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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| L112.5 | "Burnt-belly" as hero. N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey CI LIX Nos. 42, 44, 47, Grinnell 87ff., (Skidi Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII No. 9, (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII Nos. 17—19, (Hidatsa): Curtis N. A. Indian IV 165. |
| L212.3.1 | "Fame (honor) is more enduring than life." Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L112.6 | "Scar-face" as hero. N. A. Indian (Blackfoot): Grinnell Blackfoot Lodge Tales (New York, 1892) 93, McClintock Old North Trail (London, 1910) 491. |
| L10.1.1 | "Thirteen" as name of victorious youngest son. (Youngest of thirteen brothers.) BP III 34; *Köhler-Bolte I 383; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L130 | Abode of unpromising hero (heroine). |
| L10.2 | Abused son of younger co-wife becomes hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L55.1 | Abused stepdaughter. See references to L52 and L55. *Roberts 137; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142—145; Greek: Grote I 103. |
| L52 | Abused youngest daughter. *Types 425, 510, 511, 709; *Cox 492ff.; Böklen 78ff.; *Roberts 110; Tegethoff 10; Icelandic: Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 170 n. 5; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/346). Most references to L50 apply to this motif. |
| L217 | Accustomed rags preferred to new garments. A Brahmin returns home to find a palace instead of a cottage; he recognizes his wife only after she throws off her jewels and ornaments to stand before him in her old rags. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.6 | Anchorite's son as hero. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L315.14 | Ants overcome serpent. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 386. |
| L146.1 | Ape tries to flee with favorite child; neglected child saves himself. The favorite child is killed through the mother's overanxiety. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 253), 146 (ST 510); Halm Aesop No. 366. |
| L430 | Arrogance repaid. Icelandic *Boberg. |
| L434 | Arrogant farmer allows none to ride his precious horse without permission. He kills the man who does it, but is in revenge deprived of most of his goods. Icelandic: Hrafnkels saga Freysgods ch. 2ff. (ed. F. S. Cawley) (Cambridge, Mass., 1932). |
| L431 | Arrogant mistress repaid in kind by her lover. *Type 900; *BP I 443ff.; **Philippson König Drosselbart FFC L; Krappe études ital. II 141ff.; *Gigas "Et eventyrs vandring" Litteratur og Historie (København, 1902); *Fb "bejler" IV 31b; Icelandic: Boberg; West Indies: Flowers 560. |
| L131.1 | Ashes abode of unpromising hero. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L452 | Ass is jealous of the horse until he learns better. |
| L452.1 | Ass jealous of horse, but sees horse later working in a mill. *Chauvin III 50 No. 2; Wienert FFC LVI *56 (ET 171), 94 (ST 78). |
| L452.2 | Ass jealous of war-horse until he sees him wounded. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 191), 124 (ST 327); Halm Aesop No. 328; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L421.1 | Attempt to climb to heaven punished. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L421 | Attempt to fly to heaven punished. Car supported by eagles. Persian: Carnoy 336. |
| L111.1.1 | Banished youth becomes mighty king. Icelandic: Völsunga saga ch. 1, Boberg. |
| L113.8 | Barber becomes king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.5 | Bastard hero. Icelandic: Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 957; Africa (Nuba): Reinisch Sprachen von Nord-Ost-Africa (Wien, 1879) II 224ff. No. 9. |
| L251 | Beggar with small bag surpasses the one with the large. Latter refuses all but large donations; gets none. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 607; *Crane Vitry 168 No. 77; Alphabet No. 607. |
| L315.1 | Bird flies into large animal's ear and kills him. *Type 228; *BP II 437; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 115. |
| L410.3 | Boasting king insulted by crow dropping filth on him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L456 | Calf pities draft ox: is taken to slaughter, ox spared. Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 230), 57 (ET 185), *92 (ST 44), 124 (ST 331); Halm Aesop No. 113. |
| L114.4 | Cheater as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L124.1 | Child silent till seventh year. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L212 | Choice among several gifts. The worst horse, armor, or the like proves best. *Fb "hest" I 598b; Child II 444f., 450, 453f.; German: Grimm No. 57; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 62, 64; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 341, (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII No. 16; West Indies: Flowers 559. |
| L213.2 | Choice of ugliest girl as bride. Chinese: Graham. |
| L61 | Clever youngest daughter. Type 923; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 123. |
| L54 | Compassionate youngest daughter. *Types 361, 431. See also most references to Q2. |
| L13 | Compassionate youngest son. Kind to people or animals: rewarded. *Types 513, 550, 551, 570, 571, 577, 610; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 10. |
