Folklore Database · Browse
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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| V17 | Purpose of sacrifice. |
| B155.2.4 | Pursued animal indicates where city is to be built. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2031.3 | Pursued animal runs through imaginary river. Dickson 222 n. 17. |
| D642.3.1 | Pursued sweetheart becomes tree. (Cf. D215.)—Greek: Fox 181 (Daphne); India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Crow): Lowie PaAM XXV 45. |
| R265 | Pursuer (witch, giant) pulls out tail of fugitive's horse. Fb "hale" IV 197b; cf. Burns "Tam O' Shanter"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R272 | Pursuer follows successive night campfires (each brighter than last). Chinese: Graham. |
| R243.1 | Pursuer misdirected by animal to help fugitive. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K619.2 | Pursuer persuaded to put oil on a tree when he wants to climb after fugitives. Korean: Zong in-Sob 9 No. 3. |
| K606.0.1 | Pursuer persuaded to sing while captive escapes. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 126 No. 18. |
| K845 | Pursuer persuaded to take fugitive's place in supposed swing. Hanged. (Cf. K852.) Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 71, Voorhoeve 79. |
| R236 | Pursuers aided by magic weather phenomenon. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D2031.6.4 | Pursuers confused in other ways by magic illusion. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J2103.2 | Pursuing the rabbit who harmed the garden. Peasant asks a nobleman's help against a rabbit. The nobleman chases the rabbit on horseback for five days and ruins the peasant's crop. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 25. |
| C986.1 | Pursuit by animal for breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 182. |
| R271 | Pursuit by fire. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 82. |
| D1431.4 | Pursuit by magic buckets. (Cf. D1171.10.) Chinese: Werner 233. |
| D1431.5 | Pursuit by magic calabash. (Cf. D965.2.) Africa (Nago): Bouche Mélusine II 123f. No. 9. |
| D1431.2 | Pursuit by magic fan. (Cf. D1077.) Chinese: Werner 242. |
| D1431.3 | Pursuit by magic ring. (Cf. D1076.) Chinese: Werner 331. |
| R261.1 | Pursuit by rolling head. *Kittredge Gawain and the Green Knight 189 n. 1; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 343 nn. 238, 238a, *Alexander N. A. Myth. 290 n. 37; cf. JAFL II 69; (California): Gayton and Newman 79; S. A. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 684, (Chaco, Warrau, Shipaya): Lowie ibid. 54f., (Tenetehara): Wagley-Galvao ibid. 148; Africa (Congo): Weeks 207 n. 4. |
| R261 | Pursuit by rolling object. |
| G402 | Pursuit of animal leads to ogre's house. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| G402.1 | Pursuit of bird leads to ogre's house. Type 313; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 108. |
| F59.2 | Pursuit of game leads to upper world. N. A. Indian (Iroquois): Alexander N. Am. 26. |
| H1226.2 | Pursuit of magic arrow leads to adventures. Hawaii: Dixon 75. |
| G402.2 | Pursuit of mongoose leads to witch's house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1226.4 | Pursuit of rolling ball of yarn leads to quest. Type 480; *Roberts 127. |
| H1226 | Pursuit of rolling cake leads to quest. Type 480; *Roberts 127; BP I 217, II 392, III 458. |
| H1226.3 | Pursuit of rolling golden apple leads to quest. Type 480; *Roberts 127. |
| H1226.1 | Pursuit of rolling hoop leads to quest. Hindu: Keith 196; N. A. Indian: Matthews MAFLS V 108, Goddard PaAM VIII 196 No. 3 and numerous other references in Thompson Tales 320 n. 156. |
| A735 | Pursuit of sun by moon. Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 89; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 274 n. 9.—Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 189; African: Frobenius Atlantis XII 181, (Fang): Einstein 34, Trilles 173, (Dahomé): Einstein 30. |
| D1813.2 | Pursuit revealed by magic. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Hrolfs saga Kraka ch. 2, Boberg. |
| R260 | Pursuits. Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K144.1 | Pus from sore sold as ghee. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G321.1 | Pusher-into-hole. Africa: Werner African 214, (Hottentot): Bleek 78. |
| F1041.18 | Putrescence flows from head when man presses forehead. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2492 | Putting fear into him. A plaintiff insists that the judge shall put some fear into the defendant debtor. The judge puts his fingers over the eyes of the defendant and cries, "Boo! Now give him his money." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 266 No. 246. |
| D1329.1 | Putting head under saint's cloak reveals rewards of heaven. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1211 | Putting out of countenance by telling evil stories. |
| K1363.1.1 | Putting the Devil in hand. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1363.1 | Putting the Devil in Hell. Obscene trick used to seduce woman. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J2124 | Putting the fish aside for Easter. They are put in one big pool, but an eel eats them up. Clouston Noodles 34. |
| F535.0.1 | Pygmies descendants of Cain. (Cf. F531.6.1.9.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F535.3.1 | Pygmies dressed in copper. Finnish: Kalevala rune 2. |
| F535.3.2 | Pygmies dressed in red. Chinese: Werner 386. |
| F535.2.1 | Pygmies nine inches tall. Chinese: Werner 386. |
| F535.2 | Pygmies of various sizes. |
| F535.4.2 | Pygmies with upturned feet. S. A. Indian: Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 712. |
| F535.2.6 | Pygmy stands on man's hand. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D55.1.3 | Pygmy turns into a giant. Finnish: Kalevala rune 2. |
