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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| J2499.2 | Not naked but with a hood on. She confesses that she has had relations with the priest. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 294. |
| J1803.1 | Not of legitimate birth. A cleric is asked whether he is of legitimate birth ("de legitimo thoro"). "No, I am not from that place; I am from Schmich." *Wesselski Bebel II 126 No. 80. |
| J1172.1 | Not the same purse as was lost. Finder of a purse containing 800 gulden returns it to owner for reward. Latter says that purse had 900 gulden in it. In court. Decision: The rich man speaks truth. The purse found is not the one he lost. The finder may keep it. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 115; Chauvin IX 26 No. 15; Scala Celi 21b No. 135; Alphabet No. 650; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 44; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K216.3 | Not to sleep for three successive nights. The sleepy man: "I am just thinking, that on earth there are more crooked trees than straight ones ... more hills than plains ... more water than land ..." The devil goes to ascertain these things, meanwhile the man sleeps. Unsuccessful imitation by another man. Lithuanian: Balys Index. No. 813*. |
| J312 | Not what you were but what you are counts. |
| J1173.1 | Novel settlement of dispute. Judge orders woman's second husband to return her to the first in the same condition as he received her (with child). Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1173.1.1 | Novel settlement: snake's wife must wait to kill prince till princess bears as many sons as snake has. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.13 | Novel sign of death. It is the first time that what he has given away seems too much. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| D2178.4.2 | Noxious animals produced by magic. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F555.3.1 | Nude woman clothed in own hair (Godiva). *Fb "hеr" I 771b; Type 710; *BP I 21; England: Baughman. |
| Z181 | Nudity as sign of anger. Penzer Pentamerone I 12; Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z181.1 | Nudity as sign of madness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K476.2.1 | Nugget of supposed gold (lead) given to help build church: money then borrowed. *Wesselski Bebel I 230 No. 141. |
| A2332.2 | Number of animal's eyes. |
| A1601 | Number of nations of the world (70, 72, 140). Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1311.16.1 | Number of screams from stone indicates number of kings to descend from man standing upon it. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q172.5 | Numerous sinners to go to heaven as reward for man's writing hymn. (Cf. Q35.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1842.1 | Numskull (female devil) thinks her pubic hair has been telling her lies and pulls it out together with the skin. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2363 | Numskull amuses with his discursive nonsense. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2461.1.7.1 | Numskull as thief: tries to carry off grinding-stone when told by confederates to bring out heavy things. Told to bring shiny things; brings out looking glass. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2136.5.4 | Numskull as thief's assistant wakens owner. Pleads successfully that he was trying to awaken the household and prevent theft. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2021.1 | Numskull asks doctor which leg (own) is hurting him. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Nouvelles Récréations No. 11. |
| J1967 | Numskull bales out the stream. He comes to a stream but not wishing to get his feet wet he sits down to wait for the stream to run down. He helps to bale the stream out with a hazelnut shell and keeps it up for months. Italian: Gonzenbach No. 17, Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2131.1 | Numskull beaten. |
| J2311.1.3.1 | Numskull believes he is dead when pumpkin falls on his head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2323 | Numskull believes that he is married to a man. Two men's hands joined in fun with words "I marry you." Fool thinks that he must get a bishop to annul the marriage. Wesselski Bebel II 142 No. 130. |
| N613 | Numskull bribed to keep silent in elephant sale when he manifests interest, though utterly ignorant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N611.3 | Numskull bridegroom unwittingly sings out phrases that thieves mistake to mean he has detected them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2136 | Numskull brings about his own capture. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2022 | Numskull cannot find ass he is sitting on. *Type 1288A; *BP III 150; Christensen DF XLVII 182. |
| J2318 | Numskull convinced that he is a thief. An article is stolen. Declared that whoever does not eat all his cheese is the thief. A stone is put in the numskull's cheese so that he cannot eat it all. He admits the theft. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 679. |