| L351.1 | Contest between wind (rain) and sun. Rain also tries unsuccessfully like wind. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L351 | Contest of wind and sun. Sun by warmth causes traveler to remove coat, while wind by violent blowing causes him to pull it closer around him. Wienert FFC LVI 43 (ET 7), 80 (ET 457), 136 (ST 419); Halm Aesop No. 82; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3900; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 381ff.; Russian: Andrejev No. 298*; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 95, 140. Cf. Halm No. 414. |
| L113.1.6 | Cowherd hero. India: *Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L113.1.6.1 | Cowherd's daughter (foster child) as heroine. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L432.1 | Cruel brothers brought to beg charity from abused sister. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L152 | Daughter succeeds on quest where son fails. Africa (Rozwi): Posselt Fables of the Veld (Oxford, 1929) 30ff. |
| L410.4 | Defeated king must be peddler or beggar. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.3 | Deformed child as hero. Penzer I 184ff. |
| L177 | Despised boy wins gambling game. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L176 | Despised boy wins race. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327f. nn. 185f. (many references), (Zuсi): *Benedict II 336. |
| L112.4 | Dirty boy as hero. Type 301; Missouri French: Carrière; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 183. |
| L155 | Disagreeable and disliked child surpasses the likeable one. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L425 | Dream (prophecy) of future greatness causes banishment (imprisonment). *Type 671, 725; *BP I 322ff., 324; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L124 | Dumb hero. Dickson 185; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L315.7 | Dungbeetle keeps destroying eagle's eggs. Eagle at last goes to the sky and lays eggs in Zeus's lap. The dungbeetle causes Zeus to shake his apron and break the eggs. Wienert FFC LVI *51 (ET 106), 77 (ET 432), 113 (ST 237), 114 (ST 249); Halm Aesop No. 7. |
| L330 | Easy escape of weak (small). |
| L315.5.1 | Elephant killed by mouse who runs up open end of trunk to head and there smears poison over his brain. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 393f. |
| L111.1 | Exile returns and succeeds. **A. Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; *Hibbard 111 n. 6; Boccaccio Decameron II No. 8 (Lee 39); v. Hahn Sagenwissenschaftliche Studien 341ff.; *Dickson 42 n. 42; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.9 | Falcon attacks eagle repeatedly and defeats him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L124.1.1 | Famous poet does not speak until he is fourteen (four, seven) years old. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L144.2 | Farmer surpasses astronomer and doctor in predicting weather and choosing food. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2448*; Russian: Andrejev No. 2132; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 921 II*. |
| L51 | Favorite youngest daughter. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 85. |
| L12 | Favorite youngest son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.8 | Fish pricks monster with fins and defeats him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.10 | Flute player as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L161.2 | Fool wins beautiful woman as wife. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 530B*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L217.1 | Former poverty chosen over new riches. Weaver laments loss of water vessel. Offered many new, but prefers old and modest life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L11 | Fortunate youngest son. Always has good luck. *Type 1650; BP II 69ff.; MacCulloch Childhood 365; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 93, 281, 434, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 630, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 265, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 309, (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 16. |
| L111.2 | Foundling hero. *Dickson 144ff. n. 147; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 120b; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Tonga: Gifford 130; N. A. Indian: Lowie JAFL XXI 27. |
| L315.3 | Fox burns tree in which eagle has nest. Revenges theft of cub. Herbert III 12; *Crane Vitry 194 No. 144. |
| L462 | Fox destroys nest of bird who boasts of nest's warmth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L395 | Frog, tortoise, fish each tell of how long they expect to live. Frog alone does not expect to live to a hundred and ten years and alone escapes fisherman's net. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.1.2 | Fugitive bull-calf returns when grown and defeats his father. West Indies: Flowers 557—9. |
| L111.7 | Future hero (heroine) raised by animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.2.1 | Future hero found in boat (basket, bushes). Legends of Moses, Cyrus, Beowulf and others. *Usener Die Sintfluthsagen (Bonn, 1899) 80ff.; Hdwb. d. Märchens I s.v. "Aussetzung in Boot"; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L111.2.4 | Future hero found in wolf den. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L111.2.2 | Future hero found on shore. Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Tonga: Gifford 122. |
