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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| S354.1 | Abandoned child adopted and found by queen. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S351.1 | Abandoned child cared for by grandmother (aunt, foster mother). Irish: *Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 167; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 91. |
| S351 | Abandoned child cared for by mother secretly. (Cf. R153.) Africa (Zulu): Callaway 236, (Basuto): Jacottet 128ff. No. 18. |
| S351.0.1 | Abandoned child made over to its own mother (sister) acting as wet nurse. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S351.2 | Abandoned child reared by herdsman. (Cf. R131.3.) Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Grote I 241, 263; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 458. |
| S353 | Abandoned child reared by supernatural beings. India: *Thompson-Balys; Maori: Dixon 42. |
| S336 | Abandoned child wrapped in straw. DeVries FFC LXXIII 326f. |
| S366 | Abandoned children return and kill parents. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 89. |
| S371 | Abandoned daughter's son becomes hero. *Dixon 130, 132 n. 2, 136 nn. 10, 11; Greek: Grote I 854; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S300 | Abandoned or murdered children. |
| S465 | Abandoned person in woods comforted by prophet and birds. (Cf. S143.) *Grünwald Hessische Blätter für Vksk. XXX—XXXI 315. |
| S351.2.1 | Abandoned princess, brought up by herdsmen, becomes wife of king. Irish myth: *Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 378. |
| S438 | Abandoned queen blinded. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S357 | Abandoned sister rescued by brothers. When she is refused entrance to house, she makes complaint in a song and brothers bring her clothes. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 883C*. |
| S445 | Abandoned wife hidden under a tub. Cox 501; Grimm No. 9. |
| S144.1 | Abandonment alone on foreign coast. English: Wells 80 (Sir Tristrem). |
| S148 | Abandonment in bonds that cannot be loosed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S146.2 | Abandonment in cave. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 471. |
| S144 | Abandonment in desert. *Type 310; BP I 97ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S143 | Abandonment in forest. *Types 327, 450, 708, 872*; BP I 79ff., 115ff.; *Dickson 35 n. 16; *Sparnaay 41ff.; Roberts 128. — English: Wells 118 (Octovian); Icelandic: Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "abandon"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II 99-105, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142 —45; Greek: Grote I 109; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S146 | Abandonment in pit. Chauvin VII 108 No. 379bis; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Lagerholm 161—63, Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Hebrew: Genesis ch. 37, *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 41. |
| S153 | Abandonment in stable. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S143.2 | Abandonment in tall tree. India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294, (Sherente): Lowie ibid. (1) 515. |
| S146.1 | Abandonment in well. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S140.1 | Abandonment of aged. Type 981*; *Encyc. Religion Ethics s.v. "Abandonment and exposure"; *F. Brouga-Brey Revista de dialectologia y tradiciones populares (Madrid) I 496—573; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 547; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 116; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 186 No. 82. |
| S145 | Abandonment on an island. (Marooning.) *Type 506, 890; BP III 490ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "abandon"; French Canadian: Morin JAFL XXX 147; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 53 n. 5; Papua: Ker 7, 112; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 358; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 56, Rasmussen III 200, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Central): Boas RBAE VI 637, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 163, 166; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 405ff. |
| S147.1.1 | Abandonment on cliff near nest of a bird. S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294. |
| S147.1 | Abandonment on cliff. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; Greek: Aeschylus Prometheus Bound; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S147 | Abandonment on mountain. *Type 675; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S22.1.1 | Adopted son plots death of parents. Usurps the throne. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S31.1 | Adulteress and paramour plot against her stepson. They fear that he may betray them. Fischer-Bolte 214. |
| S302.1 | All new-born male children slaughtered. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S223.3 | An old maid promises the devil her first born. She wishes to get a husband. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 391. |
| S235 | Angry man gives away his daughter to a beggar. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193. |
| S172.1 | Angry paramour bites off his mistress's nose. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 318, 328. |
| S352 | Animal aids abandoned child(ren). (Cf. B535.) Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Sherenti): Lowe BBAE CXLIII (1) 515; West Indies: Flowers 576. |
| S352.1 | Animal preserves fire for abandoned children in a clam shell. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 347, 349 nn. 247, 255. |
| S165.7 | Artisan who has built palace blinded so he cannot build another like it. (Cf. S161.0.1, W181.2.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 489, 672. |
