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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| W127 | Petulance. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W11.1 | Philanthropist will give his spurs if someone will drive his horse for him. He has given away his coat, etc. to beggars. One finally asks for his spurs. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 330. |
| W116.3 | Plain people made rulers have vain display. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W185.2 | Prayer that overbearing knight's illness be increased. A little sickness has made him kind; more may make him kinder. Crane Vitry 48 No. 103; Mensa Philosophica No. 143. |
| W157.1 | Priest uses fortune dishonestly made to erect monuments to himself. Wesselski Bebel I 171 No. 10. |
| W11.9 | Prince donates all including a tooth. When he has nothing left he is asked for a gift. He allows man to extract a tooth from his mouth. (Father had offered reward to anyone persuading his son to have it extracted.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W133.1 | Prince penalizes cursing, although he himself curses. Wesselski Bebel I 167 No. 2. |
| W131 | Profligacy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W131.1 | Profligate wastes entire fortune before beginning his own adventures. *Chauvin V 77 No. 22 n. 1. |
| W45.1 | Prostrate soldier asks his enemy to stab him in the chest instead of the back in order to save his honor. The captor frees him and the two become friends. Spanish: Childers. W100—W199. |
| W125.4 | Pupil eats cakes given as alms for his master. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.4 | Queen mother shames cowardly son and companions. "In truth, gentlemen, you do well in weeping; for since you didn't fight like men to defend your land, it is suitable that now you weep like women on leaving it." Spanish: Childers. |
| W37.3 | Rabbi returns jewel found with bought ass. He had not paid for it. Jewish: Neuman. |
| W115.3 | Rancher is not recognized by his wife and family after he has cleaned up in town at hotel. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W181.5 | Raven jealous of partridge's way of flying. Wienert FFC LVI 46 (ET 50), 90 (ST 25). |
| W181.3 | Raven wants to be as white as a swan. Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 49), 90 (ST 26); Halm Aesop No. 206. |
| W215.2 | Refusal to fight wounded enemy. Hero feels it dishonorable to fight with sorely wounded enemy, because it would be said he died of previous wounds rather than the ones hero might inflict. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W154.2.1 | Rescued animal threatens rescuer. *Type 155; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.6 | Ruler generously settles quarrel between loser and finder of money. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.5.7 | Ruler is too lazy to stop quarrels. They lead to his death. Italian Novella: Rotunda (W111.6). |
| W11.5.2 | Ruler pardons emissary who has come to murder him. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W11.5.1 | Ruler pardons his enemies. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W154.16 | Ruler persecutes his friends and is kind to his enemies. Is killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.10 | Ruler protects thief. Asks for the stolen plate and hides it so that it will not be found on the culprit. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5.6 | Ruler reproaches son for bringing him the head of his fallen enemy. Latter given honorable burial. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.11 | Ruler rewards man who would curb him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W181.7 | Ruler who is jealous of his subjects' happiness prohibits their games. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W10.2 | Saint gives calf to wolf. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W10.1 | Saint never drives fly or gnat from his face. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W28.4 | Saint threatens to take place of homicide in hell unless soul is released. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W28 | Self-sacrifice. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W111.2.9 | Servant tells master to cover his face: no need to put out lamp. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.2.1 | Servant to call his master at daybreak: looks into dark closet to see if it is yet light. They sleep till noon. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 263. |
| W111.2.2 | Servant to close door at night: leaves it open so that he will not have to open it next morning. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47; *Crane Vitry 216 No. 204. |
| W181.1 | Sheep jealous of dog because he does nothing. Do not consider that he guards the flock. Wienert FFC LVI *58 (ET 197), 132 (ST 386); Halm Aesop No. 317. |
| W175.1 | Sister gives due honor and regard to brother only in times of his prosperity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W115 | Slovenliness. (Cf. Q322.) |
