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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 |
|---|---|
| J671 | Practical and impractical defences. |
| J671.1 | Belling the cat. Mice decide that a bell should be put on the cat but can find no one to tie it on her. *Type 110; Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 128), 96 (ST 97); Halm Aesop No. 15; Jacobs Aesop 216 No. 67; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 260 No. 213, *Arlotto II 226 No. 93; *Baum MLN XXXIV (1919) 462; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 634; Dh IV 145ff.; Herbert III 36ff. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; American Negro: Harris Nights 311 No. 53. |
| J672 | Defences by strengthening one's own weakest spots. |
| J672.1 | Ears stopped with wax to avoid enchanting song. Odysseus and the Sirens. Chauvin VII 98 No. 375 n. 4; Köhler-Bolte I 125; Irish myth: *Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Greek: Fox 137, 263; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J672.2 | Cotton put in ears so as not to hear abusive words. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J673 | Defence when one needs it most. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J673.1 | Armor ordered thin in front and thick in back, since it would be most needed in flight. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 543. |
| J674 | Defences in and out of season. |
| J674.1 | Wild-boar sharpens tusks when no enemy is in sight. Tells fox that when enemy comes there are other things to do. Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 237), 108 (ST 203); Halm Aesop No. 407. |
| J674.2 | Man decides to make himself strong in peaceful times rather than wait until attacked. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J675 | Man slays another in order not to be slain himself. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J675.1 | Son slays father in order not to be slain himself. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J676 | Youthful fencer yields to infuriated opponent who has picked up a pestle. "Two against me. I surrender." Spanish: Childers. |
| J677 | Foolishness of king's taking a washerman for chief minister; washerman makes no preparation for war and kingdom is conquered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J680 | Forethought in alliances. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J681 | Alliances which make both parties more vulnerable. |
| 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). |
| J681.1.1 | Jackal and leopard tie tails together for mutual protection. Frightened, they run apart and injure each other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J682 | Foolishness of alliances with the weak. |
| J682.1 | Foxes desert their allies, the hares, when they foresee defeat by the eagle. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 64), 106 (ST 187); Halm Aesop No. 236. |
| J683 | Foolishness of attacking real allies. |
| J683.1 | Ass turns on his driver who would save him from falling over the precipice. Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 375), 118 (ST 283); Halm Aesop No. 335. |
| J683.2 | Tame doves close wild ones in trap and thus help common enemies. Wienert FFC LVI 52 (ET 112, 310), 143 (ST 493). |
| J683.3 | Tame fox helps dogs against wild foxes. Is no longer trusted by latter. Nouvelles Récréations No. 29. |
| J684 | Alliances with the strong. |
| J684.1 | Fox with lion protector goes hunting alone and is killed. Wienert FFC LVI *59 (ET 214), 92 (ST 58); Halm Aesop No. 41. |
| J684.2 | Foolishness of taking on too strong a partner: crow crowds sparrow out of its nest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J684.3 | Tortoise joins peacock in dance. Cannot escape hunter; peacock flies off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J684.4 | Victorious ally feared by others. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J685 | Alliances with the intelligent. |
| J685.1 | Man, lion, and bear in pit. Bear tells lion not to eat the man, since he would grow hungry again. Rather they should have the man use his intelligence to get them out. Chauvin III 64 No. 29. |
| J689 | Forethought in alliances — miscellaneous. Wienert FFC LVI 48, 59, 60, 66 (ET 77, 205, 218, 302), 101, 102, 114 (ST 142, 153, 242); Halm Aesop Nos. 147, 421. |
| J700 | Forethought in provision for life (general). |
| J701 | Provision for the future. |
| 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. |
| J701.2 | King improves kingdom before leaving it to his sons. He leaves it smaller but much stronger and richer. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J702 | Necessity of work. |
| J702.1 | Dervish who stops work. Sees bird feed its young and decides that God takes care of everyone without work. He is shown his mistake. Chauvin II 115 No. 89. |
| J702.2 | King (queen) teaches children to work at all tasks to prepare them for life's possible hazards. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J703 | Planning for the greater office. |