| S139.2.2.7 | Ash (hazel) stakes thrust through bodies of slain warriors. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.8 | Ashes of murdered person passed through sieve and remains put to manure heap. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S112.4 | Attempted murder by live coals in garments. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S123.4 | Avenger plans to let king starve in mountain chamber. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S327.2 | Baby ordered killed because it pulls beard of father (raja). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S322.4.1 | Banishment (death) of stepchildren demanded as cure for feigned illness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S221.1 | Bankrupt father sells his daughters in marriage to animals. (Sometimes to pay gambling debt.) (Cf. S215.) *Types 425C, 552A; *BP II 234ff., III 424ff.; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 65; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 149, II 1013. |
| S62.3 | Barren wife exposed by husband. Jewish: Neuman. |
| S411.3 | Barren wife sent away. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S361 | Bird carries food from deserted child to starving parents. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 348 n. 250. |
| S165.3 | Blinding by thrusting needles into eyes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S166.6 | Blood-eagle cut on man's back by flaying and salting. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 656, *Boberg. |
| S62.1 | Bluebeard. Girl marries murderous husband. *Type 312; cf. Type 955; *BP I 404ff.; Child I 47; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 312f. Nos. 73, 77; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 91—93. |
| S112.1 | Boiling to death. Often in pitch or oil. *Cosquin études 360ff.; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 83 No. 711A*; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 321 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S25.1 | Boy kills his grandfather. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S322.1.5 | Boy turned out of doors by father. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.4.2 | Brains of enemies fashioned into balls (as trophies for play). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S73.1.2 | Brother kills and eats brother. (Cf. G10.) Tonga: Gifford 27, Mono: Wheeler No. 22. |
| S123.1 | Burial alive of drugged person. *Chauvin VI 15 No. 188 n. 1. |
| S123.5 | Burial alive of maiden to keep her safe from rival. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S123 | Burial alive. **Feilberg "Levende begravet" (Еrbog for dansk Kulturhistorie, 1892); *Liebrecht 284; *Fb "høj" I 741b, "levende" II 403a—404a, "jord" II 45b. — Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 74, Beal XXI 327; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 326 No. 4; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enterrement"; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 203f.; Greek: Sophocles' Antigone; India: *Thompson-Balys; Society Islands: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 557; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 221, 232, Rasmussen II 94, III 53, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 171, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 639, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 34, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 161, (Ungava): Turner RBAE VI 262. |
| S266 | Burial of live girl to banish plague. German: Knoop Sagen u. Erzählungen aus Posen 123. |
| S123.2 | Burial of living husband or wife with dead spouse. Type 612; *BP I 126ff., 128; *Chauvin VII 20 No. 373D; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| S123.2.1 | Burial of living man with dead blood brother. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S54.1 | Burned and underbaked bread. Wishing to rid herself of her father-in-law, the daughter-in-law starts to feed him burned bread; but the old man begins to thrive on it. When she tries underbaked bread, he dies very soon. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2427*. |
| S112 | Burning to death. (See notes to K955 and Q414.) Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 97 (Chevalere Assigne); Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 192 No. 28. |
| S139.3 | Captured women hanged and crucified. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S435 | Cast-off wife abandoned in pit. (Cf. T581.2.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 202. |
| S433 | Cast-off wife abandoned on island. (Cf. S145.) Type 890 (Christiansen Norske Eventyr 113); Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 105, 119. |
| S441 | Cast-off wife and child abandoned in forest. (Cf. S143.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S431.1 | Cast-off wife and child exposed in boat. Hibbard 26ff.; English: Wells 115 (Sir Eglamour of Artois), 117 (Sir Torrent of Portyngale), 129 (Emare), Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 3; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 155 n. 3; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S431 | Cast-off wife exposed in boat. *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 83ff. |
| S437 | Cast-off wife sent to herd cows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S432 | Cast-off wife thrown into water. (Cf. S142.) *Types 403, 450, 707; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 382ff., (Teton): Dorsey JAFL II 137. |