| L111.2.3 | Future hero found on top of a tree. Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.2.1.1 | Future heroine found in hollow tree (calfshed, house "without door but only window and skylight"). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L478 | Gnats having overcome lion are in turn killed by spider. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 75), 92 (ST 57); Halm Aesop No. 234. |
| L113.1.5 | Goatherd as hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L417 | God finds that his statue sells at low price. He prices it in a statue shop and finds that his price is lower than other gods. Wienert FFC LVI 80 (ET 455), 94 (ST 77); Halm Aesop No. 137. |
| L415 | God punishes David for his pride in the number of his subjects. An angel is sent to kill his people. Desists only when David repents. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L363 | Goldsmith gives money to one who addressed him as friend (the goldsmith had no friends because he has cheated everybody.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L419.1 | Goose boasts superiority to mushroom. Both served up at same meal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L121.1 | Half-wit successful. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XXII 23. |
| L431.1 | Haughty mistress makes extravagant demands of lover: repaid. (Glove and the Lion.) *Shearin MLN XXVI 113; *Buchanan Modern Language Review IV 183 n. 1; Krappe MLN XXXIV 16; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 349 n. 256. |
| L131 | Hearth abode of unpromising hero (heroine). *Cox 1—52, 87—121, 437, 446, 493; *Fb "askefis" IV 17b; Saintyves Perrault 124ff.; *Cosquin Contes indiens 494ff.; Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 115; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 119; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 6; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Michelson JAFL XXXVIII 45ff. |
| L315.13 | Hedgehog defeats tiger by jumping into tiger's mouth and tormenting him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L301 | Hermes distributes wit. Gives everyone the same measure of wit, so that the smaller are more clever than the large. Wienert FFC LVI 35; Halm Aesop No. 150. |
| L112 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising appearance. Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L114 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising habits. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising occupation. |
| L111 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising origin. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.9 | Hero of story neglected grandson of raja. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L212.3 | Hero prefers fame to long life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L225 | Hero refuses reward. Rides away without it. *Types 300, 303; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L141.3 | Hero stupid at games but fleet of foot. Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 214. |
| L112.3.1 | Hero with deformed head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L114.5 | Hero with disgusting habits. Korean: Zong in-Sob 66 No. 36. |
| L111.8 | Heroes sons of wife not favorite of king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.11 | Heroine born with pigeon's head. Tonga: Gifford 31, 61—65. |
| L111.8.1 | Heroine daughter of wife not favorite of king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.1.0.1 | Heroine endures hardships with menial husband. Rewarded by his success. BP I 443ff.; cf. Type 900; Cosquin Lorraine I 138ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl 348ff., (Blackfoot): Wissler and Duvall PaAM II 81, (Wichita): Dorsey JAFL XVI 160ff., (Teton): Curtis N. A. Indian III 111, cf. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 16. |
| L111.2.5 | Heroine found in harp. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L113.2.1 | Heroine has been goatherd. Icelandic: Ragnars saga Loрbr. 127, 198, Boberg. |
| L333 | Hummingbird can see fowler's net; eagle is caught in spite of his boasts of good eyesight. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 290; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 254*. |
| L148.1 | If you hasten you will not get there. In spite of the saint's advice the teamster hastens and breaks his wagon. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 255; Alphabet No. 324. |
| L144.1 | Ignorant steward straightens his master's accounts. The educated stewards have always cheated. The ignorant puts his belongings in one box, his master's in another. Both master and steward gain. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 355. |
| L144 | Ignorant surpasses learned man. |
| L432.2 | Impoverished father begs from daughter he has banished: recognized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L432.2.1 | Impoverished father begs from his prosperous daughter whom he has made to marry a poor man. Chinese: Graham. |
| L432.3 | Impoverished husband begs from wife he has formerly expelled. Chinese: Graham. |
