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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| A106.2.1.1 | Banished devil appears on earth only on day of dark moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P111 | Banished minister found indispensable and recalled. *Chauvin VI 38 No. 207 n. 5; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.1.1 | Banished youth becomes mighty king. Icelandic: Völsunga saga ch. 1, Boberg. |
| S322.4.1 | Banishment (death) of stepchildren demanded as cure for feigned illness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.8 | Banishment as punishment for adultery. (Cf. Q241.) Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q431.11 | Banishment as punishment for breach of faith with animals. (Cf. Q263.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q431.12 | Banishment as punishment for fault-finding. (Cf. Q312.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q431.8.1 | Banishment as punishment for incest. (Cf. Q242.2.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.15 | Banishment as punishment for robbery. (Cf. Q212.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q431.3 | Banishment because of disobedience. Maiden wants to become nun and not marry. (Cf. Q325.) Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 260. |
| Q431.5.2 | Banishment for abduction of bride (girl). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q431.10 | Banishment for assault on king's tax collectors. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Q431.18 | Banishment for association with those of another faith. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.9.1 | Banishment for attempted murder. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q431.5.1 | Banishment for attempted seduction. (Cf. Q243.2.1.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q431.13 | Banishment for desecration of holy places. (Cf. Q222.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q431.7 | Banishment for imposture. (Cf. Q262.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q431.19 | Banishment for laziness. (Cf. Q321.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.17 | Banishment for lying. (Cf. Q263.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.9 | Banishment for murder. (Cf. Q211.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q431.6 | Banishment for rape. (Cf. Q244.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q431.5 | Banishment for seduction. (Cf. Q243.2.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q431.2 | Banishment for treachery. (Cf. Q261.) Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C955 | Banishment from heaven for breaking tabu. German: Grimm No. 3; Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q431.4 | Banishment till rose grows from table for preventing childbirth. (Cf. F971.2, Q251, T572).) *Type 755. |
| J1661.1.9 | Banker able to recognize honest merchant by a single hair of his mustache. 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. |
| K1872.5 | Banners of army appear like flock of many-colored birds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F455.9 | Banning trolls. |
| A153.3 | Banquets of the gods. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 23; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 137.—So. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 178. |
| M301.6.1 | Banshees as portents of misfortune. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D475.1.3.1 | Banyan leaves turn to gold. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1262. |
| D2161.4.9 | Baptism as magic cure. (Cf. V81.) Kittredge Witchcraft 145, 464 n. 61; England: Baughman. |
| V229.2.4 | Baptism of a wonder child is accompanied by a variety of phenomena. *Loomis White Magic 23. |
| V332 | Baptism of heathen. *Thien Motive 40f.; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| V81.4 | Baptism of infants. Maori: Clark 185. |
| V81 | Baptism. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 61c; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 337, O'Suilleabhain 128; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D1355.2.1.1 | Baptismal water as love-philtre. (Cf. D1242.1.1.) —Kittredge Witchcraft 470 nn. 123—125. |
| D1242.1.1 | Baptismal water as magic object. *Kittredge Witchcraft 150f., 470 nn. 117—125; England: Baughman. |
| D1500.1.18.2 | Baptismal water as remedy. (Cf. D1242.1.1.) Kittredge Witchcraft 150f., 470 nn. 117—122; England: Baughman. |
| V325 | Baptismal water vanishes before Aryan bishop. Alphabet No. 95. |
| J1312.3 | Baptized wine. Christ's making wine from water has made all landlords try to do it too. Man prefers Jewish wine to the baptized kind. *Wesselski Bebel I 169 No 3. |
