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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| H588.19 | "A father should always check and never forgive; a mother should always forgive and never check." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.13 | "Always wear new shoes." (Walk the fields bare-footed, wearing your shoes only when nearing the town.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H588.15 | "Bite the ear" (do state affairs secretly). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.20 | "Do not plant a thorny tree." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.14 | "Have a black look" (frown). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.17 | "If you have to go to a prostitute, go early in the morning." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.1 | "Love like Salt." Girl compares her love for her father to salt. Experience teaches him the value of salt. *Type 923; *BP III 305 n. 2, IV 407; *Hartland FLJ IV 309; *DeCock Studien en Essays 4f.; Cosquin Contes Indiens 103ff.; Köhler Aufsätze 14; India: *Thompson-Balys. Cf. Shakespeare's King Lear. |
| H592.1.1 | "Love like wind in hot sun." Husband offended but later learns wife's meaning. Type 923A. |
| H588.12 | "Never greet anyone." (Start your work the earliest, so that not you but others may greet you.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H588.16 | "Take people by the locks" (use your influence to make people subservient to you). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H524.1 | "What am I thinking?" "That I am the priest." So answers youth masking as priest. *Type 922; BP III 214ff.; **Anderson FFC XLII 219ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.18 | "When you go to the bazar, eat your morning meal first." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H119.1 | A piece of cloth on one's back as a guarantee against his being eaten on the way. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H151.9 | Abandoned child joins parents in game: recognition follows. Oceanic (New Zealand, Melanesia): Dixon 42 n. 10. |
| H151.9.1 | Abandoned child recognized in game. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H155 | Abandoned queen invites all to forest, gives appropriate food to her persecutors, and is recognized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H105.5.4 | Abandoned son shows claws and tail of tiger to which his parents have exposed him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H152.3 | Abandoned wife recognized among workers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1573.6.1 | Ability to cross bridge as test of righteousness. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H575 | Accidental discovery of answer to riddle. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1239 | Accomplishment of quest—miscellaneous. |
| H1230 | Accomplishment of quests. |
| H1480 | Accomplishment of vigilance test. |
| H252.4.1 | Act of truth: boy falls dead though what has been said is the truth; when lie is told he is resuscitated. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H252.6 | Act of truth: cursed church clock never runs correctly. England: Baughman. |
| H252.5 | Act of truth: island sinks into sea, after hanging of man who has appealed to God to cause the phenomenon as indication of his innocence. (Cf. F948.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| H252 | Act of truth. Person asserts a thing as true declaring: "If my words are true, may this or that happen." W. J. Rees Lives of the Cambro-British Saints 193; J. P. Collier Old Shakespeare Society XIV 82; Alphabet Nos. 35, 486; *Burlingame Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (July 1917) 429ff.; Fb "ildebrand" II 13.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys, *Penzer II 31ff., III 179ff., IV 239 n. 3; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 23, 96, 151, 490, 531, 707, 832, II 412, 473, 614, 679, 816, 841, 933, 1060, 1098, 1153, 1258. |
| H1557.2 | Adam's (Eve's) disobedience blamed: blamer immediately disobeys orders. (Cf. H1554.1.) Alphabet Nos. 574, 575. |
| H1376 | Allegorical quests. |
| H767 | Allegorical riddles. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H588.11 | Always eat bread with "honey". (Working diligently, your bread will be as sweet as honey.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H252.2 | Amount of blood in spittle as test of complete subjection. Incomplete till all is blood. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H605 | Angel gives symbolic interpretation of value of work as well as of prayer. Works and prays where monk can see him. (Cf. H604, H606.) Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1573.0.1 | Angel helpers in religious test. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H171 | Animal (object) indicates election of ruler. *Egerton JAOS XXXIII 158; *Chauvin VI 75 No. 239; Irish: Beal XXI 309. |
| H173.3 | Animal first to recognize his returned master. *Boje 105, 108ff.; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H48 | Animal in human form recognized. (Cf. H64.) |
| H172 | Animal will serve only certain man. |
| H483 | Animals compete as messenger to call father of new-born child. Their voices are tried. Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 265 No. 71. |
