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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 |
|---|---|
| N0 | Wagers and gambling. *Penzer II 232 n., VII 72 n. 2; Paton Encyc. Rel. and Ethics s.v. "Gambling"; *Fb "kort" II 278; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N1 | Gamblers. Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70—73, 210; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N1.0.1 | Gambling caused by possession of men by evil demons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N1.1 | Hero makes fortune through gambling. Scotch: Campbell Tales II 253, 271. |
| N1.2 | Conquering gambler. Bankrupt gambler gets supernatural power and wins back his fortune. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 276, (Zuсi): Benedict II 342, (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 5. |
| N1.2.1 | The miracle of broken die at gambling saves man. Krappe Hispanic Review XIV (1946) 164ff. |
| N1.2.2 | Dice made from bones from graveyard. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N1.3 | Betting contest between two kings. Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 8. |
| N2 | Extraordinary stakes at gambling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N2.0.1 | Play for unnamed stakes. Irish myth: *Cross; Scottish: Campbell-McKay Nos. 1, 17. |
| N2.0.2 | Stakes not claimed by winner, who insists on another game. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 17. |
| N2.1 | Own body as stake: to be taken as slave. Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 882; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 277. |
| N2.2 | Lives wagered. *Fb "spille" III 487b; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese 323; Hawaii Beckwith Myth 111, 459; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 277; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 71 No. 15. |
| N2.3 | Bodily members wagered. |
| N2.3.1 | Head wagered. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.2 | Hand wagered. To be cut off. Penzer II 232n. |
| N2.3.2.1 | Hands and feet wagered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.3 | Eyes wagered. *Type 613; Christiansen FFC XXIV 48ff., 55; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 82. |
| N2.3.4 | Nose wagered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.5 | Intestines wagered. Africa (Wute): Sieber 212f. |
| N2.4 | Helpful animals lost in wager. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.5 | Whole kingdom (all property) as wager. *Fb "spille" III 487b, "konge" II 264b; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 429. |
| N2.5.1 | Right of succession to the throne lost in gambling. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.5.2 | Half kingdom as wager. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.6 | Wife as wager. *Fb "spille" III 487b; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 216 No. 165; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 276. |
| N2.6.1 | Sister as wager. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.6.2 | Daughter as wager. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.6.3 | Damsel as wager. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.7 | Love wagered in game. Danish: Grundtvig No. 238; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N3 | Supernatural adversary in gambling (witch or giant). Norse: Boberg. |
| N3.1 | Gambling with a god. India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Zuсi) *Benedict II 338. |
| N4 | Devil as gambler. Fb "kort" II 279a, "klör" II 204; Alphabet No. 450; Scala Celi 110b, 111a Nos. 615, 616; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 33, 36, Beal XXI 311, 313; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| N4.0.1 | Devil cheated at card playing. Fb "fanden" I 267b. |
| N4.1 | Devil makes wager with builder of Cologne Cathedral. Wünsche 83f. |
| N4.2 | Playing game of chance (or skill) with uncanny being. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N5 | Card-playing parson. The parson plays cards all Saturday night, goes to sleep at church, and calls out the names of the cards. Type 1839A; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1785E*. Cf. Type 1839B. |
| N6 | Luck in gambling. |
| N6.1 | Luck in gambling from compact with devil. Scala Celi 24a No. 154; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 55 No. 408A*, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70—73. |
| N6.2 | Cuckold loses luck. A man's wife is deceived in order that he may lose in gambling. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 81. |
| N6.3 | Saint helps gambler. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N7 | Trained rat upsets pieces in gambling game: trained (or transformed) cat chases it away. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N8 | Gambler's attention distracted by women. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N9 | Wagers and gambling—miscellaneous. |
| N9.1 | Gambler loses everything. (Cf. N2.5.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N10 | Wagers on wives, husbands, or servants. |
| N11 | Wager on wife's complacency. Though the man has foolishly bargained everything away, she praises him and he wins the wager. Type 1415; *BP II 199; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 187 n. 131. |
| N12 | Wager on the most obedient wife. The husband tames his shrewish wife so that he wins the wager. *Type 901; *Wesselski Märchen 216 No. 24; von der Hagen I lxxxii; *Köhler-Bolte I 137; Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew"; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Boas JAFL XXXV 76. |
