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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.

1,247 motifs

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Thompson reference ▲ Description
C0 Tabu: contact with supernatural. **Frazer Golden Bough, III (Taboo and the Perils of the Soul), London 1914.
C10 Tabu: profanely calling up spirit (devil, etc.).—*Halliday in Penzer VIII xiv; BP II 63 n. 1.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 338 n. 217a; India: Thompson-Balys.
C10.1 Druidism forbidden. Irish myth: Cross.
C11 The Old Man and Death. Weary old man wishes for death. When Death appears at the summons he asks for help with the load.—Halm Aesop No. 90; Wienert FFC LVI 81 (ET 468, 469), 109 (ST 212, cf. ST 109, 115, 141, 342); *Jacobs Aesop 216 No. 69; *BP III 294; Italian Novella: Rotunda; U.S.: Baughman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
C12 Devil invoked: appears unexpectedly.
C12.1 Devil called on for help. When the devil appears man excuses himself.—Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 23; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 123 No. 47; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 41 No. 47; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 42 No. 25; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
C12.1.1 Man wishing to be conjurer fears helper he has called. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452.
C12.2 Oath: "May the devil take me if ... " Devil does.—Type 821A; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 807.—Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 105; Irish: Beal XXI 316; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 641.
C12.3 Oath: "May the devil whet my scythe." Devil leaves only the handle. —Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 41 No. 45**.
C12.4 Man commends wife to devil. Devil takes the charge seriously and guards woman's chastity during husband's absence.—*Type 1352; *Wesseiski Märchen 193.
C12.4.1 Mother wishes lazy daughter may marry devil. Devil appears and marries her.—Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 51 No. 340.
C12.5 Devil's name used in curse. Appears. Alphabet No. 246.—Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 120 No. 32; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 40 No. 32.
C12.5.1 Noah's curse admits devil to ark. Devil persuades Noah's wife to stay out of ark till Noah shall call devil in. Noah at last loses patience and calls out, "The devil! Come in!" The devil comes in and turns himself into a mouse.—Dh. I 258ff.
C12.5.2 Man curses and devil fulfills his wish: takes the stone away. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 497ff.
C12.5.3 Girl fond of dancing uses devil's name. (See Q386.1.) Canada, England: Baughman.*
C12.5.4 Lost parson says he would rather have devil for guide than clerk who is with him. Devil appears, causes death of both. England, U.S.: Baughman.*
C12.5.5 Man calls on devil to descend chimney when angry at wife. The devil comes, makes pudding black. U.S.: Baughman.
C12.5.6 Man swears he will chastise devil for poaching. The devil appears; the man runs; the devil takes man's wife. England: Baughman.
C12.5.7 Wife curses wicked husband: "May devil take you!" Devil does. (See M432.) U.S.: Baughman.
C12.5.8 Man vows he will cross water "in spite of devil." Devil takes him. Origin of place name: En Spuyten Duyvil. U.S.: Baughman.
C13 The offended skull (statue) (Festin de Pierre). A skull (statue) is invited to dinner. Attends the dinner and takes his host off to the other world.—*Type 470; **D.E. MacKay The Double Invitation in the Legend of Don Juan; *BP III 483 n. 1; *Wesselski Märchen 241 No. 51; Armeto La Leyenda de Don Juan (Madrid, 1908); *DeCock Studien en Essays 108—152, 308ff.; *Lancaster PMLA XXXVIII 471 n. 1; G. de Bevotte La Legende de Don Juan (Paris, 1906) (bibliography pp. 517—521); Manning PMLA XXXVIII 479; *Waxman JAFL XXI 184; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) no. 561; *Fb "menneskehoved" I 579b; Hartland Science 167; Sébillot France IV 132; Klapper Erzählungen des Mittelalters 157 No. 164; Gering Islenzk Aeventyri I 97 No. 34.
C13.1 Prince invites angel to wedding. Taken to other world.—*Child V 290a.
C14 "Adversity" summoned: king says he has heard people speak of adversity but has never seen it; genius of adversity appears. India: Thompson-Balys.
C15 Wish for supernatural husband (wife) realized. (Cf. C26.)—English: Child I 6ff. No. 2.
C15.1 Wish for star-husband realized. *Thompson The Star-Husband Tale (Studia Septentrionalia IV [1953] 93ff.); N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 330 n. 193.
C15.1.1 Wish for star wife realized. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 40, 43, (Sherente): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (1) 516.