| L432 | Impoverished husband begs from wife's new husband. He has formerly refused this man charity. *Chauvin II 174 No. 16, VIII 180 No. 212; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 263 N. 232; *Basset 1001 Contes II 305. |
| L432.4 | Impoverished youngest brother comes to elders in search of work. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L141.4 | Inept child eventually surpasses others. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1122). |
| L116 | Insane hero (heroine). Irish myth: Cross (L125). |
| L315.6 | Insects worry large animal to despair or death. Wienert FFC LVI *48 (ET 76), 120 (ST 301); Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 187, 209; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 132, 137. |
| L476 | Jackal singing about his deeds falls down from tree and is eaten by alligator. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L419.2 | King (prince) becomes beggar. Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L416 | King commanded to wear enemy's shoes on his shoulders as sign of submission. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L410.5 | King overthrown and made servant. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L418 | King shown he is less powerful than God. In spite of all his plans, his servant recovers the lost (exchanged) treasure. Type 841. |
| L414.1 | King vainly attempts to measure the height of the sky and the depth of the sea. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 920A*. |
| L414 | King vainly forbids tide to rise. (Canute.) Herbert III 62; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L410.2 | King, defeated in battle, obliged to flee without money. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.8 | Lame child as hero. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 79. |
| L315.5 | Lark causes elephant to fall over precipice. Chauvin II 81 No. 1; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 771; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L114.1 | Lazy hero. *Type 675; *Fb "doven" IV 102b; *Chauvin VI 64 No. 233 n. 1, 202; Oesterley No. 91; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 416. |
| L455 | Lean dogs envy arena-dog his fatness. Later see their error. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 169), 94 (ST 75). |
| L112.7.1 | Leper hero. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45). |
| L331 | Little fishes escape from the net. The large are caught. *Type 253; *BP III 355; Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 299), 113 (ST 240); Halm Aesop No. 26. |
| L311.4 | Little innocent girl is able to drive giant out of land. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L312 | Little strong man defeats giant in race. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 150. |
| L315.11 | Lizard defeats leopard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.1.1 | Loathly man father of supernaturally born boy. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux MAFLS XL 159. |
| L165 | Lowly boy becomes king. (Most references to L161 apply here). Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 51; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 249; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45). |
| L161 | Lowly hero marries princess. *Types 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 306, 307, 308*, 314, 325, 329, 400, 434, 502, 506, 507, 508, 513, 514, 530, 545B, 552, 553, 559, 560, 561, 570, 571, 575, 577, 580, 590, 594*, 725, 853, 854, 930, 935; Child V 488 s.v. "marriages".—Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 614. |
| L156.1 | Lowly hero overcomes proud rivals. Korean: Zong in-Sob 120 No. 58. |
| L162 | Lowly heroine marries prince (king). *Types 310, 403, 428, 431, 440, 442, 450, 451, 501, 510, 511, 545A, 585, 652, 705, 706, 707, 708, 711, 870A, 873, 875, 883A, 887; Hibbard 190ff.; *Roberts 196. — Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 107f., 154, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 80, 142; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 5 and passim, *Rotunda; India: Cowell Jataka I 27f., *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 147, 423, II 103, 455, 1366; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L175 | Lowly successful hero invites king and humbles him. *Type 675; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L175.1 | Lowly successful soldier invites general and humbles him. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| L113.1.3 | Mad fisherman as hero. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L424 | Man who has never known unhappiness or want is swallowed up by earth with all his household. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L161.1 | Marriage of poor boy and rich girl. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Korean: Zong in-Sob 81 No. 44; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): *Benedict II 336. |
