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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| J1211.1 | Peasant preaches about bishop's amour. Bishop has instructed him to tell the truth and spare no one when he preaches. *Type 1825A; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 711. |
| J1742.4 | Peasant surprised that king is not larger than other men. Nouvelles Récréations No. 70. |
| J1742.3 | Peasants in city inn order whole portion of mustard. Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI No. 1316*. |
| J2495.4 | Peasants want a living God. An artist, ordered to make a crucifix, asks peasants if they want a living God. They say yes. "If we don't like him we can kill him ourselves." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 409. |
| J2195 | People pelt each other with food. Koryak: *Jochelson JE VI 375; Penzer V 72f. |
| J1331 | Persistent beggar invited upstairs. A beggar will not come in but insists on the man coming down to the door. When he asks alms the man bids him come upstairs. Then he says he has nothing for him. "You made me come down for nothing; I make you come up for nothing." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 238 No. 113. |
| J1369.4 | Person asks: "Whose fool are you?" Answer: "I am the Bishop of Durham's fool; whose fool are you?" England: *Baughman. |
| J1352 | Person calls another an ass. |
| J1661.3 | Person describes approaching bands of warriors without recognizing them. Another (interlocutor) identifies them. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2012 | Person does not know himself. Fb "selv"; L. Schmidt Oesterr. Zs f. Vksk. 1954, 129ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2611 | Person frightened into falling down a cliff. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 303 n. 109f.; West Indies: Flowers 492. |
| J1782.8 | Person in haunted house shoots off all his toes thinking they are ghosts. (Cf. J1838.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1782.6 | Person in white thought to be ghost. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2311 | Person made to believe that he is dead. *Penzer IX 156; Christensen DF XLVII 228 No. 94. |
| J1495 | Person runs from actual or supposed ghost. (Cf. E293, J1483.) |
| J1763 | Person thought to be an object. |
| J1765 | Person thought to be animal. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J2199.2 | Persons build a wheelbarrow too large to come out of shed. England: *Baughman. |
| J211.1 | Philosopher chooses poverty with freedom. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 382. |
| J152.4 | Philosopher consoles woman for loss of son. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1074.1.1 | Philosopher does not join in with gossipers. He is silent because he fears that some day he may talk too much and not be able to keep silent. Spanish: Childers. |
| J152.3 | Philosopher instructs youth regarding conduct. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1566.1 | Philosopher spits in king's beard. It is the only place he can find at the royal table not covered with gold and jewels. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 475; *Crane Vitry 195 No. 149; Scala Celi 140a No. 784; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 29, Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J229.14 | Physical pain preferred to poverty. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1819 | Physical phenomena misunderstood—miscellaneous. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1810 | Physical phenomena misunderstood. |
| J1115.2.1 | Physician decides that there is no need of purging one who drinks so many liquids. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1115.2.2 | Physician removes pea from patient's ear. Knocks him down and pea rolls out. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J817.2 | Physician willing to believe in four persons. Angers a theologian by disputing doctrine of the Trinity. "Don't get angry," he says; "rather than have you condemn me to hell, I would believe in four persons." Wesselski Bebel I 163 No. 98. |
| J2415.2 | Picking the louse and the flea. One man rewarded with forty crowns for picking louse from king's robe. Imitator given forty lashes for picking flea. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 799. |
| J84 | Picking up water thrown on ground no harder than the undoing of slander. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 98 No. 836G*. |
| J1792 | Picture mistaken for original. |
| J2415.6 | Pig sees goat return decked with ornaments and plenty of food; goes out and imitates trick played by goat but is beaten instead. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2465.2 | Piling up the pottery. The woman breaks the pots into fragments and piles them up. Type 1371*. |
| J242.2 | Pine and thornbush dispute as to their usefulness. Beauty of form does not give worth; pine grows slowly but it will withstand storms. Wienert FFC LVI 44 (ET 15), 74 (ET 398), *142 (ST 483); Halm Aesop No. 125. |
| J2383 | Pity for the poor Jews. On Good Friday an old woman who has heard the Passion Story exclaims, "How hard it was for the Jews who had to watch all night with Christ!" Wesselski Bebel I 228 No. 138. |
