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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| K1722 | Monkey pretends that his house always answers him. India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 31. |
| B375.5 | Monkey released: grateful. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.2.6 | Monkey safe in tree insults gorilla as "broken face". Africa (Fang): Nassau 233 No. 1. |
| K579.4 | Monkey saved from trap by feigning marriage. Chinese: Graham; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 6. |
| K645 | Monkey saves condemned birds through feigned dream. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 81. |
| J1790.3 | Monkey seeing tiger attack his shadow is frightened so that he falls from tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2413.6 | Monkey sneezes in king's presence like rabbit. Killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K891.3 | Monkey tricked into jumping in water and drowning self. Jackal hides in reeds which screen water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F529.8 | Monkey-like little people. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B294.2.1 | Monkey's money stolen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B786 | Monkeys always copy men. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B762 | Monkeys attack by throwing coconuts. *Chauvin VII 22 n. 3. |
| B846 | Monkeys construct a bridge across the ocean. Penzer II 84 n. 1, 85 n. |
| A1861.1 | Monkeys from children hidden by Eve when God visited her. (Cf. A1650.1, A1710.)—BP III 320f.; Dh I 247. |
| K343.4 | Monkeys lure tortoise into a tree and carry away his load of salt. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J648.1 | Monkeys planning to found a city desist lest with walls up it will be easier to catch them than before. Wienert FFC LVI *61 (ET 240), 108 (ST 200); Halm Aesop No. 361. |
| P426.3.2 | Monks as converted druids. Irish myth: Cross. |
| X214 | Monks get revenge on millers. Drunken millers force monks to dance. Millers are enticed to monastery and beaten. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S263.5.2 | Monks sacrifice themselves (to save king and princes from pestilence). Irish myth: Cross. |
| V29.2 | Monks shrive selves clean under threat of complete exposure of their sins by brother possessed of fiend. Alphabet No. 171. |
| P426.3 | Monks. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q141.1 | Monks' who always shared with the poor receive supplies of flour or bread. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| A2497.1 | Monogamous life of dove. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2497 | Monogamy among animals. |
| J81.0.1 | Monotony of restriction to one's favorite food. Counselor refuses to arrange extramarital pleasures for his lord. Ruler feeds him only his favorite food until the counselor protests the monotony. Ruler drives home his point. Italian Novella: Rotunda, Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 10. |
| B101.5 | Monster (whale) with golden teeth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L112.1 | Monster as hero. *Type 708; *BP II 236; Cosquin Lorraine II 224; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C758.1 | Monster born because of hasty (inconsiderate) wish of parents. **Tegethoff 24; *Types 425, 430, 433B, 441; BP II 235ff, *483, III 534; Wesselski Mönchslatein 15 No. 11; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B16.1.1.1 | Monster cat born of a pig. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 191. |
| B16.1.1 | Monster cat devastates country. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 191; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chat"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T550.1 | Monster child helps mother. *Type 708; BP II 236; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K1918 | Monster disguises and wins girl. Borrows wedding garments one by one; later returns them one by one and reveals monster form. Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 273 No. 85; West Indies: Flowers 548. |
| A1074.1 | Monster fettered with sword just out of reach. If he reaches it he will free himself.—*Olrik Ragnarök 136ff., 184ff., 225. |
| N812.5 | Monster grateful to hero for being spared becomes helpful. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F721.2.2 | Monster guards door of habitable hill. Chinese: Werner 183. |
| B80.2 | Monster half-man, half-fish. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 30. |
| T118.1 | Monster husband invisible. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 152ff. No. 22. |
| B16.1.5.1 | Monster ox (bull) killed. Babylonian: Jensen Gilgamesch-Epos VI 94ff., cf. 120—21, 129ff.; Greek: Fox 29, 62, 84, 102; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 85, *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F917 | Monster swallows people through anus. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B15.7.2 | Monster three-legged ass. Stands in the ocean. Has three feet, six eyes, nine mouths, two ears, one horn, a white body. Two eyes are in eye position, two on top of his head, two on his hump. He renders powerless by the sharpness of his eyes. He has three mouths in his head, three in his hump, and three in the inner parts of his flanks. Each mouth is the size of a cottage. (Cf. B13, B15.1, B15.2, B15.4.)—Persian: Carnoy 270. |
