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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| R152.2 | Woman disguised as man sells herself into slavery in order to ransom (free) her husband (lover). (Cf. K1837.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| R53.2 | Woman hidden in sacred place which her lover is not supposed to dare to enter. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| R53.1 | Woman hidden in underground chamber or mud cabin. (Cf. R45.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| R81.1 | Woman suckles husband isolated on rock. Irish myth: Cross. |
| R81 | Woman suckles imprisoned relative through prison wall. **Köhler-Bolte I 373, II 387; *Fb "datter" IV 94b; *DeCock Studien en Essays 23ff.; *Crane Vitry 232f. No. 238; *Oesterley No. 215; Herbert III 220; Alphabet No. 166; Scala Celi 39a No. 220; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 28.—Spanish: Keller, Espinosa II No. 17; Jewish: Neuman. |
| R169.14 | Wounded hero restored in peasant's house. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| R155.1 | Youngest brother rescues his elder brothers. (Cf. L31.) *Types 303, 303*, 327**, 471, 551; MacCulloch Childhood 353; *BP I 503ff., 528ff.— Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Arabian: Burton Nights S V 249; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 182; N. A. Indian (Arapaho): Dorsey and Kroeber FM V 23ff. Nos. 10, 11, (Dakota): Wissler JAFL XX 199, (Chinook): Boas BBAE XXV 9ff. Nos. 1, 2, (Quinault): Farrand JE II 114 No. 10, (Caddo): Dorsey CI XLI 58ff. Nos. 32, 33, (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 7; Africa (Thonga): Junod 229, (Fjort): Dennett 64 No. 12. |
| R157.1 | Youngest sister rescues elder. (Cf. L50.) *Type 311; *BP I 398ff.; *Roberts 219. |
| R169.6 | Youth saved from death sentence by father's friend. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
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