| S436 | Cast-off wife's head shaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.4.3 | Chess board and men made from bones of slain enemies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S143.1 | Child abandoned in hollow tree. English: Wells 126 (Lai Le Freine); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S261.1 | Child as foundation sacrifice smiles and wins freedom. The king asks him why he smiles. "One first expects mercy from the parents; if they have none, then from the king. Now only God will have mercy." *Krappe Balor 171ff.; Penzer VII 87 n. 1, 88—96, 250ff.; *DeVries "De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind" Nederlandsche Tijdschrift voor Volkskunde XXXII (1917); India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S325.0.1.1 | Child born with caul exposed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S273 | Child bought to serve as sacrifice to demon. Penzer VII 87 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S327 | Child cast out because of his stupidity. Type 563; Grimm No. 36; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S110.1.1 | Child condemned to be killed in famine. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S350.2 | Child driven out (exposed) brought up in secret. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S335 | Child exposed at palace gate. Penzer VII 81 n. 1, 82 n., 250. |
| S329.1 | Child exposed so as to avoid death decree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S334.1 | Child exposed with twelve years' supply of food and attendants. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S20.2 | Child hides food from starving parents. Marquesas: Handy 114. |
| S312.1 | Child of incest exposed. (Cf. T410.) *Type 933; Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 173 (to Gonzenbach No. 85); *Baum PMLA XXXI 562 n. 59; Krappe Neuphilologische Mitteilungen XXXIV (1933) 11—22; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S313 | Child of supernatural birth exposed. (Cf. T520.) *Nutt FLR IV 1ff., Gaster Thespis 255; Greek: Grote I 103; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S211.1 | Child of woman and devil taken to his father. Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49. |
| S215 | Child promised to animal. (Cf. B620.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa: Werner African 223. |
| S224 | Child promised to devil for acting as godfather. (Cf. N411.) *Types 314, 502, 756B; *BP II 319ff., 329; Andrejev FFC LXIX 50; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "filleul". |
| S226 | Child promised to devil for directions out of woods when father is lost. *Andrejev FFC LXIX 51, 58, 229 n.; BP II 483f. |
| S225 | Child promised to devil for help on road with broken wagon. Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 56, 228 n. |
| S227 | Child promised to devil in exchange for a good catch of fish. *Andrejev FFC LXIX 51, 60, 230 n.; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 38, Beal XXI 314. |
| S214 | Child promised to mermaid. (Cf. B81.) Köhler-Bolte I 178; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S213 | Child promised to wood-spirit. (Cf. F441.) Type 667*. |
| S260.1.1 | Child sacrifice as religious rite. Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 329, O'Suilleabhain 90; Jewish: *Neuman; N. A. Indian (Aztec): Alexander Lat. Am. 72. |
| S255.2 | Child sacrificed to deity returned to mother alive and whole after the ablution and ceremonial rites in honor of her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S263.2 | Child sacrificed to gain favor of gods. Penzer II 214ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 111, Fox 52, 126; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S268 | Child sacrificed to provide blood for cure of friend. (Cf. S260.1.4.) *Type 516; **Rösch FFC LXXVII 138ff., 161ff.; BP I 56; *Chauvin VIII 195 No. 235: *Wells 787 (Amis and Amiloun); Hibbard 70ff.; Scala Celi 10a No. 64; Alphabet No. 55.—Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 9, Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S221 | Child sold (promised) for money. *Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50ff., 56ff., *223, 227 n., *230 n.; Fb "sælge" III 722a; *Ward II 661 No. 4 (wife sold); Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 65 No. 471B*, Espinosa II No. 117. |
| S211 | Child sold (promised) to devil (ogre). See also references to S220—S259, practically all of which apply here. *Types 314, 400, 502, 756B, 810; BP II 329, III 463, 531; *Cosquin études 365, 542ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 242 No. 52; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 46; Sébillot France III 446, IV 127; Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352. — Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 42 No. 29AB; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 293 No. 1, 300 No. 2; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant", "diable"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 17; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, Espinosa Jr. No. 66; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 147; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 210, 212; Africa: Werner African 214. |
| S210.1 | Child sold into slavery. English: Wells 22 (Sir Beues of Hamtoun); Greek: Grote I 163; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 946. See also story of Joseph. |
| S210.2 | Child sold to be killed. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S212 | Child sold to magician. *Type 325; *Cosquin études 523; BP II 60; Jones PMLA XXIII 567; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S241 | Child unwittingly promised: "first thing you meet." (Jephthah's vow.) *Types 425, 810; *BP II 329, 483; *Fb "først" I 404, "møde" II 647a; Wünsche 34f.; *Tegethoff 18; *Cox Cinderella 511; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 62, 228 n.; Johnston MLN XXII 233. — French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 17; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 66; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Boas JAFL XXXV 66 No. 2. |