| W154.2 | Monster ungrateful for rescue. *Type 426; BP II 420; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B15.7.15 | Monster with 100 hands, 100 palms on each hand, and 100 nails on each palm. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E714.8 | Monster with life in his neck. (One vulnerable place.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G361.1.1.1 | Monster with two horns, each having human head on it. Africa (Shangani): Bourhill and Drake 43ff. No. 5. |
| H105.4.1 | Monster's beard as proof of visit. Type 461; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 602, *Boberg. |
| G635.1 | Monster's returning head. Joins body after it has been severed. *Kittredge Gawain 147ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1087 | Monsters kill each other off at end of world. Jewish: Neuman. |
| G308.8 | Monsters of the sea: two whales of human parentage. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G 3/912). |
| G301 | Monsters. Usually not clearly defined. See this entire chapter on ogres. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S325.0.1 | Monstrous (deformed) child exposed. (Cf. S11.3.2, T550.) Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Grote I 55; Chinese: Graham; Marquesas: Handy 114; Tonga: Gifford 31, 60. |
| T550.4 | Monstrous birth because mother sees horrible sight. England: Baughman; Ploss Das Kind 21ff. |
| T551.10 | Monstrous birth—nine faces, nine arms, nine feet. Chinese: Graham. |
| T551.3.3 | Monstrous birth: child with donkey's head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q552.5 | Monstrous births as punishment for girl's pride. (Cf. M437, Q331, T550.) Child I 210; Ireland, U.S.: Baughman. |
| T569 | Monstrous births—miscellaneous. |
| T550 | Monstrous births. *Types 425, 708; *Hibbard 48 n. 6; Tegethoff 24; BP II 236; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 155, *Cross; U.S.: Baughman; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "accouchement"; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 145. |
| F167.11 | Monstrous creatures in otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A123 | Monstrous gods. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B634 | Monstrous offspring from animal marriage. Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1169, 1354. |
| B634.1 | Monstrous offspring of sea-horse and woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| G369 | Monstrous ogres—miscellaneous. |
| F510 | Monstrous persons. *Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 175; Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 464, 469. |
| F510.1 | Monstrous races. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A753.1.3 | Moon (goddess, woman) cohabits with mortal man. Maori: Beckwith Myth 244. |
| A753.1.2 | Moon (man) cohabits with woman. Maori: Beckwith Myth 74; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47; S. Am. Indian (Cubeo): Goldman BBAE CXLIII (3) 798. |
| D1311.6.1 | Moon (stars) answers questions. Africa (Tonga): Junod 266ff., (Swahili): Baker FL XXXVII 299f. No. 16. |
| A753.1.1 | Moon abducts woman. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 29, (Cape York): Rasmussen III 50. |
| A753.1.5 | Moon and mortal have child. Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 199, (Greenland): Holm 47. |
| A753 | Moon as a person. |
| A121.1 | Moon as deity. (cf. A240). Jewish: Neuman. |
| A741.3 | Moon as grinder which brings fire out of the sun. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E481.8.2 | Moon as land of dead. Samoa: Clark 181. |
| A695 | Moon as next world. (Cf. A750.) Hindu: Keith 101. |
| A753.3 | Moon as person—miscellaneous. |
| A756 | Moon as sun's representative at night. Egyptian: Müller 84. |
| A753.1 | Moon as wooer. The moon is enamored of a mortal.—Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 61 n. 2 (Endymion); Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 427.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 273 n. 6a. |
| V211.2.3.2 | Moon bloody at Crucifixion. (Cf. F961.3.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| A745.1 | Moon born from first couple. Gilbert Is. (Micronesia): Dixon 254. |
| N271.1.1 | Moon brings murder to light. (Like N271.1.) BP II 532. |
| A754.1 | Moon buried in pit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A755.4.1 | Moon cut in half. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A755.4 | Moon cut in two by sun: hence waxes and wanes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A753.3.1 | Moon deceives sun. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A753.3.4 | Moon endowed with wisdom and passion. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A754.1.1 | Moon falls into pit but is rescued by man. S. Am. Indian (Guayaki): Métraux-Baldus BBAE CXLIII (1) 444. |
| A1016.6 | Moon falls into sea and causes flood by overflowing. S. Am. Indian (Fueginos): Coazzi Rev. Chil. Hist. Geogr. X 31. |
| A712.1 | Moon from light, sun from fire. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A741 | Moon from object (person) thrown into sky. Admiralty Is.: Dixon 112; Cook Group: ibid. 37; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 215. |
