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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| A2426 | Nature and meaning of animal cries. *Dh III 355 ff.—Finnish: *Aarne FFC IX. |
| Q153 | Nature benign and fruitful during reign of good king. (Cf. Q67.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F960.2.1 | Nature fruitless after death of hero. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H243 | Nature fruitless if false judgment is passed. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A405 | Nature gods. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 2, chap. I passim. |
| J1911 | Nature of a baby misunderstood. |
| A2375.2 | Nature of animal's feet. |
| A2435.2 | Nature of animal's food. |
| A2326.3 | Nature of animal's horns. |
| A2335.2 | Nature of animal's nose. (See A2213.4.3.) |
| A2365.2 | Nature of animal's penis. |
| A2378.9 | Nature of animal's tail—miscellaneous. |
| A2365.1 | Nature of animal's testicles. |
| A2391 | Nature of bird's eggs. |
| A2431.3 | Nature of birds' nests. |
| A705.2 | Nature of clouds (covered with skin). (Cf. A702.9.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A19 | Nature of creator—miscellaneous. |
| J2349 | Nature of gullibility—miscellaneous. |
| J2310 | Nature of gullibility. |
| N140 | Nature of luck and fate—miscellaneous motifs. |
| N100 | Nature of luck and fate. Penzer V 182f.; *Köhler Aufsätze 99ff.; *Patch Fortuna 78; Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q100 | Nature of rewards. |
| V12 | Nature of sacrifice. |
| A10 | Nature of the creator.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A520 | Nature of the culture hero (demigod). |
| A689 | Nature of the lower world—miscellaneous. |
| A670 | Nature of the lower world. |
| F169 | Nature of the otherworld—miscellaneous. |
| F160 | Nature of the otherworld. Wimberly 139ff.—Irish myth: *Cross, Beal XXI 329; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A702 | Nature of the sky. Chinese: Graham. |
| A669 | Nature of the upper world—miscellaneous. |
| A660 | Nature of the upper world. |
| F108 | Nature of underworld inhabitants. |
| A1103 | Nature transformed by God once in seven years. Jewish: Neuman. |
| U129 | Nature will show itself—miscellaneous. |
| U120 | Nature will show itself. |
| F960.3.1 | Nature's lament at the Temple's destruction. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A875.1 | Navel of the earth. Omphalos, the central point on the earth disc.—*Holmberg Baum des Lebens 150 s.v. "Mittelpunkt"; *Frazer Pausanias V 314f.; *Pease Cicero De Divinatione 353 (Bk. II 115); *Roscher Abh. kgl. Sächs. Ges. d. Wiss. (Phil. hist. Kl.) XXIX (1913) 9, XXXI (1915) 1, Berichte d. kgl Sächs. Ges. d. Wiss. (Phil. hist. Kl.) LXX (1918) 2; Warren Paradise Found (1885) 225ff.; Gaster Thespis 170f.; Jewish: Neuman; Norse: Boberg. |
| J122 | Naпve remark of child: "You forgot to strike mother." A father in habit of beating his wife remarks that he has forgot something. The child says, "I know. You forgot to strike mother." Wesselski Mönchslatein 170 No. 133. |
| J2341 | Near-sighted man persuaded by doctor that he can see. Nouvelles Récréations No. 28. |
| X124 | Nearsighted knight mistakes own servant for one of the enemy. Runs lance into his posterior. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J702 | Necessity of work. |
| F559.5.1 | Neck as hard as ivory. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F1041.6.1 | Necklace bursts as consequence of violent emotion. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K401.2.2 | Necklace dropped by crow into snake's hole leads men to kill snake which had eaten the crow's fledglings. Bødker Exempler 281 No. 25; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F827.4 | Necklace made of human eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S165.5 | Necklace made of torn out human eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T466 | Necrophilism: sexual intercourse with dead human body. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.3 | Nectar in poison: mistress who saves her lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1346.1.2 | Nectar of immortality. (Cf. A154.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B19.2 | Nectar-yielding cow. Hindu: Keith 37. |
| D1364.14 | Needle causes magic sleep. (Cf. D1181.)—Köhler-Bolte I 261. |
| L391 | Needle kills an elk. Slips into his stomach. Type 90. |
| H119.2 | Needle left in garment of husband by abducted wife as sign. Chinese: Graham. |
| D2061.2.2.8.1 | Needle, placed under hearth, burns and causes death of victim. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1391.8 | Needles and anchors. Fox leaving merchant's warehouse: "I had wanted a needle as big as an anchor and an anchor as small as a needle." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q535 | Negative penances. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q223.13 | Neglect of clerical duties punished. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q223.5 | Neglect to attend church punished. U.S.: Baughman; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 18 No. 1167. |