| J2133.4 | Numskull cuts off tree-limb on which he sits. *Type 1240; Köhler-Bolte I 51, 135, 486ff.; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 216f. No. 49; Chauvin II 201 No. 47; Clouston Noodles 158; Fb "træ" III 967; Christensen DF XLVII 229; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 293 No. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1911.1 | Numskull does not understand about baby's skull. Sticks needle through it. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 215 No. 445; Spanish: Espinosa III 147; West Indies: Flowers 486. |
| J2023 | Numskull doesn't recognize his own horse. Finds it only when the rest ride away and he takes the only one left. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 234 No. 100; Italian Novella: Rotunda (J2043). |
| J2132 | Numskull dragged. |
| J2488.1 | Numskull dragon wants to see courage. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2133 | Numskull falls. |
| J1901.2 | Numskull feeds hens hot water so they will lay boiled eggs. *Clouston Noodles 120; England: Baughman. |
| J1851.1.2 | Numskull feeds his wheat to frogs. He has been sent to mill to have it ground. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 139 No. *1693, Espinosa III 147. |
| J2213.9 | Numskull finds that one feather makes a hard pillow, thinks a sackful would be unbearable. Canada: Baughman. |
| J1924 | Numskull forgets name of certain food and thinks that it has fallen into sand. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2131.5 | Numskull gets his head caught. (Cf. J2136.6.) |
| J2093.1 | Numskull gives away the old water bag in which the money is hid. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 201 No. 393. |
| J2133.5.2 | Numskull going to heaven holding on tail of divine elephant, looses his hold to make gesture. He and all holding on to him fall. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2131 | Numskull injured. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2131.3 | Numskull injures his limbs. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2199.4.1 | Numskull is glad to hurt his feet instead of his shoes. Christensen DF XLVII no. 58. |
| J2175.5 | Numskull is sent to fetch children. He either smothers them during conveyance or scalds them during bathing. (Cf. J2465.4.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1677; Russian: Andrejev No. *1681 II. |
| J2311.1 | Numskull is told that he is to die when his horse breaks wind three times. When this happens he lies down for dead. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 216f. No. 49; *Fb "æsel"; Köhler-Bolte I 135, 486, 505. |
| J2311.1.2 | Numskull is told that he will die when his mouth bleeds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2175.6 | Numskull kills his children trying to cure their illness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1823.1.4 | Numskull knocks the figure of Jesus from the ass. Sees the waving of palms on Palm Sunday and thinks the people are trying to knock the figure from the ass. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 768; *Wesselski Bebel I 200 No. 78. |
| J2131.5.2 | Numskull licks out pot: gets it caught on his head. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 263, Coster-Wijsman 62 No. 98. |
| J2013.4 | Numskull made to believe he is an evil spirit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2134 | Numskull makes himself sick (uncomfortable). |
| J2427 | Numskull praises his daughter as being pregnant. He tries in vain to sell his cow and succeeds only when he says that she is with calf. When suitors come wooing his daughter, he tries the same plan disastrously. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 223 No. 57. |
| J1846 | Numskull prepares brother's wedding (father's funeral). On the way home from town he destroys his purchases. (Cf. J1851, J1856, J1871.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1677*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1681 I*; Prussian: Plenzat 75. |
| J2428 | Numskull puts money into the exchange so as to participate in the business. He hears that great lords take a part in the business of the exchange where he sees great heaps of money. He throws down a penny and says, "You may like it or not, but I want money in the exchange, too." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 566. |
| J2131.4 | Numskull puts out his eyes. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1903.2 | Numskull puts the milk back. When the customer refuses to take the milk he puts it back into the goat's mouth so that it will flow back into the udder. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 247 No. 550. |
| J1805.3 | Numskull referring to a forgotten name keeps saying "I have lost it." People dive into tank to recover treasure they think he has lost. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2024 | Numskull rides backward. "I didn't get on backward but the horse seems to be left-handed." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 235 No. 100. |
| J2132.4 | Numskull rides on tiger's back. (Cf. J1758.1.1.) Dragged to his death (or injured). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1852.1 | Numskull sells cow to bird. When he comes for his money the bird flies to a trash pile, where the fool finds a treasure. (Cf. J1853.1.1.) *Clouston Noodles 147. |