| H1233.6 | Animals help hero on quest. *Type 550; Malone PMLA XLIII 444; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 187; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H982 | Animals help man perform task. *Types 300, 329, 531, 550, 552, 554, 665. |
| H573 | Answer to riddle found by trickery. *Type 621. |
| H1292 | Answers found in other world to questions propounded on the way. (Cf. H1278, H1282, H1283, H1284.) *Type 461; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| H544 | Answers found in other world to riddles propounded on way. Type 461; Aarne FFC XXIII 129; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H434.1 | Apple as chastity index: shines as long as woman is chaste. (Cf. D981.1.) *Fb "guldæble" I 516b. |
| H411.14 | Apple as chastity test. Fades if owner is not virgin. (Cf. D981.1.) Fb "pige" II 817a. |
| H1558.0.1.1 | Apple test of worthiness for friendship. Father gives son three apples to offer to those he meets. If the man eats all, avoid him; if he divides, make friends with him. (Cf. H1557.1.) *BP II 39 n. 2, III 236; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 92b. n. 3. |
| H331.5.1.1 | Apple thrown in race with bride. Distracts girl's attention and as she stops to pick it up, suitor passes her. (Atalanta.) Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 60; *BP IV 138; Herbert III 193; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek: Fox 59, *Grote I 138. |
| H708 | Are there more men or women in the world? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H105.3 | Arm of monster kept as token of innocence of dog. Scottish: Campbell-McKay. |
| H581.4 | Arrested farmer tells who he is: one son is thief (priest), second beggar (teacher), and third murderer (doctor). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 921B*. |
| H581.1 | Arrested man tells who he is: before his father the great incline the head and give blood and money (barber). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H581.3 | Arrested man tells who he is: father throws himself into the ranks and holds them (weaver). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H581.2 | Arrested man tells who he is: the hospitable fire of his father is sought (bean merchant). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H71.10.7 | Arrows turn aside for prince (king). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H86.2 | Articles of clothing with name embroidered on them taken as tokens. German: Grimm No. 111. |
| H1233.3.1 | Ascetic gives directions to hero on quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H920 | Assigners of tasks. |
| H1219 | Assignment of quests—miscellaneous. |
| H919 | Assignment of tasks in response to suggestion—miscellaneous. |
| H910 | Assignment of tasks in response to suggestion. |
| H940 | Assignment of tasks—miscellaneous. |
| H1515.1 | Attempt to poison by druids. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H151.5 | Attention attracted by hints dropped by heroine as menial: recognition follows. *Type 510; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H151 | Attention drawn and recognition follows. |
| H151.1.2 | Attention drawn by gold and silver decorated mouse: as princess turns after it, suitor recognizes her. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H151.2 | Attention drawn by helpful animal's theft of food from wedding table; recognition follows. *Type 301, 900; BP I 443ff.; *Philippson FFC L 53; *Fb "mad" II 525a. |
| H151.1 | Attention drawn by magic objects: recognition follows. *Type 707; *BP II 380ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone Introduction; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H151.1.1 | Attention drawn by playing marbles with remarkable jewel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H495.1 | Baby finds its mother, goes to her for suckling. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H481.1.1 | Baby picks out his disguised father from a crowd by handing him a bow. S. A. Indian (Chaco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369. |
| H1550.1 | Bad character shown by the eyes. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1113.1 | Bailing out pond with thimble. German: Grimm No. 193. |
| H316.3 | Ball (goblet) thrown indicates princess's choice. Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 216; Persian: Carnoy 341. |
| H504.2 | Barber's contest in shaving (without waking man). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H105.5.3 | Beak and claws of slain monster as proof of slaying. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1537.1 | Bear demands that heroine play Blindman's Buff. Type 480; *Roberts 175. |
| H182 | Beating brings about outcry and recognition. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1596 | Beauty contest. Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1562.2.2 | Before undertaking rescue, bat tests strength by lifting stone. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 95. |
| H1573.1 | Belief in Christianity tested. (Cf. V300.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1522.1 | Bent tree test. Bent tree is released so as to tear hero to pieces. Greek: Fox 98 (Theseus); Oceanic: Dixon 321 n. 71. |