| A743 | Moon from transformed object. |
| D1812.5.1.5 | Moon furnishes omen. |
| A753.2 | Moon has house. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 30, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 598, (Greenland): Rasmussen I 81, 83, II 25, 33, III 51, 170, Rink 442, Holm 73, 75, 80. |
| A759.1 | Moon has wooden weapons, therefore vulnerable. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 19. |
| A759.4 | Moon is hare covered with silver, which lives in crystal house with fifteen windows. It rests on a chariot and travels around Mount Meru.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A741.1 | Moon is water slung into sky. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 421. |
| A753.1.4.2 | Moon is wife to all twelve brothers of the sun and they have her a month at a time because she ate up her sisters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A754 | Moon kept in box. (Cf. A755.1).—French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 11.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 282 n. 45; German New Guinea: Dixon 112.—Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 421; Chinese: Graham. |
| A736.1.4.1.1 | Moon kills sun's children. Africa (Fang): Milligan Jungle 248. |
| A742 | Moon made from shining fragments. A cap is opened and shining things fall out. Children pick them up and put them into a box. At the end of the month the box is full. The full moon shines when all the fragments are gathered together.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 349. |
| G27 | Moon made to eat wife's corpse by mother-in-law. S. A. Indian (Viracocha): Steward-Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 550. |
| A753.1.4 | Moon married to mortal woman. India: Thompson-Balys (A753.2); Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 29ff., (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 198, (Greenland): Rasmussen III 50, 52, Rink 441, Holm 47. |
| A753.1.4.1 | Moon married to son of sky-god. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S160.5 | Moon mutilates his earth mistress. Eskimo (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 180. |
| H71.1.1 | Moon on forehead and stars in palm of hand as sign of royalty. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D1470.1.49 | Moon provides by magic. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47. |
| C905.2 | Moon punishes for breach of tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 90—95. |
| A1053.1 | Moon shining by day as sign of Doomsday. (Cf. A1002.) Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.2). |
| A2216.3 | Moon splits hare's lip with hatchet: hence hare-lip. (Cf. A2211.2, A751.5.1, A2342.1.)—Hottentot: Bleek 72 No. 33. |
| A751.5.5 | Moon spots are tattoo marks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A153.3.1 | Moon steals food from banquet of the gods. (cf. A153.1.). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A753.3.2 | Moon steals from a garden. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A755.4.2 | Moon stolen and divided into quarters. German: Grimm No. 175. |
| A735.1 | Moon tied to sun so that when sun sinks moon is dragged up to light earth. Maori: Clark 46. |
| F961.3.1 | Moon turns to blood. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A759.6 | Moon under direct control of deity. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 854. |
| A751.5.2.1 | Moon wants to marry his sister the sun. She is angered and throws hot ashes on his face.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F961.3.3 | Moon warns sleeping man of approaching assassin. Africa (Fang): Tessman 93. |
| A745.3 | Moon younger brother of the sun. India: Thompson-Balys; S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 158, 165. |
| A757 | Moon-boat. Lappish: Friis Lappisk Mythologi 79. |
| A757.1 | Moon-chariot. Icel.: Boberg. |
| A182.3.6 | Moon-god, overcome in contest with mortal, threatens to withold rain and game. Eskimo: Holm 75, Rink 442. |
| A240 | Moon-god. D. Nielson Die altarabische Mondreligion und die mosaische Ueberlieferung (Strassburg 1904); **Siecke Hermes der Mondgott; Gaster Thespis 291.—Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 186; Egyptian: Müller 32, 33; Maspéro Histoire ancienne des peuples de l'Orient classique 145; Hindu: Keith 90f., Oldenberg Religion des Veda 193, Penzer III 161 n. 1, India: Thompson-Balys, Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 854, II 735, 962; Japan: Beckwith Myth 102; Finno-Ugric: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 223; Armenian: Ananikian 11. |
| A240.1 | Moon-goddess. Usener IV 1; Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 186f. (Artemis, Hekate); India: Thompson-Balys; Tonga: Gifford 181. |
| A736.1.4.2 | Moon, sun are sister and brother, wife and husband. India: Thompson-Balys. Cf. A736.1.2. |
| A737.5 | Moon's eclipse caused by moon's interfering between attacker and person attacked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A755.6 | Moon's phases as punishment for moon's misdoing. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A755.4.3 | Moon's phases caused by animals gnawing at edge. S. Am. Indian (Paressi): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 360. |