| J2124.1 | Numskull sends meat home through kite (bird); kite devours it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1833.1 | Numskull shoots grasshopper which lighted on the shoulder of his friend and kills friend. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1902.1 | Numskull sits on eggs to finish the hatching. Cautions people to be quiet and not frighten the eggs. (Sometimes puts on honey and feathers before sitting on the eggs.) Type 650; *BP I 316; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 212 No. 433; *Wesselski Bebel II 146 No. 148; Christensen DF XLVII 210 No. 63; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeuf"; Spanish: Espinosa III 147 Nos. 181—188; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 4. |
| J2135 | Numskull starves himself. |
| J1814 | Numskull stays till he has finished. As he is making water he hears a brook flowing and mistakes what it is. He waits for a day and a half. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 210 No. 23; U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2131.5.3 | Numskull sticks his head in the branches of a tree. Type 1241; Christensen DF XLVII 192ff. no. 19. |
| J2131.5.4 | Numskull sticks his head into the hole of a millstone. It rolls into the lake. *Type 1247. |
| J1849.3 | Numskull strikes all matches in order to try them. Christensen DF XLVII 207 no. 60. |
| J2131.2 | Numskull stung. |
| J2355 | Numskull talks about his secret instructions and thus allows himself to be cheated. Told not to serve a man with a red beard or to keep sausage for the long winter, etc. *Type 1541; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400*B. |
| N612 | Numskull talks to himself and frightens robbers away. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 211 No. 428, *215 No. 446; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1812.5.1 | Numskull thief thinks snoring sleeper is asking for food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1813.10 | Numskull thinks boiling pot is threatening him: breaks pot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1759.3 | Numskull thinks fireflies are mosquitoes carrying lanterns to find victims. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| J1813.2.1 | Numskull thinks his prayers have stopped milk boiling over. Actually his wife has added cold water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1790.1 | Numskull thinks his shadow is a man pursuing him. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1833 | Numskull thinks the bishop's snoring is his death rattle. He strikes at a fly on the bishop's nose because it seems to be killing the bishop. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 712. |
| J1823.3 | Numskull thinks the extinguishing of lights at the church presages a fight. Draws his sword. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 849. |
| J1851.1.1 | Numskull throws money to frogs so that they can count it. *Type 1642; *BP I 59. |
| J1851.1.3 | Numskull throws money to frogs to repay them. They have frightened his fleeing ass from the water. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 226 No. 69. |
| J1831 | Numskull throws the dishes out. A landlord in anger throws a dish out the window. The numskull throws the rest out, thinking that the landlord wanted to eat outdoors. *Wesselski Bebel I 194 No. 65. |
| J2132.2 | Numskull ties the rope to his leg as the cow grazes on the roof. The cow falls off and the man is pulled up the chimney. *Type 1408; *BP I 321. |
| J2126 | Numskull to water roots of tree. Digs up the tree to find the roots. Von der Leyen Das Märchen 78 and Herrigs Archiv CXIV 20 n. 2. |
| J2461.5 | Numskull told not to forget to get the handsel (a little token extra in the bargain); brings it but leaves what he has been sent to buy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2461.9 | Numskull told to attract girl's attention by throwing pebble at her flings large stone which breaks her head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2461.1.7 | Numskull told to steal something heavy brings millstone. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1933 | Numskull tries to dig up a well (spring). He wants to take it home. Köhler-Bolte I 533; Clouston Noodles 67. |
| J1902.2 | Numskull tries to hatch out a calf from a cheese. *BP I 317. |
| J2131.1.1 | Numskull tries to preach while the priest is preaching: beaten. U.S.: Baughman; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 138 No. 1690. |
| J1909.3 | Numskull tries to shake birds from tree like fruit. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 238 No. 526. |
| J1909.6 | Numskull tries to wash black hen white. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 246 No. 142. |
| J2426 | Numskull wants to be shaved too. He sees another man being shaved and thinks that the man is having his ears cut off. He orders his wife to cut off his ears. Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 205. |
| J2488 | Numskull wants to see an abstract quality. |
| J2331 | Numskull with unimportant office boasts of it. |