| J703.1 | Looking for the keys of the abbey. Monk goes about with downcast eyes until he is made abbot; then lives in luxury. He explains that he was looking for the keys of the abbey. Now he has them. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 500. |
| J703.2 | "Eat small fish now if you wish larger ones later." Bishop refuses to eat small fish as he used to when an abbot. "Then I used small fish to catch big ones I have now!" Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J705 | Safe provision for life not to be lightly surrendered. |
| 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. |
| J706 | Acquisition of wealth. |
| J706.1 | Be diligent and spend little: how to become wealthy. Advice of a self-made man. Nouvelles Récréations No. 53. |
| J707 | Wealth is most important. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J710 | Forethought in provision for food. |
| J711 | In time of plenty provide for want. |
| J711.1 | Ant and lazy cricket (grasshopper). Lazy bird is put to shame by thrift of industrious bird. In winter he is in distress. *Type 249; *Chauvin III 58 No. 19; Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 156, 157), 126 (ST 347); Halm Aesop No. 295, 401; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 845; Jacobs Aesop 208 No. 36.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 451. |
| J711.2 | Improvident mouse eats grain stored for famine. Loss is discovered and grain placed elsewhere. Mouse, who has saved nothing, starves. *Chauvin II 115 No. 90. |
| J711.3 | King for a year provides for future. Knowing that the custom is that he is to be deposed in a year, he sends provisions to a safe place out of the kingdom. *Crane Vitry 137 No. 9; Herbert III 63, 191; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 224; *Chauvin II 160 No. 49, 192 No. 9, III 101 No. 8; Scala Celi No. 134; Alphabet No. 655.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 36, 275f. |
| J711.4 | Wise man stores grain against coming famine. Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J711.5 | Industrious ant works always at his harvest to keep it dry. Ant brings stored grain out into sun to keep it safe. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J712 | Food alone keeps off hunger. |
| J712.1 | City without provisions but with much money starves. Chauvin V 34 No. 16; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J713 | Make use of proper seasons for crops. |
| J713.1 | Lazy boy vainly asks God of the Seasons to delay the plowing season. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J715 | Kindness unwise when it imperils one's food supply. |
| J715.1 | Eagle warns shepherds that wolf is eating sheep. Crow rebukes eagle for thus imperiling his own food supply. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 36 No. 229*. |
| J730 | Forethought in provision for clothing. |
| J731 | Do not discard clothing till cold weather is over. |
| J731.1 | More than one swallow to make a summer. Spendthrift youth seeing swallow concludes that summer has come and sells his clothes. There is frost the next day and he is cold. Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 348), 122 (ST 316); Halm Aesop No. 304. |
| J740 | Forethought in provision for shelter. |
| J741 | Build shelter for the whole year. |
| J741.1 | Bear builds house of wood; fox of ice. Fox's house fails him in summer. *Type 43; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| J751 | Consider difficulties of course you are about to undertake. |
| J751.1 | Truth the best policy. Servant about to be caught for theft rehearses the lie he is to tell his master. He finds lies so transparent that he decides to tell the truth. Wesselski Märchen 200. |
| J751.1.1 | Lady answers queen so straightforwardly she gets light punishment. Heptameron No. 21. |
| J752 | In planning future, profit by the past. |
| J752.1 | Frogs decide not to jump into the well. Their spring having dried up, they consider jumping into a well. They decide that the well may also dry up. Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 202), 108 (ST 201); Halm Aesop No. 74; Italian Novella: Rotunda (J742). |
| J753 | Remove obstacles from path. |
| J753.1 | The only person in the bath. Servant reports to master that there is but one person in the public bath Master finds three hundred. Only one person had removed stone from his path; rest had stubbed toes. He was only one worthy of the name of man. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 604. |
| J755 | All aspects of a plan must be foreseen. |
| J755.1 | The forgotten wind. Man allowed to manage the weather forgets to ask help of the wind. All goes wrong and he must give up management. *Type 752B; *Fb "vind" III 1059a. |
| J756 | Advice after the event valueless. |
| J756.1 | Doctor gives advice after patient dies. Scorned for lack of foresight. Wienert FFC LVI *84 (ET 509), 108 (ST 204); Halm Aesop No. 169. |
