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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| H1094 | Task: unraveling in short time. |
| H1199.12 | Task: unusual pasturing. |
| H1163 | Task: uprooting man-devouring tree. (Cf. H335.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1023.6 | Task: washing black wool (cloth, cattle) white. Type 480; *Roberts 165; *Fb "fеr" I 406b, "hvid" I 700b, "skjorte" III 268a, "sort" III 467b; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 314 No. 113, 328 No. 10. |
| H1096 | Task: washing enormous number of clothes (and other articles) in short time. Sicilian: Gonzenbach I 97ff. No. 15. |
| H1023.6.1 | Task: washing large heavy quilt covered with ghi and oil without aid of soap or anything. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1022.2.2 | Task: weaving a shirt from a piece of thread; countertask: making a loom from a rod. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1021.6.1 | Task: weaving a silk shirt from hair; countertask: making a loom from shavings. (Cf. H951.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 234. |
| H1021.6 | Task: weaving a silk shirt from hair. (Cf. H1022.2.2.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 233. |
| H1022.1 | Task: weaving cloth from two threads. Type 875; *BP II 349ff., 368; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 232. |
| H1022.4.2 | Task: weaving mantle from wool of a single sheep. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1145.1 | Task: weighing fire. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (H1023.16). |
| H1166.1 | Task: wrestling etc. with giant warrior. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1154.3.6 | Task: yoking stags. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1149.1 | Task: yoking together lion and wild boar. Greek: Fox 107 (Admetus), Grote I 108. |
| H972 | Tasks accomplished with help of grateful dead. *Type 507A; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H927.1 | Tasks as trial of prowess of mortal by gods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H942 | Tasks assigned as payment of gambling loss. (Cf. H1219.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H924.1 | Tasks assigned as ransom. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H919.6 | Tasks assigned at instigation of queen (disguised ogress). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H917 | Tasks assigned at own unwitting suggestion. Jason thus sent for the Golden Fleece. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 94 n. 1. |
| H918 | Tasks assigned at suggestion contained in letter borne by the victim. Greek: Fox 39 (Bellerophon); Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H912 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of jealous brothers (sisters). *Type 408; Köhler-Bolte I 468; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 49 No. 328*A, Espinosa Jr. No. 81; India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Inca) Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 317; West Indies: Flowers 460. |
| H913.2 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of jealous father. |
| H911 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of jealous rivals. *Types 328, 501, 531, 725; BP I 109, III 18ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 430; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 22; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 59 No. 425D; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 7, IV No. 5, Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 459. |
| H919.2 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of religious person. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H919.1 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of treacherous servants. Icelandic: Herrmann II 583ff., *Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H916.3 | Tasks assigned at suggestion of wife and paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H915 | Tasks assigned because of girl's (boy's) own foolish boast. *Type 501, 1525; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 460. |
| H936 | Tasks assigned because of longings of pregnant woman. Irish myth: *Cross; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 4; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H915.1 | Tasks assigned because of man's boast. Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H914 | Tasks assigned because of mother's foolish boasting. The mother foolishly boasts to the king that the daughter can perform an impossible task (often spinning). *Type 500, 501; BP I 490, 109; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 4. |
| H923 | Tasks assigned before man may rescue wife from spirit world. Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 169. |
| H939.1 | Tasks assigned by druid. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H913.1 | Tasks assigned by jealous mother. |
| H913 | Tasks assigned by jealous parent. |