| J2012.1 | Numskull's beard cut off: does not know himself. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 274 No. 298; Christensen DF XLVII 27, 221 No. 83; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N691.1 | Numskull's outcry overawes tiger who is carrying him on his back. Tiger thinks that words are the name of the "demon" riding him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1976 | Numskulls are affected by heat from stove which has no fire in it. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| J2271.4 | Numskulls attempt to capture moon and bring it home in a sledge. They get to the top of the hill a few minutes too late to reach it. England, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| J2495.5 | Numskulls believing that God has reposed on a leaf want to cross river on one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2119.4 | Numskulls bore hole in boat in order to make water run out. Christensen DF XLVII no. 45. |
| J2037.1 | Numskulls buy church in common: each pays full price. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1336*. |
| J2037 | Numskulls buy things in common: each pays full price. |
| J2021 | Numskulls cannot find their own legs. A stranger helps them with a switch. (Usually get them mixed up when they sit down to bathe their feet.) Type 1288; BP III 150 n. 1; *Fb "ben" IV 32b; Clouston Noodles 32; Christensen DF XLVII 183. |
| J2163.1 | Numskulls carry one another through mud and the others back in order that not all get dirty. Christensen DF XLVII No. 32. |
| J2031.1 | Numskulls count selves by sticking their noses in the sand. They then count the holes. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 268 No. 261. |
| J2134.2.1 | Numskulls eat medicine that physics them. Biscayans pour medicine into rice for broth with which to cook rice. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1711 | Numskulls go a-travelling. (Cf. J1742.) *BP II 555; **Field Myth of the Pent Cuckoo. |
| J1834 | Numskulls lose corpse and bury live person instead. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2511.2 | Numskulls make silence wager. Arrested as thieves. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1712 | Numskulls quarrel over a greeting. Three men greeted by a stranger. Quarrel as to whom he greeted. "I greeted the biggest fool among you." A contest is held in which tales are told to decide which is the biggest fool. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 263 No. 237; Christensen DF L 91; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 484. |
| J1932.1 | Numskulls sow cooked grain. *DeVries FFC LXXIII 246; *Fb "sе" Penzer V 67 n. 3; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| J1738.3 | Numskulls surprised at news that God has a son. Christensen DF XLVII 205 No. 53A; U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1738.4 | Numskulls surprised to hear that God's son has died. Christensen DF XLVII 205 No. 53B; U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1944.1 | Numskulls try to get pears from an oaktree. They accuse each other of eating all the pears. Wesselski Bebel II 147 No. 149. |
| J2131.0.1 | Numskulls try to kill mosquitoes with bows and arrows: only injure themselves. Clouston Noodles 95. |
| J2271.3 | Numskulls try to throw the moon over a cliff. England: *Baughman. |
| Q551.3.4.3 | Nun breaks her vow. She is turned to stone. (Cf. Q226.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| J1264.6 | Nun claims her child is by the Holy Ghost. Defense accepted. Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft *218 No. 6. |
| V254.5 | Nun forgets to hail Mary and goes into the world to sin. Alphabet No. 470. |
| V465.1.2.1 | Nun hidden by abbess from pursuing knight betrays her own hiding place to him. Is afterwards abandoned. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 13; Crane Vitry 159 No. 58. |
| T362 | Nun refuses to look at man. |
| T362.1 | Nun so opposed to seeing men that she refuses to see St. Martin. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1919.5.2 | Nun tells friar to get rid of offending member. He does so. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| V465.1.2.2 | Nun tempted into sinning with man who tells her God can't see things that happen in the dark. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| C117 | Nuptial tabu. Man and wife forbidden intercourse for definite time.—*Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt II 298; Crawley Mystic Rose (1902) 343ff.; *De Vries Zs. f. deutsche Philologie LIII 276ff.; Penzer II 248, VIII 25 n. 1.—Irish myth: Cross; Norse: Elton Saxo Grammaticus xxxi, 319, Corpus Poeticum Boreale II 347, Ragnarssage Loрbrуkar 128; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 169 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 335 n. 209; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 99; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47, Rasmussen III 134. |
| R131.0.1 | Nurse begs alms from door to door so as to keep child and nurture him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1923.1 | Nurse exchanges children so that the preferred child will be assured of wealth. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1162.1 | Nurse's false plea admitted: child demanded. A nurse falsely demands pay for caring for a child which she says is the hero's. In court: "The child is indeed mine; give him to me." The child belongs to a peasant. Nurse confesses and is punished. Wesselski Märchen 229 No. 40. |