| J758 | Beware of following an interested adviser. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J758.1 | Tailless fox tries in vain to induce foxes to cut off tails. *Basset RTP XXVI 267; Jacobs Aesop 215 No. 65. |
| J758.1.1 | Noseless man persuades fools to cut off noses. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J758.1.2 | Tailless jackal persuades other jackals to cut off tails. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J758.2 | Crane advises fool to empty reservoir so he can reap all grain. Crane eats fish left at bottom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J758.3 | Fish refuse fox's invitation to live on dry land and thus escape danger of fishermen. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J761 | Old age must be planned for. |
| J761.1 | Child finds gray hair in wicked father's head. Father sees that it is time for him to reform. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 292. |
| J761.2 | Fourth horse must carry all. Miller has four horses to carry grain. He uses only one, so that it soon dies. Four horses are childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. Don't heap all burden of securing salvation on the fourth horse, old age. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 291. |
| J761.3 | Adulteress prepares for old age. Charges a pair of shoes to consort with men. When old she pays with shoes the men who will consort with her. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J762 | Leave a loophole for escape. |
| 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. |
| J765 | Mark the way one is going in an unfamiliar country. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J766 | Do not work yourself out of employment. |
| J766.1 | Cat only drives rats away; if she killed them she would no longer have employment. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J810 | Policy in dealing with the great. |
| J811 | Wisdom of concessions to power. |
| J811.1 | The lion's share. Ass divides booty equally between himself, fox, and lion. Lion eats ass. Fox then divides: gives lion meat and he takes bones. *Type 51; Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 213), 110 (ST 220); Halm Aesop No. 260; Jacobs Aesop 200 No. 4; Herbert III *14, 39ff.; *Crane Vitry 199 No. 158. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; American Negro: Harris Nights 334 No. 58. |
| J811.1.1 | Lion divides the booty. Best part goes to himself as king of beasts; second, as strongest; third, as most valiant; fourth—"touch it if you dare." Wienert FFC LVI *59 (ET 216), *148 (ST 530); Halm Aesop No 258; *K. Gorski Die Fabel vom Löwenanteil in ihrer geschichtlichen Entwicklung (Berlin, 1888). |
| J811.2 | Fox refuses to mediate between lion and lioness. Lion decides to abandon lioness because of her bad odor. Ass, hog, and fox as judges. Ass says she has bad odor: lioness slaps him. Hog says she has not: lion slaps him. Fox says that he has a bad cold and cannot smell. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 29 No. 52*. |
| J811.3 | King honors poet and critic: the first so that he will honor the king; the second, so that he will not dishonor him. Spanish: Childers. |
| J811.4 | Ruler angered by evil spoken of him is placated by soft words of speakers. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J811.5 | Prime minister bribes priest to persuade king that ocean of milk he wishes sought for had curdled. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J811.6 | Fox with three hundred fables ready to tell against lion conveniently forgets them. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J814 | Flattery of the great. |
| J814.1 | Imprisoned musician defends himself. Has been imprisoned because the king did not like the way the musician looked at him. After a year the king returns as a conqueror and sees musician. The latter says that he saw the king's conquests in a vision and was blessing him when he looked at him. The musician is honored. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 255 No. 188. |
| J814.2 | Flatterer always agrees with king even in opposite opinions; defense: he is king's servant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J814.3 | "High-born alone recognizes one of equal rank with himself." Jackal sees man with instrument he is unfamiliar with, comes up to him and salutes him "Lord of Delhi." Man calls him Lord of Jungle and tells above. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J814.4 | Flattery of the wicked to escape death at his hands: "This is an offering to my lord Esau from his slave Jacob". Jewish: Neuman. |
| J814.5 | Dissenting minister to king: "Let the king do as seems good in his eyes". Jewish: Neuman. |
| J815 | Unpleasant truths must be withheld from the great. |
