Folklore Database · Browse
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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| C963 | Person returns to original form when tabu is broken. A person originally transformed from an animal or an object returns to that form when the origin is mentioned. (Cf. C31.2, C33.1, C35.1, C440, C441.) |
| C963.3 | Person returns to original vegetable form when tabu is broken. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 78 No. 12, (Ekoi): Talbot 133, 134, 135, (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 80, (Fjort): Dennett 44 No. 6. |
| C927.1 | Person turned to dust. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C985 | Physical changes in person because of broken tabu. |
| C941.4 | Plague for breaking tabu. See references for Q552.10. |
| C152.3.1 | Pregnant woman not to eat food baked overnight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C13.1 | Prince invites angel to wedding. Taken to other world.—*Child V 290a. |
| C611.1.1 | Prince not to be given eighth key until after he has ruled for five years. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C940.1 | Princess's secret sickness from breaking tabu. (Cf. C55.)—*Type 613; BP I 322 n. 1 (Grimm No. 33). |
| C994 | Punishment by adhesion for breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 465. |
| C901.4 | Punishment for breaking tabu: assigner of punishment suffers his own penalty. |
| C939.1 | Punishment for breaking tabu: water withdrawn from lake. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C900 | Punishment for breaking tabu. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C939.2 | Punishment for broken tabu: good money turns to counterfeit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C57.2 | Punishment for having refused to take part in Bacchic rites. Greek myth: Grote I 84. |
| C986.1 | Pursuit by animal for breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 182. |
| C991 | Quest imposed for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C938 | Rulers of inferior character after tabu is broken. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C984.4.1 | Sea rolls in over the land from all sides and a sea serpent comes because of broken tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C101 | Sex tabu broken: child born without bones. Icelandic: Ragnarssaga Loрbrуkar 128; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C190 | Sex tabu—miscellaneous. |
| C114.2 | Sex tabu: man—niece. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 90 No. 50. |
| C100 | Sex tabu. Hebrew: Leviticus ch. 18. |
| C949 | Sickness or weakness for breaking tabu—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C940 | Sickness or weakness for breaking tabu. Fb "sygdom" III 699a.—Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 375; S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 173. |
| C405 | Silence preserved in fairyland. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C172 | Sister-in-law tabu: older brother must avoid younger brother's wife. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C985.1 | Skin changes color because of broken tabu. (Cf. C94.3.)—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 67. |
| C995 | Sleeplessness from breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 170. |
| C992 | Snake bite for broken tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C943.3 | Sore eyes from breaking tabu. Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 241. |
| C941.3.1 | Sore mouth as punishment for breaking tabu. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 133; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 233. |
| C941.3 | Sores on body from breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C498.1 | Speaking tabu: the one forbidden expression—"Sorrow is not eternal".—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C498 | Speaking tabu: the one forbidden expression. |
| C400 | Speaking tabu. *Fb "stum"; *Type 451, 705, 710; Frazer Golden Bough XII 461 s.v. "silence", Wuttke Volksaberglaube 161, 323; Wimberly Folklore in Ballads 281; Rantasalo FFC XXXII 69ff.; F. L. Grundtvig Dania VI 184ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Herrmann Saxo II 586ff., MacCulloch Eddic 321f., Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys.—N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Parsons JAFL XXIX 393; (Navaho): Alexander N. Am. 174, (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 90 No. 4. |
| C916.4 | Spinning wheel continues spinning because woman has worked at forbidden time. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 18 No. 166. |
| C949.3 | Sterility from breaking tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C984.2 | Storm because of broken tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C490.1 | Substitutes for tabu expressions. |
| C905 | Supernatural being punishes breach of tabu. |
| C941.2 | Swelling of limbs from breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C878 | Tabu concerning clothing. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C182 | Tabu confined to men. |