| J1191.6 | Plaintiff in court beats thief since he had not warned him ahead of time to have witnesses to robbery. Judge has refused to inquire for lack of witnesses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J703 | Planning for the greater office. |
| J1932.4 | Planting a hog in order to grow pigs. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 209 No. 423. |
| J1932.4.1 | Planting animal's tail in order to produce young animals. Type 1200. |
| J1932.4.2 | Planting bones to produce animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J701.1 | Planting for the next generation. Man who is planting tree told that it will never mature in his day. He is planting for the next generation. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 235 No. 516; Chauvin II 208 No. 75; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J1162 | Plea by admitting accusation and discomfiting accuser. |
| J1166 | Plea by shifting blame to another. |
| J1165 | Plea by showing great temptation to crime. |
| J1279.1 | Plea for a good father. Mother of twelve on deathbed explains to family that not all her children are legitimate. Gives the paternity of each child. Youngest leaves his food to say: "Please, mother, give me a good father!" (Cf. J325.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1163 | Pleading for accused by means of parable. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2513 | Plenty of holy water. A fool hearing of the effectiveness of holy water for the forgiveness of sins pours the whole supply over himself. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 714. |
| J2465.12 | Plowing above the tree. Told to plow above a certain tree (on the hillside), numskulls haul oxen and plow into tree and destroy them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1581.1 | Poem for poem: all for all. A poet gives the emperor a poem, hoping for a reward The emperor later gives the poet a poem in return. The poet thereupon sends the emperor two pennies, saying that this is all the money he has. The emperor, seeing that he is defeated in the exchange, laughs and becomes the poet's friend. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 506. |
| J1224.2 | Poet (Dante) puts ruler out of countenance. Ruler had instructed jesters to tease him. The poet cleverly answers his questioners pretending to have the impression that the questions are addressed to the ruler. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1675.6 | Poet goes to king to complain of destruction of his dwelling. King requires story. Poet recites list, ending with account of the destruction of his dun. Reparation granted. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1224.1 | Poet is importuned by admirers. Vaults away from them saying: "You may tell me anything you wish—in your own homes! Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1224 | Poet puts others out of countenance. |
| J1684 | Poet uses words which student cannot understand and so confounds him. (Cf. J1803.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1315 | Points of view. Man to friend who drinks very little: "If everyone drank as you do, wine would be cheap." Answer: "On the contrary, it would be expensive because I drink all I want." Spanish: Childers; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J810 | Policy in dealing with the great. |
| J466.1 | Pomegranate and apple tree dispute as to which is worth most. Blackberry reproves them for useless jangling. Wienert FFC LVI 43 (ET 11), 74 (ET 390), 92 (ST 47); Halm Aesop No. 385. |
| J1525 | Poor girl outwits prince in fright-contest. He frightens her and later mocks her with her words of fright. She plays the same trick on him. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No 3. |
| J883 | Poor man consoles self by thinking of misfortunes of rich. |
| J2416 | Poor man foolishly imitates rich. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2432*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1085.4 | Poor man returns to the emperor all save enough for comfort: wealth would take happiness from his simple life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2216 | Poor man thinks idol in temple is poorer than he since it is naked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1561.3.1 | Poor suitor served good supper prepared for rich one. Recites a satirical rhymed grace. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 702. |
| J2167 | Porridge eaten in different rooms. The porridge in one, the milk in another. Type 1263. |
| J1938 | Porridge in the ice hole. They put meal in the boiling current of the ice hole and then, one after another, they jump in to taste the porridge. Type 1260; Clouston Noodles 44; Field Pent Cuckoo 17; Christensen DF XLVII 178; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 255. |
| J1085.2 | Possession of gold turns humble servant into arrogant one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J180 | Possession of wisdom. |
| J1063 | Pot calls kettle black. |