| Q223.9.1 | Neglect to fast punished by sight of dragon ready to carry man off to hell. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q223.9 | Neglect to fast punished. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q223.4 | Neglect to hear confessional punished. Scala Celi 47a No. 263; Alphabet No. 175; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q223.1 | Neglect to pray punished. Köhler-Bolte I 148; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3361, Legends Nos. 691f.; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 280 No. 47. |
| Q223.3 | Neglect to sacrifice punished. Alphabet No. 782; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 305 n. 3; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q223.10 | Neglect to study scriptures punished. |
| Q223.10.1 | Neglect to study Tora punished. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q223.2 | Neglect to thank gods punished. Greek: Fox 59. |
| L146 | Neglected surpasses favorite child. |
| W117.1 | Neglected wife given trifle boasts of it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V5 | Negligence in religious exercise. (Cf. Q223.) |
| V5.2 | Negligent priests buried under bags filled with words omitted from service. *Crane Vitry 141 No. 19. |
| G11.4 | Negro cannibal. Malone PMLA XLIII 412. |
| F573 | Negro so black that he makes whole garden somber. Malone PMLA XLIII 401. |
| R314 | Negro takes refuge under princess's throne. Malone PMLA XLIII 407. |
| J511.1 | Negro tries in vain to be washed white. Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 48), *87 (ST 5); Halm Aesop No. 13; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1614.1 | Negroes as curse on Ham for laughing at Noah's nakedness. Dh I 290; *BP III 311; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1614.5 | Negroes made from left-over scraps at creation. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 632. |
| B155.4 | Neighing of horse indicates important spot. Korean: Zong in-Sob IV No. 2. |
| B741.2 | Neighing of stallion in Assyria impregnates mares in Egypt.—*De Vries FFC LXXIII 375. |
| F1041.0.1 | Neophyte shows no reaction when saint's staff pierces his foot. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S74.1 | Nephew (niece) kills uncle. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P297 | Nephew. *F. B. Gummere The Sister's Son (Oxford, 1901); C. H. Bell The Sister's Son in the Mediaeval German Epic (Berkeley, 1922); Irish myth: Cross. |
| F423.1 | Nereid. A sea-maiden. English: Child V 490 s.v. "Nereid"; Germanic: Meyer Altgermanische 102; Greek: Fox 260, *Frazer Pausanias III 12; Hindu: Penzer VI 209 n. 1. |
| X316 | Nero has reserved place in hell for lawyers. Crane Vitry 148 No. 36; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| D1402.5 | Nessus-shirt. Magic shirt burns wearer up. (Cf. D1056.) *BP I 42 n. 1; Fb "skjorte" III 268b.; Greek: Fox 94; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J1904.4 | Nest built in tree for fish. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1073 | Never use your entire resources. |
| Z61.1 | Never. "Till Ogham and pillar be blent together, till heaven and earth, till sun and moon be blent together." Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z61 | Never. Various ways of expressing this idea. When black sheep turn white, when a dry branch sprouts, etc. *Fb "aldrig" IV 9a; *Wehrhan 36; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 163a; *Gittee Zs. f. Vksk. III 442ff.; Weise Zs. f. hochdeutsche Mundarten III 47ff.; Stoett Nederlandsche Spreekwoorden, Spreekwijzen, Vitdrukkingen en Gezegden@4 (Zutphen, 1923) I 401ff. No. 1036; Berthold Nassauische Blätter V 199ff.; Treichel Der Urquell II 214; Heller Die Bedeutung des arabischen Antar-romans für die vergleichende Literaturkunde (Form und Geist XXI, Leipzig, 1931) 174ff.; Taylor English Riddles 54 No. 143; Müller-Fraureuth Die deutschen Lügendichtungen bis auf Münchhausen (Halle a. S., 1881) 19. — Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 588. |
| F668.5 | New arm made from another man's arm bone. Irish myth: Cross. |
| X1721.1 | New backbone for the horse made from a stick. (First ed. X935.) Type 1911**. |
| K266 | New bags for old! Recovery of the old bag (containing money or having magic power) which the stupid wife has given away. The husband exchanges a new bag for it. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 201 No. 393; Chauvin V 64 n. 1. |
| A636 | New creation shouted away. It is unstable and therefore unsatisfactory. —American Indian: Kroeber JAFL XXI 224, (California): Gayton and Newman 56. |
| D1812.5.1.5.1 | New moon with old moon in her arm a sign of storm. Child II 20ff. |
| A1006.2 | New race from incest after world calamity. Hindu: Keith 92; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| A1254.1 | New race from seeds thrown over head after deluge. (Cf. A1245.1., A1006.)—Tamanac (Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 271. |