| A511.2.2 | Nursing of culture hero. |
| T610 | Nurture and growth of children. |
| N652 | Nut falls and wakes man about to be bitten by snake. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 38 No. 285B*, Espinosa Jr. No. 57. |
| Z43.3 | Nut hits cock in head: he thinks world is coming to an end. He sends the hen to tell the duck, the duck to tell the goose, etc. Final formula: Fox, who told you? —Hare. — Hare, who told you? —Goose, etc. For sequel see Type 20C. Sometimes the animals have queer names (cf. Z53). Taylor JAFL XLVI 85 No. 2033, Hdwb. d. Märchens II 185a; *Wesselski Hessische Blätter XXXII 19; Cowell Jataka III 49 No. 322; Fb "høne" I 750. — Danish: Danske Dyrefabler 103ff. Nos. 177—85; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2033; Africa (Kaffir): Kidd 240 No. 9; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 108 No. 20. |
| F813.3.3 | Nuts yield purple juice. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F499.2 | Nymphs of Paradise (houris). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M119.7 | Oath by placing hand on genitals. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M119.1.1 | Oath by River Styx. Greek: Grote I 56f. |
| M114.1.1 | Oath by Tora. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M114.6 | Oath by touching sacred thread. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M110.2 | Oath is valid only when decreed in presence of ten. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K2312.1 | Oath literally obeyed: to tell no Christian. Woman thus sworn to secrecy talks to her unchristened child. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 20. |
| K2312 | Oath literally obeyed. |
| M177.1.2 | Oath not to be christened until he has fought in seven battles for Jesus. English romance: Malory X 47. |
| M166.5 | Oath not to fight relatives of king. English romance: Malory X 44. |
| M188 | Oath not to mention what has been seen. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A2493.9.1 | Oath of friendship between cat and rat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H251.1.1 | Oath of truth before magic lion. If oath is false perjurer is dismembered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M114.1 | Oath on sacred book. |
| M115.1.1 | Oath so heavy it dries up stream; oath so great it splits the rock in twain; oath so violent it makes the tree wither. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H251.3.5 | Oath taken before image. If oath is false the image turns around (or changes color). Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| M119.8 | Oath taken by the life of a person. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M113 | Oath taken on arms. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H252.4 | Oath taken on boy's head: boy to die if false. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M116 | Oath taken on hand of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M114.2 | Oath taken on holy stone. (Cf. M119.5.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M112 | Oath taken on ring. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 67; Brumer Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte I 258; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M114 | Oath taken on sacred object. Jewish: Neuman; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M113.1 | Oath taken on sword. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 20; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 197; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M187 | Oath to abide by results of lot drawing. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M149.5 | Oath to marry daughters only into family with bridegroom for each daughter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M110.3 | Oath uttered by pious when in danger of succumbing to temptation. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C12.2 | Oath: "May the devil take me if ... " Devil does.—Type 821A; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 807.—Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 105; Irish: Beal XXI 316; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 641. |
| C12.3 | Oath: "May the devil whet my scythe." Devil leaves only the handle. —Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 41 No. 45**. |
| G571 | Oaths (abusive speeches) drive ogres away. Fb "bande" IV 24a. |
| H253 | Oaths before gods as test of truth. Chinese: Werner 403. |
| M111 | Oaths taken over severed pieces of horse. Pieces are then buried. Greek: Fox 25. |
| H1557.5 | Obedience of king's subjects tested by willingness to allow spear to be carried crosswise into houses. Way must be hewn. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1557.1 | Obedience of sons tested by offering them apple. They are each offered a slice of apple. The king says, "Open your mouth and receive what I give you". Eldest son insulted; youngest obeys and receives kingdom as reward. (Cf. H1558.0.1.1.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 368; *Crane Vitry 187 No. 123; BP III 236; Wesselski Mönchslatein 8 No. 3; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 93a n. 7. |