| N12.1 | Wager: raja's daughter will bring servant dinner in field. Merchant ignorant that she is his wife. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N13 | Husbands wager that they will be able to do what wives tell them to do. One is told to drown himself: loses wager. England: Baughman. |
| N15 | Chastity wager. A man makes a wager on his wife's chastity. In spite of unsuccessful attempts to seduce her and of false proofs presented, he wins the wager. *Type 882; *Köhler-Bolte I 211f., 375, 581; **G. Paris Romania XXXII 481ff.; *von der Hagen III lxxxiii; Boccaccio Decameron II No. 9 (Lee 42); Shakespeare's "Cymbeline"; *Child V 500 s.v. "wager".—Irish myth: Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 110; England: Baughman; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 276ff., III 109, 304; India: *Thompson-Balys; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 62, 253ff. |
| N15.1 | Chastity wager: woman succumbs. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 51. |
| N15.2 | Wager on nun's chastity. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 996. |
| N16 | Wagers on unborn children. |
| N16.1 | Wager on sex of unborn child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N16.2 | Fathers whose unborn children are affianced wager as to mastery in the house. (Cf. N12.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N25 | Wager on truthfulness of servant. The servant is sent to a neighbor's where he is made drunk and is seduced by the neighbor's wife. He tells the master all. *Type 889; Wesselski Märchen 200; Wesselski Mönchslatein I No. 1; Fb "lyve" II 491a, "sandhed" III 157b; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N50 | Other wagers. |
| N51 | Wager: who can call three tree names first. The bear names different varieties of the same tree, so that the fox wins the wager. *Type 7; Dh I 193; Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs (JSFO VI) 65ff.; Fb "træ" III 867b; N. A. Indian (San Carlos Apache): cf. Goddard PaAM XXIV 24. |
| N51.1 | Wager about tree names: learned and common names. Brahmin gives learned names but servant's common names are confirmed by illiterate peasants. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N53 | Wager: it is an auspicious day. In spite of all misfortunes wagerer insists that he is right. (Cf. N127.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N55 | Shooting contest on wager. *Type 592; *BP II 490ff.; Spanish: Espinosa III 153. |
| N55.1 | Loser of shooting wager to go naked into thorns for bird. *Type 592; *BP II 490ff. |
| N56 | Wager: woman to turn somersault in middle of public square. It is performed not exactly in the center of the square; hence she loses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N61 | Wager that falsehood is better than truth. Left to unjust umpire, so that falsehood wins. *Type 613; *BP II 468ff.; **Christiansen FFC XXIV 47; Chauvin V 11 No. 8, 13 No. 9, 14 No. 158; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 489; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 395. |
| N63 | Wager: more doctors than men of other professions. The trickster feigns toothache. Everyone suggests remedies. He takes down their names as doctors and wins the wager. *Wesselski Gonnella 110 No. 11; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N66 | Wager: fortune made from capital or from working at vocation. Test: money given to workman is stolen or lost; lead for his work given him is lent to fisherman who rewards him with a fish in which is a diamond. *Chauvin VI 32 No. 202. |
| N67 | Wager: woman can be forced to give alms. Trickster announces that only those who have deceived their husbands are exempt. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N71 | Wager: to begin sermon with illustration from card-playing. Card-playing parson wins the wager. Type 1839B. |
| N72 | Wager on second marvelous object. First object has proved to be ordinary. King induced to make large wager that second is ordinary. He loses. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N73 | Wager: whose hunger is it more difficult to appease—that of man or that of beast? When nuts are strewn before master's well-fed guests, they snatch and eat them. Herdsman wins wager. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1545*. |
| N75 | Wager: to swallow egg with one gulp. Tricksters give numskull egg with chick in it. Fool hears chick peep as he starts to swallow his egg, but he says that the chick peeped too late. Spanish: Childers. |
| N77 | Wager: bullock to defeat elephant. Elephant is frightened and flees. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N78 | Ghoulish wager won. England: *Baughman. |
| N90 | Wagers and gambling—miscellaneous. |
| N91 | Purchase of box without knowledge of its contents. *Chauvin VI 17 No. 189 n. 2. |
| N92 | Wager to win or lose according to whether jackal howls or ass brays before game is finished. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N94 | Father hides wealth to keep son from gambling it away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N100 | Nature of luck and fate. Penzer V 182f.; *Köhler Aufsätze 99ff.; *Patch Fortuna 78; Irish myth: Cross. |
| N101 | Inexorable fate. *Cosquin Contes Indiens 126f.; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 63 s.v. Fatalismus; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N101.1 | Inexorable fate: no day without sorrow. A king, who has made decree against sorrow on a certain day is blinded by a swallow in his sleep. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 481. |