| A755.5 | Moon's phases caused by feeding or starving. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 19, (Ipurina): Métraux ibid. 20. |
| A755.1 | Moon's phases caused by its being put in box. (Cf.A754). When it is closed up in the box, it is dark; when taken out of the box, light.—Ekoi: Talbot 344. |
| A755.2 | Moon's phases caused by watcher's death. Moon is hung in tree and is tended by four men. As one dies it loses a quarter. Later it is united in the lower world.—BP III 288ff. (Gr. No. 175).—Cf. Ekoi: Talbot 344. |
| J1791.3.3 | Moon's reflection thought to be gold in water. Fools dive for it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A755.3 | Moon's waning caused by her sickness. Belden MLN XX 205; Penzer VI 119 n. 1.—Maori: Clark 182; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 19. |
| A755.7 | Moon's waning caused by menstrual period. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1796 | Moonlight thought to be substance. |
| F675.2 | Moonmakers make new moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1317.8 | Moorish (black) girl substituted for mistress (in the dark). Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J731.1 | More than one swallow to make a summer. Spendthrift youth seeing swallow concludes that summer has come and sells his clothes. There is frost the next day and he is cold. Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 348), 122 (ST 316); Halm Aesop No. 304. |
| J2213.5.1 | More than twenty commandments. Numskull asked the number of commandments replies that there are twenty. He explains to another that he knows there must be more than twenty because the minister would not accept his answer. Scotland: Baughman. |
| J881.1 | More timid than the hare. Hares take heart when they see that frogs are more timid than they. *Type 70; *Dh IV 97ff.; Wienert FFC LVI *62 (ET 245), 116 (ST 266); Halm Aesop No. 237; Jacobs Aesop 204 No. 15. |
| F373 | Mortal abandons world to live in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A189.11 | Mortal adopted son by god. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F394.1 | Mortal advises fairy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A189.1 | Mortal as ally of gods. |
| F376 | Mortal as servant in fairyland. *Hdwb. d. Märch. I 396 s.v. "Dienst bei elbischen Wesen"; Irish myth: *Cross; Danish: Feilberg DF V 84ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 440. |
| A187.2 | Mortal as umpire of quarrel between gods. Icel.: Boberg; Celtic-Norse: FFC LXXXIII, xxxviii-xli.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F302.6.2.1 | Mortal beats drum as fairies dance before Indra; is granted fairy wife permanently. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A733.2 | Mortal cannot look at sun since God's name is engraved on it. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F254 | Mortal characteristics of fairies. (Cf. F259.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F304.5 | Mortal chooses to sleep with fairy as boon for saving her life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F451.5.10.7 | Mortal confiscates property of dwarfs. German: Pröhle Harz. No. 137. |
| R185.1 | Mortal deceives Angel of Death. (Cf. V233.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1811.0.1 | Mortal entertained by disguised god. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F378.0.1 | Mortal expelled from fairyland for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G302.7 | Mortal experiences of demons. |
| R185 | Mortal fights with "Death". (Cf. R169.16.) *BP III 293; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 92 n. 3, Fox 38, 107 (Alcestis, Sisyphus); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M242.1 | Mortal fosters fairy child to prevent destruction of crops. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F302.1.2 | Mortal gives fairy ring after night spent with her in fairyland. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F420.6.1.3 | Mortal goes to home of water-spirits and marries. (Cf. F301.3.) German: Schultze 25; Czech: Wiener 118; French: Sébillot France II 409; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F451.5.4 | Mortal goes to land of dwarfs. Type 963*; German: Pröhle Harz. Nos. 137 III, 168 I, II, 229, Eckart 22, 78, 80, Schöppner I 186 No. 184; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 241. |
| D44 | Mortal in guise of spirit. Africa (Upoto): Einstein 142, (Buin) Wheeler 51. See also D47. |
| F167.12.1 | Mortal marries king of otherworld. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A762.2 | Mortal marries star-girl. Chinese: Graham; African (Lamba): Doke Lamba Folk-Lore 14 No. 11; S. Am. Indian (Camacan): Métraux-Nimuendajú BBAE CXLIII (1) 552, (Chaco): Métraux ibid. 369, (Sherente): Louis ibid. 516, (Mataco): Métraux MAFLS XL 48, (Carajá): Métraux ibid. 49, (Chamacoco): ibid. 48, (Apinaye, Canella): ibid. 48. |
| F321.1.4.7 | Mortal mother pays no attention to changeling; the mortal child is returned. Scotland: *Baughman. |
| F348.5.1 | Mortal not to betray secret of fairies' gift. Wales, England: *Baughman. |
