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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| F933.1.3.1 | Well rises so maiden can draw without exerting herself. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F718.5 | Well shines at night. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F718.11 | Well shoots up high as pillars, and discharges itself into navigable streams. (Cf. D926.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F718.4 | Well water tastes like oil, wine, and honey. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F162.5 | Wells in otherworld. Patch Other World 386 s.v. "well". |
| F159.3 | Wheel (apple) to be followed to otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F916.2 | Whelp leaps through body of hound. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F321.1.4.5 | When changeling is threatened with burning, child is returned. (Cf. F321.1.4.3.) Scotland: *Baughman; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 116 No. 19; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3692. |
| F934.5 | When dead man's body is thrown into lake, water turns pitch black and all living creatures therein die. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F960.1.6 | When girl (princess) is born, earth is filled with light. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F544.1.2 | When sad, man lets one lip fall to stomach; other makes hood over his head. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 190. |
| F420.2.4 | When water-spirits are outside their homes the seas are heavy. (Cf. F420.1.5.3.) *Fb "havfolk" I 569. |
| F321.1.1.7 | Whipping causes changeling to betray his nature. *BP I 369. |
| F811.3.2 | White mango tree. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 448. |
| F711.3.1 | White sea. Tonga: Beckwith Myth 287. |
| F67 | White sheep carries to upper world, black to lower. *Cosquin Contes indiens 486ff. |
| F692.1 | Whole epic remembered from one hearing. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 262f. |
| F451.9.1 | Why dwarfs emigrate. |
| F950.2.1 | Wife cures self of catarrh by calling to husband fondling maid at bedside. Heptameron No. 71. |
| F81.1.1 | Wife goes to land of dead to procure dead husband's heart. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F441.3 | Wild man as wood-spirit. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 968—980, 984f.; Dickson 114 n. 37; Irish myth: *Cross; Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 280. |
| F610.1 | Wild man of superhuman strength. *Dickson 114 n. 37; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| F611.1.4 | Wild man son of woman and robber. She is overpowered in forest. Dickson 117 n. 48. |
| F611.1.3 | Wild man son of woman and satyr who overpowers her. Dickson 124 n. 76. |
| F567 | Wild man. Man lives alone in wood like a beast. Type 502; *Dickson 113ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Fang): Trilles Proverbs 199. |
| F567.1 | Wild woman. (Similar to wild man.) Type 314; **Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 968ff.; U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F491.3 | Will-o'-the-Wisp exorcised. *Fb "lygtemand" II 473b; England, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F491.4 | Will-o'-the-Wisp hops about. *Fb "lygtemand" II 473b. |
| F491.1 | Will-o'-the-Wisp leads people astray. *Fb "lygtemand" II 473b; England, Scotland, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F491.2 | Will-o'-the-Wisp lights people to their homes. *Fb "lygtemand" II 473b.—England: Baughman. |
| F491 | Will-o'-the-Wisp. (Jack o' Lantern.) Light seen over marshy places. Kittredge Witchcraft 215, 523 n. 22; *Fb "lygtemand" II 473; Icelandic: Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 51 No. 438; Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 63f.; India: Thompson-Balys; U.S. (Georgia): Harris Nights No. 28; Africa (Fang): Einstein 96. |
| F491.5 | Will-o'-the-Wisp's revenge. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3538. |
| F963.4 | Wind carries ogre to his castle. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| F757.2 | Wind continually blows from cave. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F963.1 | Wind serves Solomon as horse and carries him everywhere. Dh I 321. |
| F432 | Wind-spirit. German: Laistner I 4, Meyer Altgermanische 97; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 37 No. 6, 38 No. 7; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Werner 181; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 147; N. A. Indian (Yukon): Alexander N. Am. 78. |
| F782.1 | Windows and doors for every day in year. 365 windows and doors in castle or church. Fb "еr" III 1195b; Scotch: Campbell II 426 No. 51. According to Baedeker's Guidebook to Great Britain, said to be true of Salisbury Cathedral. |