| C180 | Tabu confined to one sex. |
| C181 | Tabu confined to women. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C150 | Tabu connected with childbirth. |
| C170 | Tabu connected with husband's or wife's relatives. |
| C169 | Tabu connected with marriage—miscellaneous. |
| C160 | Tabu connected with marriage. |
| C140 | Tabu connected with menses. Jewish: *Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 530f; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C130 | Tabu connected with puberty. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.2 | Tabu imposed at birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1 | Tabu imposed by certain person. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.2 | Tabu imposed by druid. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.5 | Tabu imposed by fairy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.3.1 | Tabu imposed by forthputting woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.4 | Tabu imposed by host. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.3 | Tabu imposed by lover. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.3 | Tabu imposed by magic. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.6 | Tabu imposed by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C901.1.1 | Tabu imposed on son by father before death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C901 | Tabu imposed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C867.1 | Tabu: abusing women or children. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C744 | Tabu: accepting an invitation. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C115 | Tabu: adultery. Hebrew: Leviticus 20: 10; Exodus 20:14. |
| C51.1.8 | Tabu: allowing a drop to fall upon altar. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C884.2 | Tabu: allowing horse to lose his bridle, stray or stale. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C752.1.4 | Tabu: allowing person to come to feast after sunset. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C835.2.2 | Tabu: allowing spear-head to touch stone. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C564.5 | Tabu: altar smoke from sacrifice touching young chief. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth: 346. |
| C761.4.3 | Tabu: angel to remain on earth more than one week. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C499.1 | Tabu: announcing death directly. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C811.3 | Tabu: answering call when asleep. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| C563.5 | Tabu: appearing before king without having been summoned. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C53.2 | Tabu: arrogance toward deity. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C411 | Tabu: asking about marvels which one sees. (Cf. C423.2, C491.) —*Chauvin V 251 No. 148.—African: Werner African 187. |
| C32.2.3 | Tabu: asking for caste of supernatural husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C196 | Tabu: asking for king's daughter in marriage. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C411.1 | Tabu: asking for reason of an unusual action. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Persian: Bricteux Contes Persans 97 No. 4; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n. |
| C773.1.1 | Tabu: asking for too great magic multiplication of coins. *Starck Der Alraun; Taylor JAFL XXXI 561f.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C32.2.1 | Tabu: asking name of supernatural husband. (Cf C430.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C415 | Tabu: asking prophet for signs. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C410 | Tabu: asking questions. *Chauvin V 251, 296, VIII 47 No. 15 n. 1.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C32.2.2 | Tabu: asking where supernatural husband comes from. (Cf. C421.)—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C773 | Tabu: aspiring to too much power. *Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 259 No. 54. |
| 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. |
| C725 | Tabu: attending call of nature at certain time. Africa (Benga): Nassau 132 No. 14. |
| C720 | Tabu: attending toilet needs. |
| C181.5 | Tabu: Baiga women not to tie cloth between legs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C721.1 | Tabu: bathing during certain time. *Types 361, 475; BP II 423, 427 (Gr. Nos. 100, 101).—Irish myth: Cross. |
| C721.2 | Tabu: bathing in certain place. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C721.2.1 | Tabu: bathing in clear stream. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 281. |