| F348.5 | Mortal not to recognize fairy who gives him gift. Hartland Science 57. |
| F348.5.1.1 | Mortal not to tell secret of gift of inexhaustible meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F348.5.2 | Mortal not to thank fairy for gifts. England: *Baughman (F451.5.10.9). |
| F252.1.0.1 | Mortal rules fairyland jointly with fairy king. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.5.7.1 | Mortal son of giant. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.5.7.1.1 | Mortal son of man and giantess. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk I 23, Boberg. |
| F63.2 | Mortal taken to heaven by angel. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F63.1 | Mortal taken to heaven by heavenly maidens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F63.3 | Mortal taken to heaven by sun. Melanesia (Ysabel): Codrington 357. |
| D47.1 | Mortal temporarily takes shape of demon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A117.4 | Mortal transfigured to god on mountain top. Maori: Beckwith Myth 250. |
| A117.2 | Mortal translated to heaven and deified. India: *Thompson-Balys; Maori: Clark Maori Folk Tales 167. |
| F304.4 | Mortal violates fairy woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| V235 | Mortal visited by angel. Irish: Plummer clxxxii, *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 301 No. 16; Spanish: Keller Espinosa Jr. No. 186; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F378.3 | Mortal visiting in fairyland must keep his thought on the fairies. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F331.1 | Mortal wins fairies' gratitude by joining in their dance. *Type 503; BP III 324ff.; England, Scotland, Wales: *Baughman (F379.5.); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bossu"; Japanese: Mitford 191, Ikeda. |
| F331.3 | Mortal wins fairies' gratitude by joining in their song and completing it by adding the names of the days of the week. *Type 503; *BP III 329; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F331 | Mortal wins fairies' gratitude by joining in their sport. Ireland, England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman (F286.2.). |
| F331.2 | Mortal wins fairies' gratitude by letting them cut his hair and shave him. *Type 503. |
| F331.4 | Mortal wins fairies' gratitude by playing for their dance. *Type 503; BP III 324ff.; *Fb "spille" III 488b; Hartland Science 180. |
| T75.0.2 | Mortal woman rejects deity for human lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1301 | Mortal woman seduced by a god. (Cf. K1315.1.) See references to D658.2. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 62, 80, *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 165f.; Africa (Fang): Einstein 94, Trilles 137. |
| Q246 | Mortal's attempt to defile goddess punished. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 34 n. 2 (Iasion and Demeter). |
| F256.1 | Mortal's coming to fairyland foreknown to fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F259.1 | Mortality of fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F394.2 | Mortals aid fairies in war. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F375 | Mortals as captives in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A117 | Mortals become gods. |
| F182 | Mortals held by magic in otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F394 | Mortals help fairies. |
| F396 | Mortals place selves under protection of fairies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F302.1.1 | Mortals supplied with fairy mistresses during visit to fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V235.0.1 | Mortals visited by angel in vision. (Cf. V510.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F451.5.12.1 | Mortals, informed by those benefited, seek dwarf abode in vain. German: Kahlo Harz. 69 No. 109. |
| M301.7.1 | Moses as prophet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D2136.2.1 | Mosque turns around in order to face in the true direction of Mecca after prayers of two saints. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V112.2 | Mosques. |
| B569.3 | Mosquito gives hero advice as to which choice to make. Korean: Zong in-Sob 18 No. 8. |
| A2426.3.5 | Mosquito's buzz. Mpongwe: Nassau 62 No. 12. |
| A2034.1.1 | Mosquitoes created by goddess to make sleeping outside impossible to men. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 128. |
| A2034.3 | Mosquitoes from ashes of bad woman. (Cf. A2001.)—Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 128. |
| A2034.2 | Mosquitoes from bones of slain demon flung into the air. (Cf. A2001.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L392.1 | Mosquitoes sting King Pharaoh and show they are stronger than the man who cannot escape them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F971.1.3 | Moss grows on staff overnight. (Cf. F979.18.) Irish: O'Suilleabhain 49. |
| A764.3 | Most brilliant stars children of the sun; others are children of the moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.3.3 | Most eastern castle in world. *Fb "slot" III 376b. |
| P231.6 | Mother (eagle) casts out dull, stupid changeling; rears bold, energetic son. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T452.1 | Mother acts as procuress of bedmate for her son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T92.6 | Mother and daughter as rivals in love. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P232 | Mother and daughter. |