| J1293.4 | Pot full of milk as sign that city is full of fakirs; flower on top of milk not disturbing it as sign that one more will not matter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2061.1.3 | Pot of flour to be sold: broken. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1772.1.2 | Potatoes mistaken for "irregular eggs", or "eggs of the earth." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1161.2 | Pound of flesh. (Fleischpfand.) Literal pleading frees man from pound of flesh contract. Contract does not give the right to shed blood. Impossible, therefore, to carry out. *Type 890; Köhler-Bolte I 211f.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 172 No. 138; *Wesselski Märchen 252 No. 61; *Chauvin VIII 200ff. No. 245; *Taylor Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "Fleischpfand"; Oesterley No. 195; Dunlop-Liebrecht 262; JEGPh. XXX (1931) 348—60; Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice; Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1176.1 | Pouring water into the inkwell. Soldier accused of stealing slavegirl from author. Girl told to pour water into an inkwell. She does it so skillfully that she must have learned it from the author. *Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 72. |
| J671 | Practical and impractical defences. |
| J251 | Practical knowledge more vital than theoretical. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1580 | Practical retorts connected with almsgiving. |
| J1600 | Practical retorts—miscellaneous. |
| J1550 | Practical retorts: borrowers and lenders. |
| J1560 | Practical retorts: hosts and guests. |
| J1342 | Prayer over the underdone hen. A guest is seen uttering a prayer before an underdone hen at the table. "She must be a goddess turned into a hen, for she has been over the fire and spared." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 193 No. 378. |
| J1269.7 | Praying before the King of Kings. Man while praying refuses to salute superior. While standing before the King of Kings he could not show respect to inferiors. Gaster Exempla 194 No. 45; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 617. |
| J2495.1 | Praying to the nearer virgin. One man prays to the Virgin of Aix-la-Chapelle. The other: "That place is too far away; she can't be here in time to help." He prays to the Virgin of a nearer town. *Wesselski Bebel I 188 No. 47. |
| J1021.2 | Preacher teaches beaten Genoese the strength of unity. They are like donkeys—when one is beaten the rest scatter. The enemy are like pigs—stick together in trouble. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1741.3 | Prearranged answers in Latin not always successful. (Essentially same as X111.9.) Nouvelles Récréations No. 7. |
| J22.1 | Precept of the lion to his sons: beware of man. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 20; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J22.2 | Precept of the lion to his sons: honor the woods. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 20. |
| J22.3 | Precept of the lion to his sons: keep peace with the neighbors. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 20. |
| J22 | Precepts of the lion to his sons. Only the younger keeps them and is successful. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 20. |
| J1081 | Preciousness of untroubled sleep. |
| J2255 | Preliminary drawing of swords. Travelers say they will not have time to do so when attacked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J215 | Present evil preferred to change for worse. |
| J321 | Present possessions preferred to future possibilities. |
| J321.4 | Present possessions preferred to future. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J320 | Present values preferred to future. |
| J1892 | Preserving the cock's freedom. A boy recently home from school sees his mother trying to catch the cock. "Don't mother, don't break his freedom or we will suffer for it." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 817. |
| J950 | Presumption of the lowly. |
| J957 | Presumptuous man before the works of Michelangelo says: "I too am a master". Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J982 | Presumptuous officials disregarded by council. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J981 | Presumptuous smith chants the Divine Comedy. Dante throws his tools in the street. Blacksmith: "You ruin my work!" Dante: "You ruin mine!" Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J952.1 | Presumptuous wolf among lions. |
| J622 | Preventing the birth of enemies. |
| J625 | Prevention of hostilities by agreeing to demands while in danger. Barber makes heavy demands of customer while the razor is at his throat. Customer agrees but after the shave throws the barber out. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J626 | Prevention of hostilities by disarming the suspect. Later learned that he is a fugitive murderer. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J623 | Prevention of hostility by inspiring fear in enemy. |
| J1263.2.1 | Price of consecration. Bishop is paid 100 ova (eggs) instead of 100 oves (sheep) for consecrating man as priest. To bishop's protests the man answers, "You should have refused to consecrate me. If I had been worthy I should not have had to promise oves or ova." *Wesselski Bebel I 221 No. 115. |