| H934.3 | Tasks assigned by stepmother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H931 | Tasks assigned in order to get rid of hero. *Types 428, 461; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Grote I 110; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Anesaki 357, Ikeda. |
| H924 | Tasks assigned prisoner so that he may escape punishment. De Vries FFC LXXIII 309, 313; India: Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M302.5 | Tasks assigned so as to learn future. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H335 | Tasks assigned suitors. Bride as prize for accomplishment. (For nature of tasks see H1000ff.) *Types 313, 502, 513, 514, 518, 570, 577; BP II 87ff., III 267ff., 424ff.; Hibbard 275ff. (Sir Eglamour).—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish: Kalevala runes 7, 8, 13, 14, 19; Italian Novella: *Rotunda, Basile Pentamerone II Nos. 5, 7; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 87 n. 3, II 61 n. 3, Fox 107; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 168; Indo-Chinese: Scott Indo-Chinese 290; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Anesaki 262; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/174, 13/203, 13/276, 13/317, 13/441, 13/499, 13/730, 13/243, 13/1241); Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 57; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 324 n. 170; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 31 No. 4, (Benga): Nassau 134 No. 15; West Indies: Flowers 458. Cf. Wünsche Teufel 33 (devil). |
| H932 | Tasks assigned to devil (ogre). Types 812, 1170—1199; *BP III 16. |
| H1020 | Tasks contrary to laws of nature. |
| H1024 | Tasks contrary to the nature of animals. |
| H1023 | Tasks contrary to the nature of objects. |
| H928.1 | Tasks imposed as fine. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H928 | Tasks imposed as tribute. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H916 | Tasks imposed at suggestion of spouse (sweetheart). |
| H916.1 | Tasks imposed because of wife's foolish boast. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H901.0.1 | Tasks imposed on pain of death of relative (friend, hostage, etc.). Irish myth: Cross. |
| H901 | Tasks imposed on pain of death. Types 306, 851; BP I 188; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 53, 83—84, 179, *Boberg; French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| H900 | Tasks imposed. A person's prowess is tested by assigning him certain tasks (usually impossible or extremely difficult) to be performed either to escape punishment or to receive a valuable reward. *Penzer X 330 s.v. "tests"; *Chauvin VI 200 No. 372.—Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "épreuves"; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 184 n. 1 (Hercules), Fox 80ff. (Hercules), ibid. 98 (Theseus); N. A. Indian: **Lowie The Test Theme in North American Mythology (JAFL XXI 97ff.). |
| H975.1 | Tasks performed by aid of goddess. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H972.1 | Tasks performed by captive spirits of the dead. Africa (Fang): Einstein 70ff.; Trilles 190ff. No. 11. |
| H961 | Tasks performed by cleverness. *M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII x; S. A. Indian (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 174. |
| H962 | Tasks performed by close observation. Type 577; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H975 | Tasks performed by deity. Greek: Grote I 108. |
| H973 | Tasks performed by helpful forest spirits. Maori: Dixon 61. |
| H963 | Tasks performed by means of secrets overheard from tree. *Type 613; *Christiansen FFC XXIV 96ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| D1581 | Tasks performed by use of magic object. *Types 576, 577; Christiansen 87; Chinese: Graham. |
| H960 | Tasks performed through cleverness or intelligence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H984.1 | Tasks performed with help of Brahmadaitya. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H981 | Tasks performed with help of brother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H973.2 | Tasks performed with help of four demons in ring. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H971.1 | Tasks performed with help of old woman. Types 306, 510, 566, 567; Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 160; German: Grimm Nos. 9, 14, 29, 122, 125, 133, 181, 186; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H984 | Tasks performed with help of saint. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 69 No. 515. |
| H1090 | Tasks requiring miraculous speed. Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H939.3 | Tasks set by cruel sisters-in-law to get tigress. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H927 | Tasks set by deity. |
| F301.4 | Tasks set maid by elfin knight before she can marry him. English: Child I 15ff. |
| H945 | Tasks voluntarily undertaken. |