| F165.3.5 | Windows in otherworld. (Cf. A661.0.6.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F861.2 | Winged chariot. Type 575; Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 157 n. 3. |
| F911.3.2 | Winged serpent as boat: passengers within. Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 447. |
| F841.3.1 | Winged ship. Hindu: Keith 31. |
| F835.1 | Winking club. Head of a club is like a bird's head; its eyes wink. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 336 n. 214. |
| F960.2.6 | Winter's day changes to summer's day at saint's funeral. *Loomis White Magic 96. |
| F645.1 | Wise man answers all questions. Africa (Hausa): Equilbecq II 171ff. |
| F162.3.2 | Wishing-tree in otherworld. Penzer I 8 n., 144. |
| F971.1.2 | Witch's horse-switch blossoms. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F147.3 | Witch's house at border of otherworld. *Siuts 45. |
| F241.2.5 | Woman (fairy) lives only on milk from fairy cow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F324.2 | Woman beset by elves (or phantoms) drowns self. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F322.0.1 | Woman carried off by water-fairy. Hartland Science 65; German: Erk-Böhme Deutsche Liederhort No. 2; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *4250. |
| F1041.1.3.7 | Woman dies of broken heart on learning that her former husband is still alive. She had remarried thinking him dead. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 69; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F1041.1.13.2 | Woman dies of shame at seeing naked man (husband). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F1041.1.3.3 | Woman dies on having secret love exposed. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Heptameron No. 70. |
| F1041.1.2.2 | Woman dies on hearing of her husband's death. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F561.6 | Woman fed by bees' dropping honey into her mouth (lie). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F664.1.1 | Woman flays running deer. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 197. |
| F1015.1.2 | Woman has worn out carriage-load of shoes with walking. Hartland Science 199. |
| F1041.9.1.3 | Woman keeps to her bed on announcement of lover's death. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F569.1 | Woman lays eggs and hatches them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F460.4.4.1.1 | Woman rescued from mountain-men. Norwegian: Solheim Register 19, *Hartmann 117. |
| F662.0.1.1 | Woman sews nine garments at a time with one needle. Chinese: Graham. |
| F662.0.1 | Woman skillful in sewing. Chinese: Graham. |
| F575.1.3 | Woman so beautiful sea is calm for her. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 307. |
| F571.3.1 | Woman so old her chin reaches her knee. Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 8. |
| F1041.1.2.2.1 | Woman swoons and is near death at hearing of husband's or lover's death. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F521.1.1 | Woman with animal hair. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 189 No. 130; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 213. |
| F546.5 | Woman with breasts hot enough to cook food. (Cf. F593.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F551.1.2.1 | Woman with horseshoe on one foot. *Fb "hestesko" I 604a. |
| F547.5.10 | Woman with privates like dog's. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 111. |
| F546.2 | Woman with three breasts. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F597 | Woman without womb. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F574.1.1 | Woman's beauty burns onlooker. N. A. Indian (Chuckchee): Bogoras AA n.s. IV 666. |
| F574.1.2 | Woman's beauty shows through seven veils. Köhler to Gonzenbach No. 13; *Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 63. |
| F891.1 | Woman's body used as still. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F565.4 | Women hunters. English: Malory Morte Darthur XVIII 21. |
| F565 | Women warriors or hunters. |
| F110.1 | Wonder voyages. **Jacobs Book of Wonder Voyages; *Chauvin VII 77ff.; Ward II 516ff.; Krappe Philological Quarterly XXIII (1944) 97—107.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Japanese: Anesaki 363; Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 183; Africa (Benga): Nassau 208 No. 33. |
| F900.1.1 | Wonders occur on Hallowe'en. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F143 | Wood at borders of otherworld. *Siuts 30ff.; MLN XXXIV 321; Irish: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Africa (Yoruba): Ellis 245 No. 1. |
| F812.2 | Wood of sixty trees nourishing three hundred men apiece. Patch PMLA 624 n. 82. |