| N101.2 | Inexorable fate: death from violating tabus. (Cf. C920.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N101.3 | Man cannot die: snake will not bite him though it is provoked by him. (Cf. N146.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1030. |
| N101.4 | Man fated to become king becomes so despite fact he breaks his tooth in which his luck resides. (Cf. N113.2.2.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 860. |
| N102 | Fortune comes to deserving and undeserving. Jewish: Neuman. |
| N110 | Luck and fate personified. |
| N111 | Fortuna. Luck (fate) thought of as a goddess. **Patch Fortuna; *Penzer I 106f., 135, II 49, 116, III 24, 74, 298, VI 42, 72, 105 n. 1, 124, 156, 159, VII 70, VIII 87; Frazer Pausanias III 424; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N111.1 | Dwelling place of Fortuna. |
| N111.1.1 | Home of Fortuna in other world. Patch PMLA XXXIII 630. |
| N111.1.2 | Home of Fortuna on island (in otherworld). *Köhler-Bolte II 412f.; *Patch Fortuna 129ff.; Hartland Science 199. |
| N111.2 | Appearance of Fortuna. |
| N111.2.1 | Fortuna blind. *Patch Fortuna 44 n. 2. |
| N111.2.1.1 | Fortune has one eye, watches over everybody. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N111.2.2 | Fortuna with two faces. *Patch Fortuna 43 nn. 3, 4. |
| N111.2.3 | Fortuna half white, half black. *Patch Fortuna 43 n. 4. |
| N111.3 | Fortune's wheel. **Patch Fortuna 147ff.; *Köhler-Bolte II 66; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 122, Beal XXI 336; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N111.3.1 | Fortune's wheel turned by dead king in mountain. Armenian: Ananikian 34. |
| N111.3.2 | Fortune with pair of scales in his hands weighs man's balance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N111.4 | Fortune's dealings with men. |
| N111.4.1 | Man thanks earth for saving his life; had he fallen into well he would have blamed Fortune. Wienert FFC LVI 81 (ET 470), 125 (ST 341); Halm Aesop No. 316; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N111.5 | Giant is clerk to God of Destiny and measures out mortals' spans of existence. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N112 | Bad luck personified. |
| N112.1 | Bad luck put into a sack. Köhler-Bolte I 258. |
| N113 | Good luck personified. |
| N113.1 | Good fortune resides in an object. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1138. |
| N113.1.1 | Casket with Good Luck in it given to men by Zeus. Wienert FFC LVI 36; *Babrius No. 58. |
| N113.2 | Personification of Good Luck lives in man's forehead. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N113.2.1 | Lucky right hand. Gaster Thespis 174. |
| N113.2.2 | Man's luck resides in his tooth. (Cf. N101.4.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 860. |
| N113.3 | Personification of Good Luck leaves palace since king is destined to die that night. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N113.4 | Luck can be found in certain place. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N114 | Fortune as an old woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N115 | Book of fate. India: *Thompson-Balys; Gaster Thespis 348. |
| N118 | Issues left to fate (luck). |
| N118.1 | Ship's course left to the winds that it might be carried where fate wills it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N119 | Luck and fate personified—miscellaneous. |
| N119.1 | Dog tries to catch its fate in its own tail. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N119.2 | Buffalo's fate in bamboo growing from head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N119.3 | Ill-omened face of king; harbinger of evil. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N120 | Determination of luck or fate. |
| N121 | Fate decided before birth. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N121.1 | Child born with objects that indicate fate. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| N121.1.1 | Spirit of new-born child in uniform. God has determined fates of everyone. Type 934*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 934C*; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI No. 934I. |
| N121.1.2 | New-born child with a weapon and a game animal: fated to be hunter. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| N121.2 | Death forestalls evil fates. Mother shown what would have been the evil fates of her children if they had not died. BP III 472ff.; Irish: Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 120. |
| N121.3 | Newborn girl fated to be a courtesan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N121.4 | Seventh daughter predestined to be magician. (Cf. Z71.5.) Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 54, 64; Spain: ibid. 69; Portugal: ibid. 70. |
| N122 | Lucky or unlucky places. |
| N122.0.1 | The choice of roads. At parting of three roads are equivocal inscriptions telling what will happen if each is chosen. Brothers each choose a different road. Köhler-Bolte I 537ff.; India Thompson-Balys. |
| N122.1 | Unlucky places. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N125 | Choices by chance. |