| B256.5 | Obedience of the feathered creatures to the commands of saint. *Loomis White Magic 67f. |
| W31 | Obedience. |
| V461.1 | Obedient and industrious nun the worthiest in the convent. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 690; Alphabet No. 322; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2523.1 | Obedient husband hangs his wife. Wife had wished only to test her husband's love for her. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1378. |
| J2523.2 | Obedient husband walks slowly. Arrives home after dawn when wife's lover has gone. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2411.9 | Obedient woman's pestle remains magically suspended in air. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G243.1 | Obeisance to devil at witch's sabbath. England: Baughman; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 151, 155, 156; West Indies: Flowers 444. |
| G272.7 | Object across door protects from witch. England, U.S.: *Baughman (G256.) |
| G265.8.4 | Object bewitched—miscellaneous. |
| F991 | Object bleeds. |
| D1365 | Object causes magic forgetfulness. |
| D1364 | Object causes magic sleep. *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt I 257 n. 1; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E766 | Object dies or stops when owner dies. |
| F994 | Object expresses sorrow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K335.1.1 | Object falls on robbers from tree. They flee and leave money. India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 144, 147 No. 64. |
| F1083.0.1 | Object floats in air. Loomis White Magic 47f. |
| J1891 | Object foolishly blamed. |
| D1331.1 | Object gives magic sight. (Cf. D1323, D1825.) |
| D1335 | Object gives magic strength. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1601 | Object labors automatically. Irish: Plummer clxxxvi, *Cross. |
| C917 | Object magically appears when tabu is broken. |
| D2171.1 | Object magically attaches itself to a person. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 394, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 66 No. 9. |
| D1687 | Object magically becomes heavy. *Loomis White Magic 49; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1873 | Object magically made hideous. |
| D2135.0.2 | Object magically raised in air. Irish myth: Cross; U.S.: Baughman. |
| F1098.0.1 | Object miraculously broken. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F1098 | Object miraculously mended. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E501.5 | Object of wild hunt's pursuit. |
| D1641 | Object removes itself. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1083 | Object rises into the air. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1881.1 | Object sent to go by itself. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 272 No. 281; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa III 147; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 72 No. 130. |
| T353 | Object set between beds of couple sleeping in same room. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F948 | Object sinks into earth. |
| H1248 | Object sought brings about death of assigner of quest. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T247 | Object stolen (left) as token that infidelity has been discovered. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K525.3 | Object substituted for murdered person so as to allay suspicion. Africa (Venda): Stayt The Bavenda (London, 1931) 343f. No. 6. |
| J1771.3 | Object thought to be a turkey. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1771 | Object thought to be animal. |
| F1037 | Object thrown from heaven. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K1082.2 | Object thrown into air causes enemies to fight over it. Norse: Hdwb. d. Märchens I 440a n. 287. |
| A2615 | Object transformed to plant. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1643 | Object travels by itself. (Cf. D1641.) |
| N411 | Object unknown in a country sold for a fortune. |
| Z320 | Object will fit only one thing (or person). Irish myth: Cross. |
| K499.2 | Object with a hollow as instrument of cheats. |
| K1883.2 | Objects (animals) attacked under the illusion that they are men. Irish: *Cross, Plummer clxix; Icelandic: *Krappe études 131, *Boberg; Maori: Beckwith Myth 398. Cf. Sophocles's Ajax, Cervantes' Don Quixote. |
| N691 | Objects accidentally picked up used to overawe ogress. India: Thompson-Balys; East Africa: Rattray Some Folk-Lore Stories and Songs in Chinvanja (London, 1907) 149ff. No. 24. |
| E501.10 | Objects as part of wild hunt. |
| J1875 | Objects ascribed human feelings. |
| F379.2 | Objects brought home from fairyland. |
| G273.7 | Objects driven into tracks of witch immobilize her. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| N135 | Objects effect change of luck. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1025 | Objects go journeying together. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 161. |
| D489 | Objects made larger—miscellaneous. |