| C721.3 | Tabu: bathing without straining stream afterwards. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C721 | Tabu: bathing. (Cf. C711.)—Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C565.2 | Tabu: bearded man being lazy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C891.2 | Tabu: bearded man going dirty to bed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C461 | Tabu: bearded man laughing when shaken. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C835.1.1 | Tabu: bearded man refusing combat. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C871.0.1 | Tabu: bearded man refusing request. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C735.1.1 | Tabu: bearded man sleeping at sunrise. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C867.1.0.1 | Tabu: bearded men abusing women and children. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C713.3.1 | Tabu: beast-husband staying too long at home: becomes sick. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C751.7.1 | Tabu: being in certain place at sunrise. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C52 | Tabu: being in presence of god. Greek: Fox 46 (Semele in presence of Zeus.) |
| C887 | Tabu: being in same house with fire, weapon, dog. Irish myth: Cross. |
| 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*. |
| C566.2 | Tabu: birds feeding on hero's land without leaving him something. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C481.1 | Tabu: birds not to sing around home of goddess. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 186. |
| C31.4 | Tabu: blaming supernatural wife. *Chauvin VI 182 No. 343.—Greek: Fox 122 (Thetis).—Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35 n. |
| C452 | Tabu: boasting of children (Niobe).—Greek: Fox 44, 175; Germanic: Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Berufen". |
| C455 | Tabu: boasting of fearlessness. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 319 No. 22. |
| C453 | Tabu: boasting of love-conquest. Greek: Fox 199 (Anchises and Aphrodite). |
| 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. |
| C451 | Tabu: boasting of wealth. *Fb "rose" (2) III 81a. |
| C454 | Tabu: boasting that one has no need of gods' help. Types 830, 836.—Greek: Fox 135 (Ajax the less). |
| C450 | Tabu: boasting. Irish: Beal XXI 328; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 161 No. 27, Curtin 19.—Germanic: Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Berufen".—African: Stanley 110, (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109. |
| C181.6 | Tabu: Bondo women not to wear clothes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C221.3.2 | Tabu: breaking bones of eaten animal. Saintyves Contes de Perrault 39. Cf. also E32. |
| C46.1 | Tabu: breaking promise to fairy: death on twelfth day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C631 | Tabu: breaking the sabbath. Hebrew: Exodus 20; 8—12.—Jewish: *Neuman; Irish myth: Cross; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 17f. Nos. 157—170. |
| C513 | Tabu: breaking twig. BP III 62f.; Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "Baum". |
| C874 | Tabu: breaking up revelry before its end. Irish myth: Cross. |
| 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. |
| C232.1 | Tabu: bride eating on journey to husband. Kaffir: Theal 51. |
| C752.1.1 | Tabu: bringing arms to capital after sunset. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C845.1 | Tabu: bringing head of slain enemy within village walls. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C771.1 | Tabu: building too high a tower. (Tower of Babel.) Hebrew: Genesis II 3ff.; Frazer Testament I 362ff.; Jewish: *Neuman; Hartland Science 221.—Esthonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 453 f.; India: Thompson-Balys; Indo-Chinese: Scott Indo-Chinese 266f.—Maya: Alexander Lat. Am. 132; Aztec: ibid. 96.—African (Kaffir): Kidd 237 No. 6; (Ashanti): Werner African Myth 124. |
| C771 | Tabu: building too large a structure. |
| C36.1 | Tabu: burning animal husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C841.3 | Tabu: burning caterpillars. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C514 | Tabu: burning saja wood (terminalia tomentosa).—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C781.1 | Tabu: buying gallows flesh or living flesh.—*BP I 514. |
| C780 | Tabu: buying, selling, etc. |
| C781 | Tabu: buying. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 810. |
| C897.3 | Tabu: calculating time of Messiah's advent. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C20 | Tabu: calling on ogre or destructive animal. |
| C31.6 | Tabu: calling on supernatural wife. *Type 400; BP II 318ff. (Gr. No. 92); 'Fb "ønske" III 1179a.—English: Wells 132 (Sir Launfal.) |
| 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. |
| C875 | Tabu: carrying child on one's back into house. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C153.1 | Tabu: carrying corpse of woman who died in childbirth. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C751.8 | Tabu: carrying food at night. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 144. |
| C752.1.5 | Tabu: casting in graveyard after sunset. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C65 | Tabu: changing ritual. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C564.1 | Tabu: chief being in ale-house when there is no story-telling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C564.9 | Tabu: chief going outdoors in spite of provocations. Hawaii Beckwith Myth 118. |