| N125.1 | He upon whom feather (wisp) falls to be king's fool. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N125.2 | Luck determined by whether a crooked-necked demigod is looking at one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N125.3 | King to be victorious as long as he rides muzzled gelding. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N125.4 | Districts named from first person met in each. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N126 | Lots cast to determine luck or fate. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N126.1 | Lots cast to determine who shall undertake adventure. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N126.2 | Lots cast to determine father of illegitimate child. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N127 | The auspicious (lucky) day (days). (Cf. N53.) Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N127.0.1 | Different kinds of luck attending persons born on the several days of the week. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N127.1 | Tuesday as auspicious day. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N127.2 | Wednesday as auspicious (inauspicious) day. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N127.3 | Thursday as lucky day. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N127.4 | Friday as auspicious day. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N128 | Unlucky days ("cross-days"). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N128.0.1 | Days of the week on which certain tragic deaths occurred. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N128.1 | National disasters occur always at the same date. Jewish: Neuman. |
| N128.2 | Monday and Wednesday as unlucky days. Jewish: Neuman. |
| N130 | Changing of luck or fate. |
| N131 | Acts performed for changing luck. *Fb "lykke" II 474f. |
| N131.1 | Luck changing after cohabitation. Icelandic: Bуsasaga 23, Hrolfs saga Kraka 96ff. |
| N131.2 | Turning right-handwise in certain place brings luck. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N131.3 | Spilling salt brings bad luck. |
| N131.3.1 | Judas Iscariot spills salt at the Last Supper. England: Baughman. |
| N131.4 | Luck changing after change of name. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N131.5 | Luck changing after change of place. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N134 | Persons effect change of luck. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N134.1 | Persons bring bad luck. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N134.1.1 | Unlucky to have man in house while cloth is being dyed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N134.1.2 | Wife brings bad luck to the husband's family. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N134.1.3 | Persons lose luck as punishment. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N134.1.4 | Spirit of adversity brings bad luck to house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N134.1.5 | Passenger brings bad luck to ship. Cast overboard. Jonah. (Cf. S264.1.) |
| N135 | Objects effect change of luck. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N135.1 | Thirteen as unlucky number. **Böklen Die "unglückezahl" Dreizehn (Leipzig, 1913); Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Zahlen" B 13; *Fb "tretten"; **Kyriakiodos To Dysoionon tou Arithmou 13 (Athens, 1953). |
| N135.2 | Possession of money brings luck. Nothing escapes a mouse as long as she has in her hole a purse of money Chauvin II 94 No. 45; Bødker Exempler 291 No. 49. |
| N135.2.1 | Discovery of treasure brings luck. Chinese: Graham. |
| N135.3 | The luck-bringing shirt. The king is to become lucky when he puts on the shirt of a lucky man. The only man who says that he is lucky has no shirt. *Type 844; **Köhler Aufsätze 119ff.; H. C. Andersen's "Lykkens Galocher"; Edwin Markham's "The Shoes of Fortune." |
| N135.3.1 | Feast for those who have not known sorrow. Dying Alexander's letter to his mother orders such a feast. No one comes. *Köhler-Bolte I 579; Köhler Aufsätze 130. |
| N135.4 | Lucky marks on body. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N136 | The judge's bad-luck bringing boots. The wealthy merchant becomes a beggar, due to the judge's boots he acquired through exchange (theft). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2447*. |
| N137 | Philosopher conquers evil fate. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N140 | Nature of luck and fate—miscellaneous motifs. |
| N141 | Luck or intelligence? Dispute as to which is the more powerful. Man with intelligence remains poor (is brought into court). Saved by mere luck. *Type 945; BP III 53f.; Tille FFC XXXIV 254; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 47, 128, 276, 281; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N141.1 | Which is more important, learning or wit? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N141.2 | Which is more powerful, wealth or wisdom? India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N141.3 | Which is more beautiful, nymph of Luck or of Ill-Luck (Luck when coming, Ill-Luck when going). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N141.4 | Weaver married by Wealth to a princess to show Wisdom that he is the more powerful. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N142 | Destiny better than work, show, or speculation. A peasant makes a little by his work; a nobleman more by his outward show; a merchant still more by speculation; but a prince most of all by his destiny. Chauvin II 109 No. 72; Bødker Exempler 305 No. 76; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N143 | Luck only with money that is earned honestly. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N145 | Cast-out princess prospers because of Good Luck. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N146 | Man not fated to die cannot be killed. (Cf. N101.3.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N170 | The capriciousness of luck. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N171 | Unprotected son makes fortune; protected son has bad luck. Type 935*. |
| N172 | Prodigal as favorite of fortune. *Type 935; Irish: Beal XXI 305, O'Suilleabhain 14. |