| J815.1 | Liar rewarded by the apes. King of apes asks visitors how they like his children (courtiers). Truthful visitor tells that they are very ugly, and is punished. Liar praises their beauty and receives reward. *Types 48*, 68**; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 381; *Gerber MLN IV (1889) 479; Wienert FFC LVI 47 (ET 53), 104 (ST 168); Alphabet No. 33; Scala Celi No. 36. |
| J815.2 | Brother who conforms to naked people's customs honored. Two brothers go to the land of Naked People. One of the brothers wears clothes and is punished. Wesselski Archiv Orientální I 80. |
| J815.3 | Muddy bath prepared for blemished king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J816 | Tact in reproving the great. |
| J816.1 | King brought to sense of duty by feigned conversation of birds. Philosopher pretends to know bird's language and to be translating what they tell him. *Basset 1001 Contes II 452; Chauvin II 153 No. 21, *VIII 129f. No. 119; Wesselski Märchen 220 No. 34; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J816.1.1 | King living apart from wife brought to sense of duty by philosopher. Asks if there is harmony among the cities and republics of Greece: philosopher tells him to ask it of his own house. Spanish: Childers. |
| J816.2 | King called baker's son: he has given the poet only loaves of bread. King sees jest and rewards poet. Nouvelles Récréations No. 4. |
| J816.3 | King brought to sense of duty by woman's words. Drunken king sentences unjustly. Woman asks to appear before the king before he has dined. Her case is retried. Spanish: Childers. |
| J816.4 | Woman tactfully restrains amorous king. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J817 | A soft answer turneth away wrath. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J817.1 | Man called a rogue by a nobleman makes a joke of the insult. He thus avoids trouble. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 476. |
| 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. |
| J817.2.1 | King makes absurd statement about flowers. Flatterer agrees: it is the king he serves, not the wretched flowers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J817.3 | With a silent person one is alone. Angered bishop will not answer when addressed. Relents when priest says, "Since there is no one here I may heed the call of Nature." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J818 | Care in advising a king. |
| J818.1 | Yogi advises yogi blood for making king's leaky tank hold water: king cuts off yogi's head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J821 | Keeping on good terms with hostile gods. |
| J821.1 | Dog asks raven why he sacrifices to Athene, since she hates raven because of his powers of augury. "The more reason to sacrifice. She will keep on good terms with me." Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 231), 143 (ST 490); Halm Aesop No. 213. |
| J822 | Man plays fool to protect himself in dealing with king. |
| J822.1 | Man pretends idiocy so as to avoid compromising himself when summoned to testify by two rival queens before the king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J823 | Man recounts unpleasant happening to king when in good humor and draws laugh; rest draw punishment. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J829 | Dealing with the great—miscellaneous. |
| J829.1 | The king and the cheap slippers. Steward buys the king a pair of slippers. King thinks not enough has been paid for them and refuses them. Steward buys another like the first and charges a good price. Learns that this is the way to deal with kings. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 162. |
| J829.2 | Devil decides to leave of own accord. It is decided to drive the devil out of a man who is possessed. Devil sees the inevitable and flees so that they cannot say that he has been driven off. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 159. |
| J829.3 | Vanquished ruler in disguise gets audience with victor. "What would you do if your enemy were to kneel before you and beg forgiveness?" "I would forgive him." Reveals identity and is pardoned. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J830 | Adaptability to overpowering force. |
| J831 | Mohammed goes to the mountain (tree) when the mountain will not come to him. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin *II 190 No. 372. |
| 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. |
| J833 | Ass foolish to kick against the pricks. Wienert FFC LVI 71 (ET 357), 140 (ST 468). |
| J834 | Fire burns man who doesn't understand it. Useful when one knows how to use it. Wienert FFC LVI *80 (ET 467), 121 (ST 306). |
| J835 | Wit interprets unfavorable decision of court as doing him great honor. Nouvelles Récréations No. 37. |
| J860 | Consolation by a trifle. |
| J861 | Consolation for misfortune found in food. |