C15.2 Wish for tree as husband realized. Tree comes to life.—Yuracare: Alexander Lat. Am. 314.
C16 Tabu: offending spirits of the dead. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawks GSCan XIV 153.
C20 Tabu: calling on ogre or destructive animal.
C21 "Ah me!": ogre's name uttered. He appears. Köhler-Bolte I 557; Köhler Zs. f. Vksk. VI 68; *Cosquin études Folkloriques 532ff.
C25 "Bear's food." To urge on his horses a man threatens them with the bear, calling them "bear's food." The bear hears and comes for them.—*Type 154; **Krohn Mann und Fuchs 11.
C25.1 Child threatened with ogre. Latter takes child off.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 321 No. 72, 323 No. 131; Japanese: Ikeda.
C26 Wish for animal husband realized. Girl says she will marry a certain animal. Latter appears and carries her off. (Cf. C15.)—*Type 552.—Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 80.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 341 n. 231.
C30 Tabu: offending supernatural relative.
C31 Tabu: offending supernatural wife. Upon slight offence the wife leaves for her old home.—*Hoffman-Krayer Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 120 n. 4; Irish myth: Cross; English: Child I 21, 485a, II 496b, 509a, IV 440b; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 340 n. 223a; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas VAM XV 180; Maori: Dixon 58, 72.
C31.1 Tabu: looking at supernatural wife. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.
C31.1.1 Tabu: looking at supernatural wife too soon. *BP III 114 (Gr. No. 137).—Middle English romance: Wells 145 (Parthenope of Blois).
C31.1.2 Tabu: looking at supernatural wife on certain occasion. (Mélusine). The husband must not see the wife when she is transformed to an animal.—*Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXV (1933) 121; *Köhler-Bolte III 265nn. 1, 2; **Köhler Der Ursprung der Melusinensage (1895); Desaivre Le Mythe de la Mére Lusine (Extrait des Memoires de la Société de Statistique, Sciences, Lettres, et Arts de Deux-Sèvres [Saint-Maixent 1883]); Keightley Fairy Mythology 480; Baring-Gould Curious Myths 470; Hartland Science 201; Holmström Studier över Svanjungfrumotivet 100; M. Nowack Die Melusinensage (Diss. 1886); *Fränkel Zs. f. Vksk. IV 387; Jegerlehner Oberwallis 307 No. 24.
C31.1.3 Tabu: looking at supernatural wife naked. African: Werner 191.
C31.1.4 Tabu: husband looking at supernatural wife in childbirth. (Cf. C151.)—Japanese: Anesaki 266.
C31.1.5 Tabu: opening gourd in which star-wife is kept. When curious girls do so, she flies up to sky. S. Am. Indian (Camacoco): Métraux MAFLS XL 48.
C31.2 Tabu: mentioning origin of supernatural wife. (Cf. C33.1, C35.1.) —Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 296 No. 21; Fjort: Dennett 44 No. 6; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n.
C31.3 Tabu: disobeying supernatural wife. Congo: Weeks 206f. No. 3; Fjort: Dennett 41 No. 5.—India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n.
C31.4 Tabu: blaming supernatural wife. *Chauvin VI 182 No. 343.—Greek: Fox 122 (Thetis).—Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n.
C31.4.1 Tabu: questioning supernatural wife. Hindu: Penzer VII 21 n. 3, II 252f.; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n.
C31.4.2 Tabu: scolding supernatural wife. English: Child V 495 s.v. "scolding".—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 296 No. 21; England: Baughman. —Melanesian: Codrington The Melanesians 172.
C31.5 Tabu: boasting of supernatural wife. *BP II 327; Köhler-Bolte I 308ff.—Irish myth: Cross; English: Wells 132 (Sir Launfal). Fjort: Dennett 42 No. 6.
C31.6 Tabu: calling on supernatural wife. *Type 400; BP II 318ff. (Gr. No. 92); 'Fb "ønske" III 1179a.—English: Wells 132 (Sir Launfal.)
C31.7 Tabu: lousing supernatural wife. Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n.
C31.8 Tabu: striking supernatural wife. Irish myth: Cross; Wales: Baughman; Kassai (Congo): Frobenius Atlantis XII 106.
C31.9 Tabu: revealing secrets of supernatural wife. (Cf. C420). *Schofield PMLA XV 165; Irish myth: Cross.