| N172.1 | Prodigal son favored over faithful son. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N173 | Disagreeable and disliked youth as favorite of Fortune. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N174 | Careful builder outside when storm comes is killed; careless builder saved. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 247 No. 58. |
| N177 | Beggar escapes from fire. Refused hospitality, he must sleep outdoors. The house burns down. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 479; Jewish: Neuman. |
| N178 | Loss of eye saves man from execution. Man to be buried with king. Gets off because he lacks an eye. *Wesselski Märchen 230; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 480. |
| N178.1 | Broken leg saves man from fatal fight. King has ordered that he be killed in a fight. He breaks his leg and cannot take part. Meantime the king learns of his innocence. Chauvin II 152 No. 18; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N178.2 | Man chosen for execution because he is fat. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N178.3 | King's counselor expelled from a court thereby escapes accompanying the king, who is killed by robbers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N178.4 | Only crippled cow not driven away by robbers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N181 | Fortunes of the rich man and of the poor man. The Fortune of the rich brother tells the poor brother to seek his luck under a bush. The poor man goes there and Fortune tells him to become a merchant. He becomes rich. Type 735; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N182 | Snake turns to gold in answer to dream. Woman tells dream of pot of gold. Robbers overhear but finding only snake in pot turn it loose on woman's bed. It turns to gold. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N183 | Money lost twice: recovered third time. Type 935**; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 946*; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 114 No. 945A*. |
| N185 | Fugitive woman burdened with child saved; childless woman killed. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 136 No. 92. |
| N186 | Man who derided another's faith in the stars becomes respected astrologer. (Cf. P481.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N187 | Hero fails to meet the man he seeks, though they are close to one another. Icelandic: Sterka 436, Boberg. |
| N200 | The good gifts of fortune. |
| N201 | Wish for exalted husband realized. Girls make wish that they may marry king (prince, etc.). It so happens. *Type 707; *BP II 380ff., 393; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 388. |
| N202 | Wishes for good fortune realized. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 87, 420, II 824. |
| N202.1 | Wish realized that all women should fall in love with man at sight. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 724. |
| N203 | Lucky person. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N211 | Lost object returns to its owner. |
| N211.1 | Lost ring found in fish. (Polycrates.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 635; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 188 No. 146; *Chauvin V 17 No. 10, 141 No. 68, VI 32 No. 202; Fb "ring" IV 328b; Toldo VIII 40; Saintyves "L'Anneau de Polycrate" Revue de l'histoire des religions (1912) 1—32; *Loomis White Magic 121.—Irish: Plummer clxxxiv, *Cross; Norwegian: Solheim Register 20; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman, *Gaster Exempla 210 No. 118, *bin Gorion Born Judas II 106, 344, III 51, 55, 300; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 29; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 7; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 133. |
| N211.1.0.1 | Lost articles found in interior of fish through virtue of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211.1.1 | Lost pin found in fish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211.1.2 | Key (to fetters) found in fish. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N211.1.3 | Lost sword found in fish. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N211.1.4 | Lost trinket found in fish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211.1.5 | Brooch lost by saint found in fish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211.2 | Unavailing attempt to get rid of slippers; they always return. *Chauvin VI 130 No. 283. |
| N211.3 | Angel helps to find lost pin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N212 | Money cannot be kept from where it is destined to go. Miser told that his hoard is to go to poor man. He hides it in a trunk and throws it into the sea but it drifts to the house of the poor man who tries in vain to restore it to its owner. *Type 745; *Chauvin II 129 No. 137; *Herbert III 234, 377 No. 61, 447; *Oesterley No. 109, Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 934B*; Russian: Andrejev No. 834B*; West Indies: Flowers 563. |
| N212.1 | Husband's magic gift returns to him. Wife gives husband's magic gift (fruit) to lover, who presents it to a dancing girl, who sells it back to the husband. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N213 | Man fated to be rich. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 828, 931. |
| N215 | Child borne off by tiger, which is caught by griffin, which is killed by lioness, which rears child with her whelps. English: Wells 118 (Octavian); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N221 | Man granted power of winning at cards. Irish: Beal XXI 329, O'Suilleabhain 90; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 45, 52 Nos. 313, 345, Espinosa II Nos. 122ff., 168—171, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70—73, 210. |