| F535 | Pygmy. Remarkably small man. Also called "dwarf". To be distinguished from the dwarfs who live in the woods and inhabit underground places (F451). *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt I 242 n. 6; *Frazer Pausanias II 107; *Chauvin VII 15 No. 373C n. 1; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Hartland Science 179; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 256; Arabian: Burton Nights V 252 n; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 386; N. A. Indian (Cherokee): Alexander N. Am. 68; African: *Werner African 258ff. |
| A499.1 | Python-goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.7 | Quack-doctor as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T686 | Quadruplet heroes. Haiti: Alexander Lat. Am. 30. |
| J1024 | Quails caught in net rise up in a body with net and escape. As soon as they quarrel they are caught. Cowell J[a]taka I 85 No. 33; Benfey Panchatantra II 156ff., 304f.; Bødker Exempler 290 Nos. 45—46; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q552.2.0.1 | Quaking of earth as punishment. (Cf. D2148.) Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J281 | Quality of offspring preferred to quantity. |
| J280 | Quality preferred to quantity. |
| J2060.1 | Quarrel and fight over details of air-castles. *Type 1430; BP III 275; *Gerould MLN XIX 228; India: *Thompson-Balys; Arab: Azov JPASB (n.s.) II 402f.; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 269, Coster-Wijsman 65f. Nos. 107—110. |
| A917 | Quarrel between earth and waters. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T256.0.1 | Quarrel between husband and wife explained by their having been previously a tiger and a dog. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E481.0.2 | Quarrel of dead and living causes removal of dead to own land. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2281.1.2 | Quarrel of dog and cat about which was higher caste. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N387.1 | Quarrel over dog starts the Guelph-Ghibelline feud. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2129.2 | Quarreling heirs destroy the entire property involved. Clouston Noodles 119; West Indies: Flowers 487f. |
| M149.4 | Quarreling prince and princess vow that if they are married he will desert her on the wedding day and she will make him eat boiled rice and thin broth for six months. It so happens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2575 | Quarrels introduced among animals. Africa (Congo): Weeks 205 No. 2. |
| T256.1 | Quarrelsome wife conquered by silent husband. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 470. |
| T256.3 | Quarrelsome wife reproved by a good whipping. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q306 | Quarrelsomeness punished. (Cf. Q551.7.3.) Irish myth: Cross; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 62. |
| K414 | Quartered thief's body sewed together to escape detection. Type 676; *BP III 143; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 389. |
| Q416.0.1 | Quartering by horses as punishment for breaking betrothal. (Cf. Q252.) Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 136 No. 93. |
| Q416.0.3 | Quartering by horses as punishment for impostor. (Cf. Q262.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q416.0.2 | Quartering by horses as punishment for murder. (Cf. Q211.3.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q416.0.2.1 | Quartering by horses as punishment for uxoricide. (Cf. Q211.3.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q596.1 | Quartering in effigy for uxoricide. (Cf. Q211.3.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P29.3 | Queen (princess) pours liquor for battle champions. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T511.0.1 | Queen and maidservant conceive from eating same food. Their sons are like brothers. (Cf. P311.4.) Köhler-Bolte I 512; BP I 545. |
| N837 | Queen as helper. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 239. |
| P21.1 | Queen as intercessor with king. Greek: Odyssey VI 313; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S411.2.1 | Queen banished for saying that man's condition depends on what kind of wife he has. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S416 | Queen banished when she defeats king in argument. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T481.6 | Queen begets son with duke while the king is in war. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1921.3 | Queen changes her own ugly twins for slave's pretty son. Later recognizes the better character of the twins, and changes back again. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| P17.2 | Queen chosen to live rather than king so that she can bear an heir to the throne. Serpents alleged to tell by their death which shall die first: male serpent predicts king's death; female, queen's. King has male serpent killed. BP IV 139; Gesta Romanorum No. 92. |
| P29.2 | Queen commits adultery with husband's foster son. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T481.2.1 | Queen commits adultery with low-born man. Africa (Fang): Einstein 162. |