C31.10 Tabu: giving garment back to supernatural (divine) wife. India: Thompson-Balys.
C31.11 Tabu: reproaching supernatural wife about her sisters. England: Baughman.*
C31.12 Unfaithful husband loses magic wife. Chinese: Graham.
C32 Tabu: offending supernatural husband. (Cf. C36.)—*Type 425; BP II 245ff. (Gr. No. 88).—India: *Thompson-Balys; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 91.
C32.1 Tabu: looking at supernatural husband. *Type 425a; *BP II 234, 245ff., 266ff.; *Tegethoff Studien zum Märchentypus von Amor und Psyche 32; *Lang Cupid and Psyche (1886); *Fb "lys" II 483a.—India: Thompson-Balys.
C32.1.1 Tabu: wife seeing transformed husband. Chinese: Graham.
C32.1.2 Tabu: showing surprise when supernatural husband resumes his true shape. India: Thompson-Balys.
C32.2 Tabu: questioning supernatural husband. *Boekenoogen Ridder metter Swane 166ff; India: Thompson-Balys.
C32.2.1 Tabu: asking name of supernatural husband. (Cf C430.) India: *Thompson-Balys.
C32.2.2 Tabu: asking where supernatural husband comes from. (Cf. C421.)—India: *Thompson-Balys.
C32.2.3 Tabu: asking for caste of supernatural husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
C32.3 Tabu: not to touch too soon supernatural husband on visit. India: Thompson-Balys.
C33 Offending supernatural child. India: Thompson-Balys.
C33.1 Tabu: mentioning origin of supernatural child. (cf. C31.2, C35.1.) —India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 133—136; (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 77ff. No. 12, (Basuto): Jacottet 110; (Ibo of Nigeria): Thomas 76, 80.
C35 Tabu: offending animal wife. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 339 n. 223; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 145, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 616.
C35.1 Tabu: mentioning origin of animal wife. (Cf. C31.2, C33.1.)—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 339—342 nn. 222, 223, 233, cf. 234.—Africa (Congo): Weeks 215 No. 11; (Basuto): Jacottet 108 No. 16, (Fjort): Dennett 43 No. 6, (Cameroon): Rosenhuber 44, (Duala): Lederbogen 143.—Indonesian: Dixon 219.
C36 Tabu: offending animal husband. (Cf. C32).—Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 38.
C36.1 Tabu: burning animal husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
C36.2 Tabu: spying on animal husband. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 145.
C37 Tabu: offending other animal relatives. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 47, 49, (Greenland): Rink 144, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 156.
C40 Tabu: offending spirits of water, mountain, etc.
C41 Tabu: offending water-spirit. Frazer Golden Bough III 94.—North Carolina: Brown Collection I 641; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 56.
C41.1 Tabu: rescuing drowning man. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "noyé."
C41.2 Tabu: letting ball fall into water. *Type 440; BP I 1 (Gr. No. 1.)
C41.3 Tabu: crossing water when spirits are offended.
C41.3.1 Tabu: skating over water when spirits are offended. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 277 n. 23.
C41.4 Tabu: poisoning fish causes storm. India: Thompson-Balys.
C42 Tabu: offending mountain-spirit. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 42 No. 53**.
C43 Tabu: offending wood-spirit. (cf. C51.2.2, C64).—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 295 No. 12; India: Thompson-Balys.
C43.1 Tabu: offending spirit of banyan tree. India: Thompson-Balys.
C43.2 Tabu: cutting certain trees lest tree-spirits be offended. India: Thompson-Balys.
C43.3 Felled tree restored for failure to make proper offerings to tree-spirit. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 267.
C44 Tabu: offending guardian spirits. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 321; Herrmann Saxo Gr. II 586.
C45 Tabu: offending devil. A smith or priest continually insults the devil's statue or picture (cf. C13). The devil brings the offender into dangerous situation (suspicion of theft or murder), and saves him miraculously when he promises never again to abuse the devil's likeness. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3325f.; Legends Nos. 631—637, 789; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges.
C46 Tabu: offending fairy.
C46.1 Tabu: breaking promise to fairy: death on twelfth day. India: Thompson-Balys.
C50 Tabu: offending the gods. Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys.
C50.1 Tabu: offending goddess of fortune. India: Thompson-Balys.
C51 Tabu: touching possessions of god. India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.1 Tabu: profaning shrine. Irish myth: Cross, Beal XXI 336; Greek: Grote I 279; India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.1.1 Tabu: using altar for secular purposes. Irish: Plummer clxxxiv; Irish myth: Cross.