| C564.3 | Tabu: chief to be in large company without wolf-hounds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C564.2 | Tabu: chief's troop not having a herald. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C564.8 | Tabu: chieftainess preparing food. Maori: Clark 2. |
| C723.1 | Tabu: combing hair during certain time. *Types 361, 475; BP II 423, 427 (Gr. Nos. 100, 101). |
| C723 | Tabu: combing hair. |
| C52.2 | Tabu: coming suddenly on supernatural creatures. Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 95. |
| C755.3 | Tabu: coming to Ireland in time of peace. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C499.2 | Tabu: complimenting. Africa (Pangwe): Tessman 367. C500—C549. |
| C884 | Tabu: concerning riding horses. |
| C193 | Tabu: consorting with a woman. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C287 | Tabu: consuming feast without discovering a new wonder. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C0 | Tabu: contact with supernatural. **Frazer Golden Bough, III (Taboo and the Perils of the Soul), London 1914. |
| C541 | Tabu: contact with the dead. Jewish: *Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 341, 452, Rasmussen III 104. |
| C501 | Tabu: contact with things belonging to a king. *Frazer Golden Bough@3 III passim.—Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 95, 98. |
| C542.1 | Tabu: contact with things on journey to hell. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C153 | Tabu: contact with woman at childbirth. Frazer Golden Bough III 147ff., X 20. |
| C751.3 | Tabu: convening certain hunt at certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C484.1 | Tabu: coughing in other world. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G 3/1301). |
| C484 | Tabu: coughing. |
| C776 | Tabu: counting possessions. *Fb "tælle" III 923a.—Irish: Beal XXI 337; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C897.1 | Tabu: counting the stars. England: Baughman; Fb "stjærne" III 577b. |
| C93.4 | Tabu: crossing bridge sacred to the gods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C752.1.2 | Tabu: crossing certain plain after sunset. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C883 | Tabu: crossing graveyard without alighting. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C833.1 | Tabu: crossing river except at source. Africa (Angola): Chatelain 69 No. 3. |
| C41.3 | Tabu: crossing water when spirits are offended. |
| C544 | Tabu: crushing eggs. |
| C544.1 | Tabu: crushing lizard's eggs. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 127. |
| C494 | Tabu: cursing. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C513.1 | Tabu: cutting branches of tree. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C43.2 | Tabu: cutting certain trees lest tree-spirits be offended. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C93.6 | Tabu: cutting down tree wherein resides deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C518 | Tabu: cutting down tree. Jewish: Neuman; Maori: Clark 95; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z—G 3/1174). |
| C722.1 | Tabu: cutting hair during certain time. *Fb "hеr" I 771b. |
| C722 | Tabu: cutting hair. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C51.2.2 | Tabu: cutting sacred trees or groves. (Cf. C43.)—Irish saints' legend: Plummer cliii; Irish myth: Cross. |
| C51.1.5 | Tabu: dancing in churchyard. Fb "kirkegaard" II 129. |
| C541.1 | Tabu: dead body not to be on ship. English-Scottish: Child I 245 n. |
| C56.1 | Tabu: defecating while carrying image of a god. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C51.3.1 | Tabu: desecration of God's name. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C757.1 | Tabu: destroying animal skin of enchanted person too soon. *Type 425; Tegethoff Amor und Psyche 32ff.—Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C93.3 | Tabu: digging in churchyard. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C523.2 | Tabu: digging in fairy ring. England: Baughman. |
| C523.1 | Tabu: digging up certain stones. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C523 | Tabu: digging. (Cf. C522.)—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 332 n. 197. |
| C58.1 | Tabu: diminishing number of sacred days. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 180. |
| C61.1 | Tabu: disbelief in God. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C61.2 | Tabu: disbelief in immortality. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C61.4 | Tabu: disbelief in particular supernatural power. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 471. |
| C61 | Tabu: disbelief in religious teachings. |