| P26.1 | Queen commits suicide, as her husband vanquishes and kills her father and her brother. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2213.14 | Queen deceives her husband as revenge for his killing of her lover and brother (Helgi.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T569.1 | Queen delivered of a piece of flesh; abandoned and saved, it gradually separates into forms of boy and girl. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N384.5 | Queen dies from fright because of evil prophecy. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M392 | Queen dies from fright from evil prophecy. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1817.4.1.1.1 | Queen disguised as peddler sells children poisoned cheese. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1817.4.1.1 | Queen disguised as peddler. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| P230.3 | Queen dislikes son who is unlike her and loves a poor girl: plots against him. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Q211.4.1 | Queen expelled for poisoning stepson. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2116.1.2 | Queen falsely accused of having poisoned husband. Ignorant doctors cannot diagnose king's illness. Queen burned at stake. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1812.8.1 | Queen flees husband's persecution disguised as knight. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1141.1.10 | Queen flogs suspects telling them to produce stolen gem: thief promises to do so. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.7 | Queen forced to become a courtesan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q482.2.1 | Queen forced to do menial service rescued by son. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| V411.1 | Queen gives away a sleeve of her dress: miraculously restored. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 322. |
| T555.2 | Queen gives birth to a gourd. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2063.1 | Queen grieves herself to death over fate of her children after her death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S332 | Queen hides her child and accuses wolf of eating it. Malone PMLA XLIII 437. |
| K547.10 | Queen hiding king disguised as child tells ogress she has borne child with moustache: ogress frightened. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2213.3.4 | Queen in love with own brother kills her husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P21 | Queen intervenes for condemned courtiers. *Chauvin II 104 No. 65. |
| R41.5.1 | Queen kept in palace of forty doors, each of them watched by a dog. Africa (Dahome): Einstein 25. |
| K2213.13 | Queen kills her husband as revenge of his killing of her father and brother. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| P22.1 | Queen leaves country with her son, having killed her husband in revenge for his killing of her father and brother. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q482.5 | Queen made to scare crows away in fields. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T492 | Queen makes all men who come to serve her copulate with her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P22 | Queen marries murderer of her fiancée. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P25 | Queen meddles in state affairs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.4 | Queen mother shames cowardly son and companions. "In truth, gentlemen, you do well in weeping; for since you didn't fight like men to defend your land, it is suitable that now you weep like women on leaving it." Spanish: Childers. |
| P24 | Queen must pay tribute to victorious queen to the amount paid by king to victorious king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.2.2 | Queen of demons. Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas II 177, 351. |
| H933.5 | Queen of Sea sets hero tasks. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/441). |
| H540.2.1 | Queen of Sheba propounds riddles to Solomon. *Penzer VI 74; FL I 349ff.; Anderson FFC XLII 237 n. 2; Hertz Gesammelte Abhandlungen (1905) 412ff.; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 32, 297f., *Neuman; *Frazer Old Testament II 564. |
| A161.3 | Queen of the gods. Greek: Grote I 10; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 13, chap. II passim. |
| B244.1.1 | Queen of watersnakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P23.4 | Queen offers son to be killed in order to spur to fight and avenge her first husband. (Cf. S12.3.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Q482.2.2 | Queen ordered to go and live in woodcutter's house as servant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1923.6 | Queen passes off girl-child as boy by having pandits say raja must not see his son for twelve years. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P23.3 | Queen persuades husband to avenge her father. Icelandic: Boberg |
| P23.2 | Queen persuades husband to claim her father's kingdom after his death. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| P23.1 | Queen persuades husband to riot against his superior. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| P23 | Queen persuades king to make war without cause that her sons may have territory. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q482.2 | Queen placed in kitchen and abused by butcher. Irish myth: Cross. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 101. |
| H540.2 | Queen propounds riddles. Dickson 41 n. 40. |
| R111.1.6.1 | Queen rescued from slavery. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q56.3 | Queen rewards love of man of low lineage by making him an ambassador. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F565.1.3 | Queen takes husband's place in battle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D651.1.3 | Queen transforms herself to defeat god of death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1229.2 | Queen writes message on stone which hero finds: he goes in search of her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T481.2 | Queen's illicit passion for diseased man. Penzer V 181, 183. |
| N513.6 | Queen's jewel-box thrown into tank floats to top during first week of new moon; light or large jewel on top reveals it to passersby. It disappears when someone tries to get it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P29 | Queens—miscellaneous. |
| P20 | Queens. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J2162.3 | Quenching the burning boat. People row to land and fetch water from a spring to put out the fire. Type 1330; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| A1035 | Quenching the world-fire. |