| A1006.1 | New race from single pair (or several) after world calamity. (Cf. A1038, A1045.)—*Olrik Ragnarök 479 s.v. "Erneuerung".—Greek: *Grote I 93; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.—Marquesas: Handy 110; Ellice Is.: Beckwith Myth 270; Hawaii: ibid. 315; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 91; S. Am. Indian (Yuracare): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 144, (Chiriguano): ibid. 157, 163, 170f., (Guaporé River): Lévi-Strauss BBAE CXLIII (3) 379; African (Lamomi): Bouveignes 29. |
| A1245.1 | New race from stones thrown over head after deluge. (Cf. A1254.1.).—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 55 n. 2, Fox 19. |
| A1006.4 | New race from union of girl and rat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1006.3 | New race made of red earth after world calamity. Smith Dragon 121. |
| W125.3 | New son-in-law given choice of meals eats all. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E741.1.1.1 | New star for each birth. A star in the sky for each person. Fb "menneske" II 577b. |
| T589.5 | New-born child reincarnation of recently deceased person. Fb "sjæl" III 214a; N. A. Indian: *Alexander N. Am. 281 n. 20. |
| N121.1.2 | New-born child with a weapon and a game animal: fated to be hunter. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| N468 | Newborn babe reveals secret; then becomes silent. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T589.6.1.1 | Newborn boy placed in the lap of bathing queen by vulture. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T585.6 | Newborn child kisses dying mother. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N121.3 | Newborn girl fated to be a courtesan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2214.12.1 | Newcomer undresses to swim a five-foot stream. He has walked all morning toward a mountain that seems only five miles away, but which is actually sixty miles from his starting point. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| P616 | Newcomers forced to pass the night with ruling princess. Given sleeping potion. Goods confiscated for failure to consummate marriage. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U130.1 | Newly rich cannot resist call for distribution of food to beggars. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B241.2.8.1 | Newly-born divine twins cared for by mother-of-tigers. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 161. |
| P298 | Niece. |
| A1174.1 | Night (darkness) in package. Released.—Munderucú: Alexander Lat. Am. 310; Arawak, Carib, Surinam: ibid. 274. |
| A1172.3 | Night and day have steeds and chase each other. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 200. |
| A1174.4 | Night caused by deity wrapping himself in dark mantle. Maori: Clark 17, 21. |
| D2146.2 | Night controlled by magic. |
| T24.1.1 | Night emissions from lusting after certain woman bring man near death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2146.2.2 | Night magically lengthened. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 174 n. 1; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "nuit"; N. A. Indian (Crow): Simms FM II 299 No. 16. |
| D2146.2.3 | Night magically shortened. Irish myth: Cross; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 150; Marquesas: Handy 109; N. A. Indian (Yana): Curtin Creation Myths 436. |
| D2146.2.1 | Night produced by magic. (Cf. F965.2.) Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "nuit"; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 59; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 158. |
| F1045 | Night spent in tree. Hero goes into tree to spend the night. *Type 327A, 613; Icelandic: *Boberg; German: Grimm No. 163; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1174.3.1 | Night stolen and kept in jar. S. Am. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 683. |
| J1394.1 | Night study. A thief having scorned Demosthenes for his constant study, the latter says, "I know that you have not failed to notice that I study much at night." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No 801. |
| A189.17 | Night the period of gods, day the period of mankind. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 14. |
| F470.2 | Night-spirits dance. Fb "danse" IV 93a. |
| F470 | Night-spirits. Poltergeister; goblins; hobgoblins. *Kittredge Witchcraft 214, 521f. nn. 7, 9ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: *Wessman 30ff.; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 305 No. 4. |
| A2241.5 | Nightingale borrows blindworm's eye. Each has one eye. Nightingale borrow's blindworm's and will not return it. (Cf. A2332.6.1.)—*Type 234; *Dh III 136ff.; *Köhler-Bolte I 72.—Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 55 No. 110** (frog in place of nightingale).—Japanese: Ikeda; English: Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet III v. 31. |
| U144 | Nightingale cannot lodge with birds whose nest is made of manure. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| A2272.1.1 | Nightingale hears boy call oxen: learns her song. (Cf. A2426.2.1.)—Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 147 No. 53. |