| W151.4 | Snake and weasel stop fighting in order to catch mouse. Wienert FFC LVI 49 (ET 80), 134 (ST 396); Halm Aesop No. 345. |
| W154.10 | Snake kills ungrateful tamer. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 33 No. 19. |
| W128.6 | Sparrow dissatisfied with pond water wants to go to sea. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.7 | Spider in stingy woman's house grows thin. Type 286*. |
| W152 | Stinginess. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.3 | Stingy dead woman raises her head to correct account of laundress, who is overcharging her daughter. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 128 No. 1482. |
| W152.12.2 | Stingy farmer encourages help by promise of hot lunch. The servant discovers that the hot lunch is a mustard sandwich. Canada: Baughman. |
| W152.8 | Stingy horse refuses ass little feed, though he promises much for later time. Wienert FFC LVI *58 (ET 196), 133 (ST 394); Hervieux II 142. |
| W152.6 | Stingy king will not hire soldiers: defeated. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 181. |
| W152.12 | Stingy man and his servants. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.9 | Stingy man cancels invitations to his guests. "It is better that they speak ill of me on an empty stomach than on a full one." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W152.15 | Stingy man does not eat butter; only looks at it and enjoys the thought. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.4 | Stingy man forced to share his money when he lies and says he has none. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 707. |
| W152.11 | Stingy men love possessions so much that they wear out their feet to save shoes. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W152.5 | Stingy woman will not give soup to man until she spills it. Then she says he may have the soup. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 321. |
| W167 | Stubbornness. Grimm No. 3 (Type 710); U.S.: Baughman. |
| W121.8.1 | Swooning from cowardice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W225 | Taciturn man. |
| W141 | Talkativeness. Jewish: Neuman. |
| W185.3 | Temper lost from reading history. Man so angered that he refuses to pay his workmen. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.2.6 | The boy eats breakfast, dinner, and supper one immediately after the other; then lies down to sleep. *Type 1561. |
| W211.1 | The boy: "If I had one and then got two more, I should have three." Type 2411. |
| W182 | The crying child. He stops crying so that after a rest he can cry louder than ever. *Crane Vitry 265 No. 300; Herbert III 13 No. 85; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 594; Scala Celi 158b No. 892. |
| W156 | The dog in the manger. Has no use for the manger but refuses to give it up to the horse. Wienert FFC LVI 54, 58 (ET 142, 195), 132, 147 (ST 385, 518); Halm Aesop No. 228; Phaedrus I No. 19; Hervieux II 11; Herbert III 14; Crane Vitry 201 No. 161; Jacobs Aesop 209 No. 40. |
| W11.12 | The generous correction. Ruler asks treasurer to give man 200 crowns. Treasurer makes error and puts down 300. Ruler raises sum to 400. "I can't allow your pen to be more liberal than I." Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W111.2 | The lazy servant. India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 581. |
| W111.3 | The lazy wife. |
| W123.1 | The man who only tasted wine. Will not drink but gets drunk nevertheless by frequent tasting. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 246. |
| W115.1 | The slovenly fiancée. Type 1453**. |
| W152.13 | The stingy man and his animals. |
| W151.8 | Thieves quarrel over booty: owner comes. (Cf. J2136.5.2.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W161.1 | Three envoys debate as to which of them should be received with the greatest honor. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.1.1.4 | Three lazy beggars burn alive rather than run away from burning castle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W216 | Thrift. |
| W216.1 | Thrifty merchant tells son that even a snake laid by will be useful. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.3.2 | Tiger has thorn pulled by man: attacks man. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.11 | Tiger returns rope to former captor: rewarded by having tail cut off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W200 | Traits of character—miscellaneous. |
| W167.1 | Two stubborn goats meet each other on a bridge. Neither will step aside; both fall into water. Type 202*; Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 171). |
| W171 | Two-facedness. |
| W110 | Unfavorable traits of character—personal. |
| W150 | Unfavorable traits of character—social. |
| W100 | Unfavorable traits of character. |
| W154.5.1.3 | Ungrateful ape plucks feathers from heron who has carried him across water. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 34. |