| S242 | Child unwittingly promised: "what you have at home." The man thinks it is a cat (dog). *Types 316, 710; *BP I 21; Köhler-Bolte I 312; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 62, 228 n.; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 54 No. 455; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103. |
| S242.1 | Child unwittingly promised: "What you wife has under her belt." BP I 98f.; Danish: Grundtvig No. 33. |
| S243 | Child unwittingly promised: Nix-Naught-Nothing. The child born while the father is away is named Nix-Naught-Nothing. Köhler-Bolte I 279; English: Jacobs English Fairy Tales 33. |
| S245 | Child unwittingly promised: what is born on your farm. Two women agree that what is born on the farm of each belongs exclusively to the owner. The child of one is born on the farm of the other. Africa (Fjort): Dennett 58 No. 11. |
| S333 | Child's ankles pierced before exposing him. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 344 n. 1 (Oedipus). |
| S161.1.1 | Child's finger-ends cut off to give long life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S223 | Childless couple promise child to the devil if they may only have one. *Type 756B; *BP III 107; *Wesselski Märchen 242 No. 52; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49, 52, *223ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Swahili): Steere 379. |
| S223.4 | Childless couple promise one of two children to devil if they may only have them. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S322 | Children abandoned (driven forth, exposed) by hostile relative. *Roberts 128; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 114, Espinosa Jr. No. 140. |
| S301 | Children abandoned (exposed). *Types 327, 450, 590, 675, 920, 930; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 40ff.; *Penzer VII 81 n. 1, 82 n. 250; *Boje 65; *Cosquin études 199ff.; *Prato RTP IV 178; **Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; **Hartland FLJ IV 308; *Aarne FFC XXIII 60; Cowell Jataka V 230; Dickson 152.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant"; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, 119; Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 8, *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 94f.; Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 471; Tonga: Gifford 122; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 523; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 369, 385; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 349 n. 255, (California): Gayton and Newman 89, (Zuсi): Benedict II 335; West Indies: Flowers 576. |
| S152 | Children abandoned in box in potter's kiln. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S321.1 | Children abandoned in famine. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 374, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 34a; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 335; Africa (Wachaga): Gutmann 142. |
| S31.2 | Children enchanted by stepmother. (Cf. D683.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S337 | Children enticed into grain pot and imprisoned. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S233 | Children given in return for being taught magic. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S356 | Children left at home seek exposed brothers and sisters. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 207. |
| S302 | Children murdered. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S20.1 | Children sell mother. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict 340. |
| S234 | Children sold in exchange for food. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 60. |
| S210 | Children sold or promised. *Type 930; Aarne FFC XXIII 54; BP I 98; Grimm Nos. 12, 31, 55, 92, 181; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S240 | Children unwittingly promised (sold). (Cf. S211.) *Types 314, 400, 710, 756B; *BP II 329; *Fb "frugtsommelig" I 376, "ufødt" III 926a; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50ff., 56ff., 223; *MacCulloch Childhood 418; Irish: Baughman; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 8. |
| S330 | Circumstances of murder or exposure of children. |
| S112.0.1 | City burned with all inhabitants. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S185.1 | Co-wife forces pregnant woman to perform lowly tasks. (Cf. T257.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.3.1 | Corpse buried face down as indignity. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.6 | Corpse drawn asunder. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.5 | Corpses burned as fuel for cooking. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S165.2 | Crane pecks out tiger's eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S140 | Cruel abandonments and exposures. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S72 | Cruel aunt. Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 7; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| S31.3 | Cruel bird stepmother feeds young ones with thorns. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S20 | Cruel children and grandchildren. |
| S54 | Cruel daughter-in-law. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256f.; Marquesas: Handy 111. |
| S11.4.4 | Cruel father seeks to kill infant son. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S52 | Cruel father-in-law. *Type 516; *Rösch FFC LXXVII 120; *BP I 46ff.; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "gendre"; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, 105; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 85, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 168. |