| A2426.2.1 | Nightingale's song. (See A2272.1.1.)—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3151, Balys Legends No. 260; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| E155.3 | Nightly resuscitation of man with external soul. When enemy takes off necklace containing the soul he revives, but dies again when it is put on. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F471.1 | Nightmare (Alp). Presses person in dream. **E. Jones Der Alptraum (Leipzig-Wien, 1912); *Tegethoff Amor und Psyche 87ff.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. 1 282 s.v. "Alp"; Laistner Rätsel I 41ff., II 1ff.; Wehrhan 62; Hdwb. d. March. s.v. "Alp"; *Meyer Germanen 129ff.; Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 322; *Fb "mare" II 551f.; *Kittredge Witchcraft 218, 525f. nn. 54—62.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 288ff., De la Saussaye 293f., *Boberg; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 241ff., (1928) 154ff.; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 88 Nos. 748—770; Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 63 No. 171; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 60; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 127 No. 60; Jewish: Neuman; Hindu: Penzer III 131 n. 3. |
| F785.2 | Nimrod's multiple throne. Seven thrones on top of one another. Stone, cedar, iron, copper, silver, gold, precious stones. Gaster Exempla 185 No. 2; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D1273.1.3.1 | Nine as magic number. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P251.6.5 | Nine brothers. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T586.1.3 | Nine children at a birth. Ward II 657 No. 9. |
| A658.1 | Nine days' fall from heaven to earth; the same from earth to hell.—Frazer Apollodorus I 4 n. 2. |
| A651.1.6 | Nine heavens. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 400f.—Fiji: Beckwith Myth 150; Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 77. |
| F639.12 | Nine hundred horses draw chariot in which strong man rides. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Z71.6.4 | Nine materials used in building Tower of Babel. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2199.3 | Nine men try to lift bull over the fence. One gets the idea of taking it through the gate. (Cf. J2171.6.) England: *Baughman. |
| A658.1.1 | Nine nights' riding from heaven (or earth) to hell. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 304. |
| P252.5 | Nine sisters. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Z71.6.2 | Nine whirlpools of the world. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A651.0.1 | Nine worlds. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 974. |
| B15.1.2.8 | Nine-headed animal. |
| B11.2.3.4 | Nine-headed dragon. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F531.1.2.2.5 | Nine-headed giant. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 91, Boberg; Korean: Zong in-Sob 166. |
| B15.1.2.8.2 | Nine-headed serpent. Fb. "hugormekonge". |
| B15.3.1.2 | Nine-horned sheep. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B15.7.7.1 | Nine-tailed fox. Korean: Zong-in-Sob 230 No. 99, 20 No. 9, 38 No. 22; Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 141. |
| J1149.12 | Ninety-nine wise men and one fool ordered to pour milk into a tank all at one time: only the fool obeys. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F482.3.3 | Nisser belong to particular farm. Norwegian: Solheim Register 19. |
| F482.4.2 | Nisser have oxen. Norwegian: Solheim Register 19. |
| D133.1.1 | Nisser in form of cows. Fb "ko" II 240b; Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 83ff., (1928) 63ff. |
| A2236.6 | Nit tries to bore through man's head: must remain at edge of hair. (Cf. A2433.5.1.)—Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 151 No. 72; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 94 No. 106. |
| F420.5.3.5 | Nix flees from benediction in church. English: Child I 366n. |
| F167.10 | No carnal sin in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1511.7 | No clothes needed for Day of Judgment. Friends tell a man that the next day is the Day of Judgment and urge him to kill a lamb and give a feast. He apparently consents. He then burns up their clothes. They will not need clothes on the Day of Judgment. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 212 No. 31. |
| F172.1 | No gloom, no envy, etc. in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| U211 | No great knights now because no great kings. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 531. |
| P29.1 | No king to rule who is not husband of certain queen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C57.1.2 | No man with a wound to be sacrificed to goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X452.1 | No need to give sermon about saint again. "Last year I told you all about his life and works. He has performed no new miracles." *Wesselski Arlotto I 188 No. 8; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M402.2 | No one to go security for a satirist. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1432 | No physician at all. A bad physician having predicted the immediate death of a patient meets him recovered. "How go things down below?" "They put you at the head of the list of bad physicians, but I maintained that you were no physician at all." Wienert FFC LVI 39; Halm Aesop No. 168. |