| F832.1 | Barbed lance. Causes one wound on entering and nine on retiring. Welsh, Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 200; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| X511 | Barber alone praises usurer. Custom not to bury dead until someone has something good to say about him. No one will praise a dead usurer until a barber is willing to say that he had a good beard. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 195; Wesselski Mönchslatein 122 No. 105. |
| T53.5 | Barber as matchmaker. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.8 | Barber becomes king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2161.4.19.1 | Barber begins to recover after he reveals raja's secret. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K964 | Barber killed when hero reports king's ancestors need his services in heaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J342.1 | Barber leaves inexpensive village for high wages in city. Finds cost of living more than enough to take all his profit. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 602; Scala Celi 60a No. 332; Alphabet No. 448. |
| J1166.1 | Barber operating on child's skin kills it: blames mother for child's thin skin. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1161.6 | Barber paid to change color of woman's face burns her with acid. He has fulfilled contract. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 414. |
| K1827.0.2 | Barber passes for a brahmin. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R131.8.8 | Barber rescues and befriends abandoned boy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J513.2 | Barber tries unsuccessfully to become a trader. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X252.2 | Barber uses cut hair to staunch cuts. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P446 | Barber. Sébillot Métiers No. 11; Penzer III 100 n. 1. |
| K171.8 | Barber's and jackal's common garden: jackal pretends that garden has not yielded any fruit at all. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H504.2 | Barber's contest in shaving (without waking man). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P446.1 | Barbers as bunglers of plans. Chauvin V 154ff. Nos. 78ff. and n. 1. |
| P446.2 | Barbers cunning and greedy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R131.19 | Bard (poet) rescues abandoned child. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M164 | Bard vows that none of his profession will make a request of any man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P427.7.5 | Bard. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M202.0.1 | Bargain or promise to be fulfilled at all hazards. English romance: Malory VIII 30; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M295 | Bargain to keep secret. |
| M237 | Bargain to save face. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M210 | Bargain with devil. Types 310, 313A, 316, 360, 400, 425C, 441, 500, 502, 706, 710, 756B, 810—812, 1170—1199; BP II 164, 329f., 427, 561ff., III 12, *Andrejev FFC LXIX 222ff.; *Fb "djævel" IV 99a, "blod" IV 47b.—England, U.S.: Baughman; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 562. |
| M201.0.1 | Bargain with God (by holy man). Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M244.1 | Bargain with king of mice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M219.1 | Bargain with the devil for an heir. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K194 | Bargain: if the sun reverses its course. Because of an eclipse the sun is held to have done so, and Atreus becomes king. Greek: Fox 120. |
| M241 | Bargain: to divide all winnings. |
| J1521.5.1 | Bargain: to render service for "something". Claimant has called dead cricket "something" and must be content. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M235 | Bargain: woman rides naked through streets to obtain freedom for citizens. Godiva. Liebrecht 104; Hartland FL I 207. |
| M242 | Bargains and promises between mortals and supernatural beings. (Cf. M221, M222, M223.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M290 | Bargains and promises—miscellaneous. |
| M200 | Bargains and promises. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M244 | Bargains between men and animals. |
| A2751 | Bark of plant. |
| D2004.10 | Barking of brazen dogs causes forgetfulness. (Cf. D1620.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1310.4.3 | Barley plant droops if prince is in trouble. (Cf. D965.15.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P327 | Barmecide feast. Host places imaginary feast before guest, who accepts it in the same spirit. Guest's courtesy is rewarded by real feast. *Chauvin V 163 No. 86; Arabian: Burton Nights I 317. |
| B712 | Barnacle goose. Goose born from barnacles.—*Chauvin VII 18 No. 373C; Fb "and" IV 12b; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Baumgans"; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F1051.1 | Barrel filled miraculously with penitent's tears. Ward II 664; Herbert III *341, 475; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| A2721.8 | Barren trees as punishment of earth for disobedience at man's fall. Jewish: Neuman. |