| J1647 | Priest asked to preach short sermon does so saying to congregation only that they are wicked. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2175.1.1 | Priest beats wife before purchasing food since he wishes her to cook it in particular way. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1261.2.6 | Priest bringing Host to dying man sees thief on his fig tree. Shouts vituperations at him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.2.8 | Priest carries the Host across a dangerous stream. Spectators tell him to thank God for not drowning. "I helped Him across!" Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1786.4 | Priest exorcising demon mistaken for demon and beaten to death. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1539.1 | Priest forbidden to have female servant ostentatiously washes his own clothes. Bishop reverses the order. Nouvelles Récréations No. 34. |
| J1563.8 | Priest frightens away parasitic guests. Tells them he has that morning confessed man with plague. French: Irwin No. 161. |
| J762.1 | Priest keeps in container relic which when kissed renders people immune from pestilence. They only kiss container, so that if they die he will not be held responsible. Wesselski Bebel I 144 No. 62. |
| J1261.2.3 | Priest may eat communion supper. Thief about to be hanged is told that if he truly repents he will eat Lord's Supper in heaven. "If that is true, won't you eat the supper for me; I'll reward you well." *Wesselski Bebel I 186 No. 42. |
| J1261.6 | Priest may use his own mother's mass money. At his mother's funeral a boy takes the money laid on the altar for masses. When the priest objects, the boy says, "When your mother dies you may take the money too." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 703. |
| J705.1 | Priest must give up his charge or his mistress. Gives up his parish and immediately loses his fickle mistress. Wesselski Mönchslatein No. 41; *Crane Vitry 234 No. 241; Herbert III 19. |
| J1265.2 | Priest offers to exchange places with the bishop when he is told that he is unfit to care for his parish. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 78. |
| J1211.1.1 | Priest preaches about bishop's amour. Bishop has fined priest for incontinence. Priest hides and witnesses amorous intrigue between bishop and abbess, hearing bishop refer to the abbess's charms in biblical similes. Priest incorporates overheard references in his introduction to the Mass and is asked for an explanation. Bishop returns his fine. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1263.2.3 | Priest refuses small bribe: only for large sum will he sell himself to devil. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No 547. |
| J357 | Priest sells his donkey because worry for its safety distracts him from prayer. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1261.2.7 | Priest throws Chalice at owl. Says that he thought that the owl had stolen the Host. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2212.1.1 | Priest to have maid at least fifty years old: gets one aged twenty and one aged thirty. Nouvelles Récréations No. 34; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J82 | Priest walks in the mud. Congregation follows evil ways of priest. He walks in mud but they will not follow him. He thus shows them the folly of following his evil ways. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 68. |
| J1263.1.3 | Priest who never reads mass. Peasants complain of his ignorance. He says that they stand so close to him that he is afraid they might memorize and then pay no attention to his reading of it. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 773. |
| J2498.2 | Priest's words repeated. Man sent to priest for religious service to repeat priest's words. Keeps repeating "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1741 | Priests (schoolmasters) ignorant of Latin. |
| J1511.18 | Priests say dying woman's unfulfilled request for mangoes must be paid in golden mangoes to them. Priests burned with iron since she had asked to be cauterized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J811.5 | Prime minister bribes priest to persuade king that ocean of milk he wishes sought for had curdled. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J347.3 | Prince chooses exile and honor to foul life at his father's court. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J412.1 | Prince of democratic tastes chosen. King asks three sons what kind of bird they would prefer to be. First: an eagle, because it is ruler of birds; second: a falcon; because it is beloved by the nobles; third: a bird which flies with many others, so as to receive advice. King chooses third. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 677. |
| J414.2 | Prince prefers first love to princess he later marries. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 61 No. 445A. |
| J411.3 | Prince refuses to play with common children. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 165. |
| J1111.1 | Princess skillful in argument. Penzer VI 73 n. 3, 74f. |
| J1111.1.1 | Princess skillful in pleading. Malone PMLA XLIII 408; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2183.5 | Princess who is too choosy finally marries an idiot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1183.1 | Prisoner has drunk water furnished by the king and thus becomes king's guest. Spared. *Chauvin VI 72 No. 238. |
