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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 |
|---|---|
| R336 | Refuge under kettle. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| R341 | Escape by intervention of Providence. (Cf. F942.1.) |
| R341.1 | Lightning strikes branch on which man is being hanged. Delay gives him chance to prove his innocence. (Cf. R175.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| R345 | Cities of refuge. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| R350 | Recapture of fugitive. |
| R351 | Fugitive discovered by reflection in water. *Type 408; *Cox 503; *Cosquin Contes indiens 85ff.; *Köhler-Bolte I 281; Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 64 to Gonzenbach No. 14; Malone PMLA XLIII 399.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 212, Dixon 140 n. 21, 226 n. 33; New Hebrides, Torres Straits, New Guinea: ibid. 140 n. 21; Melanesia: ibid. 226 n. 33; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 352 n. 270. |
| R351.1 | Milk drops from woman's breast on tiger's leg and reveals her hiding place in tree. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 156, 161. |
| R352 | Lovers fleeing from slavery are recaptured. (Cf. R211.4.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| R355 | Eloping girl recaptured by parents. (Cf. R225.) Type 516; Rösch FFC LXXVII 111. |
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