| S62.3 | Barren wife exposed by husband. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1924 | Barren wife makes child by magic and claims it as her own. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S411.3 | Barren wife sent away. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1923.3 | Barren woman pretends to bear child. Substitutes another woman's child. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 68; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 101. |
| F1041.17.1 | Barrenness as result of fright. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D2161.3.11 | Barrenness magically cured. (Cf. D1347.2, D1501.1, D1925.1.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| T591 | Barrenness or impotence induced by magic. *Kittredge Witchcraft 113, 441 n. 78; *Boje 107; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D1925.2 | Barrenness removed by bathing. *Hartland Paternity I 77ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1925.1 | Barrenness removed by eating or drinking. *Hartland Paternity I 30ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1925.3 | Barrenness removed by prayer. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1925.4 | Barrenness removed by saint's blessing. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1582 | Base money in the offering. |
| T69.4 | Bashful suitor directs his wooing to an oak. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| B12.1 | Basilisk hatched from cock's egg. Usually, a seven-year-old cock. Egg must lie in manure. (Cf. B11.1.1.)—*Polívka Zs. f. Vksk. XXVIII 46ff.; *Fb. "basilisk" I 53a, IV 29a; De Vries Het Sprookje 19—97; Taylor PMLA XXXVI 35ff.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Basilisk". |
| B12.3 | Basilisk killed by seeing own image. *Fb "basilisk" I 53a, "spejl" III 48a; Ward Catalogue of Romances III 194; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 139; Hdwb. d. Abergl. I 935. |
| B12 | Basilisk. A mythical lizard or serpent whose hissing drives away all other serpents.—*Polívka Zs. f. Vksk. XXVII 46ff.; *Fb "basilisk"; *A Guichot y Sierra El Basilisco (Folklore Espaсol III 9—83); *Norlind Skattsägner 46 n. 1; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Basilisk"; Köhler-Bolte I 133.—English: Wells Manual of Writings 105 (Prose Alexander); Jewish: Neuman. |
| B12.2 | Basilisk's fatal glance. Renders powerless or kills.—*Fb "basilisk" I 53a, IV 29a, "øje" III 1167b; Penzer VIII 75 n.l. |
| D1413.7 | Basin to which one sticks. (Cf. D1171.12.) *BP II 40 n. 2. |
| K1021.2 | Basket tied to wolf's tail and filled with stones. Wolf is persuaded that it is filled with fish. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 28 No. 2, Espinosa III Nos. 199—204, 209, 211, 223, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 3. 4. |
| L111.5 | Bastard hero. Icelandic: Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 957; Africa (Nuba): Reinisch Sprachen von Nord-Ost-Africa (Wien, 1879) II 224ff. No. 9. |
| A2214.6 | Bat falls from high perch due to extreme heat of sun's rays, breaks bones, etc. Hence peculiar feet and nose. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B261.1 | Bat in war of birds and quadrupeds. Because of ambiguous form joins first one side and then the other. Discredited.—Wienert FFC LVI *48 (ET 66, 67), *52 (ET 166), 134 (ST 398, 399); Halm Aesop Nos. 307, 391; Dh IV 197ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Benga): Nassau 163 No. 21, (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 281, Thomas 161 (hornbill), (Mpongwe): Nassau 53 No. 8 (crocodile), (Yoruba): Ellis 252 No. 3. |
| B542.1.2 | Bat rescues man from height. Bat lets him down in a spider-web basket.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 318 n. 151b, Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 95. |
| A2275.5.3 | Bat, diver, and thornbush shipwrecked. Bat brought money, bush put on clothes, and diver brought leather. All shipwrecked. Diver is looking for his leather. Bush looks for his clothers and holds fast to all passers-by. Bat is abroad only at night to escape creditors. (Cf. A2471.4, A2491.1.)—*Dh IV 273f; *BP I 137. (Gr. No. 18).—Wienert FFC LVI 35; Halm Aesop No. 306. |
| A2301.4 | Bat's body made larger. (See A2213.3.)—Dh III 4. |
| D1502.5.1 | Bath in blood of king as cure for mange. (Cf. D1500.1.9.4, F872.3.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1500.1.7.3.4 | Bath in blood of king as remedy. Irish myth: *Cross (D1500.1.9.4). |
| D1841.2.2 | Bath in boiling oil, pitch, or melted lead does not hurt a saint. *Loomis White Magic 33. |
| D1338.4 | Bath in magic milk rejuvenates. (Cf. D1080.)—Köhler-Bolte I 468 (boiling milk); Dh II 154. |
| D1515.3 | Bath in milk of white, hornless cows as antidote for poison. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.7 | Bath of balsam. (Cf. F162.2.5.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| T82 | Bath of blood of beloved to cure love-sick empress. Herbert III 212; Oesterley No. 281; Wesselski Mönchslatein 60 No. 50. |
