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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| M108 | Violators of oaths. |
| M91 | Virgin Mary reverses judgments of church. *Ward II 638 No. 5, 651 No. 4, 668 No. 15, 682 No. 21, 704 No. 42, 722 No. 30 and passim; Irish: Beal XXI 315, O'Suilleabhain 41. |
| M107 | Vow fulfilled in next existence. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1221. |
| M184 | Vow if queen bears another girl she and child will both be killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M171 | Vow never to accept a man who does not know any sport. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M137 | Vow never to be jealous of one's wife. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M142 | Vow never to carry a woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M155.3 | Vow never to flee from fire or weapon. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M161 | Vow never to flee in fear of death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M166.1 | Vow never to give more than one blow in a fight and never to beat a fallen enemy nor take his weapons. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M163 | Vow never to make a nocturnal assault. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M186 | Vow never to pass over demarcation line into other's property. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M158 | Vow never to refuse food to any man. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur); Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M135 | Vow never to remarry. Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M141 | Vow never to strive against a woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M172.1 | Vow never to touch money and to give what anyone begs for. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M162 | Vow not to be killed by a single opponent. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M125 | Vow not to change clothes till a certain time. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400B*. |
| M168.1 | Vow not to deceive the man who spared one's life. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M168 | Vow not to devastate country or take revenge after release. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M151 | Vow not to eat before hearing of adventure. Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight § 5; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.1 | Vow not to eat before learning secret. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.6 | Vow not to eat or drink before knowing if king is alive. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M151.5 | Vow not to eat or sleep until certain event is brought to pass. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.8 | Vow not to eat until lost son is found. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.5.1 | Vow not to eat, drink, or move from position until dead anchorite comes himself to accept necklace. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M182 | Vow not to enter any house before reaching one's own. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M152 | Vow not to go to bed with wife till enemy is killed. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M152.1 | Vow not to kiss anybody until father is revenged. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M136 | Vow not to marry till iron shoes wear out. Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 71 (to Gonzenbach No. 32); *Roberts 137. |
| M151.2 | Vow not to marry until quest is concluded. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.2.1 | Vow not to reign and to starve to death unless picture's original is found. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.9 | Vow not to see friends until quest is completed. English romance: Malory XI 12. |
| M121 | Vow not to shave or cut hair until a certain time. *BP II 431ff.; A. Bugge "Harald Haarfagres løfte" Edda VII 166; Helm Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte I 301; Eitrem Opferritus und Voropfer (Skrifter Vidensk. Selsk. i Oslo No. 1, 1914) 400; Frazer Golden Bough III 194; Kruyt Het Animisme 33; FFC LXXXIII xxiv. — Irish: O'Suilleabhain 24, 45, Beal XXI 307, 316; Icelandic: *Boberg; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 No. 39; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400B*; Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Achilleus"; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M152.2 | Vow not to sit on father's high-seat until he is revenged. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M151.4 | Vow not to take food or drink until enemy is killed. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M151.3 | Vow not to take food or drink until manner of father's death is learned. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M172 | Vow not to touch certain thing. |
| M172.2 | Vow not to touch certain tree. Later cannot cross bridge made of this wood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M126 | Vow not to wash till a certain time. Greek: Iliad XXIII 49. |
| M131 | Vow of chastity. Penzer I 67; Wesselski Mönchslatein 142 No. 117; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: *Grote I 162f. |
| M146.7 | Vow of enemy chief to marry princess of besieged city. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M132 | Vow of virginity. Penzer III 40. |
| M149.7 | Vow only to marry daughter to the man who kills snake by her house. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M166.2 | Vow rather to be cut in pieces than permit oneself to be bound. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M161.4 | Vow rather to die (on a spear) than to accept grace. (Cf. M165.) Hdwb. d. Märchens II s.v. "Gnade ausbitten"; Icelandic: Ragnars saga Loрbr. 139-41, *Boberg. |
| M146.3 | Vow that magically conceived children shall marry (or be friends). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M184.1 | Vow that no daughter born to chief's wife will be allowed to live until she bears a son. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 526. |