| H1154 | Tasks: capturing animals. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Fox 80ff. |
| H1145 | Tasks: other difficult measurements. |
| H1150 | Tasks: stealing, capturing, or slaying. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G36 | Taste of human flesh leads to habitual cannibalism. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 573. |
| T563.4 | Tattoo on newly born baby's back telling who was his former incarnation. Korean: Zong in-Sob 76 No. 41. |
| J1682 | Taunts of charioteer to rouse anger in master (who is losing battle) so that he may fight more vigorously. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P531.2 | Tax on treasure trove. (Cf. N500.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| P531 | Taxation and payment of fines or tribute. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P340 | Teacher and pupil. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P341 | Teacher dies of pride over success of pupil. Alphabet No. 341. |
| K1692 | Teacher instructs pupil in the art of love: cuckolded. Student, ignoring woman's identity, seduces the teacher's wife, and reports success to him. The teacher makes futile attempts to surprise wife with pupil. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1399.5 | Teacher seduces pupil left in his charge. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1038. |
| P343 | Teacher threatens to curse pupils if they disobey. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1882.1 | Teaching chickens to talk. Fool believes they can be taught. *Type 1750; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 843. |
| K1068.2 | Teaching Latin. Cuts off tip of pupil's tongue or orders him to lick cold iron—pupil injures himself. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2444*. |
| E361.1 | Tear from upper world of mortals falls on departed in lower world. Dead brother sends message of comfort to living. N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Alexander N. Am. 137. |
| P678.1 | Tearing garments as sign of grief. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F1041.21.6 | Tearing hair and clothes from excessive grief. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1416 | Tearing up the orchard (vineyard). Rascal has been told to cut wood. *Type 1011; Köhler-Bolte I 327; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D475.4.5 | Tears become jewels. German: Grimm No. 179; Greek: Grote 134; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D474.6 | Tears change to blood. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H151.14 | Tears fall on person below and indicate presence of those above (on cliff, tree, etc.). |
| A2612.1 | Tears of Adam and Eve leaving paradise become trees. (Cf. A2681.)—Dh I 223ff. |
| D1812.5.1.1.1 | Tears of blood as evil omen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1041.21.1.1 | Tears of blood from excessive grief. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H71.8 | Tears of blood: sign of royalty. Jewish: Neuman; S. A. Indian (Inca): Alexander Lat. Am. 252. |
| D1454.4.1 | Tears of gold. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2612.2 | Tears of Mary at Annunciation become daisies. (Cf. A2651.)— Dh II 7. |
| Q521 | Tedious penances. (Cf. H1110, Q500.) |
| Q500 | Tedious punishments. |
| H1110 | Tedious tasks. |
| H105.5.2 | Teeth and fingernails of slain cyclops taken as proof. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C985.2 | Teeth blackened as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F544.3.2 | Teeth of angered saint give off sparks. (Cf. F552.1.2.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| H58 | Tell-tale hand-mark. Clandestine lover is identified by paint marks left on his skin by his mistress. *Type 950; Köhler-Bolte I 200; India: Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Tawney I 15; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 273 n. 1. |
| D1612 | Tell-tale magic objects. |
| K2111.0.1 | Telling a story to allay a woman's amorous desires. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C755.2 | Telling tales except at certain time of year (or day). De Vries Het Sprookje 49.—Dakota: Wallis JAFL XXXVI 56f. |
| J2722 | Telling their horses apart. One fool docks the tail of his horse; the horse of the second gets tail caught in gate, is docked too. One notches ear of his horse; the second horse notches its ear on the fence. Finally they measure heights of their horses. The black horse is two inches taller than the white. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| W185.3 | Temper lost from reading history. Man so angered that he refuses to pay his workmen. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| A139.13 | Temperamental goddess. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 840. |
| D1541.1.5 | Tempest box raises storm. (Cf. D1174.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V344 | Temple about to be taken over by pagans saved by appearance of a Sign of the Cross (image of the Virgin). Alphabet No. 708; *Crane Miraculis No. 20. |
