family through wilderness in flight to Egypt. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| B240.3 | Wild man as king of animals. Chinese: Werner 392. |
| B292.4.1 | Wild oxen plow for man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B845.1 | Wild pigs kept by demigod as if domesticated. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B115.2 | Wing-cornucopia. Turkey supplies treasure from its wings.—Southern Ute: Lowie JAFL XXXVII 85 No. 56. |
| B43 | Winged bull. Spence Myths of Bab. & Assyr. 289f.; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B47 | Winged camel. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B558.7 | Winged serpents pull chariot through sky. Greek: Grote I 112 (Medea). |
| B11.2.6 | Wings of dragon. Smith Dragon 137.—Chinese: Werner 368. |
| B163.1.1 | Wisdom from eating fox's heart. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B161.3 | Wisdom from eating serpent. (Cf. B176.)—*Scott Thumb 173; Fb "hugormekonge"; Chauvin V 255ff. No. 152.—Scotch: Campbell II 377.—Cf. Diegueсo: Du Bois AA n.s. VII 628. |
| B162 | Wisdom from fish. (Cf. B175.) |
| B163.1 | Wisdom from fox. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B163 | Wisdom from other animal. |
| B161 | Wisdom from serpent. *Cox 496 n. 32; Fb "hugormekonge" IV 225a; *Scott Thumb 173.—Irish myth: Cross.—Armenian: Ananikian 74; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B160 | Wisdom-giving animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B120 | Wise animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B122.0.5 | Wise eagle (in Yggdrasil). Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 332. |
| B124 | Wise fish. (Cf. B175.) |
| B122.0.2 | Wise golden peacock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B122.0.1 | Wise magpie. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 57. |
| B122.5 | Wise mother eagle distinguishes between stupid and intelligent eaglets. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B122.0.3 | Wise owl. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1038. |
| B123 | Wise reptile. |
| B123.1 | Wise serpent. (cf. B161—165, B176.)—*Scott Thumb 173.—Hebrew: Genesis 3:1; Jewish: Neuman; Arabian: Burton III 145, V 305, 328, 390; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B621.8 | Wolf and wolverine fight over girl. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 38. |
| B240.10 | Wolf as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B635.2 | Wolf boy (girl) running around with wolf and cubs recovered by parents after six years: recognized by scar. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B557.15 | Wolf carries man. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| B524.1.4 | Wolf defends master's child against serpent. Malone PMLA XLIII 420; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B275.1.3 | Wolf executed for thefts. |
| B381.1 | Wolf fetches a man to remove thorn from his children's paws. Does not attack the man's livestock.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *156A. |
| B256.11 | Wolf returns sheep stolen from saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B751.6 | Wolf strongly attracted to his own children. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.7.1 | Wolf swears by God. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B538.2 | Wolf-tail blankets. Wolves shelter man with their tails.—N. A. Indian (Ojibwa): Jones-Michelson PAES VII (1) 77, Carson JAFL XXX 491 No. 1. |
| B275.1.3.2 | Wolves and wild pigs condemned to death in lion's court for killing and eating sheep. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| B256.4.1 | Wolves guard saint's cattle like watchdogs when he is absent. *Loomis White Magic 59. |
| B253.2 | Wolves have annual (church) feast. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.3 | Wolves lick saint's shoes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B11.11.7 | Woman as dragon-slayer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B81.0.2 | Woman from water world. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B522.3 | Woman slandered as adulteress is thrown into lion pit. Lions do not harm her.—Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B331.2.1 | Woman slays faithful mongoose which has saved her child. "A Classical Indian Folk-Tale as a Reported Modern Event: The Brahman and the Mongoose" Proceedings, American Philosophical Society, LXXXIII 503—13; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B297.2.1 | Women transformed to bitches enchanted by music. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B714 | Worm (monster) from caul born with child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B242.1.2.1 | Wren as "druid of the birds" (drui én). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B242.1.2 | Wren king of birds. Wins contest for kingship. (Cf. B236.1.) —*Type 221; *BP III 278 (Gr. No. 171); Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B82.3 | Youth takes service with merman. *Fb "havmand" I 571a. |
| B242.1.10 | Ziz as king of birds. Jewish: Neuman. |
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