C51.1.2 Tabu: stealing from altar. (Cf. C51.2.)—Fable: Phaedrus IV 11; Wienert FFC LVI 80 (ET 465), 138 (ST 433).
C51.1.2.1 Tabu: stealing from sacred booty. Jewish: *Neuman.
C51.1.3 Tabu: breathing on sacred fire. British: *MacCulloch Celtic 11 (references given to parallels from Parsis, Brahmans, Japanese, and Germans). —Irish myth: Cross.
C51.1.4 Tabu: misuse of money in alms box. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 319 No. 23.
C51.1.5 Tabu: dancing in churchyard. Fb "kirkegaard" II 129.
C51.1.6 Tabu: discontinuing use of a church. Crane Liber de Miraculis 90 No. 20.
C51.1.7 Tabu: peeping at sacred font. (Cf. C300.)—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 187.
C51.1.8 Tabu: allowing a drop to fall upon altar. Irish myth: Cross.
C51.1.9 Tabu: unworthy men to enter or see sanctuary. (Cf. C300.) *Loomis White Magic 97.
C51.1.10 Tabu: to enter sacred places closed to the female sex. (Cf. C51.1.2.) *Loomis White Magic 97.
C51.1.11 Visits of goddess cease when her sacred spring is disturbed. Tahiti: Henry 85.
C51.1.12 Tabu: striking tree which belongs to deity. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 111.
C51.1.13 Tabu: treating scornfully statue and dress of goddess. Greek Myth: Grote I 84.
C51.1.14 Tabu: leaving corpse at shrine. Jewish: Neuman.
C51.1.15 Tabu: wearing shoes at shrine. Jewish: Neuman.
C51.2 Tabu: stealing from god or saint. (Cf. C51.1.2.)—Greek: Grote I 145; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (3—G 3/1386); S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 173.
C51.2.1 Tabu: wearing unauthorized sacred robe (jewel). Crane Liber de Miraculis 82 No. 1; Ward Catalogue of Romances II 603 No. 6, 604 No. 7; Irish saints' legend: Plummer xliv; Irish myth: Cross.
C51.2.2 Tabu: cutting sacred trees or groves. (Cf. C43.)—Irish saints' legend: Plummer cliii; Irish myth: Cross.
C51.2.2.1 Tabu: taking fruit and fish dedicated to goddess. (Cf. C221, C225, C241.)—India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.2.3 Tabu: stealing wife of god. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 129.
C51.2.4 Tabu: stealing from holy statue. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 91 No. 769C.
C51.2.5 Tabu: violating refuge with saint. Irish myth: Cross.
C51.3 Tabu: revealing name of god. Jewish: Neuman; Egyptian: Müller 109; Chinese: Werner 294.
C51.3.1 Tabu: desecration of God's name. Jewish: *Neuman.
C51.4 Tabu: revealing secrets of god. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 363 n. 1, Grote I 145.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 298 No. 6 (investigating secret source of magic wine cask).
C51.4.1 Tabu: betraying privacy of god. Emperor visited by God conceals his wife so that she may hear. God ceases his visits.—Type 775*.
C51.4.2 Tabu: spying on secret help of angels. *Toldo Studien zur vgl. Littgsch. IV 52ff.; Irish myth: Cross.
C51.4.3 Tabu: spying on secret help of fairies. Irish myth: Cross.
C51.5 Tabu: imitating god. Greek: Fox 106 (Salmoneus imitates Zeus's thunder), Grote I 103f.*, 128; German: Grimm No. 147; India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.6 Tabu: falsely claiming the powers of a god. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 80 n. 3; Jewish: Neuman.
C51.7 Tabu: touching stone image of deity with unwashed hands. India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.8 Tabu: giving away idol. India: Thompson-Balys.
C51.9 Tabu: pointing boat toward island of the gods. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 67.
C52 Tabu: being in presence of god. Greek: Fox 46 (Semele in presence of Zeus.)
C52.1 Direct communication with god fatal to all except special devotees. India: Thompson-Balys.
C52.2 Tabu: coming suddenly on supernatural creatures. Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 95.
C53 Tabu: refusing credit to god. Type 830.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 177.
C53.1 People taught by God to work: claim they learned by own efforts. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3057. (Cf. A1403.)