| H1239.3 | Quest accomplished by means of objects given by helpers. Type 425; Halliday Indo-European Folk-Tales (Cambridge, 1933) 135f. |
| H1233.2.2 | Quest accomplished with aid of brother in disguise. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1233.4.2 | Quest accomplished with aid of giantess. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1233.3.3 | Quest accomplished with aid of prophet (sage, druid). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1233.2.1 | Quest accomplished with aid of wife. *Type 465C; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1219.1 | Quest assigned as payment for gambling loss. (Cf. H942.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1219.7 | Quest assigned as payment for hospitality. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1219.1.1 | Quest assigned as payment for magic object. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1219.3 | Quest assigned as punishment by father of abducted girl. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1219.8 | Quest assigned as punishment for curiosity. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1219.2 | Quest assigned as punishment for murder. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1219.6 | Quest assigned as result of slander. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1217 | Quest assigned because of dream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1212.1 | Quest assigned because of feigned dream. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 330 n. 191g. |
| H1212 | Quest assigned because of feigned illness. Lion's milk (or the like) said to be necessary as cure; hero therefore sent on dangerous quest. *Type 590; BP III 1f; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 49 No. 17. |
| H1215 | Quest assigned because of hero's boast. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Fox 33 (Perseus). |
| H1214 | Quest assigned because of hero's knowledge of animal languages. BP I 325; Köhler-Bolte II 340. |
| H1212.4 | Quest assigned because of longings of pregnant woman. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1219.4 | Quest assigned by fairy. (Cf. H938.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1210.1 | Quest assigned by father. *Types 402, 550; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 105; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chile: Pino Saavedra 399, 403, 404; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 350. |
| H1210.2 | Quest assigned by king. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H933.4 | Quest assigned by scorned princess. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1212.2 | Quest assigned by wife through appeal to husband's love for her. He is sent for liver of dangerous animal. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 2 No. 1. |
| H1219.5 | Quest assigned prisoner. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1210 | Quest assigned. |
| H1331.8 | Quest for a large-headed worm. Irish myth: Cross (H1349.4). |
| H1225 | Quest for a strong adversary. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1221 | Quest for adventure. *Type 650; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 66 (Ywain and Gawain), 134 (Sir Degare); Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "aventures"; Arabian: Burton Nights VI 1—83, S IV 420, 509ff. This motif is prominent in Romances of Chivalry. |
| H1332.4 | Quest for animal with golden chain. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1333.3.1.3 | Quest for apple of life. Type 590; BP I 513, II 400, III 1. |
| H1333.3.1.6 | Quest for apples that are under the sea. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1392 | Quest for armor from a grave mound. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1338 | Quest for axe which sticks in beam outside a tower. *Fb "økse" III 1171b. |
| H1376.4 | Quest for bag of truths (lies). Types 513, 570; BP III 267ff., 273. |
| H1333.5.3 | Quest for bakali flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.3.1 | Quest for bald, white-headed cow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1361.2 | Quest for bear's milk. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1214.1 | Quest for beautiful girl about whom parrots are heard speaking. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1355.2 | Quest for beautiful saree for the queen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.3.3 | Quest for berries from tree guarded by giants. Irish: *Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 176. |
| H1319.2 | Quest for best cap. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1305.2 | Quest for best-cooked dish. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1306.1 | Quest for best-worked handkerchief. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.1.1 | Quest for Bird of Truth. *Type 707; India: *Thompson-Balys. See all references to B131. |
| H1331.4.1 | Quest for blue-eyed horse. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1377.2 | Quest for bouquet of all flowers. (Beehive.) Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 105 No. 860. |
| H1333.6 | Quest for branches of tree guarded by dragon. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1301.1.1 | Quest for bride as handsome as the hero. *Type 516; *Rösch FFC LXXVII 100. |
| H1381.3.1.3 | Quest for bride for dwarf. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1381.3.1.1 | Quest for bride for king (prince). *Type 531; *Schoepperle I 188 n. 3; Thien Motive 7; BP III 18; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Bуsa saga 49, *Boberg; Hindu: Tawney I 380; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 218. |