| J229.12 | Prisoners given choice between emasculation and blinding. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J412 | Profitable association of great and lowly. |
| J441 | Profitable association of young and old. |
| J1487 | Progress in school. A man sends his two sons to schools and later enquires of their progress. One: "I am past Grace." The other: "I am at the devil and all his works." *Clouston Noodles 222; England: *Baughman. |
| J1563.4 | Proper food for ox and ass. Guests call each other ox and ass. Host offers green grass for the first and fodder for the second. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1351.1 | Prostitutes wander. A woman having given her cook leave of absence for the next day asks her what day it is. "Saturday." "No, it is the day on which the prostitutes wander." The cook: "Yes, from one prostitute to another. Today I am with you, tomorrow with your sister." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 160. |
| J1965 | Protected by the needle. In a storm on the ice, numskulls stick needles into the ice to keep from blowing away. Type 1279. |
| J2442 | Protecting as the stork does. Man has had stork protect him from rain by covering him with his wing. Man tries to protect his wife from rain with his arm. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2105 | Protecting the prince's slumber. To keep croaking frogs from disturbing him, the fools shoot at the frogs all night. Type 1329*. |
| J2331.1 | Proud sheriff has only nine farmers in his jurisdiction. *Wesselski Bebel I 139 No. 46. |
| J1333 | Prove me a liar. Beggar: "Good day, you stingy fellows." They: "We are not stingy fellows." Beggar: "Then give and prove me a liar." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 202 No. 397. |
| J171.3.2 | Proverbial wisdom: "Seek to win over the accuser, so that he causes you no annoyance." Jewish: Neuman. |
| J171 | Proverbial wisdom: counsels. (Cf. B82.6.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 213f., 216ff., 248f.; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J701 | Provision for the future. |
| J510 | Prudence in ambition. |
| J530 | Prudence in demands. |
| J1142 | Pseudo-scientific methods of detecting. *Penzer Poison-Damsels 75ff. |
| J1772.4.1 | Pubic hair of ardent husband's wife thought to be calf's tail by peasant in tree. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 12. |
| J2161.2 | Pulling on the shirt. The shirt is sewed together at the neck. The man's head is cut off so that the shirt can be put on him. *Type 1285; *Fb "skjorte" III 269a; Clouston Noodles 209; Christensen DF L 49. |
| J2412.2 | Pulling out the eye so that the pain will cease. He has had a tooth pulled and the pain ceased. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 244 No. 136. |
| J1772.1 | Pumpkin thought to be an ass's egg. Numskull thinks he has hatched out an ass's egg. He thinks that the rabbit which runs out is the colt. *Type 1319; *BP I 317ff.; *Köhler-Bolte I 323; *Clouston Noodles 38; *Fb "æg" III 1142a; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 249 No. 163; Christensen DF XLVII 208 no. 63. — Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 324 No. 157; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeuf", "âne" "lièvre"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| J2013.3 | Pumpkin tied to another's leg. A numskull ties a pumpkin to his leg at night so that he shall know himself in the morning. Someone ties the pumpkin to another's leg and the numskull is not sure of his identity next morning. Clouston Noodles 7. |
| J2108 | Punishing the dog by feeding him. A man is bitten by a dog. On the advice of an old woman he rubs bread on the wound and gives it to the dog. All dogs will bite him if they thus get double reward. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 520), 116 (ST 265); Halm Aesop No. 221. |
| J1182 | Punishment escaped by discomfiting condemner. |
| J2103.2 | Pursuing the rabbit who harmed the garden. Peasant asks a nobleman's help against a rabbit. The nobleman chases the rabbit on horseback for five days and ruins the peasant's crop. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 25. |
| J2492 | Putting fear into him. A plaintiff insists that the judge shall put some fear into the defendant debtor. The judge puts his fingers over the eyes of the defendant and cries, "Boo! Now give him his money." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 266 No. 246. |
| J1211 | Putting out of countenance by telling evil stories. |
| J2124 | Putting the fish aside for Easter. They are put in one big pool, but an eel eats them up. Clouston Noodles 34. |
| J1024 | Quails caught in net rise up in a body with net and escape. As soon as they quarrel they are caught. Cowell J[a]taka I 85 No. 33; Benfey Panchatantra II 156ff., 304f.; Bødker Exempler 290 Nos. 45—46; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J281 | Quality of offspring preferred to quantity. |
| J280 | Quality preferred to quantity. |
| J2060.1 | Quarrel and fight over details of air-castles. *Type 1430; BP III 275; *Gerould MLN XIX 228; India: *Thompson-Balys; Arab: Azov JPASB (n.s.) II 402f.; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 269, Coster-Wijsman 65f. Nos. 107—110. |