| S11.3.4 | Cruel father, learning that he is to be killed by his son, puts to death all children born to him. (Cf. M375.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S11 | Cruel father. *Types 451, 516, 671, 706, 725, 870; *Rösch FFC LXXVII 120; *Schlauch Constance and other accused Queens 40; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 326 n. 177. |
| S11.4.3 | Cruel fathers threaten to kill their children if they are of undesirable sex. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S36 | Cruel foster father. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 480. |
| S37 | Cruel foster son. (Cf. S22.1.1.) S. A. Indian (Warrau): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 146, (Jivaro): ibid. 148, (Amuesha): ibid. 150. |
| S42 | Cruel grandfather. Kills his grandchildren. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S41 | Cruel grandmother. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "grand'mère"; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 254 No. 37. |
| S40 | Cruel grandparents. |
| S25 | Cruel grandson. |
| S62 | Cruel husband. *Type 760, 887. See references to H461. Icelandic: *Boberg; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 152; Eskimo: Boas BAM XV 188, 310, 331. |
| S11.3.5 | Cruel king slays brother and brother's son. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S12.4 | Cruel mother blinds son. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 99, Rasmussen I 312, III 201, Holm 31. |
| S12.5 | Cruel mother expels (drives away) child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S12.2 | Cruel mother kills child. Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 139, 151, 157; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S12.6 | Cruel mother refuses children food. Eskimo (Central): Boas RBAE VI 625, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 168; Cook Islands: Clark 77. |
| S51.1 | Cruel mother-in-law plans death of daughter-in-law. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S51 | Cruel mother-in-law. See references to K2110.1. and K2215, many of which have the present motif. *Type 706; *BP I 295ff.; *Dickson 25 n. 26, 29 n. 3, 30 n. 4, 31 n. 9, 41 n. 40; Saintyves Perrault 67; **Däumling Studie über den Typus des Märchens ohne Hände (München, 1912); *Andree (1878) 159; Hibbard 26; Schlauch Constance and Accused Queens 40. — English: Wells 96 (Chevalere Assigne), 118 (Octovian), 130 (Emare); Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 1480*; Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 5, *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Penzer III 44f.; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 342, 736; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 125, 189; New Guinea: Dixon 136; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 177; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 180 n. 1. |
| S12 | Cruel mother. *Types 511, 590, 706, 765, 781; *BP I 551, III 2; *Boje 62f.; *Child V 475 s.v. "Cruel". — Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "mère"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Keller, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 115, 148f., Espinosa II Nos. 115f.; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Eskimo: Rink 389, Kroeber JAFL XII 181; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 76 No. 12, 168 No. 24, 190 No. 28, (Angola): Chatelain 30 No. 1. |
| S74 | Cruel nephew. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| S10 | Cruel parents. *Types 327AB, 517, 832; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. See also S300—S399, Abandoned or murdered children, and many of the motifs in S200—S299, Cruel sacrifices. |
| S400 | Cruel persecutions. |
| S0 | Cruel relative. |
| S50 | Cruel relatives-in-law. Chinese: Graham. |
| S200 | Cruel sacrifices. |
| S55 | Cruel sister-in-law. Chinese: Graham. |
| S21.5 | Cruel son tries to sterilize father. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S56 | Cruel son-in-law. India: Thompson-Balys; Marquesas: Handy 126; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 177. |
| S21 | Cruel son. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 139, 151, 157; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 287, 547, 632; Africa (Fang): Einstein 161. |
| S60 | Cruel spouse. |
| S30 | Cruel step- and foster relatives. |
| S33 | Cruel stepbrother. (Cf. K2211.3.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S32 | Cruel stepfather. Type 970**; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S31.4 | Cruel stepmother feeds children with fish spines (thorns) to kill them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S31 | Cruel stepmother. *Types 403, 425, 432, 450, 451, 480, 502, 510, 511, 516, 590, 592, 706, 708, 709, 720; BP I 42ff., 70ff., 79ff., 165ff., 207ff., 227ff., 412ff., *421, 427ff., 450ff., II 45ff., 229ff., 490ff., III 60ff., 137, 338f.; **W. Lincke Das tiefmuttermotiv im Märchen der germanischen Völker (Berlin, 1933); *MacCulloch Childhood 150; *Cox Cinderella passim; Böklen Sneewittchenstudien passim; *Arfert Unterschobene Braut passim; Rösch FFC LXXVII 120; Ranke FFC CXIV 154ff.; *Child V 497 s.v. "stepmother"; *Fb "stifmoder"; Dh III 414ff.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "marâtre"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 63 No. 453; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 6, III No. 10, V No. 8, Rotunda; Greek: Grote I 103, 116; Jewish: *Neuman, *bin Gorion Born Judas I 375; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Penzer I 185; Chinese: Ferguson 162, Eberhard FFC CXX 52f., 109, 125; Japanese: Ikeda, Anesaki 324; Korean: Zong in-Sob 201f. No. 97; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 209, Dixon 238f.; Hawaii, Micronesia, Melanesia: ibid. 89 nn. 97—102; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 382ff.; S. A. Indian (Karib): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147; Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 228; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 269 No. 81. |