| F872.3.1 | Bath of blood of dragons, lions, adders, etc. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.3 | Bath of blood. (Cf. F955.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F872.2 | Bath of boiling oil. Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bain"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F872.5.1 | Bath of fire. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F872.4 | Bath of marrow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.1 | Bath of milk. Type 507A; Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bain". |
| F872.5 | Bath of molten lead (iron). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.6 | Bath which makes one insensible for three days. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1337.1.3.1 | Bathing hair in buffalo milk makes it unusually long. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1337.1.4 | Bathing in magic cauldron gives beauty. (Cf. D1171.2.) —Norwegian: Dasent 281. |
| D1335.8 | Bathing in magic cauldron gives strength. (Cf. D1171.2.) —Norwegian: Dasent 281.—S. A. Indian (Kwakiutl): Boas and Hunt JE III 104 (certain wash-basin); cf. Haida: Swanton JE X 365. |
| P92 | Bathing pool reserved for royalty. Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 608. |
| T16.0.2 | Bathing woman sees hero and falls in love with him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E436.3 | Bats flying in house sign of ghosts. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 677. |
| B788 | Bats keep fireflies to light their houses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1080 | Battle at end of world. Armageddon.—Revelations 16:16; Fb "krig" II 296b.; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman, Moreno Esdras (N307.13). |
| F535.5.1.1 | Battle between giants and dwarfs; dwarfs win. (Cf. F531.) Africa (Fang): Einstein 71. |
| A162.6 | Battle between God's orderly (giant) and plague. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X651 | Battle between lice of Strassburg and of Hungary. Hungarians win. Wesselski Bebel II 149 No. 160. |
| Z132.0.1 | Battle carnage personified. Irish myth: Cross. (Z129.2.0.1.). |
| P552 | Battle formations. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1082.7 | Battle of angels with Leviathan and Behemoth at end of world. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A964.3 | Battle of demons: hills torn up. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F277 | Battle of fairies and gods. Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 85. |
| A1082.1 | Battle of gods and giants at end of world. *Olrik Ragnarök 480 s.v. "Götterschlacht". |
| A1082 | Battle of gods and monster at end of world. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F748 | Battle of islands. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 389. |
| A1082.6 | Battle of saints with Lucifer at end of world. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 781ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Tautosakos Darbai VI 133f. |
| A1081 | Battle of the gods at end of world. *Olrik Ragnarök 480 s.v. "Götterschlacht". |
| F873.0.1 | Battle rage. Makes army unconquerable. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P554 | Battle-cairn. Losses reckoned by number of stones remaining in pile after each survivor has removed one. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P552.1 | Battle-pen. Warriors fight in circle around leader. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T452 | Bawds. Professional go-betweens. *Chauvin VI 17 No. 189 n. 1; Bødker Exempler 280 No. 23; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| G272.2.4 | Bay leaves used as protection against witches. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E501.4.1.10 | Baying dogs in wild hunt. Schweda 25; Fb "hund" I 676a. |
| J706.1 | Be diligent and spend little: how to become wealthy. Advice of a self-made man. Nouvelles Récréations No. 53. |
| H105.5.3 | Beak and claws of slain monster as proof of slaying. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| G272.7.1 | Beam across door protects from witch. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 645. |
| F531.3.14 | Beam breaks at giant's glance. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 221. Boberg. |
| A733.4 | Beams of light are snares with which sun is tied to earth. Cf. A728.—Maori: Clark 46. |
| A2741.1 | Bean laughs till it splits: cause of black stripe. (Cf. A2793.1, F1025.1.)—Type 295.—Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 90 No. 126a; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 95 No. 121. |
| F1025.1 | Bean, straw, and coal go journeying. Coal burns straw in two and falls into the water. Bean laughs until it splits. *Type 295; BP I 135; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1674 | Bear (tiger) substituted for woman in floating box; kills villain who tries to steal the woman. (Cf. K1625.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B240.1 | Bear as king of animals. *Fb "bjørn" IV 42b. |