| J2129.2 | Quarreling heirs destroy the entire property involved. Clouston Noodles 119; West Indies: Flowers 487f. |
| J1141.1.10 | Queen flogs suspects telling them to produce stolen gem: thief promises to do so. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2063.1 | Queen grieves herself to death over fate of her children after her death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2162.3 | Quenching the burning boat. People row to land and fetch water from a spring to put out the fire. Type 1330; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| J1291 | Question answered by absurd counterquestion. |
| J2381 | Question: did the man ever have a head? A man's head is snatched off by accident and his companions do not see what has happened. Debate: did he ever have a head? *Type 1225; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 192 No. 374; *Bolte Frey 220 No. 12; Christensen DF XLVII 192—93 No. 19; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1252 | Quibbling answers. E.g., Where are you going?—Forward. Where are you going to cut the tree?—At the foot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1757 | Rabbit thought to be a cow. Servant sent to bring in cows is found chasing rabbits. BP III 260 (Grimm No. 162); U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1812.2 | Rabbits think sound of waves is great danger to them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J953.18 | Rag accidentally in king's wardrobe thinks it is a ribbon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J681.1 | Rat and frog tie paws together to cross marsh. Carried off by falcon. *Chauvin II 123 No. 117; Scala Celi 73a No. 416; *Crane Vitry 135 No. 3; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 124 (cf. No. 125). |
| J953.17 | Rat imagines himself owner of camel. He is attached to camel by string. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J267.1 | Raven drowns his young who promise to aid him when he becomes old. He saves one who admits he will not help, because he will have to carry his own young. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *244; Finnish: Aarne FFC V No. 33*. |
| J1064.1 | Raven killed by apes who will not receive his teaching that a shining stone is not fire. Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 95), 118 (ST 284); Bødker Exempler 286 No. 34; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J953.10.1 | Raven riding on bull's horns thinks he has brought bull home. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2194 | Raven steals the robes of Red Willow Men and finds them useless. N. A. Indian (Tahltan): Teit JAFL XXXII 223 No. 1 (32); Boas RBAE XXXI 722. |
| J2413.9 | Raven tries to imitate dove's step but breaks his bones. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J2521.2 | Rebuke for going with a naked head in public. The woman rebuked has lost her hair in sickness. Forthwith she covers up her head with her dress and exposes her body. Bolte Frey 245 No. 79; England: Baughman; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1223 | Rebuke for telling a poor and long-winded story. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1522 | Rebuke to the stingy. |
| J1169.6 | Receiver of stolen goods. A tailor makes a Jew a coat of stolen goods. Accused of theft, he says that the Jew has the cloth. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 257 No. 191. |
| J1191.5 | Reductio ad absurdum of accusation: object-birth slander. (Later children tell toy animals to drink. No harder than for woman to bear objects.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1191 | Reductio ad absurdum of judgment. *Chauvin VI 63, 231; *Zachariae Zs f. Vksk. XXX—XXXII 50 n. 2; *Wesselski Arlotto II 215 No. 73; India: Thompson-Balys; Oceanic: *Dixon 199 n. 37; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 197 No. 26. |
| J1293 | Reductio ad absurdum of proposal. |
| J1290 | Reductio ad absurdum of question or proposal. |
| J1191.1 | Reductio ad absurdum: the decision about the colt. A man ties his mare to a second man's wagon. The mare bears a colt which the wagon-owner claims, saying that the wagon has borne a colt. Real owner of the colt shows the absurdity (1) by fishing in the street or (2) by telling that his wife is shooting fish in the garden. Neither of these things are so absurd as the decision. *Type 875; **DeVries FFC LXXIII; India: *Thompson-Balys; Köhler-Bolte I 460; *BP II 349ff., 371; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 212 No. 434; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J832 | Reeds bend before wind (flood). Save themselves while oak is uprooted. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 174; Wienert FFC LVI 73 (ET 387), 107 (ST 190, 243); Halm Aesop No. 179; **E. Grawi Die Fabel vom Baum und dem Schilfrohr in der Weltliteratur (Rostock Diss., 1911). —India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1791 | Reflection in water thought to be the original of the thing reflected. |
| J1581.2 | Reinforcement of the request for alms. A clown asks for alms and receives nothing. He then throws pellets made of herbs at the steward, saying that there is great power in words, herbs, and stones: he has tried two of them and plans to try the third. He is given alms. Wesselski Mönchslatein 20 No. 14. |