| J861.1 | Consoled by a drop of honey. Man in pit surrounded by perils thus comforts himself. **Kuhn Der Mann in Brunnen (Stuttgart, 1888); *Chauvin II 85 No. 17, III 100 No. 6; Bødker Exempler 276 No. 16; Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 12; *Crane Vitry 191 No. 134; Alphabet No. 623.—Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J861.2 | Man on sinking ship eats salt. Otherwise he will not enjoy the large amount of water that he must drink. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 235; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J861.3 | Mouse (fly) dying in meat tub is happy that he has eaten to satisfaction. Wienert FFC LVI *64 (ET 274), *143 (ST 495); Halm Aesop No. 292. |
| J864 | Comfort in the contemplation of impossible pleasure. |
| J864.1 | Fox stumbles over violin. Chased from chicken coop by dogs. When he stumbles he says, "What a fine opportunity to dance if I had time!" Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 33 No. 135A, Espinosa Jr. No. 24. |
| J864.2 | Fox about to be hanged asks to be allowed to see geese. (Cf. J2174.) Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 29. |
| J865 | Consolation by thinking of some good aspect of a situation. |
| J865.1 | "But by a fine fellow!" Dying toad thus comforts his paramour, the frog, whom he is leaving neither married nor widow nor maiden and pregnant. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 38 No. 288A*. |
| J866 | Consolation by thinking of the past. |
| J866.1 | Unsuccessful fishermen console themselves that their earlier high hopes balance up their disappointment. Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 300), 133 (ST 324); Halm Aesop No. 23. |
| J867 | Mutual and undeserved compliments: donkey to camel, "What a beauty you are"; latter answers, "What a sweet voice you have." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J869 | Consolation by a trifle—miscellaneous. |
| J869.1 | Doves in net console themselves because they think trapper's tears are from pity for them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J870 | Consolation by pretending that one does not want the thing he cannot have. |
| J871 | The fox and the sour grapes. Pretends that the grapes he cannot reach are sour. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 267), 125 (ST 336); Halm Aesop No. 33; Scala Celi 52b No. 292; Jacobs Aesop 207 No. 31; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 30 No. 66a*; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J871.1 | Fox asking for favor set on by dogs. Thankful to have saved life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J873 | Fox in swollen river claims to be swimming to distant town. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 244), 125 (ST 339); Halm Aesop No. 30; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 30 No. 66B*. |
| J873.1 | Jackal covers up his inability to cross stream by saying he is looking for shallowest part. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J873.2 | Clever jackal covers up his clumsiness in catching cows by saying he was running to and fro because he was looking for the fattest calf. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J874 | Dog driven out of dining room claims to be drunk. Says that he has drunk so much that he does not know how he got out of the house. Wienert FFC LVI 68 (ET 322), 125 (ST 338); Halm Aesop No. 62. |
| J875 | Warrior having lost a city claims that he did not wish to sell it for a higher price. Wesselski Bebel I 118 No. 1. |
| J876 | Headless king and tailless tiger, each afraid of other, agree to be friends. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J877 | Scorned suitor consoles himself by realization that a wife who did not love him would be constant source of trouble. Nouvelles de Sens No. 3. |
| J880 | Consolation by thought of others worse placed. |
| J881 | Timid animal consoled when he sees others more timid. |
| J881.1 | More timid than the hare. Hares take heart when they see that frogs are more timid than they. *Type 70; *Dh IV 97ff.; Wienert FFC LVI *62 (ET 245), 116 (ST 266); Halm Aesop No. 237; Jacobs Aesop 204 No. 15. |
| J881.2 | Lion comforted for his fear of the cock. Finds that elephant is afraid of the gnat. Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 428), 116 (ST 267); Halm Aesop No. 261. |
| J882 | Man with unfaithful wife comforted. |
| J882.1 | Man with unfaithful wife comforted when he sees the queen's unfaithfulness. Wesselski Märchen 185 No. 1; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J882.2 | Man with unfaithful wife comforted when he sees jealous husband who carefully guards wife cuckolded. *Wesselski Märchen 185 No. 1; Köhler-Bolte II 625; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J882.3 | Man whose wife gives him bath only once a week comforted by one who does so once a year. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J883 | Poor man consoles self by thinking of misfortunes of rich. |
| J883.1 | Man compelled to live on peas takes comfort when he sees a man once rich eating the hulls. Chauvin II 150 No. 10; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J883.2 | Man in cold consoles himself thinking of rich men in hell or prison. Herbert III 8; Crane Vitry 179 No. 108. |