| F811.7.2.1 | Temple cedars bear fruit. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F163.2.1 | Temple in otherworld. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F163.2.1.1 | Temple of jewels in otherworld. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F773.3 | Temple of jewels. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F941.2.3 | Temple swallowed by earth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| V112 | Temples. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 591b; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K2378 | Temporary advantage gained by pretending to yield in a combat. *Dickson 175 n. 38. |
| T333.4 | Tempted holy man mutilates genitals. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| T333.1 | Tempted man bites out his tongue and spits it in temptress's face. *Herbert III 343; Alphabet No. 138; Scala Celi 15b No. 186. |
| T333.2 | Tempted man burns off his fingers. Frightens his temptress. Wesselski Mönchslatein 23 No. 18; *Crane Vitry 236 No. 246; Herbert III 20; Scala Celi 13b No. 80; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 34. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T333.3.1 | Tempted rabbi tears out his eyes to escape temptation. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F34 | Temptress sent from upper world by deity (Pandora). Greek: Grote I 72. |
| K551.11 | Ten (five) year respite given captive while he undertakes to teach elephant (ass) to speak. Captive explains to friends that in that time the captor, the elephant (ass), or himself is likely to die. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| D1273.1.4 | Ten as magic number. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J2083.4 | Ten for the price of nine. A fool buys nine eggs and sells ten for the same price. He says that business is improving. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 209 No. 12. |
| A651.1.7 | Ten heavens. Jewish: Neuman; Maori: Clark 186; Tonga: Gifford 18; Tahiti: Henry 164, 343. |
| Z71.16.2.1 | Ten plagues. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D55.2.4 | Ten serving-women carried in bottle. They change size at will. Köhler-Bolte II 471ff. |
| P252.6 | Ten sisters. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.2.2.6 | Ten-headed giant. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 125. |
| G361.1.5 | Ten-headed ogre. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 75. |
| B15.1.2.9 | Ten-headed serpent. Hindu: Keith 154. |
| J1179.8 | Tenant advised by landlord to steal in order to pay his taxes acquitted. Bolte Montanus' Gartengesellschaft 610 No. 67. |
| F147.1 | Tenantless houses at border of otherworld. *Siuts 44f. |
| K959.3 | Tent torn down over man, and he is then killed. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F923 | Tent-house folded and swallowed as means of carrying it. Africa (Benga): Nassau 208ff. No. 33. |
| D2161.5.2.6 | Terrible headaches cured by Virgin Mary. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K1213 | Terrorizing the paramour (importunate lover). |
| H1566 | Test for admission to warrior band. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1596.0.1 | Test for attractiveness to men. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E431.0.1 | Test for presence of demons in corpses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1574.3.0.1 | Test imposed on young princes as candidates for throne. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H45.3 | Test of a god: when his image is bound it frees itself. Oertel Studien z. vgl. Littg. VIII 116; Frazer Pausanias III 336f.; Zs. f. Vksk. II 197, III 89, 448. |
| H1568.1 | Test of championship: sitting on pillow covering egg without breaking egg. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H256.1 | Test of child's innocence: onyx stone and coal of fire offered. (Cf. H501.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1585 | Test of cleanliness by being shaken to see if lice fall off. Chinese: Graham. |
| H505.1 | Test of cleverness: uttering three truths. FFC LVI 35; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H505 | Test of cleverness: uttering three wise words. Youths called on to do so display by their answers extraordinary powers of deduction. *Type 655; *Chauvin VII 159 No. 438; BP IV 137; Oesterley No. 58; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1554.1 | Test of curiosity: mouse in jug. The new Eve. A woman has boasted of a lack of curiosity and blamed Mother Eve. The king entertains her in his castle. She may see everything but must not look into a certain silver jug. She does so and finds a mouse in it. (Cf. H1557.2.) *Type 1416; *BP III 543 n. 1; *Crane Vitry 139 No. 13; Alphabet No. 575; *Fb "Adam" IV 3b; H. C. Andersen "Krøblingen", Danish Fairy Tales and Legends; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1554.2 | Test of curiosity: the clock. A man is promised a beautiful clock if he can mind his own business for a whole year. He does. The giver tells him he is the second man who almost made sure of getting the clock. The man asks how the other missed getting it; he loses the clock himself. England: Baughman. |