| D2136 | Objects magically moved. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D2136.10 | Objects magically sent to certain place. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 68, 69, 75, 140; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 245. |
| D2171.4 | Objects magically stick together. (Cf. D1413.) |
| V229.19 | Objects mourn death of saint (holy man). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F162.0.1 | Objects of crystal in otherworld. *Patch PMLA XXXIII 606 n. 11, 610 n. 30, Other World 375 s.v. "crystal".—Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1239.2 | Objects of quest found in deserted castle where hero is served by unseen hands. Type 425; Tegethoff 14.—Icelandic: Boberg. |
| V1 | Objects of worship. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 649b; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 214, *Boberg. |
| F162.1.2.3 | Objects on one side of palisade in otherworld garden black, on other white. Patch PMLA XXXIII 620 n. 65.—Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D2178 | Objects produced by magic. Irish myth: *Cross: Missouri French: Carrière. |
| D1649.6 | Objects rebel against their owners. American Indian (Maya, Andes, Chiriguano): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 484. |
| D1658.1 | Objects repay kindness. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *314C; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2135.5 | Objects sent through air. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1211. |
| K359.5 | Objects stolen by means of magic impersonation. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V52.4 | Objects supplied through prayer. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1896 | Objects supposed to be born, grow, and die like animals. (Cf. J1932.) Christensen DF XLVII 189—190 no. 15. |
| J1781 | Objects thought to be the devil. |
| V224.1 | Objects used as firewood for saint miraculously replaced. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1770 | Objects with mistaken identity. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| K1218.9 | Obscene tricks are played on repugnant simpleton who wishes to marry. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J62 | Observation of dying people for a year takes man's thoughts from lust. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 265. |
| K1271.1.4.3 | Observer of intrigue insists on sharing in it (or enjoys the girl after putting the man to flight). Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 46; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| R231 | Obstacle flight—Atalanta type. Objects are thrown back which the pursuer stops to pick up while the fugitive escapes. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 526; Köhler-Bolte I 430; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 122—25; Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Absyrtos"; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 860; Japanese: Anesaki 224; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 342 n. 232; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 74; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 99 No. 18, 125 No. 22, (Zulu): Callaway 145, (Angola): Chatelain 101 No. 6, (Kaffir): Theal 46 No. 2, (Yoruba): Ellis 269 No. 4. |
| D672 | Obstacle flight. Fugitives throw objects behind them which magically become obstacles in pursuer's path.—*Types 313, 314, 325, 327, 502; **Aarne Die Magische Flucht (FFC XCII); **BP II 140; Fb "hеr" I 771b, "flaske" I 309a, "hvidtorn" I 703a; *Wesselski Theorie 31; *Hdwb. d. Märch. I 151a; *Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 1655; Cosquin études 166, 193ff.—England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "objets"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 304 No. 30; Icelandic: Boberg; Hungarian: Solymossy Hongaarsche Sagen (Zutphen, 1929) 403; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 11; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys, Penzer II 21, III 227 n. 1, 236ff., IX 151; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 234f.; Korean: Zong in-Sob 173f.; Japanese: Ikeda: Indonesian: Dixon 236 nn. 48, 49, DeVries Volksverhalen Nos. 16, 17, 63, 116; Philippine (Tinguian): *Cole 75, 17 n. 1; Marquesas: Handy 117; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 333 n. 205, (Yuchi): Speck UPa I 141 n. 5, Hatt Asiatic Influences 92ff.; S. A. Indian (Mundurucú, Carajá): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 55, (Amuesha): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 149; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 79, (Greenland): Rasmussen I 106; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 274 No. 86; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen 145, (Basuto): Jacottet 4 No. 1, 220 No. 32, (Mpongwe): Nassau 74 No. 15, (Kaffir): Theal 87; Frobenius Atlantis IV 220, V 308. Cf. Ceiuci: Alexander Lat. Am. 304. |
| K11.9 | Obstacle race between deer and hare. Hare accused of removing obstacles from his course. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T255.6 | Obstinate wife refuses to take cover off boiling kettle. Is beaten by husband. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
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