| T331.4 | No place secret enough for fornication. Monk thus repels temptress. Herbert III 21; *Crane Vitry 243f. Nos. 256, 257. |
| U232 | No place secret enough for sin. Alphabet No. 3; Wienert FFC LVI 80 (ET 458), 138 (ST 441); Halm No. 354. |
| F746 | No putrefaction on extraordinary island. Hair and nails of dead grow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D2143.1.0.2 | No rain falls on religious man. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 110. |
| A1002.2.1 | No rainbow for fifteen years before the Day of Judgment. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B784.2.0.1 | No remedy possible. England: Baughman. |
| F379.1.1 | No return from fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2178 | No room left for the feast. A peasant on the way to a feast drinks so much ditch-water that he has no room left for the feast. Herbert III 54, 82; Scala Celi 76a No. 433; Alphabet No. 245. |
| J1184 | No second punishment for same offense. |
| P17.0.1 | No sons left to rule after father. Lawmaker's sons slain in rebellion against him. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1358 | No thanks to the messenger. A messenger tells a man that he has a newborn son. "Thanks are to God, but I am not beholden to you for it." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 223 No. 59. |
| J371 | No time for minor fights when life is in danger. |
| F172 | No time, no birth, no death in otherworld. Hartland Science 194.—Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C12.5.1 | Noah's curse admits devil to ark. Devil persuades Noah's wife to stay out of ark till Noah shall call devil in. Noah at last loses patience and calls out, "The devil! Come in!" The devil comes in and turns himself into a mouse.—Dh. I 258ff. |
| K2213.4.2 | Noah's secret betrayed by his wife. The devil persuades his wife to intoxicate him and then find out what he is doing (building the ark). Dh I 258. |
| P12.9 | Nobility of character a mark of kings. Kings overcomes passion for beautiful captives and sends them back untouched to their people. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| P60 | Noble (gentle) ladies. |
| T91.6 | Noble and lowly in love. |
| J921 | Noble and ugly holy man embraces man who calls him ugly, saying he loves those who see him as he really is. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q485 | Noble person must live in hovel. |
| P51 | Noble person saves self from difficulties by knowledge of a trade. (Cf. P31.) Chauvin VIII 111 No. 90. |
| J411.3.1 | Noble poets refuse to associate with truly good poet because of his lowly birth. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| P61 | Noble woman given to foreigners on condition that thereafter their land be held by female right. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q482.3 | Nobleman after death must serve as menial. *Herbert III 283ff. |
| E501.1.2 | Nobleman as wild huntsman. Schweda 38; Fb "Odins jæger" II 731b. |
| K1816.10.1 | Nobleman disguises as cobbler to woo woodcutter's daughter. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P322.1 | Nobleman forces escaping prisoner to accept his hospitality. Intercedes for his pardon. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T72.2 | Nobleman marries poor girl and then abandons her. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U34 | Nobleman murders one of the people. Goes unpunished. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| R111.5 | Nobleman rescues lady from treacherous servant. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U34.1 | Nobleman who kills one of the people is brought to justice only after long delay. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.7 | Nobleman's generosity enables impoverished lover to entertain his lady. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q81.1 | Nobleman's perseverance wins him coveted place on reserved bench. Elected upon the death of one of its occupants. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P50 | Noblemen (knights). |
| J552.2 | Noblemen being ruined by long lawsuit decide wisely to join their families in marriage and save their fortunes. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 402. |
| J552.1 | Noblemen who quarreled over a device. Wiser of the two shows foolishness of such a fight. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 168. |
| U35.2 | Nobles ruin peasant's (widow's) crops with impunity. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T121.2 | Noblewoman weds shepherd. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 57; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1849.4 | Nobody can move it. Foolish soldier at guard by cannon therefore quits. Christensen DF XLVII no. 49. |