| P231 | Mother and son. |
| L315.4 | Mother ape burns bear. Revenges theft of her young. *Crane Vitry 194 No. 143. |
| W111.1.1.5 | Mother calls to daughter to tell her that she (daughter) is standing on a live coal. The daughter asks which foot the coal is under. U.S.: Baughman. |
| P231.7 | Mother commits suicide when son wants to marry foreigner according to foreign rites. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 267. |
| J1063.1 | Mother crab blames her children for not walking straight. Jacobs Aesop 211 No. 48; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S223.2 | Mother curses her unborn child. (Cf. M411.1.) *Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49. |
| F1041.1.5.3 | Mother dies from joy on greeting long-absent son. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N383.3 | Mother dies of fright when she learns that she was about to commit incest with her son. He has disguised himself to test her chastity. *Krappe Balor 181ff.; Alphabet No. 710 (Secundus). |
| P230.2 | Mother dislikes her children in forced marriage. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| A401.1 | Mother Earth pregnant with Adam. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A401 | Mother Earth. The earth is conceived of as the mother of all things (cf. A431.1).—**Dieterich Mutter Erde; A. Mayer Erdmutter und Hexe (München 1936); *Lang Myth. 299ff.; Fb. "jord" II 44b IV 247a; Nöldeke "Mutter-Erde bei den Semiten" Archiv f. Religionswiss. VIII 161.—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 194, 328; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 239; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 459; Hindu: Keith 230; India: *Thompson-Balys.—African: Werner African 125.—N. Am. Indian: *Thompson Tales 280 n. 37a, Alexander N. Am. 91f., 289 n. 34. |
| S322.2.1 | Mother exposes child (for fear of jealous co-wife). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2111.5 | Mother falsely accuses son of incest with her. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| S12.2.1 | Mother feeds newly-born illegitimate child to dog. (Cf. S312.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S12.2.3 | Mother forces child to break eating tabu: child dies. Africa (Fang): Tessman 162. |
| T412.1 | Mother guilty of incest with son forgiven by Pope (Virgin Mary). Wesselski Mönchslatein 21 No. 16; Alphabet Nos. 206, 320; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| T412.3 | Mother guilty of incest with son whose honor she is testing. Heptameron No. 30. |
| E222.0.1 | Mother haunts daughter. England: Baughman. |
| R153.4.2 | Mother hides twin (triplet) sons to keep them from death. (Cf. S314.) Africa (Fang): Tessman 90, Einstein 56. |
| S342 | Mother induced by rival to kill her children. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| P211.2 | Mother kills husband for murdering their daughter. Africa (Kamerun): Mansfield 228. |
| N325.3 | Mother kills son thinking him a wild beast. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 331 n. 3. |
| P231.4 | Mother kills sons who lack courage to help her revenge her father and brothers, and are likely to betray the plot. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| P232.2 | Mother lets daughter unwittingly marry own father in order to avenge his raping. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T640.2 | Mother of illegitimate child given as pledge for his crime. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P711.2 | Mother of invalided soldier says of his limping: "Every step will remind you of your virtue." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q172.8 | Mother of saint admitted to heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T579.4 | Mother of saint has healing spittle during pregnancy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A111.1 | Mother of the gods. (cf. A116.2). **Showerman; Smith Dragon viii; *Holmberg Baum 84ff.—Babylonian: Spence 123ff.; Hindu: Penzer I 270ff., 276, VII 231; India: Thompson-Balys; Hittite: Garstang The Hittite Empire 305ff.; Gaster Thespis 179.—Oceanic: Beckwith Myth 294; So. Am. Indian (Apapocuvú-Guarani): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 122. |
| A745.2 | Mother of the moon: the most distant star in the sky. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1282.1 | Mother of the world gives birth to three sons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z122.2 | Mother of Time personified. Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 8. |
| E412.2.2 | Mother of unbaptized child cannot rest in grave. U.S.: Baughman. |
| S12.3 | Mother orders son's death. Icelandic: Völsunga saga ch. 6—8, 40 (38), 43 (41); Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P230.1 | Mother prefers son, father daughter. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| G61.2 | Mother recognizes child's flesh when it is served to be eaten. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R153.4.1 | Mother rescues fettered son. Icelandic: Boberg. |
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