C53.2 Tabu: arrogance toward deity. Jewish: Neuman.
C54 Tabu: rivaling the gods. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 20 n. 1 (Thamyris), I 31 (Side), Fox 220 (Marsyas), Grote I 103f., 146, 238, Gaster Thespis 261f., 289; India: Thompson-Balys.
C55 Tabu: losing consecrated wafer. Types 613, 671; BP I 322 n. 1.
C55.1 Tabu: stepping on sacred bread. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 188.
C55.2 Tabu: shooting at consecrated wafer. Man's ghost wanders. Type 756C.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3320; Legends Nos. 615—623; Livonian: Loorits in FFC LCVI 59 No. 138.
C55.3 Bee-master puts consecrated host into beehive. Has success with his bees. (Cf. B259.4.)—When he dies, his spirit haunts the place. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 624—627.
C56 Tabu: unseemly acts while carrying divine image.
C56.1 Tabu: defecating while carrying image of a god. India: Thompson-Balys.
C56.2 Tabu: stopping enroute while carrying image of a god. India: Thompson-Balys.
C57 Tabu: neglect of service to deity.
C57.1 Tabu: neglect of sacrifice to deity. Greek: Grote I 104, 108.
C57.1.1 Tabu: fraudulent sacrifice. India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman.
C57.1.2 No man with a wound to be sacrificed to goddess. India: Thompson-Balys.
C57.1.3 Tabu: eating from offerings made to gods. India: Thompson-Balys.
C57.2 Punishment for having refused to take part in Bacchic rites. Greek myth: Grote I 84.
C58 Tabu: profaning sacred day. Irish myth: Cross; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 18 Nos. 163, 166; Hebrew: Exodus 20: 8—11, Neuman; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 390.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 Nos. 37, 38; 324 No. 147; 328 No. 11; India: Thompson-Balys.
C58.1 Tabu: diminishing number of sacred days. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 180.
C61 Tabu: disbelief in religious teachings.
C61.1 Tabu: disbelief in God. Jewish: Neuman.
C61.2 Tabu: disbelief in immortality. Jewish: Neuman.
C61.3 Tabu: disbelief in scriptures. Jewish: Neuman.
C61.4 Tabu: disbelief in particular supernatural power. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 471.
C62 Tabu: idolatry. Jewish: Neuman.
C63 Tabu: attacking deity (sacred person). Greek: Fox 9; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 115; Fiji: Beckwith Myth 138; S. Am. Indian (Witoto): Métraux MAFLS XL 36.
C64 Tabu: failing to heed message of god. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 105 No. 29.
C65 Tabu: changing ritual. India: *Thompson-Balys.
C66 Tabu: murmuring against deity. Jewish: Neuman.
C67 Tabu: neglect of sacred fires. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 111.
C68 Tabu: neglecting to fulfill vow made to god. Greek: Grote I 202.
C70 Tabu: offending other sacred beings.
C71 Tabu: disobeying the king. Man dies as result of failure to obey.—Alphabet No. 241.
C75 Tabu: offending heavenly bodies.
C75.1 Tabu: offending the moon. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 442, Rasmussen II 25, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 180.
C90 Other tabus in connection with sacred beings.
C91 Tabu: stealing from spirits. (Cf. C51.2.)—Irish saints' legend: Plummer cliii (cf. C43, C51.2).—Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 42 No. 53** (cf. C42).
C91.1 Tabu: stealing garment from a rock. The rock pursues. (The offended rolling stone.)—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 300 n. 96.
C91.2 Tabu: stealing fruits from sacred tree. (Cf. C262.3.)—India: *Thompson-Balys.
C92 Tabu: killing sacred beings. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 320. No. 41.
C92.1 Tabu: killing sacred animals. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 442, Rasmussen II 25, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 180.
C92.1.0.1 Tabu: killing animals for sacrifice. (Cf. C57.1.)—Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 461, II 577.
C92.1.1 Tabu: killing raven (Odin's bird). Fb "ravn" III 22a.—Krappe "Arturus cosmocrator" Speculum (1945) 405ff.
C92.1.2 Tabu: killing sacred calf. India: Thompson-Balys.
C92.1.3 Tabu: killing shrew-mouse, sacred to the gods. India: Thompson-Balys.
C92.1.4 Tabu: killing stork. Fb "stork" III 592 ab.
C92.1.5 Tabu: killing scald-crow (goddess of war). Irish myth: Cross.