| H1554.3 | Test of curiosity: the paternoster. Plowman is promised a horse if he can say a paternoster without thinking of anything else. In the midst of the recitation, he asks if he will get the saddle and bridle too. He loses bargain. England: Baughman. |
| H1554 | Test of curiosity. (Cf. H1557.) |
| H248.4 | Test of death by putting burning wood in the mouth of fallen warriors. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H248 | Test of death: to see whether person is dead or feigning. English: Child V 3, 6, 498 s.v. "tests"; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 16ff. Nos. 1, 3, 3 version 2; (Basuto): Jacottet 14 No. 1. |
| H1577 | Test of divine favor. |
| H492 | Test of faithfulness of husband and wife. |
| H1572 | Test of fertility. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1556.0.2 | Test of fidelity (loyalty) of guard. (Faithful unto death.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1556.1 | Test of fidelity by feigning death. English: Wells 129 (Sir Orfeo); Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 4; India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 473. |
| H1556.5 | Test of fidelity by feigning sleep in same bed as calumniated hero or alone in the forest with him. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1556.3 | Test of fidelity through offering suspected assassin opportunity to commit the murder. Heptameron No. 17. |
| H1556.2 | Test of fidelity through submitting hero to temptations. Kittredge Gawain and the Green Knight 6ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1558.5 | Test of friendship: death feigned to test debtor friends. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H1558.13 | Test of friendship: loyalty to condemned friend. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1558.12 | Test of friendship: mourner says dead husband can be touched only by sinless person; volunteers for cremating body immediately disperse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1558.2 | Test of friendship: substitute as murderer. A man in misery gives himself up as a murderer rather than endure further misery. His friend tries to take on himself the guilt and be substituted. The real murderer, touched by the generosity, confesses. *Chauvin IX 16 No. 2; Schiller's "Burgschaft"; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1558.1 | Test of friendship: the half-friend. A man kills a hog and tells his friends that he has killed a man and asks where he can hide the body. All of them drive him away and only his father's half-friend remains true to him in his feigned trouble. *Type 893; *Basset RTP XXII 10; *Crane Vitry 185f. No. 120; Herbert III 10, 55, 205; *Penzer V 87 n. 1; Alphabet No. 59; Chauvin IX 15f.; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 94b; Oesterley No. 129; Scala Celi 9a, 11b Nos. 60, 69.—Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII p. xix, *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 32, *274. |
| H1558.6 | Test of friendship: the imagined refusal. Man wonders if his friend would lend him his palfrey. Decides he would refuse. Imagines that he has actually asked for the palfrey and has been refused. Cools toward his friend. The owner of the horse asks for an explanation. He agrees to lend him the horse and they are reconciled. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H1558.7 | Test of friendship: the power of money. Spendthrift loses his friends in poverty. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1558.3 | Test of friendship: to go with one to death. Everyman. He calls in Riches, Family, etc. Only Good Deeds remains with him. *Chauvin III 101 No. 7; Jewish: *Bin Gorion Born Judas IV 226, 275; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1558.11 | Test of friendship: to take a slap publicly from friend. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1578.1.1.1 | Test of girl masking as man: nuts and corn spread on floor. Jewish: *Neuman (J1661.1.) |
| H1577.1 | Test of goddess' favor: man throws away his wife's jewel-box to see if she can regain it with the aid of goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1577.2 | Test of goddess's favor: husband drowns his son to see if his wife's tutelary goddess can bring him back to life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1565.1 | Test of gratitude: magician makes pupil believe himself superior. Though he has promised magician great rewards he forgets his promise. Wealth removed. Alphabet No. 62; Scala Celi 12a No. 72; Wesselski Mönchslatein 13 No. 7; Herbert 83 No. 7; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H210 | Test of guilt or innocence. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1581 | Test of heirship. German: Grimm Nos. 63, 106, 124, 151, 152, 179. |