| H1233.6.2 | Bird helper (adviser) on quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H171.2 | Bird indicates election of king (pope). *Type 671; *BP I 325; Fb "pave" II 793a; *Loomis White Magic 66; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H901.0.2 | Bird must bring orphan to king or bird will be killed. Chinese: Graham. |
| H432.4 | Blooming staff as chastity index. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H251.1 | Bocca della Veritа. Person swearing oath places hand in mouth of image. If oath is false the hand is bitten off. *Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 216; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 8, 206; *Krappe Nuovi Studi Medievali II fasc. I (1925); *Spargo Virgil the Necromancer 207ff.; English: Child I 269, 270 n., cf. Alphabet No. 418; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H586.8 | Boy says that travelers should catch the mares (walking sticks that are in the jungle). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1381.2.2.1.1 | Boy twitted with illegitimacy seeks unknown father. *Type 873; *Chauvin V 72 No. 21 n. 1; **Potter Sohrab and Rustem 9ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 139; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 263. |
| H1381.2.2.2.1 | Boy twitted with illegitimacy seeks unknown mother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H84.1 | Branches broken from tree to prove journey. Type 306; German: Grimm No. 133. |
| H362 | Bride chosen from girls assembled at feast. (Cf. H311.) German: Grimm No. 21. |
| H375 | Bride contest: game. |
| H335.0.1 | Bride helps suitor perform his tasks. *Type 313; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; German: Grimm Nos. 92, 113, 121, 196; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7, Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H508.2 | Bride offered to man who can find answer to question. *Type 306; BP I 198ff.; Wesselski Märchen 211; Malone PMLA XLIII 399; Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H383.4.1 | Bride test: ale brewing. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H383.1.1 | Bride test: bread-making—dough under fingernails. After three weeks the girl still has dough under her fingernails. Type 1453***; Russian: Andrejev No. 1453*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1454.* |
| H383.1 | Bride test: bread-making. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 52. |
| H383.2 | Bride test: cloth-working. |
| H387 | Bride test: constancy. |
| H383.1.2 | Bride test: cooking griddle cakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H383.4 | Bride test: cooking. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| H383.5 | Bride test: cutting up a monster fish with scaly hide. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H383 | Bride test: domestic skill. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H385 | Bride test: greediness. Type 1454*. |
| H382 | Bride test: industry. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 259. |
| H382.1 | Bride test: key in flax reveals laziness. Suitor hides key in flax on spinning wheel. Finds it there next day. Type 1453; BP III 236. |
| H384.1 | Bride test: kindness—father-in-law disguised as beggar. Type 1455. |
| H384 | Bride test: kindness. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H381.1 | Bride test: making dress from wasted flax. *Type 1451; BP III 239. |
| H386 | Bride test: obedience. *Type 901. |
| H373 | Bride test: performance of tasks. *Type 875; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 4; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| H375.3 | Bride test: procuring food plants in shortest time. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 44, 45. |
| H383.2.3 | Bride test: sewing a shirt for bridegroom's father. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H365 | Bride test: size of feet. Hindu: Tawney II 356. |
| H383.3 | Bride test: skillful sweeping. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H383.2.1 | Bride test: spinning—girl cannot use spinning-wheel. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H381 | Bride test: thrift. *Types 1451, 1452. |
| H381.2 | Bride test: thrifty cutting of cheese. Three girls tested. First eats rind and all, second cuts away good cheese, third cuts away just enough. Type 1452; BP III 236; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 92b. |
| H381.2.1 | Bride test: thrifty peeling of apple. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 92b. |
| H381.2.2 | Bride test: thrifty scraping of bread tray. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 702. |
| H386.1 | Bride test: to allow oneself to be beaten with shoe. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H363.1 | Bride test: wearing deceased wife's clothes. *Type 510B; Cox 53—79 passim; Fb "kjole" II 142. |
| H363.2 | Bride test: wearing deceased wife's ring. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H383.2.2 | Bride test: weaving magic cloth, sewing magic shirt. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H388 | Bride test: wisdom (cleverness). Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H360 | Bride test. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H387.1 | Bride's constancy tested by seven year's mourning over supposed dead lover. English: Wells 151 (The Squyr of Lowe Degre). |