C92.1.6 Tabu: killing other sacred bird. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 160; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (t-G 2/44).
C92.2 Tabu: killing sacred dragon. (Cf. B11.)—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 334 n. 1.
C93 Tabu: trespassing sacred precinct. Alphabet No. 52.—Irish: Plummer clxxxiv; Irish myth: Cross.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 295, No. 12.—Eskimo (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 600; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 59 (ghost town).
C93.1 Tabu: sleeping in saint's bed. Irish: Plummer clxxxiv; Irish myth: Cross.
C93.2 Tabu: profaning hallowed clothes and vessels. Alphabet No. 696.
C93.3 Tabu: digging in churchyard. Irish myth: Cross.
C93.4 Tabu: crossing bridge sacred to the gods. India: Thompson-Balys.
C93.5 Tabu: slaughtering buffalo in temple. India: Thompson-Balys.
C93.5.1 Tabu: use of palanquin within temple. India: Thompson-Balys.
C93.6 Tabu: cutting down tree wherein resides deity. India: Thompson-Balys.
C93.7 Tabu: erecting fort on holy ground. India: Thompson-Balys.
C93.8 Tabu: landing on floating island of the gods without invitation. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 68.
C94 Tabu: rudeness to sacred person or thing.
C94.1 Tabu: uncivil answer to holy (or supernatural) being. Gaster Exempla 229 No. 239; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 125 No. 54; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 43.—India: Thompson-Balys.
C94.1.1 The cursed dancers. Dancers rude to holy man (Jesus) cursed and must keep dancing till Judgment Day.—*Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 309 n. 1; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 388; Ward Catalogue II 660 No. 30; *Herbert ibid, III 283, 312; Alphabet No. 215; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 296f. Nos. 3, 28; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 18 No. 168.
C94.1.2 Tabu: failure to give alms to Brahmans. India: Thompson-Balys.
C94.1.3 Tabu: discourtesy toward priest (rabbi, etc.). Jewish: Neuman.
C94.2 Tabu: false and profane swearing of oath. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 448.—Jewish: Neuman.
C94.3 Tabu: mocking animal. India: Thompson-Balys.
C94.3.1 Tabu: rudeness to sacred animal. India: *Thompson-Balys.
C94.3.1.1 Tabu: offending sacred cow. India: Thompson-Balys.
C94.4 Tabu: calling profanely on God. Daughter of Emperor says to Rabbi: "Your God is a builder; so let him build a tent here." She becomes leprous and must be placed in a tent. (Cf. C51.3.1.)—Gaster Exempla 187 No. 10; Jewish: Neuman.
C94.4.1 Tabu: calling profanely on the members of God. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
C94.5 Tabu: masking as ghost in graveyard. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 39 No. 15**; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3441, Legends Nos. 854—858.
C94.6 Tabu: throwing away holy image. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 184.
C94.7 Tabu: ringing of church bell by nun. Irish myth: Cross.
C94.8 Tabu: refusing homage to saint's bell. Irish myth: Cross.
C94.9 Tabu: disturbing austerities of an ascetic. India: Thompson-Balys.
C95 Tabu: giving security for one excommunicated. Irish myth: Cross.
C96 Tabu: using miracle for trifling purpose. India: Thompson-Balys.
C96.1 Tabu: resurrecting cat for trifling purpose. India: Thompson-Balys.
C99 Other tabus in connection with sacred beings—miscellaneous.
C99.1 Tabu: facing the sun (sun-god) while urinating. (Cf. T521.)—India: Thompson-Balys.
C99.1.1 Tabu: urinating on fire (fire-god).—India: Thompson-Balys.
C99.2 Tabu: weaving leather shoes on pilgrimage. China: Eberhard 188 No. 129.
C100 Sex tabu. Hebrew: Leviticus ch. 18.
C101 Sex tabu broken: child born without bones. Icelandic: Ragnarssaga Loрbrуkar 128; India: Thompson-Balys.
C110 Tabu: sexual intercourse. *Frazer Golden Bough XII 225f. s.v. "continence", 214 s.v. "chastity"; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg.
C110.1 Tabu: sexual relationship with girls of nobility while having sore on body. Mono: Wheeler 30.