| L482.4 | Men are fearless: tiger made to frighten them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.3 | Men are too proud: snakes created. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.1.1 | Men are too rich: gold sent below ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.1 | Men are too rich: greedy gods created to impoverish them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.2 | Men are too rich: weeds created to spoil their harvests. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.5 | Men enjoy themselves too much: disease created. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482 | Men too prosperous (happy): things are made more difficult. |
| L113.1 | Menial hero. Type 594*; *Cox xl, 437—446; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand 440 No. 85, (Zuсi): Parsons MAFL XXXI 245. |
| L113.2 | Menial heroine. Cox 1-121 passim; BP I 183; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 119; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L161.3 | Mercenary soldier (exile) accepted lover of princess. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L332 | Mice escape into their holes; weasels cannot follow them. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 65), *113 (ST 241); Halm Aesop No. 291. |
| L315.10 | Mice overcome camel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L318 | Mice win war with woodcutters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L353 | Mild brother triumphs over warlike. Survives him and inherits property. Africa (Fang): Tessman 191ff. |
| L350.1 | Mildness triumphs over violence: queen advises husband to use kindness to enemies. This wins them over where war failed. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L350 | Mildness triumphs over violence. |
| L111.4.4 | Mistreated orphan hero. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 93, Rasmussen I 123, 230, 238, II 34, 38, III 90, 295, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 188, (West Hudson Bay): ibid. 309, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 265, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 630. |
| L250 | Modest business plans best. |
| L213.1 | Modest choice best: wife chosen from crowd of women—only one poorly dressed. Chinese: Graham. |
| L210 | Modest choice best. Types 480, 580. See also references to L211 and L221. Scala Celi 26a No. 171; *Roberts 177, 198; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 71, 74, 139, 191; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 10; Icelandic: Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 340; Africa: Werner African 196, 205; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 277 No. 91; West Indies: Flowers 559. |
| L222.1 | Modest choice for parting gift—money or counsels. Counsels chosen. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 100, 304. |
| L222.3 | Modest choice for parting gift: when offered money man takes magic stick. Chinese: Graham. |
| L222.4 | Modest choice of parting gift: magic iron measure chosen. Korean: Zong in-Sob 27 No. 12. |
| L212.4 | Modest choice proves good (simple unique privilege). Girl offered reward of five villages chooses rather to be only one on certain night to be allowed to have light in her house and to keep all animals who enter as hers. All kinds of livestock come. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L222 | Modest choice: parting gift. Small gift with blessing preferred to large gift with parent's curse. *Köhler-Bolte I 188; BP I 214 n. 1; Gunkel Das Märchen im alten Testament (Tübingen, 1921) 100f.; Campbell Tales I 220 No. 13; Lang English Fairy Tales 136 No. 23; Gipsy: Aichele Zigeunermärchen 289 No. 69; Jewish: Neuman; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 110, 122. |
| L211 | Modest choice: three caskets type. Objects from which choice is to be made are hidden in caskets (or the like). The worst looking casket proves to be the best choice. Type 480; *Cox 501ff.; Cosquin Lorraine No. 17; *Chauvin III 99 No. 4; *Crane Vitry 153 No. 47; *Oesterley No. 251; *Roberts 200; *Cosquin Contes indiens 527; Boccaccio Decameron X No. 1 (Lee 294); *Ward II 122; Herbert III 196; *Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 18; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 836; *Fb "skеl" III 352a. —North Carolina: Brown Collection I 633; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Anesaki 320; N. A. Indian (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII No. 16, (Nez Percé): Spinden JAFL XXI 156, (Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 264; Malay: V. Ronkel Catalogus der Maleische Handschriften te Batavia (Den Haag, 1909) 48; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 121 No. 10, 229 No. 41, (Benga): Nassau 225 No. 33. |
| L222.2 | Modest parting gift best—meat or bones. Bones thrown to pursuing dogs delay them and allow escape; not so with meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L220 | Modest request best. *Cox 480; *BP II 232; *MacCulloch Childhood 191; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 276 n. 18a. |
| L221 | Modest request: present from the journey. Asked what her father shall bring her as a present, the heroine chooses a modest gift. It is usually a flower but sometimes does not turn out to be such a simple gift after all (golden cloak, golden apple). *Type 425; *Fb "rose" III 80a, "guldæble" I 515b, "guldrok" I 514b; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 206b; Tegethoff 11; Italian Basile Pentamerone II No. 8; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L290 | Modesty brings reward—miscellaneous. |
| L200 | Modesty brings reward. |