| J885 | Clever person's defeat pleases inferior. |
| J885.1 | Hare upbraided by sparrow for letting self be carried off by eagle rejoices when sparrow is carried off by hawk. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 164), 103 (ST 160). |
| J890 | Consolation in misfortune—miscellaneous. |
| J891 | Enemy horses captured by lion join forces and become friends. Chauvin II 150 No. 9; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J893 | Consolation: spiritual recompense for temporal misfortune. |
| J893.1 | Consolation: priest tells blind man that even flies have eyes but only man has the inner eyes of the soul. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J900 | Humility. |
| J901 | The seven daughters of Humility. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J902 | Humility of angels. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J903 | Humility one of the qualifications of a prophet. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J904 | Judge should possess humility and modesty. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J905 | Humility of the wise "Sons of the East". (Cf. J191.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| J910 | Humility of the great. |
| J911 | Wise man acknowledges his ignorance. |
| J911.1 | Men not chosen for their ignorance; else he should have reached heaven. Upbraided for not knowing answer to question, man answers that he was chosen for his position because of what he knew, not of what he did not know. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 224 No. 462. |
| J912 | Wise man humble in death. |
| J912.1 | King orders piece of cloth shown after his death. The measure of all that he has taken with him to the grave. Herbert III 10; *Crane Vitry 185 No. 119; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 24; Wesselski Mönchslatein 67 No. 54; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J912.2 | King refuses to have fine tomb erected for him since his stay on earth is so unimportant. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J912.3 | Rich man humbled by realization that he cannot take his wealth with him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J913 | King has earthen vessels placed on table among the golden ones. He had formerly been a potter and prefers the vessels which he had made to the ones now molding him. Spanish: Childers. |
| J914 | King shows humility by mingling with common people. |
| J914.1 | King David dances with common youths before the Ark of the Covenant. He humbles self to please God. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J915 | King of humble lineage cannot be flattered. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J916 | Abbot to avoid vainglory receives judge in rags. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J917 | Opposing wise men humble themselves and become friends. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J918 | Empress sews and shows she is not too noble to work. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J921 | Noble and ugly holy man embraces man who calls him ugly, saying he loves those who see him as he really is. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J950 | Presumption of the lowly. |
| J951 | Lowly masks as great. |
| J951.1 | Ass in lion's skin unmasked when he raises his voice. **DeCock Volkssage 184ff.; Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 175, 176), *91 (ST 38), 93 (ST 69); Halm Aesop Nos. 333, 336; Jacobs Aesop 211 No. 49; *Chauvin II 224 No. 22. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys, Penzer V 99 n. 3. |
| J951.2 | Jay in peacock's (pigeon's) skin unmasked. Type 244; Wienert FFC LVI 47, 57 (ET 61, 173), *93 (ST 66, 67, 68); Halm Aesop Nos. 200, 201, 201b; Jacobs Aesop 205 No. 21; Scala Celi 80b No. 461; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J951.3 | Crow tries to prophesy like raven: detected by his voice. Wienert FFC LVI 73, (ET 387), 92 (ST 42); Halm Aesop No. 212. |
| J951.4 | Weasel paints self to deceive mice. Detected. Wienert FFC LVI *53 (ET 133), 87 (ST 7); Halm Aesop No. 87. |
| J951.4.1 | Painted jackal admitted neither to the peacocks nor to the jackals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J951.5 | King of jackals captured because of his large banner. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J952 | Lowly animal tries to move among his superiors. Detected. |
| J952.2 | Ass follows after lion and is punished. Ass and cock are surprised by lion. Cock crows and scares lion, who runs. Ass thinks that he has scared lion and pursues. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 174), 92 (ST 53); Halm Aesop No. 323. |
| J952.3 | Dog follows lion. Flees at lion's roar. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 184), 91 (ST 35); Halm Aesop No. 226. |
| J952.4 | Ass who has worked with ox thinks himself equal to ox. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 178), 91 (ST 39); Halm Aesop No. 104. |