| B621.1 | Bear as suitor. (Cf. B601.1, B611.1, B635.1.)—Fb "björn" IV 43a. |
| B299.4 | Bear asks boy to stay with her cubs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J741.1 | Bear builds house of wood; fox of ice. Fox's house fails him in summer. *Type 43; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| B746 | Bear could formerly lift mountain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1537.1 | Bear demands that heroine play Blindman's Buff. Type 480; *Roberts 175. |
| A2216.1 | Bear fishes through ice with tail: hence lacks tail. (Cf. A2378.2.4.) —*Type 2; Dh III 49.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 14 No. 78; Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 146 No. 42; Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 86 No. 78; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K1755.1 | Bear frightened away by man threatening to cleave its skull with his penis. He meets a woman who, upon being told what man had threatened, shows him a vestige of the cleaving she once got. Only partly healed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2345.2 | Bear frightened by wife's sneezing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B571.4 | Bear husks millet for man. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R45.3.1 | Bear keeps human wife captive in cave with stone at entrance. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K914.1 | Bear killed from ambush as he leaves his cave. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1813.0.1 | Bear knows if person looks at his track. N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin 2. |
| J102 | Bear learns how to catch crabs with his hairy claws. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 263), 106 (ST 185). |
| J1761.9 | Bear mistaken for a floating log (blanket). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1762.8 | Bear mistaken for a foreigner. The strong man meets a bear in the forest, takes it for a German and struggles with it. Having strangled the bear, fears he has killed a man. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1283*. |
| J1762.2 | Bear on haywagon (on horse) thought to be the preacher. *Type 116. |
| B611.1 | Bear paramour. (Cf. B601.1., B631, B635.) India: Thompson-Balys.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 345 nn. 244, 245. |
| K1021.3 | Bear persuaded to slide down rock. Wears off tail. American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 113 No. 21. |
| B635.1.3 | Bear says he is boy's father; asks food. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 47. |
| K133.2 | Bear sold as watch-dog. *Type 1542. |
| B601.1.1 | Bear steals woman and makes her his wife. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2074.1.1.3 | Bear summoned by magic. Greek: Grote I 32. |
| J1753 | Bear thought to be dog. Type 1312*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1313. |
| K1022.3 | Bear throws hens to the fox, falls from the roof-beam, and is beaten. Type 3B*. |
| A132.5 | Bear-god (goddess). Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2432.6 | Bear's den. Kaska: Teit JAFL XXX 444. |
| B635.1.2 | Bear's foster child not used to sun and light. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 53. |
| F545.1.3 | Beard grows through table. (Usually told of king asleep in mountain.) Hartland Science 217; *BP III 460; Fb "sten" III 554a. |
| U112 | Beard on she-goats do not make a male. Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 431), 124 (ST 332). |
| F545.1.2 | Beard projected over beams of great hall. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 190. |
| Q497 | Beard shaved as punishment for murder. (Cf. Q211, P672.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F545.1.4 | Beard shelters fifty men from rain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F545.1.6 | Beard travels detached from owners. Africa (Dzalamo): Meinhof ZsES XI 284. |
| E451.7 | Bearded woman ghost laid by shaving her. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3560; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 72 No. 216. |
| F545.1.5 | Bearded woman. (Cf. T321.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z257 | Beardless hero. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F545.1.0.1 | Beardless man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2275 | Beardless villain. *Cosquin Lorraine I 44 No. 3. |
| A152.7 | Bearers of God's throne. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A165.2.1.1.4 | Bears as God's messengers. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q415.6 | Bears devour the wicked. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F821.1.3.1 | Bearskin. Man dressed in bear hide. Type 361; Hdwb. d. Märch. I 169a s.v. "Bärenhäuter"; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| A13.1 | Beast as creator. |