| H335.0.1.2 | Bride's parents (supernatural) help suitor win in suitor contests. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H31.12.1 | Bridegroom alone able to pluck flower from bride's grave. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H540.5 | Bridegroom propounds riddles at wedding feast. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H312.8 | Bridegroom-to-be has to have three pecks, three quarts of gold and an animal with a horn on his head pointing to the sky, and a large red hair. Chinese: Graham. |
| H71.6 | Bright eyes as sign of royalty (nobility). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1177 | Bringing fairies to court. |
| H310.2 | Brother unwittingly qualifies as bridegroom of sister in test. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1511.2 | Burning food test. Attempt to kill hero by feeding him burning food. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 312 n. 120b. |
| H251.3.14 | Calumniated princess' dead body fails to rot; accuser repudiated. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H46.1 | Cannibal nature of woman recognized when she devours dead buffalo raw. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H46 | Cannibal recognized by cloud of dust raised. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 47, 142, (Basuto): Jacottet 4 No. 1, 206 No. 30, (Kaffir): Theal 125. |
| H85 | Captive sends token of safety. Africa (Swahili): Steere 143, (Zulu): Callaway 221. |
| H245 | Casting lots as truth test. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H411.16 | Catching salmon as proof of virginity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H251.3.6 | Chain around neck tests truth. Tightens when wearer speaks falsehood. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H71.10.4 | Chariot horses spring at anyone who is not entitled to throne. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H41.9.1 | Chariot tilts under anyone who is not entitled to throne. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H439 | Chastity index—miscellaneous. |
| H430 | Chastity index. Objects indicate faithfulness or unfaithfulness of separated lovers (husband or wife). *Type 888; *Penzer I 165ff.; *BP III 517ff.; Clouston Tales II 290ff.; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 110f. |
| H412.6 | Chastity ordeal: drawing lover out of wall with single thread rope. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H412.3 | Chastity ordeal: feather over door; if girl who enters blushes she is not a virgin. Fb "pige" II 817a. |
| H412.4.1 | Chastity ordeal: holding hot iron. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 227; Alphabet No. 173. |
| H412.2 | Chastity ordeal: holding shaven and greased tail of bull. Wade-Evans Welsh Mediaeval Law (Oxford, 1909) 241. |
| H412.7.1 | Chastity ordeal: jumping over magic thread. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H412.7.2 | Chastity ordeal: jumping over pit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H412.7 | Chastity ordeal: jumping. |
| H412.4.2 | Chastity ordeal: oath on boiling oil. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H412.4 | Chastity ordeal: passing through fire. Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys, Keith 128. |
| H412.1 | Chastity ordeal: passing under magic rod. Unchaste woman bears twins. (Cf. D1254.2.) Irish myth: Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 96. |
| H412.5 | Chastity ordeal: poisonous snake around girl's neck. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H410 | Chastity test by magic objects or ordeals. |
| H455 | Chastity test: king weighs princess against a flower. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H413.5 | Chastity test: throwing certain number on dice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H400 | Chastity test. Various means are employed to test a woman's (or man's) chastity. *Types 870, 870A; *Bédier Fabliaux 465; Dunlop-Liebrecht 85; Child I 258—71, 507a, II 502, III 503, IV 454a, V 215f., 289a; *Cross MPh X 289; Heinrich von dem Türlin Diu Crone, lines 917f.; Clouston Tales I 173ff.—Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; Arabian: Burton Nights V 271, 278, VII 259, IX 252ff.; India: Thompson-Balys, Penzer I 167, *Tawney I 86 n., 329, 487, *II 601 n.; Chinese: Werner 269; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 516, 535; Samoa: Beckwith Myth 535; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 358 n. 287 m. |
| H412 | Chastity tested by ordeal. |
| H426 | Chastity tests of holy men and monks. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H509.3 | Chess game as test. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H611.3 | Chief asks another for cutting of yams to complete his yam patch (daughter in marriage). Reply that seed yams for the year are shrivelled and old and it is too early for seedlings (his daughters are too young or too old). Tonga: Gifford 43. |
| H41.10 | Chief in disguise carries bundle so large that rank is recognized. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 388. |
| H1401.1 | Chief of dead assumes frightful guises to frighten visitors. New Guinea: Beckwith Myth 508, 512. |
| H173.1 | Chieftain recognized by faithful swineherd. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H173.2 | Chieftain recognized by former captive. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H71.7 | Child born with chain around neck: sign of royalty. *Type 707; BP I 432, II 380ff.; Todd MLN VI 7; Wesselski Märchen 174 No. 64; Wells Manual 96 (Chevalere Assigne). |