| H1381.3.1.1.1 | Quest for bride for king like picture he has seen. (Cf. H1381.3.1.2.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1381.3.1.2 | Quest for bride for oneself. Type 585; BP III 355; Fb "hеr" I 771b; Dickson 184; Irish myth: *Cross; Finnish: Kalevala runes 5, 11; Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 9; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/900); N. A. Indian (Ojibwa): Thompson CColl II 403. |
| H1311.2 | Quest for bride richest and poorest. Type 585; BP III 355. |
| H1381.3.1 | Quest for bride. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1343 | Quest for castle of jewels. Arabian: Burton Nights V 358. |
| H1271 | Quest for Cerberus in hell: to be brought to earth. Greek: Fox 88. |
| H1361.6 | Quest for cheese made from milk of wild white buffaloes. (Cf. H1362.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1381.3.3 | Quest for clever woman. De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff. |
| H1347 | Quest for comb. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 22. |
| H1348.1 | Quest for covering that is kept in an emerald box by the well. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.3.2 | Quest for cow with liver of tallow. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1331.7 | Quest for creature with a single horn mounting to heaven with single red hair on its head. Chinese: Graham. |
| H1333.3.1.2 | Quest for dancing apple. *Köhler-Bolte I 118. |
| H1321.4 | Quest for dancing water. Köhler-Bolte I 143; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H1360 | Quest for dangerous animals. Irish myth: Cross; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 312 n. 126; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 2 No. 1. |
| H1381.3.1.2.3 | Quest for dangerous maiden as bride. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1364 | Quest for demon-owned cows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1362 | Quest for devastating animals. |
| H1362.1 | Quest for devastating buffaloes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1272 | Quest for devils in hell; hero brings them back with him. *Type 650. |
| H1324.2 | Quest for draught of healing. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1377.4 | Quest for dusty cloth. (Barren woman assigns quest. Dusty cloth is one made dusty by the feet of a child.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1397 | Quest for enemies. |
| H1397.2 | Quest for enemy's children. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1217.1 | Quest for explanation of dream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.3 | Quest for extraordinary fruit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.2.3 | Quest for extraordinary herb. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.2 | Quest for extraordinary plant. |
| H1333 | Quest for extraordinary plants (fruits, trees). Bödker Exempler 274 No. 8; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1301.1.2 | Quest for faraway princess. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1331.1.5 | Quest for fat of water blackbirds. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1344 | Quest for ferule to fit staff. Irish myth: *Cross (H1317). |
| H1333.5.0.2 | Quest for flower of a tree inside the seventh of a series of forts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.5.0.1 | Quest for flower that sends forth its fragrance for hundred miles around. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1355.1 | Quest for garment of spider web. Irish myth: *Cross (H1349.1). |
| H1381.3.1.2.2 | Quest for girl hero has seen in dream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1377.1 | Quest for glass of all waters. (Sea water.) Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 105 No. 860. |
| H1381.3.2 | Quest for Glass Princess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1333.5.0.3 | Quest for gold flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1392.1 | Quest for gold from a grave mound. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 153, 160, 165, 355ff., (1928) 107, 115, 117, 231ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1335.1 | Quest for gold mouth-harp. Fb "guldmundharpe" |
| H1331.1.3 | Quest for golden bird. *Type 550; BP I 503; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.3.3 | Quest for golden calf. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1332.1 | Quest for golden fleece. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 94 n. 1. |
| H1331.1.3.2 | Quest for golden peacock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1359.2 | Quest for golden spinning equipment. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1332.3 | Quest for Gorgon's head. Greek: Fox 33 (Perseus), *Frazer Apollodorus I 155 n. 3. |
| H1359.3 | Quest for great tank of Indra (god). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1376.6 | Quest for happiness. Gesta Romanorum No. 101. |
| H1361.5 | Quest for hare's milk. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1333.3.1.5 | Quest for healing apple. BP III 267; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1321.2 | Quest for healing water. Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 59 No. 425D, Espinosa Jr. No. 75; Arabian: Burton Nights S VI 213; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1332.7 | Quest for honey from the royal bee-hive. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.4.2 | Quest for horse with peacock tail. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1385.4.1 | Quest for husband who has been reincarnated as cat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1376.7 | Quest for immortality. Rуna-Sklarek Ungarische Volksmärchen (Leipzig, 1909) No. 1; Babylonian: Gilgamesch-Epos. |
| H1333.5.4 | Quest for jasmine flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1331.1.3.1 | Quest for jeweled golden cock. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.