| S34 | Cruel stepsister(s). Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| S71.1 | Cruel uncle poisons nephew (king). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S71 | Cruel uncle. Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 19 (William of Palerne); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oncle"; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek: Aeschylus Agamemnon 1220 (Atreus); India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 447, 1303; Hindu: Keith 177; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 422; Samoa: ibid. 473; Mono: Wheeler No. 29; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 127. |
| S481 | Cruelty to animals. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 181 No. 123. |
| S185 | Cruelty to pregnant woman. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.1.3 | Custom: sitting upon head of slain enemy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S228 | Daughter promised to monster as bride to secure flower (bird) she has asked for. *Type 425C; *Tegethoff 12, 18; *BP II 229ff., *232 n. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S232 | Daughter promised to tiger in marriage for help in carrying load. (Cf. B620.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S247 | Daughter unwittingly promised to dog rescuer. (Cf. B620.1.) Without knowing that a dog has rescued her, the father offers her in marriage to her rescuer. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 421; Japanese: Ikeda: |
| S263.2.2 | Daughters sacrificed to avert famine. *Frazer Pausanias II 78. |
| S139.2.2.3 | Dead dog buried with enemy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.2 | Dead man gutted and filled with stones. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S117 | Death by dragging behind horse. *Fb "hest" I 599b; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S464 | Deity appears before persecuted youngest brother and gives him a flock of sheep. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S353.1 | Deity nurtures and rears abandoned child. India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1366. |
| S255.1 | Deity promises deliverance of promised child to mother in dream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S255 | Deity saves person about to be sacrificed. (Cf. S263.2.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S378 | Deserted children become Thunder. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 91. |
| S321 | Destitute parents abandon children. *Encyc. Religion Ethics s.v. "Abandonment and exposure"; *Type 327; *BP I 123; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Grote I 103; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256 No. 200a; Korean: Zong in-Sob 43 No. 25. |
| S113.2.1 | Devil cuts off hand of woman and suffocates her. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 289; Scala Celi 57b No. 321. |
| S241.2 | Devil is to have last one who leaves "black school". Fb. "fanden" I 267b; Scotland, England: Baughman. |
| S325 | Diseased child exposed. Africa (Kaffir): Kidd 224 No. 1. |
| S326.1 | Disobedient child burned. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S326 | Disobedient children cast forth. India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 205. |
| S430 | Disposal of cast-off wife. |
| S191 | Driving insane by keeping awake. Nouvelles Récréations No. 68. |
| S73.1.3 | Elder brother threatens to kill younger as soon as he is born. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 436. |
| S123.6 | Enemies buried alive up to their necks and exposed to jackals. (Cf. Q456.1.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 570. |
| S322.4 | Evil stepmother casts boy forth. *Types 592; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S322.4.2 | Evil stepmother orders stepdaughter to be killed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S322.7 | Evil stepmother works stepdaughter to death in absence of merchant husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S355 | Exposed child carried off by wild beast. (Cf. R13.) Dickson 169ff. |
| S353.2 | Exposed children miraculously fed by angels. Jewish: Neuman. |
| S354 | Exposed infant reared at strange king's court (Joseph, Oedipus). *Type 931; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S453 | Exposed woman helped by magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S141.3 | Exposure astride a log of wood floated down river. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S341.1 | Exposure given up on account of newborn son's protesting stanza. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S141 | Exposure in boat. A person (usually woman or child) set adrift in a boat (chest, basket, cask). *Types 590, 675, 708, 930; BP I 489, II 236f., III 2; **Cosquin études 199ff., 215ff.; Chauvin VII 95ff.; *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 83; *Aarne FFC XXIII 60; *Penzer II 4, VII 81 n. 1; Dickson 35 n. 16, 41f. nn. 40, 42, 169f. n. 23; *Krappe Balor 3ff., 17ff. nn. 57—60; *Sparnaay 31ff., 50; *Frazer Old Testament II 437ff.; *Fb "е" III 1187b, "bеd" IV 87a; *Schoepperle II 374 n. 4; Hibbard 276; *Basset 1001 Contes II 371. — Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 116; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, *Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 155, Grote I 86, *103, Fox 22, 33, 307; Egyptian: Müller 116; Babylonian: Spence 16; Jewish: *Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 103, 633; Japanese: *Ikeda; Chinese: Ferguson 192; Palaung tribe: Scott Indo-Chinese 276; Indonesian: DeVries's list No. 219; Tonga: Gifford 154; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45); Marquesas: *Beckwith Myth 502 n. 4; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 167, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 261; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 131. |