| L112.1 | Monster as hero. *Type 708; *BP II 236; Cosquin Lorraine II 224; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L392.1 | Mosquitoes sting King Pharaoh and show they are stronger than the man who cannot escape them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L315.4 | Mother ape burns bear. Revenges theft of her young. *Crane Vitry 194 No. 143. |
| L315.1.1 | Mouse runs into buffalo's ear and overcomes him. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 393f. |
| L392 | Mouse stronger than wall, wind, mountain. *DeCock Volkssage 31ff.; BP I 148 n. 2; Wesselski Mönchslatein 82 No. 75; Chauvin II 97 No. 55; Archiv f. d. Studium d. neueren Sprachen LXXXI 265; Germania II 481; Basset RTP VII 394ff.; Basset Contes Berbères 95f; *Bødker Exempler 297 No. 60.—Spanish: Keller, Espinosa III Nos. 275—277; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L315.2 | Mouse torments bull who cannot catch him. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 74), 113 (ST 236). |
| L453 | Mule carrying corn escapes while one carrying gold is robbed. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 169), 94 (ST 75). |
| L10.1 | Name of victorious youngest son. Fb "Esben" I 256. |
| L391 | Needle kills an elk. Slips into his stomach. Type 90. |
| L146 | Neglected surpasses favorite child. |
| L316 | Offended rats gnaw saddle girths of king's horses so that he is defeated in battle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L475 | Oil lamp blown out: had thought that it outshone stars. Wienert FFC LVI 75 (ET 409), 93 (ST 64); Halm Aesop No. 285. |
| L214 | Old chosen rather than new. Fortunate choice. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 142 No. 20. |
| L112.10 | One-armed hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L393 | Only love to offer. Bride asks suitors what they have to offer her. Poor youth who has nothing but love to offer gets her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L32 | Only the youngest brother helps his sister perform dangerous task. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L71 | Only the youngest of group of imprisoned women refuses to eat her newborn child. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.4.3 | Orphan brothers as heroes. Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.4.1 | Orphan hero lives with grandmother. Avenges slaughtered kin. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 320 n. 156 (most of the references). |
| L111.4 | Orphan hero. Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; New Hebrides: Codrington 283ff.; Buin: Wheeler No. 8; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/818); Africa (Wakweli): Bender 81. |
| L111.4.2 | Orphan heroine. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Mossi): Frobenius Atlantis VIII 274ff. No. 120. |
| L420 | Overweening ambition punished. Chinese: Graham. |
| L420.0.1 | Overweening ambition punished. Man sets self up as a god. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L451.4 | Parrot prefers cold wet nest in freedom to luxury in royal palace. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L123 | Pauper hero. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.4 | Peasant as hero. Africa (Dschagga): Stamberg ZsES XXIII 296ff., (Ganda): Baskerville 1ff. |
| L151 | Peasant girl outwits prince. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 3. |
| L123.1 | Penniless hero. Loved by a courtesan, he proves later to be a great man. M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII xxiii. |
| L423 | Peter acts as God for a day: tires of bargain. A girl takes her goat to pasture and leaves him: "My God care for you!" Peter must run everywhere after the goat. *Dh II 188. |
| L132 | Pig-sty abode for unpromising hero (heroine). *Type 314; Cox Nos. 1, 33, 77, 79, and passim; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 351. |
| L216 | Poor game proves rich. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 83. |
| L143.1 | Poor girl chosen as wife in preference to rich. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L213 | Poor girl chosen rather than the rich. Treasure follows. Chauvin III 103 No. 13; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L427 | Poor man aspires to high office: made a cook. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L143 | Poor man surpasses rich. *Types 676, 1535; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 187b; Irish: Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 122; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 181, 201; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256f. |
| L311.3 | Poor prince overcomes king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L143.2 | Poor suitor makes good husband; rich suitor cruel. Africa: Weeks Jungle 443f. |
| L113.3 | Poor weaver as hero. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L311.2 | Poorly-armed hero overcomes well-armed by strategy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L221.1 | Present from the journey: what you first see. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 606a nn. 80—89. |
| L460 | Pride brought low—miscellaneous. |