| H543.2 | Child in cradle guesses devil's riddle: all are saved. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3121A. |
| H175.2 | Child mystically recognizes woman as his mother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H1381.2.2.2 | Child seeks unknown mother. Maori: Beckwith Myth 481. |
| H1381.2.2 | Child seeks unknown parent. |
| H511.1.1 | Choice of two sword sheaths (from one a gold shaft protrudes; from the other, a silver). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H216.3 | Church door opens magically, as proof of priest's innocence. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 29. |
| H150 | Circumstances of recognition. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H1521 | Clam test. Hero is sent to capture a giant clam, so that he can be killed. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 130. |
| H58.2 | Clandestine lover identified by scratches left on face by lady. Heptameron No. 4. |
| H81 | Clandestine lover recognized by tokens. |
| H81.3 | Clandestine visit of lover to queen betrayed by token. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H81.2 | Clandestine visit of princess to hero betrayed by token. *Type 851; BP I 197; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1525 | Clashing rocks test: hero to pass between them. S. A. Indian (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132. |
| H561.8 | Cleric as solver of riddles. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H561.1.1.1 | Clever daughter construes enigmatic sayings. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H599.3 | Clever flatterer: Sir, you are a full moon, and my sovereign is a new moon (the full moon will decline, but the new moon has but started on its growth). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H561.1 | Clever peasant girl asked riddles by king. *Type 875; **De Vries FFC LXXIII 52ff.; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 195a; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H561.1.0.1 | Clever peasant wife asks king riddles. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H561.9 | Clever prince interprets enigmatic statements. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H583 | Clever youth (maiden) answers king's inquiry in riddles. (Cf. H561.4.) *Type 921; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H431 | Clothing (cloth) as chastity index. |
| H1556.1.1 | Cock feigns death to see what hens will say about him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1512 | Cold test. Attempt to freeze hero to death. *Type 513; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H151.10 | Combat of unknown brothers brings about recognition. Dickson 108 n. 18; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1561.2.3 | Combats at fords. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H474 | Complacent wife agrees with all of husband's absurd statements. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H561.1.1 | Conflict between peasant and nobleman decided so that each must answer riddles: peasant's daughter solves them. De Vries FFC LXXIII 65ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1237 | Conjuring away obstacles on quest for lost wife. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 75. |
| H1598.1 | Contest between man and angel. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1598 | Contest between man and other being. |
| H509.4.1.1 | Contest in adding a verse which makes the first poet ridiculous. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1542.1 | Contest in crossing river of fire. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1541.1 | Contest in enduring cold: frost and the hare. Hare tries to deceive frost by lying on frozen snow and saying, "Oh, how warm!" *Type 71; Dh III 23. |
| H1541.2 | Contest in enduring cold: wind overcomes frost. Type 1097*. |
| H1541 | Contest in enduring cold. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1542 | Contest in enduring heat. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 194a n. 14; Icelandic: *Boberg; Melanesia: Wheeler 66. |
| H1544 | Contest in enduring thirst. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1545 | Contest in fasting. *Loomis White Magic 130. |
| H1552.2 | Contest in generosity. Ruler vies with minister in generosity. Minister declared loser and condemned to die. Pardoned on acknowledging defeat. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H504.1.1 | Contest in lifelike painting: fly on saint's nose. Second artist in first artist's absence paints a fly on a saint's nose in a picture. On his return the first artist tries to drive away the fly. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 411. |
| H504.1.3 | Contest in lifelike painting: grapes and curtain. First artist paints a bunch of grapes so realistically that it attracts the birds. The second artist paints a curtain which deceives the first artist. He wins. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H504.1.2 | Contest in lifelike painting: mare and curtain. First artist paints a mare so realistic as to deceive a stallion. Second paints a curtain which deceives the first artist. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 410. |