| A33.1 | Beast as creator's companion. |
| A522.1 | Beast as culture hero. |
| B621 | Beast as suitor. |
| B151.1 | Beast determines road to be taken. |
| A417.1 | Beast guardians of the four quarters. Hindu: Penzer VIII 75f., 108 n. 1 (elephants).—Sia: Alexander N. Am. 203. |
| B251.4.1 | Beast invokes saint's protection. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B611 | Beast paramour. (Cf. B601.) |
| B281 | Beast wedding. |
| B96 | Beast with human head and shape of smith's bellows. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F526.4 | Beast-like anchorite. Walks on all fours; covered with hair like beast; has horns like beast. (Cf. F521.1.) Williams 17ff., 25. |
| B20.2 | Beast-men in the lower world. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B20 | Beast-men. Combinations of bestial and human form. |
| U136.2 | Beasts and fishes exchange places: fatal to both. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B147.1 | Beasts furnish omens. |
| F167.1.1 | Beasts in otherworld. |
| B147.1.1 | Beasts of good omen. |
| B147.1.2 | Beasts of ill-omen. |
| B16.0.1 | Beasts that destroy vineyards and steal fruit. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B15.4.2 | Beasts with fiery eyes. |
| B121 | Beasts with magic wisdom. |
| H182 | Beating brings about outcry and recognition. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G303.16.19.19 | Beating the devil. One must give him an odd number of strokes. Devil asks for one stroke more. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 657f., 773, 795. |
| D1866.1 | Beautification by bathing. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 70 No. 531; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Dixon 216; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 159, 161; Tonga: Gifford 186; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 388. |
| D1865.2 | Beautification by boiling and resuscitation. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 156 n. 2 (Pelops); N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 349 n. 258. |
| D1865 | Beautification by death and resuscitation. |
| D1865.1 | Beautification by decapitation and replacement of head. *Type 531.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 503. |
| D1866.3 | Beautification by fasting. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1866.2 | Beautification by removal of skin. (Cf. D1889.6.) German: Grimm No. 179. |
| D1863 | Beautification by stroking (tapping). Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 207. |
| D1337.1.6 | Beautification by use of saint's spittle. (Cf. D1001.)—Irish: Plummer clxxviii, *Cross. |
| F531.1.0.1.1 | Beautiful giantess. Broderius § 37; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: De la Saussaye 329, *Boberg; Swedish: Nyare Bidrag till Kännedom om de svenska Landsmеlen och svenskt Folklif IX 35 No. 80; Denmark: Thiele Danmarks Folkesagn X 164. |
| X943.1 | Beautiful girl seated on large lotus flower holding big elephant in each hand which she devours and throws off alternately. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A125.4 | Beautiful goddess. So. Am. Indian (Huarochiri): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 169. |
| E481.4 | Beautiful land of dead. (Rosengarten). Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 79f. |
| G229.5 | Beautiful witch. (Cf. G264.) North Carolina: Brown Collection I 660; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1821.7.1 | Beautiful woman blackens face as disguise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T56.4 | Beautiful woman enticed by wonderful flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F304.3 | Beautiful woman found in bed with man after he has plugged keyholes to keep elves out. Tobler 68; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *423. |
| K1821.7 | Beautiful woman in hideous disguise. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T268 | Beautiful woman married to hideous man: he is thankful, she patient. She says that they have thus both gained paradise. *Chauvin V 174 No. 98. |
| D735.1 | Beauty and the beast. Disenchantment of animal by being kissed by woman (man).—*Type 402, 425, 433A, 440; Fb "kys"; Dickson 55 nn. 70, 72; Tobler 53; Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 245; Studien zur vgl. Littgsch. II 360, 472 n. 4.—English: Child V 486 s.v. "kiss"; Chile: Pino Saavedra 404f.; India: Cowell Jataka V 141; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 303; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 38. |
| K98.1 | Beauty contest won by deception: other contestants covered with leaves. Tonga: Gifford 186. |
| K98 | Beauty contest won by deception. |
| H1596 | Beauty contest. Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.1.0.1 | Beauty of giant. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1664 | Beauty of various peoples. Jewish: Neuman. |
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