| S322.1.2.1 | Exposure in jungle for refusing to marry according to father's wishes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S331 | Exposure of child in boat (floating chest). See references for S141, nearly all of which refer to this motif. Type 930; W. R. Halliday Indo-European Folk Tales and Greek Legend (London, 1933) 55; Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Grote I 103; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 558, 931; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 152. |
| S341 | Exposure prevented. |
| S165.1 | Eyes of beheaded person gouged out. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 278 n. 1. |
| S165.4 | Eyes torn out and filled with sand. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S160.3 | Fairies mutilate mortals. (Cf. F362.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S350 | Fate of abandoned child. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 54 No. 33; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S450 | Fate of outcast wife. |
| S338 | Father abandons his daughter in forest and leaves axes tied so that they move in wind. Daughter thinks he is cutting wood. *Roberts 137. |
| S11.5 | Father banishes son at request of fairy wife. (Cf. F302, S322.4.3.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S322.1.2 | Father casts daughter forth when she will not marry him. (Cf. T411.1.) *Type 510B; BP II 45; Cox passim; Krappe Zeitschrift für englische Philologie XLIX 361—69; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103. |
| S322.1 | Father casts daughter forth. Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 107f., 154, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 120—123. |
| S322.1.3 | Father condemns daughter to death because he believes her unchaste. Type 883A; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Somali): Kirk FL XV 319ff. No. 3, Reinisch Die Saho-Sprache (Wien, 1889) I 76ff. No. 3. |
| S11.3.8 | Father eats own children. (Cf. G10.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 920; Africa (Pangwe): Tessman 108, 365. |
| S11.6 | Father flogs child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S11.3 | Father kills child. |
| S11.3.2 | Father kills deformed children. (Cf. S325.0.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S11.3.3.1 | Father kills son (for stealing). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S11.3.3 | Father kills son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S11.4.2 | Father kisses son while planning to kill him. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S22.3 | Father learns that his son is planning to kill him. Gives his son a weapon to do so. Son repents. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S11.3.3.2 | Father murders his two sons for whining. Tonga: Gifford 24. |
| S11.1 | Father mutilates children. (Cf. S160.) *Type 706; Greek: Fox 74 (Phineus). |
| S11.3.7 | Father orders son assassinated. (Cf. K512.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 529; Africa (Fang): Tessman 92. |
| S11.4 | Father plans child's death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S141.2 | Father saves himself in storm and forgets his two children. They are abandoned in a boat. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S11.3.6 | Father throws boy into river (sea). Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 407, (Cameroon): Rosenhuber 20 No. 3, (Fang): Tessman 91. |
| S327.1 | Father wants to kill son because of foolish boasting. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S322.1.1 | Father who wanted son exposes (murders) daughter. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Fox 56 (Atalanta); India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 203. |
| S162.1 | Fighting on stumps of legs after they have been cut off at knee. Child V 497 s.v. "stumps"; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S272.1 | Flight of brothers from home to avoid being sacrificed. *Type 451; BP I 70. |
| S122 | Flogging to death. (Cf. Q458.2.) Fb "piske" II 834; Icelandic: Boberg; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 152. |
| S267 | Flood stopped by sacrifice of boy and girl. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict 337. |
| S261 | Foundation sacrifice. A human being buried alive at base of the foundation of a building or bridge. *Krappe Balor 165 n. 1; *Gaidoz Mélusine IV (1888) No. 2; Krappe Revue Celtique XLIII (1926) 124ff. — Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 39 (Arthour and Merlin), 42 (Nennius' Historia Britonum); Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 200; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 46 No. 81; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 73 No. 620; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3519; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 133 No. 81; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 139, 151, 157; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S73.1.1 | Fratricide in order to gain control of kingship. Irish myth: *Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 492. |
| S73.1.4 | Fratricide motivated by love-jealousy. (Cf. T257.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S73.1 | Fratricide. Krappe Revue des études Anciennes XXXV (1933) 146ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Grote I 219; Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 13; Tonga: Gifford 83; Maori: Clark 157, Beckwith 157. |
| S183 | Frightful meal. (Cf. Q478.) Irish myth: Cross. |