C111 Tabu: loss of chastity. Hero loses power with loss of chastity.——Wesselski Mönchslatein 185 No. 144; Jewish: Neuman; Gaster Thespis 327f.; Rуheim Animism, Magic, and the Divine King 1ff.; Jastrow Religion of Babylonia and Assyria 475ff.—Cf. Stories of knights of the Round Table, e.g. Galahad. —*Crane Vitry 237 No. 247; Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 20; Irish myth: Cross.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 335 n. 209a.
C112 Tabu: sexual intercourse with unearthly beings. (Cf. C122.) —English: Child V 500 s.v. "unearthly".—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 321—22; Herrmann Saxo II 588, Boberg; S. Am. Indian (Lengua): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369.
C113 Tabu: sodomy. Hebrew: Leviticus 20: 15f.; Jewish: Neuman.
C114 Tabu: incest. **Rank Inzestmotiv.—Hebrew: Leviticus 20: 11ff.; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
C114.1 Tabu: son seeing mother perform sex act. India: Thompson-Balys.
C114.2 Sex tabu: man—niece. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 90 No. 50.
C115 Tabu: adultery. Hebrew: Leviticus 20: 10; Exodus 20:14.
C116 Tabu: sexual intercourse in sacred precinct. (Cf. Q551.3.)—*Krappe Balor 82ff.; Jewish: Neuman; Icelandic: Boberg.
C117 Nuptial tabu. Man and wife forbidden intercourse for definite time.—*Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt II 298; Crawley Mystic Rose (1902) 343ff.; *De Vries Zs. f. deutsche Philologie LIII 276ff.; Penzer II 248, VIII 25 n. 1.—Irish myth: Cross; Norse: Elton Saxo Grammaticus xxxi, 319, Corpus Poeticum Boreale II 347, Ragnarssage Loрbrуkar 128; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 169 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 335 n. 209; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 99; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47, Rasmussen III 134.
C117.1 Tabu: intercourse with resuscitated wife for particular number of days. Marquesas: Handy 113.
C118 Tabu: violating woman. Irish myth: Cross.
C118.1 Tabu: violating insane woman. Irish myth: Cross.
C119 Miscellaneous tabus concerning sexual intercourse.
C119.1 Tabu: sexual intercourse at certain time. Jewish: Neuman.
C119.1.1 Tabu: sexual intercourse during illness. Irish myth: Cross.
C119.1.2 Tabu: sexual intercourse on Sabbath. Jewish: Neuman.
C119.1.3 Tabu: intercourse at hunting season. Samoyed: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 84.
C119.1.4 Tabu: sexual intercourse during religious festival (18 days). India: Thompson-Balys.
C119.1.5 Tabu: intercourse before worship. India: Thompson-Balys.
C119.1.6 Tabu: intercourse at night. India: Thompson-Balys.
C119.2 Tabu: failure to sleep with guest unaccompanied by husband. Irish myth: Cross.
C120 Tabu: kissing. Usually causes disenchantment or magic forgetfulness. (Cf. D735, D2003.)—*Type 313C, 410.—Grimm Nos. 113, 186, 193; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
C121 Tabu: kissing supernatural husband. (Cf. C32.) *Type 425; BP II 234, 236 n. 1, 271; Sébillot France I 244, III 291; Dickson Valentine and Orson 55.
C122 Tabu: kissing fairies. This puts one in their power. (Cf. C112.) —English: Child I 322 and n., 325; Wimberly Folklore in Ballads 282ff.
C130 Tabu connected with puberty. Irish myth: Cross.
C131 Tabu: girl going forth at puberty. Kaffir: Theal 17, cf. 67.—N. A. Indian: Curtin Myths of the Modocs 68.
C132 Tabu: male presence in girl's puberty-hut. Zulu: Callaway 74, 85.
C140 Tabu connected with menses. Jewish: *Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 530f; India: Thompson-Balys.
C141 Tabu: going forth during menses. Frazer Golden Bough III 145ff., X 76ff.; Hebrew: Leviticus 15: 19ff.; India: Thompson-Balys.
C141.1 Tabu: menstrous woman not to go near any cultivated field or crops will be ruined. India: *Thompson-Balys.
C141.2 Tabu: not to enter cowshed during menses. India: Thompson-Balys.
C141.3 Tabu: not to enter water during menses. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 29.
C142 Tabu: sexual intercourse during menses. Hebrew: Leviticus 20: 18; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
C143 Tabu: eating from hands of menstruating women. India: Thompson-Balys.
C144 Ground defiled by menstrual blood. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.
C145 Tabu: not to touch certain things during menses. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.