| C61.3 | Tabu: disbelief in scriptures. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C436 | Tabu: disclosing own identity. A supernatural person must not tell who he is. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C423.1 | Tabu: disclosing source of magic power. Penzer V 3 n. 1; German: Grimm No. 85; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 714; Africa (Fang): Trilles 111, 269. |
| C51.1.6 | Tabu: discontinuing use of a church. Crane Liber de Miraculis 90 No. 20. |
| C94.1.3 | Tabu: discourtesy toward priest (rabbi, etc.). Jewish: Neuman. |
| C524 | Tabu: disembarking from boat on return from other world. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C521 | Tabu: dismounting from horse. Hartland Science 199; Irish myth: Cross. |
| C521.1 | Tabu: dismounting from magic sack. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| C836 | Tabu: disobedience. All lodgers must obey host implicitly.—English Wells 60 (Syre Gowene and the Carle of Carlyle). |
| 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. |
| C71 | Tabu: disobeying the king. Man dies as result of failure to obey.—Alphabet No. 241. |
| C168 | Tabu: disregarding dream warning against marriage. |
| C94.9 | Tabu: disturbing austerities of an ascetic. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C752.2 | Tabu: doing certain thing after sunrise. |
| C740 | Tabu: doing deed of mercy or courtesy. |
| C752 | Tabu: doing thing after certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C752.1 | Tabu: doing thing after sunset (nightfall). Irish myth: Cross. |
| C751 | Tabu: doing thing at certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C751.7 | Tabu: doing thing at sunrise. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C756 | Tabu: doing thing before certain time. |
| C755 | Tabu: doing thing during certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C854 | Tabu: doing thing in certain manner. (Cf. C643, D1791.) Irish myth: Cross, Köhler-Bolte II 651ff. |
| C758 | Tabu: doing thing too hastily. |
| C761 | Tabu: doing thing too long. |
| C762 | Tabu: doing thing too often. |
| C757 | Tabu: doing thing too soon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C260 | Tabu: drinking at certain place. |
| C270 | Tabu: drinking certain things. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "boisson"; Irish myth: Cross. |
| C261 | Tabu: drinking from certain fountain. Hartland Science 225; Irish myth: Cross; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 417, 465; Africa (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109. |
| C263 | Tabu: drinking from certain river between two darknesses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C262 | Tabu: drinking in other world. *Fb "drikke" I 204.—Wales: Baughman; Icel.: Herrmann Saxo II 586ff., MacCulloch Eddic 321f., Boberg. |
| C271 | Tabu: drinking milk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C272.3 | Tabu: drinking palm-drink: only prince allowed to break it. Africa (Fang): Einstein 45, Trilles 163. |
| C273.1 | Tabu: drinking water during certain time. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C273.2 | Tabu: drinking water from certain bottle. Chinese: Eberhard 214 No. 113. |
| C273 | Tabu: drinking water. |
| C272.2 | Tabu: drinking wine at certain time. (Cf. C755.)—Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C272.1 | Tabu: drinking wine touched by hand of heathen. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C272 | Tabu: drinking wine. (Cf. C251.)—Jewish: Neuman, Moreno: Esdras. |
| C281 | Tabu: drinking without presence of dead heads. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C250 | Tabu: drinking. Type 400; Penzer VI 135.—Finnish: Kalevala rune 16.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 338 n. 217b.; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 226. |
| C833.4 | Tabu: driving horses over ashen yoke. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C200 | Tabu: eating (general). **Schurtz (H). Die Speiseverbote, ein Problem der Volkskunde (Hamburg, 1893); *Frazer Golden Bough III 116ff.; *Type 400.—Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries' list No. 205; Borneo: Dixon 181; Lepers' Island: ibid. 127.—Zuсi: Parsons JAFL XXIX 393. |
| C236 | Tabu: eating after a guest. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C284 | Tabu: eating alone. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C221.2.1 | Tabu: eating animal helper. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard 217 No. 167; Wyandot: Barbeau GSCan XI 103—131, Nos. 28—38. |
| C221.4 | Tabu: eating animal taken under certain circumstances. |
| C221.3.1 | Tabu: eating animal's genitals. (Cf. C229.2.)—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 409. |
| C221.4.3 | Tabu: eating animals recklessly killed. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 138. |
| C230 | Tabu: eating at certain time. Irish: Beal XXI 314; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C224.1 | Tabu: eating beans. *Frazer Pausanias IV 240. |
| C231 | Tabu: eating before certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C231.4 | Tabu: eating before house of host has been righted. Irish myth: Cross. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.