| N222 | First objects picked up bring fortune. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N223 | Man must have drinking horn; stumble reveals one as he departs on search. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N224 | Man finds treasure he refused as gift. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N225 | Man robbed and penniless entertained by wealthy widow and enriched. Boccaccio Decameron II No. 2 (Lee 25); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N226 | Wrecked man saved on coffer of jewels; becomes rich. Boccaccio Decameron II No. 4 (Lee 30); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N227 | Man who is impoverished is given high post by princess in disguise. Marries her. (Cf. N251.3.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N228 | Leopard tied in bag in water floats to shore and finds a mate. Grateful to trickster who has tied him up. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N231 | The fourteen lucky daughters. The husband leaves his wife, who has given birth to fourteen girls, thinking he is persecuted by bad luck because of failure to have a son. On the seashore, the girls find precious stones. The wife, now prosperous, finds her husband among beggars. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1668*. |
| N234 | Boast of poor boy made good by fate: he boasts to elder brothers he will build a palace on a certain spot; accidentally comes on treasure trove and makes good his boast. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N250 | Persistent bad luck. *Fb "ulykke" III 973a; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N250.1 | Bad luck follows man who shoots stork. *Fb "stork" III 592b. |
| N250.2 | Persecution by bad luck. Wishing to escape it, the luckless couple build themselves a new home. Scarcely do they establish themselves in the new home, when bad luck addresses them from the hearth: "I have already waited for you here three days." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 735B*. |
| N250.3 | Persecution by a god so that will of deity can be followed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N250.4 | Bad luck banished and freed. The poor man in some way banishes his bad luck and becomes prosperous. Out of envy his rich brother sets it free; it then follows him. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 735A*; Russian: Andrejev No. 735 I*. |
| N251 | Person pursued by misfortune. (Placidas, Eustacius.) His goods are destroyed, his wife carried off by a ship captain and his children by animals. *Type 938; Herbert III 241; *Oesterley No. 110; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XXVIII 154f.; Alphabet No. 311; *Hibbard 3ff.; Boccaccio Decameron II Nos. 6, 8 (Lee 34, 39); *Loomis White Magic 112; **Gerould PMLA XIX 335ff.; Dickson 100 n. 7.—Irish: *Cross; O'Suilleabhain 42, Beal XXI 315; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 374; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 113, 793; West Indies: Flowers 564. |
| N251.1 | Man captured by pirates is maimed, crippled, blinded. He is patient through it all. Finally he is elected ruler by his dead master's subjects. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N251.2 | Man who aspires to greater wealth loses all. When he is about to be rewarded by king the latter dies. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N251.3 | Man who loses fortune marries widow of his rich master. (Cf. N227.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N251.4 | Travelers pursued by misfortune. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N251.5 | Fortune of the lucky wife. A luckless man becomes successful in all his undertakings when he marries a lucky woman and lives by her luck. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 737B*. |
| N251.6 | The luckless son and his envious father. Seeing a luck-bringing animal at his son's house, the wizard father orders it to be destroyed, but the grandchildren eat of its meat and become fortunate. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 738*. |
| N251.7 | Misfortune pursues farmer. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| N252 | Messengers announce successive misfortunes. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Greek: Aeschylus Agamemnon line 860; Jewish: Neuman. Cf. story of Job. |
| N252.1 | Messengers announce successive misfortunes to warrior as he sets out for war. Tells of death of father, mother, brother, and sister, but he refuses to turn back. Finnish: Kalevala rune 36. |
| N253 | Safety in shadow of wall. After many misfortunes the man is apparently safe. The wall falls on him. *Type 947; *BP III 289f.; Bødker Exempler 277 No. 18; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N255 | Escape from one misfortune into worse. |
| N255.1 | Stag escapes from hunters to be eaten by lion. Wienert FFC LVI *49, 55 (ET 86, 152), 116, 136 (ST 261, 417); Halm Aesop No. 129, 252. |
| N255.2 | Ass gets progressively worse masters. Finally the farmer beats him living and will not spare his hide when he is dead. Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 435), 109 (ST 214, 390); Halm Aesop No. 329. |
| N255.3 | Halcyon builds nest on sea-cliff to escape land hazards. Tempest blows nest away. Wienert FFC LVI *63 (ET 266), 140 (ST 4623; Halm Aesop No. 29. |
| N255.4 | Fugitive slave takes refuge in mill house, where he must work harder than ever. Wienert FFC LVI *83 (ET 499), 116 (ST 260); Halm Aesop No. 121. |
| N255.5 | Daw fleeing from captivity caught in trees by thread around foot. Starves. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 265), 116 (ST 259); Halm Aesop No. 202. |
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