| M185 | Vow to abide by laws. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M165 | Vow to ask nobody for peace, grace. (Cf. M161.4.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M161.1 | Vow to attack (kill) the enemy or die. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M183.2 | Vow to bathe in the Ganges. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M177.1 | Vow to become a Christian. |
| M183.4 | Vow to become monk should he escape execution. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 817. |
| M183.1 | Vow to build shrine. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M177 | Vow to change religion. |
| M193 | Vow to destroy kingdom by austerities. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M149.2 | Vow to die rather than marry unwelcome suitor. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M183.3 | Vow to find Holy Grail before returning to Round Table. English romance: Malory XIII 7. |
| M155.2 | Vow to find vanished sister. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M149.6 | Vow to get stubborn girl half-married only. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M166.3 | Vow to kill anyone who touches his beard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M149.3 | Vow to kill more successful rival. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M155.1 | Vow to kill wild boar alone at night. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.). |
| M161.3 | Vow to live and die with the king. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M146 | Vow to marry a certain woman. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M138 | Vow to marry first person performing certain act. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.5 | Vow to marry none but daughter of certain man. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M138.1 | Vow to marry off two daughters to first two men father looks at on the following morning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.1 | Vow to marry queen of fairies and not to eat or drink inside kingdom until this is done. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M155 | Vow to perform act of prowess. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M117 | Vow to perform certain act unless cataclysm occurs. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M192 | Vow to put to death every king that comes his way unless engaged in marrying a lady at the time he sees them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M161.2 | Vow to revenge (king, friends, father) or die. English: Malory XX 10; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M157 | Vow to ride the forest all night and slay all comers. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.). |
| M167 | Vow to serve only the most generous of all kings. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M156 | Vow to watch at frightful place all night. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur). |
| M145 | Vow to wed no man who cannot perform certain feat. |
| M145.1 | Vow to wed no man who fears to saddle and mount a lion. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M133 | Vow: man will love only a virgin. Malone PMLA XLIII 427. |
| M166.4 | Vow: never to fight with brother. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1019. |
| M122 | Vow: woman not to bind hair till enemy is conquered. Alphabet No. 529. |
| M100 | Vows and oaths. *Penzer X 355 s.v. "vow"; *Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 659ff.; *Encyc. Rel. Ethics IX 430ff.; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 198ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish *Neuman. |
| M120 | Vows concerning personal appearance. |
| M149 | Vows concerning sex—miscellaneous. |
| M130 | Vows concerning sex. (Cf. M151.2, M152.) |
| M119.3 | Vows taken as an old Norse custom at the festival of Yule. Icelandic: Cleasby and Vigfússon Icel.— Eng. Dict. (1874) 853 s.v. "heitstrenging"; Lagerholm 18, *Boberg. |
| M119.4 | Vows taken by placing one's foot on a certain post in the hall. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M114.3 | Vows taken on holy swine. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M391.2 | Wandering skull fulfills prophecy. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M312.3.2 | Whoever eats outside of fruit will become a king and whoever eats the seed will drop gems from his mouth every time he laughs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M493 | Whomsoever demons curse is blessed, and vice versa. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M431.6 | Wicked stepmother cursed to have fire lit under her. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M292 | Wife undertakes man's penances for him: also to go to heaven for him? He has a dream and when he sees that she also goes to heaven for him he decides against the bargain. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 287. |
| M301.1 | Wild man as prophet. Dickson 121 n. 68. |
| M215 | With his whole heart: devil carries off judge. The devil refuses to take anything not offered him with the whole heart. He hears the judge (advocate) cursed for fraud with such sincerity that he carries him off. *Type 1186; **Taylor PMLA XXXVI 35ff., also in Bryan and Dempster Sources and Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales 26974; *Herbert III 592; *Fb "ridefoged" III 53b; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 81, 807; *Robinson Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Cambridge, Mass., 1933) 809 (Friar's Tale). |
| M137.1 | Woman requires husband free from jealousy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402.1 | Woman satirist. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402.1.1 | Woman satirists punished in hell. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M375.4 | Wooers slain to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Irish myth: Cross. |
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