| J952.5 | Frog heaps abuse on bullock, who scorns him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953 | Self-deception of the lowly. |
| J953.1 | Dog proud of his clog. Thinks that the clog on his neck is a decoration. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 183), 91 (ST 34); Halm Aesop No. 224. |
| J953.2 | Bad singer thinks he is talented: driven from theatre. Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 481), 93 (ST 72); Halm Aesop No. 193. |
| J953.2.1 | Bad writer who praises himself reprimanded. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 515), 91 ST 41). |
| J953.3 | Flute-player thinks song meant for the prince is sung to him. Punished for presumption. Wienert FFC LVI 81 (ET 478), 93 (ST 71). |
| J953.4 | Ass who carried divine image thinks people bow before him. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 177), 94 (ST 74); Halm Aesop No. 324. |
| J953.5 | Disdain of the wolf for the dog. Is fleeing from dog's master not from him. Wienert FFC LVI *55 (ET 150), 91 (ST 33); Halm Aesop No. 230. |
| J953.6 | Gnats think they have thrown horse down. He has only rolled over. *Type 281; Russian: Andrejev No. 281; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.7 | Crow thinks harvesters are stealing his grain. *Type 243. |
| J953.8 | Woman in finery in church thinks people are standing up to see her when they rise at gospel reading. Wesselski Bebel II 138 No. 119. |
| J953.9 | Spider thinks that it has held back the wind. Indonesian: DeVries's list No. 138. |
| J953.10 | Gnats apologize for lighting on bull's horn. He had not felt their weight. Wienert FFC LVI *57 (ET 186), 92 (ST 49); Halm Aesop No. 235; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 136. |
| J953.10.1 | Raven riding on bull's horns thinks he has brought bull home. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.11 | Crow alighting on falling tree thinks his weight made it fall. Penzer III 70 n. 1; Bloomfield Am Journ. Philol. XL 1. |
| J953.12 | Glowworm thinks he shines like stars. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.13 | Fox thinks his elongated shadow at sunrise makes him as large as elephant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.14 | Jackal falls into dye vat, tries to pose as peacock: detected. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.15 | Animals each think moon shines for his benefit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.16 | Owl thinks echoes of his hoots are sounds of praise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.17 | Rat imagines himself owner of camel. He is attached to camel by string. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.18 | Rag accidentally in king's wardrobe thinks it is a ribbon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J954 | Foolish boast of ancestry by lowly. |
| J954.1 | Mule as descendant of king's war-horse. Fails to mention his mother. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 170; *Crane Vitry 147 No. 33; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 30; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J954.2 | Fox claims that certain statues are of his ancestors. Ape shows that he is a liar. Wienert FFC LVI *44 (ET 17), 100 (ST 140); Halm Aesop No. 43. |
| J955 | Lowly tries in vain to be greater than he is. |
| J955.1 | Frog tries in vain to be as big as ox. Bursts. Jacobs Aesop 205 No. 22; Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 192), 93 (ST 61); Halm Aesop No. 84; *Crane Vitry 145 No. 29; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J955.1.1 | Fish swells with pride until it bursts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J955.1.2 | Bird tries to puff itself up to look like peacock. Kills itself. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J955.1.2.1 | Titmouse ruffles feathers to seem big as a bear. Her young ones know her. Type 228; Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 32 No. 16. |
| J955.2 | Servant plays at being emperor. Master sees him and says, "Now that you are emperor remember your humble master." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J955.2.1 | Page dreams of being king. Master asks: "What would you do for me if you were king?" Answer: "Give you 100 ducats." Master beats him for insufficient consideration. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J955.3 | Servant asks master for arms of knighthood. Is given a stalk of garlic. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J955.3.1 | Peasant asks to be knighted. Is told that he can be made rich but not noble. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J955.4 | Old simpleton resolves to become a senator. He is made to believe that he is wanted as an archer and is so frightened that he dies. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J956 | Ambitious branch chosen king of trees. Vine and fig tree have refused. Scala Celi 8b No. 55; Judges 9: 8. |
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