| J1782.3 | Noise in house thought to be ghost. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| T581.6 | Noise of battle precipitates birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E231.4 | Noise of chains leads to buried ghost. (Cf. E402.1.4.) England: Baughman. |
| D1827.1.3 | Noise warns of approaching death. Scotland, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1 | Noises caused by ghost of person. |
| J1812.4.1 | Noises fire is making misunderstood. Hunchback springs into it to burn to his death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J262 | Noisy things often empty. |
| F1047.1 | Non-buoyant flasks float. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E333 | Non-malevolent churchyard ghost. (Cf. E273.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E338 | Non-malevolent ghost haunts building. See E281, E402. England, Ireland, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E338.2 | Non-malevolent ghost haunts church. (Cf. E283.) England: *Baughman. |
| E338.3 | Non-malevolent ghost haunts cloister. England: Baughman. |
| E338.1 | Non-malevolent ghost haunts house or castle. England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E334 | Non-malevolent ghost haunts scene of former misfortune, crime, or tragedy. (See E336, E337, E338, E339.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E336 | Non-malevolent mine ghosts. (Cf. E275.1, E334.5.1, F456.) |
| E332 | Non-malevolent road ghosts. (Cf. E272, E581, E582.) |
| V514 | Non-religious visions. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| P14.7 | None permitted to enter hall of king unless he possesses an art. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1177.0.1 | None should interrupt or leave the room while story is told: treachery revealed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2119.3 | Noodles push parents over a rock as a favor to them. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1611.4 | Noose changed so that ogre's daughter is dragged to death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1384.2 | Noose used by suicide as protection from accident. (Cf. D1278.) Kittredge Witchcraft 142, 461 n. 24. |
| B21.1 | Norse man-horse: "fingalkn" or "fingalp". Icel.: Boberg. |
| G633 | North as abode of evil spirits. Wimberly 136; Irish myth: Cross; Gaster Oldest Stories 233, Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1127.1.1 | North wind tempers fury of south wind. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q451.5.1 | Nose cut off as punishment for adultery. (Cf. Q241.) *Penzer II 88 n. 1, V 82 n. 1, 123, 156, VI 188 n. 1, IX 76; Saxo Grammaticus (ed. Elton) 71; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q451.5.2 | Nose cut off as punishment for theft. (Cf. Q212.) Penzer II 60ff. |
| Q451.5.4 | Nose cut off as punishment for treachery. (Cf. Q261.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q451.5 | Nose cut off as punishment. Bødker Exempler 280 No. 24; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IV 196. |
| P536.1 | Nose cut off for failure to pay tax. (Cf. Q451.5.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| J2119.1 | Nose cut off to get it out of the light. Koryak, Eskimo: Jochelson JE VI 364. |
| Q451.5.3 | Nose of falsely accusing bishop bitten off. (Cf. Q263.) Dickson 46. |
| C948.2 | Nose to be cut off as punishment for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F543.3 | Nose turned upside down. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.4 | Nose wagered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J758.1.1 | Noseless man persuades fools to cut off noses. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| G362.1 | Noseless ogre. Eskimo: Alexander N. Am. 7. |
| F514.1 | Noseless person. Herbert III 238; Oesterley No. 175; Tobler 63; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F535.4.3 | Noseless pygmies. (Cf. F514.1.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1542.3.5 | Not a drop of water will remain in tank no matter how hard laborers work. (Cf. D921.2.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.1 | Not a locksmith. A judge asks a pseudo-prophet to prove his powers by opening a difficult lock. "I am a prophet, not a locksmith." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 258 No. 198. |
| P236.3 | Not daring to curse father directly, son does so indirectly. Nouvelles Récréations No. 50. |
| J1468 | Not in good form. A duke invites a notorious eater. The latter consumes eight fowls, forty eggs, and other things in proportion. In leaving he apologizes for eating so little as he had not felt well the night before. He will do better next time. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 249; Nouvelles Récréations Nos. 57, 73. |
| J1354 | Not in his line of business. At market a man enquires of another: "How is the moon, three-quarters or full?" "I don't know. I have neither bought nor sold one." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 209 No. 17. |
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