| F812.8 | Wood which cannot be consumed by fire. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F811.5.2 | Wood which distills wine. *Loomis White Magic 124. |
| F441.2.1.1 | Wood-nymph comes to the fire to warm. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 38ff., (1928) 26ff.; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 56**; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 49 No. 398. |
| F441.2.1.2 | Wood-nymph with breasts so long that she throws them over her shoulder. (Cf. F232.2, F460.1.2, G123.) Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 120ff., (1928) 90ff.; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 321 No. 58. |
| F441.2.1.3 | Wood-nymph wooes and then deserts man. Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 205. |
| F441.2.1 | Wood-nymph. Type 480; Roberts 121; Swedish: Hartmann 26, 27; Slavic: Máchal 262ff.; Armenian: Ananikian 84. |
| F441.6.4 | Wood-spirit calls after one in woods (Hehmann). **E. Rath Der Hehmann (Wien, 1953). |
| F441.4.1 | Wood-spirit gigantic with one eye in center of forehead. Cheremis: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 182. |
| F441.5.2 | Wood-spirit gigantic. (Cf. F232.6, F531.) S. A. Indian (Pitcomayo-Chaco): Belaieff BBAE CXLIII (1) 379. |
| F441.5.1 | Wood-spirit tiny. (Cf. F239.4.3, F535.) S. A. Indian (Pitcomayo-Chaco): Belaieff BBAE CXLIII (1) 379. |
| F441.4.2 | Wood-spirit without hands, feet, or mouth. Africa (Kpelle): Westermann Zs. f. Afrikan. ozean., u. ostasiat. Spr. VII 161 No. 29a. |
| F441 | Wood-spirit. *Type 667*; *Hdwb. d. Märchen I 198a; *Mannhardt I 87ff., 311ff.—Irish myth: Cross; U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 204f., 226; Swedish: G. Granberg Skogsrеet (Stockholm, 1934); Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 177, 185; Estonian: *Loorits Grundzüge I 521f., 546f., 559ff.; Germanic: Meyer Altgermanische 94; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 40 No. 22; Slavic: Máchal 261ff.; Persian: Carnoy 298; S. A. Indian (Warrau): *Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880, (Tapirapé): Wagley-Baldao ibid. (3) 178, (Pilcomayo, Chaco): Belaieff ibid. (1) 379; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 247, 251. See also F200—F399 (Fairies and Elves), F420 (Water-spirits), F461 (Dwarfs) and F460 (Mountain-spirits) for many common motifs. |
| F441.6.1 | Wood-spirits responsible for sickness and failure. S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880. |
| F441.6.2 | Wood-spirits transform men into animals. S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880. |
| F441.4.5 | Wood-spirits with such heavy eyebrows they must lie on backs to see upwards. (Cf. F571.1.) S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880. |
| F441.4.6 | Wood-spirits with teeth on stomach. S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880. |
| F821.1.4 | Wooden coat. *Type 510B; BP II 45ff; Liungman Jordkulan 90; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bois"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F839.7 | Wooden lizard used to kill evil spirits. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 370. |
| F1099.3 | Words heard though only thought and not uttered. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F883.1.3 | Words of Decalogue legible on both sides. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F725.8 | World at bottom of pond. German: Grimm No. 181. |
| F725.9 | World at bottom of well. German: Grimm Nos. 24, 79. |
| F1068.2 | Wound received in dream. Still there when person wakes. *Kittredge Witchcraft 222f., 534 nn. 90—97; Alphabet No. 299; Icelandic: Boberg; England: Baughman. |
| F184.1 | Wounded otherworld king in Ireland. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1041.21.6.1 | Wounding self because of excessive grief. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F959.3.3 | Wounds healed by bath of marrow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F693 | Wounds inflicted by certain man always fatal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F962.12.4 | Written scroll (letter) received from heaven. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F377.2 | Year seems few hours in otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F772.1.1 | Year taken to mount high tower. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F545.3.2 | Yellow, green, blue, purple spot on cheek. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F324.3 | Youth abducted by fairy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F614.12 | Youth crushes coins to powder with fingers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F106 | Youths grind in mill of underworldlings. Fb "male". |
| F107 | Youths tutored by Vulcan, smith of Hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
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