| H1250.1 | Test of hero before journey to otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1555.1 | Test of honesty: man entrusted with treasure. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1564 | Test of hospitality. English: Wells 64 (Avowynge of King Arthur etc.); Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1569.1 | Test of industry. (Cf. H382.) |
| H256 | Test of innocence: apple and gold offered. Innocent person takes apple. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 93a; BP I 203, III 236. |
| H41.3 | Test of king (pope): his candle lights itself. *Type 671; *Köhler-Bolte I 148. |
| H1567.1.1 | Test of leadership (obedience): swallowing mouse without vomiting. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1567 | Test of leadership. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H502 | Test of learning. Tawney I 274, 311f.; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T642 | Test of legitimacy of children: exposure to asps. Asps will bite only foreigners. (Cf. H222.1.) Herbert III 168 No. 16. |
| H1576.1 | Test of magic powers: telling sex of unborn goat. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1595.1 | Test of memory: Solomon asks Marchus question, receives answer; fourteen months later he asks second question based on first, again receives correct answer; four months later asks third question based on first two, again receives correct answer. Nouvelles de Sens. No. 31. |
| H1595 | Test of memory. |
| J1142.1 | Test of mother by weighing milk. The one with the heavier milk the mother of the boy; the other of the girl. *Chauvin VI 63 No. 231; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 155. |
| H491 | Test of mother's and father's love for children. |
| H503 | Test of musical ability. (Cf. H509.4.) Tawney IT 431; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H486.1 | Test of paternity: adhesion of blood. Blood of real son will adhere to dead father's bones. Oesterley No. 196; Herbert III 191; Zachariae Kleine Schriften 305; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 61, Neuman. |
| H486.2 | Test of paternity: shooting at father's corpse. Youngest of supposed sons refuses to shoot and is judged the only genuine son of dead emperor. *Herbert III 206; Oesterley No. 45; Scala Celi 98a No. 526; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 835; Nouvelles de Sens. No 29; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 28; L. Schmidt Oesterr. Zs. f. Vksk. 1955, 70 ff.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; *Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 123, 345, IV 102, 280, *Neuman. |
| H486 | Test of paternity. Child tested to see if it is child of certain father. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H1553.6 | Test of patience by asking irrelevant riddles. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1553.2 | Test of patience: king accepts strong reproof and criticism. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1553.3 | Test of patience: those who wish to enter city gate must endure insults of old men there who mock them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H502.1 | Test of religious learning. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1573.7.1 | Test of repentance: culprit exposed to situation identical to that in which he sinned. (Cf. H1573.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1573.7 | Test of repentance. |
| H506.3 | Test of resourcefulness: carrying wolf, goat, and cabbage across stream. Man is to set across a stream, in a boat that will hold himself and only one other object, a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage. He must do this so that the wolf doesn't eat the goat, nor the goat the cabbage. Two solutions: (1) (a) take goat over, (b) take wolf over and goat back, (c) take cabbage over, (d) take goat over; (2) (a) take goat over, (b) take cabbage over and goat back, (c) take wolf over, (d) take goat over. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 38; Fb "ulv" III 970a, "kеl" II 354b. |
| H506.2 | Test of resourcefulness: finding how many people are in dark closed room. Fills room with evil smell; men call each other by name and disclose number. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 396. |