| L400 | Pride brought low. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L473 | Pride or wealth of man brought low by actions of gods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L361 | Priest who gives mild penances succeeds where others fail. Scala Celi 48a No. 272; Alphabet No. 183; Herbert III 505, 570; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L291 | Prosperity forever or for a day? King asks prince whether he has secret of prosperity forever or a day. Prince says "forever" and is captured. Later his wife, asked same question, says "for a day" and is honored. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L450 | Proud animal less fortunate than humble. |
| L413 | Proud inscriptions sole remains of powerful king. *Chauvin V 33 No. 16; Spanish Exempla: Keller. Cf. Shelley's "Ozymandias". |
| L411 | Proud king displaced by angel. (King in the bath.) While the king is in the bath (or hunting) an angel in his form takes his place. The king is repulsed on all sides until he repents of his haughtiness. *Type 757; **Varnhagen Ein indisches Märchen auf seine Wanderung durch die asiatischen und europäischen Literaturen (Berlin, 1882); Chauvin II 161 No. 51; *Wesselski Märchen 237 No. 49; Hibbard 58ff.; *Herbert III 202; *Oesterley No. 59; *Andraea Anglia Beiblatt XIII 302; *von der Hagen III cxv; bin Gorion Born Judas III 47ff., 299f.; *Goebel Jüdische Motive im Märchenhafte Erzählungsgut (Gleiwitz, 1932) 89ff. — Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L416.1 | Proud king humbled when imprisoned by enemies. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L410.1 | Proud king humbled: realizes that pomp, possessions, power are all of short duration. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L419 | Proud ruler (deity) humbled—miscellaneous. |
| L410 | Proud ruler (deity) humbled. |
| L142.2 | Pupil surpasses magician. *Type 325; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L142 | Pupil surpasses master. *Fb "mester" II 584a; Alphabet No. 38; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L142.1 | Pupil surpasses thieves in stealing. *Type 1525E; *BP III 393 n. 1. |
| L113.7 | Quack-doctor as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.7 | Queen forced to become a courtesan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.12 | Rabbit slays rhinoceros. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L391.1 | Reed pricks and drives away dog that urinates on it. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L412 | Rich man made poor to punish pride. He boasts that God has no power to make him poor. While he is at church, his property burns and he returns home poor. Type 836; Irish: Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 122; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 249; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.6 | Ruler enslaved. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L350.2 | Saint uses kind words to pagan priest who has just smitten a Christian. This causes pagan to repent. Conversion follows. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L212.1 | Saint, offered any gift from God, chooses (virginity and) wisdom. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L431.2 | Scorned lover poses as rich man and cheats his scornful mistress. Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 10 (Lee 266); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| L154 | Scorning stops when it turns out that the scorned has saved the king by fighting alone against four. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L11.1 | Seal of humiliation put by youngest brother-in-law on the back of his rivals. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L435.1 | Self-righteous hermit must do penance. He has said of a condemned man that he deserves his punishment. *Types 756A, 756B; BP III 463ff.; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 160ff., 250ff.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 21 No. 16; Alphabet No. 206; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 99, Beal XXI 332; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos 79f. |
| L435.1.1 | Self-righteous monk rebuked by abbot. Abbot tells him to search his own heart to see if he is free of sin before attacking others. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L435.3 | Self-righteous tailor in heaven expelled. Throws God's footstool at an old woman thief on earth. *Type 800; BP I 342; Wesselski Bebel I 126 No. 19. |
| L435.2 | Self-righteous woman punished. She has passed judgment on a girl who has a bastard. Köhler-Bolte I 147f., *578, 581. |
| L435 | Self-righteousness punished. |
| L113.1.4 | Shepherd as hero. Type 922; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L311.1 | Sick hero overcomes antagonist. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L124.2 | Silent hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L141.2 | Simpleton's naive answer to robbers makes them think he knows their secret. They share their loot with him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L112.7 | Skin-sore as hero. Africa (Basuto): Kidd The Bull of the Kraal and the Heavenly Maidens (London, 1908) 51ff. No. 1. |
| L113.1.7 | Slave as hero. Jewish: Neuman. |
| L394 | Slow flying swan lasts longer than speedy crow in flying. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L148 | Slowness surpasses haste. |
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