| J99.1 | Relative pleasures of sexes in love taught by parable. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1874 | Relieving the beast of burden. |
| J2495 | Religious words or exercises interpreted with absurd literalness. West Indies: Flowers 491; Irish: Beal XXI 333, O'Suilleabhain 105. |
| J2119 | Remedies worse than the disease—miscellaneous. |
| J2100 | Remedies worse than the disease. |
| J753 | Remove obstacles from path. |
| J2516.7 | Remove turban as last duty. Sleepy servant removes master's turban while still in council meeting. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1396 | Removing chance for worry. A king noticing that a student has stolen a capon, asks, "Does not the Bible say that you should not worry about tomorrow?" "Exactly. I was trying to remove all chance of worry tomorrow." Wesselski Mönchslatein 109 No. 92; Nouvelles Récréations No. 35. |
| J1265 | Repartee based on church government. |
| J1269 | Repartee based on church or clergy—miscellaneous. |
| J1260 | Repartee based on church or clergy. |
| J1263.1 | Repartee based on clerical ignorance. |
| J1262 | Repartee based on doctrinal discussions. |
| J1261 | Repartee based on levity toward sacred persons and things. |
| J1330 | Repartee concerning beggars. |
| J1263 | Repartee concerning clerical abuses. |
| J1264 | Repartee concerning clerical incontinence. |
| J1263.4 | Repartee concerning clerical luxury. |
| J1263.2 | Repartee concerning clerical venality. (Cf. J1192, J1263.1.2.) |
| J1430 | Repartee concerning doctors and patients. |
| J1320 | Repartee concerning drunkenness. |
| J1400 | Repartee concerning false reform. |
| J1410 | Repartee concerning fatness. |
| J1483 | Repartee concerning runaway horses. |
| J1270 | Repartee concerning the parentage of children. |
| J1319 | Repartee concerning wine—miscellaneous. |
| J1310 | Repartee concerning wine. |
| J1279 | Repartee regarding the parentage of children—miscellaneous. |
| J1289 | Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.)—miscellaneous. |
| J1280 | Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.). |
| J1440 | Repartee—miscellaneous. |
| J1262.7 | Repartee: "If you can't see the soul in the living man, how can you expect to see it in the dead?" retorts wise man to atheist. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2498 | Repeating the ceremony. Fool told to repeat part of the ceremony at baptism persists absurdly in repeating every remark. Field Pent Cuckoo 8; England: Baughman; West Indies: Flowers 491. |
| J222 | Rescue alone from shipwreck chosen over drowning with goods. Wienert FFC LVI 81 (ET 472), 142 (ST 486). |
| J1791.2 | Rescuing the moon. A numskull sees the moon in the water and throws a rope in to rescue it, but falls in himself. He sees the moon in the sky. At least the moon was saved! *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 241 No. 124; Christensen DF XLVII 217—18 no. 78; American Negro: Harris Nights 100 No. 19. |
| J1071 | Results of labor lost in a moment of procrastination. |
| J1341 | Retort from underfed servant (child). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1540 | Retorts between husband and wife. (Cf. J1532.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1380 | Retorts concerning debts. |
| J1399 | Retorts concerning thefts—miscellaneous. |
| J1390 | Retorts concerning thefts. |
| J1340 | Retorts from hungry persons. Irish myth: Cross; U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1564.2 | Revenge by interrupting feast. A rabbi who has been inhospitably treated is afterwards invited to dinner. He keeps the guests so amused by his jokes that they fail to eat and the feast is spoiled. Jewish: *Neuman, *Gaster Exempla 226 No. 212. |
| J1191.7 | Rice pot on pole, fire far away. As easy to cook rice thus as to warm a man at a distance from a lamp on a balcony. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.5 | Rice, wheat, and dal dispute as to which is the best. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1072.2 | Rich Brahmin wearing poor clothing is treated as a beggar. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J912.3 | Rich man humbled by realization that he cannot take his wealth with him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J411.11 | Rich man refuses to associate with poor sister. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1263.2.2 | Rich man shakes ducats into pope's lap. Pope says, "Who could withstand such an armored army?" and decides for the rich man. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 346. |
| J347.4 | Rich merchant is poorer in happiness than poor man. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1874.1 | Rider takes the meal-sack on his shoulder to relieve the ass of his burden. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 229 No. 490; *Fb "sæk" III 720b; *Clouston Noodles 19; Field Pent Cuckoo 3; England, U.S.: Baughman; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1423 | Roast falcon. A falcon reproaches a cock for fleeing from the master who has fed him. The cock: "I have never seen a falcon roasted." *Chauvin II 117 No. 96. |
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