| H504.1 | Contest in lifelike painting. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H509.2 | Contest in making mouths water. Hero uses certain berry that always causes mouths of onlookers to water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H331.1.7 | Contest in reaping: best reaper to get beautiful girl as wife. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1543 | Contest in remaining under water. (Cf. H1538.) Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Madagascar): Renel I 168ff. No. 30. |
| H507.5 | Contest in scolding as introduction to battle. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H507.3 | Contest in wishing. Type 1925; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H1588 | Contest of dogs. Two opponents test their powers by having their dogs fight. N. A. Indian: *Kroeber JAFL XXI 224. |
| H1591.1 | Contest: spear-casting. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1540 | Contests in endurance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1484 | Continual pricking with pin in order to remain awake. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H571.1 | Counterquestion: "What is difference between you and an ass? What is difference between you and a cushion." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 228 No. 74. |
| H571 | Counterquestions. Riddles answered by a question that reduces the riddle to an absurdity. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 275 No. 299; Wesselski Arlotto I 215 No. 59; Anderson FFC XLII 346; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H951 | Countertasks. When a task is assigned, the hero agrees to perform it as soon as the assigner performs a certain other task. (Cf. H691.2.1, H1021.1.1, H1021.3, H1021.6.1, H1021.6.2, H1022.2.1, H1022.3, H1022.9, H1023.1.1, H1023.1.2, H1023.2.2.1, H1023.9.1, H1023.10.1, H1142.3, H1146.) *Types 531, 875; *BP I 221, II 367, 369, III 18ff.; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff., 145ff., 150ff., 154, 232ff., 241f., 249; *Chauvin VIII 61 No. 26; Zachariae Kleine Schriften 98; *Child V 497 s.v. "tasks"; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H242 | Credential tests: proof that messenger comes from certain person. Africa (Fjort): Dennett 75 No. 16. |
| H211 | Criminal detected by having child hand knife to him. *Type 950; Köhler-Bolte I 202. |
| H248.2.1 | Crocodile masking as dead obeys suggestion that he make flesh quiver. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H71.5 | Cross between shoulders as sign of royalty (nobility). Dickson 48f.; English: Wells 14f. (The Lay of Havelok); Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H422.1 | Crown exposes infidelity of husbands. English: Child I 266f. |
| H36.2.1 | Crown fits only legitimate successor to throne. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1361.0.1 | Cubs furnish lion's (tiger's, etc.) milk to hero. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H425.1 | Cuckold's knife cannot carve boar's head. English: Child I 273. |
| H941 | Cumulative tasks: second assigned so that first can be done. *Cosquin Contes indiens 474ff.; Chauvin VI 109 No. 274 n. 3; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 109 n. 4; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H84.2 | Cup taken as proof that one has been present at feast. Type 306; German: Grimm No. 133. |
| H517 | Curse evaded by guessing names in magic writing. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1594.0.1 | Death as penalty for losing foot-race. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H542 | Death sentence escaped by propounding riddle king (judge) cannot solve *Type 927; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 314f.; **F. J. Norton FL LIII 27—57; Köhler-Bolte I 46; Penzer I 51, 51n.; Malone PMLA XLIII 407; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 112 No. 927*A. |
| H363 | Deceased wife marriage test. Man will marry woman meeting certain specifications prescribed by his deceased wife. *Type 610B; Cox 53—79 passim. |
| H217.2 | Decision by single combat or holmgang of who is to marry girl. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H217 | Decision made by contest. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 195; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 137. |
| H217.1 | Decision of victory by single combat between army leaders. (Cf. H218.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1233.5 | Deity as helper on quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1401 | Deity assumes frightful guises to frighten child. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1233.4.4 | Demon as helper on quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H47 | Demon recognized by corpse it occupies turning to worm when stake is driven through it. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H922 | Departing husband assigns his wife tasks. *Köhler-Bolte II 647ff.; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1131.2 | Devil as suitor assigned task to build bridge or dam. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3250, Legends Nos. 343f. |
| H335.0.3 | Devil as suitor assigned tasks. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 343f., 345f., 363, 398. |
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