| W154.12.2 | Ungrateful Brahmin brings his wild goose rescuer to king as remedy against leprosy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.12.3 | Ungrateful brothers plot against rescuer. *Types 550, 551. |
| W154.5.1 | Ungrateful fox hits with tail the man who carries him across stream. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W154.19 | Ungrateful Jew steals horse of Christian who has lent it to him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W154.6 | Ungrateful wanderer pulls nut tree to pieces to get the nuts. Wienert FFC LVI *74 (ET 394), 147 (ST 520); Halm Aesop No. 188. |
| W35.2 | Upright judge refuses a bribe: he is responsible to a higher tribunal called Conscience. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W116.7 | Use of strange language to show one's high education. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.1.1 | Usurer's ingratitude toward servant. Dismisses him and charges him for a rope which he had cut while saving the usurer from hanging. Spanish: Childers. |
| W116 | Vanity. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W185.5 | Violence of judge's temper leads him to have men given death sentence unjustly. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W185 | Violence of temper. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| W151.2 | Visiting friends take everything from house of dying man. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 496. |
| W151.2.1 | Visitors of sick stag eat up all his provisions so that he starves. Wienert FFC LVI *60 (ET 227), 122 (ST 311); Halm Aesop No. 131. |
| W154.7 | Wanderers in shade of plane tree blame it for not bearing fruit. Wienert FFC LVI *74 (ET 396), 147 (ST 519); Halm Aesop No. 313. |
| W11.5.9 | Warrior gives steed to his enemy. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W33.2 | Warrior refuses to delay battle in return for promise of long, happy life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W212.2 | Warriors contend with each other until battle starts. When they agree to engage in battle, they cannot endure to be without combat. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W116.5 | Wasp seeking fame stings courtiers: killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W116.6 | Wealthy man pretends enjoyment of good music. Told when to applaud. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.9.1 | Whales rescue drowning king who planned to kill them. Polynesia: Beckwith Myth 502—05; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/912). |
| W111.3.4 | Why he beats her. Lazy wife beaten by husband maintains that she has done nothing. That is why he is beating her. Wesselski Bebel I 206 No 90. |
| W152.17 | Wife keeps half of the money she plans to give for a shrine. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.16 | Wife of stingy man prays that her husband become sick so that she can get better food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.3.5 | Wife too lazy to spin. Supposed dead husband comes back to life and gives his wife a beating, because there was no shirt even in the event of death. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1370B*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1370B*. |
| W154.28 | Wizard makes pupil think himself Emperor and exposes pupil's ingratitude. Herbert III 94, 431, 536; Chauvin II 150. |
| W151.3 | Wolves devour an ox without leaving a share for the rightful owner. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 495. |
| W133.2 | Woman admires marvelous shot of hero which kills deer, but angers him when she begs mercy for the deer. Fischer-Bolte 203ff. |
| W115.2 | Woman becomes clean only after three washings and the use of three pounds of soap. Type 1447*. |
| W28.1 | Woman drinks poison that son may be king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W28.2 | Woman sacrifices life for son's honor. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W15 | Woman shelters son's murderer out of charity. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 86 No. 756D*; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W154.14 | Woman who saves suitor from death is later condemned to die by the ingrate. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W167.2 | Woman's stubbornness causes loss of chance to go on pilgrimage. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W153.13 | Wood dealer prays for raja's death so that he can sell sandal wood for funeral pyre. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.21 | Workers (builder) killed when secret building or grave is finished. (Cf. W181.2.) Krappe "Les funérailles d'Alaric" Annuaire de l'institut de philologie et d'histoire orientales et slaves VII (1939—44) 229ff. |
| W11.5.3 | Wronged knight conquers enemy and then pardons him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.14 | Youngest brother shares wealth with older brothers who foolishly lost theirs. (Cf. L31.) Africa (Jaunde): Heepe 262. |
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