| H506.6 | Test of resourcefulness: not to sit at the foot of couch. Servant gives prince a lemon to place on it indicating which is head and which foot of couch. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.4 | Test of resourcefulness: putting thread through coils of snail shell. Thread tied to ant who pulls it through. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 141 n. 1 (Daidalus); Zachariae Kleine Schriften 59, 108ff.; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H506.9 | Test of resourcefulness: to cook rice without fire (in hot sand). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.11 | Test of resourcefulness: to discover how old, respectively, three horses are. Youth drops water on each; one jumps fifteen paces only, another twenty, and the last bounds in air and gallops. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.7 | Test of resourcefulness: to eat food without untying cloth containing it; hole torn in cloth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.10 | Test of resourcefulness: to find relationships among three sticks: they are put in vessel of water; degree of sinking shows what part of tree each comes from. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.8 | Test of resourcefulness: to get melon out of jar without breaking it. Melon is planted in jar made of unbaked clay. Jar is wrapped in a wet cloth so that it collapses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.5 | Test of resourcefulness: to swing seventy girls until they are tired. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H506.1 | Test of resourcefulness: weighing elephant. Man puts him on boat; marks water-line; fills boat with stones until it sinks to same line; weighs stones. *Chauvin VIII 97 No. 68 n. 1. |
| H506 | Test of resourcefulness. |
| H1573.6 | Test of righteousness. |
| H41.8 | Test of royalty: ability to sow, reap, and winnow rice in one day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1571 | Test of sensitiveness. (For details see F647.) *BP III 238; Penzer VII 10ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 64; Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 120. |
| H1578.1.4 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: ball thrown into lap. Girls spread legs to catch it; men not. Fb "kvinde" II 339a. |
| H1578.1.3 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: choosing flowers. Girl will choose a carnation; man a rose. Sicilian: Gonzenbach No. 17. |
| H1578.1.5 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: nuts and apples offered. Men put them in their shirts, girls into their handkerchiefs. *BP II 58; Bolte Wickram's Rollwagenbüchlein 384 n. 2; FL I 133, 354; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 92b. n. 6. |
| H1578.1.1 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: peas spread on floor. Men tread firmly; women slip. BP II 57 n. 2; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 92b. n. 6; *Zachariae Kleine Schriften 58. |
| H1578.1.2 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: spinning wheel brought. Men take no notice; women interested. BP II 57 n. 2. |
| H1578.1.6 | Test of sex of girl masking as man: warned by a parrot, she picks only one flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1578.1 | Test of sex of girl masking as man. BP II 57f., III 236; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 6; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1578.2 | Test of sex of man masking as girl: arms placed among baskets and war-trumpet sounded. Man snatches arms. Greek: * Frazer Apollodorus II 74 n. 1. |
| H1578.1.4.2 | Test of sex of man masking as girl: jumping over pit (only man succeeds). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1578 | Test of sex: to discover person masking as of other sex. *Dh I 329; Köhler in Gonzenbach II 216 No. 17. |
| H1575.1 | Test of sight: stepping stones. Captives re-blinded if they cross stepping-stones without stumbling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H263 | Test of sin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1576.2 | Test of skill for a fakir: heating iron and passing it through hands without burning them. |
| H504 | Test of skill in handiwork. Types 653, 654, 660; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Vai): Ellis 193 No. 11. |
| H1563 | Test of skill. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1573.5 | Test of steadfastness of love for God: though warned in dream man refuses to part with sacred stone. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1562.3 | Test of strength: breaking heavy glass bottle over loaf of rye bread. *Fb "flaske" I 309. |
| H1562.6 | Test of strength: breaking spirited horse. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1562.8 | Test of strength: breaking witch's back. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1562.1.1 | Test of strength: cutting tree with one stroke. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1562.5 | Test of strength: heavy stone flung at boaster; he throws it back. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1562.2 | Test of strength: lifting stone (fireplace, etc.) English: Wells 59 (The Turke and Gowin), 114 (Sir Isumbras); Icelandic: *Boberg; Danish: Schmidt DF XXXIX 55. |
| H1562.2.1 | Test of strength: lifting sword. Chinese: Graham. |
| H1562.4 | Test of strength: prodigious jump. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1562.11 | Test of strength: pulling in two iron bars passing through hole. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1562.1 | Test of strength: pulling up tree by roots. See all references to F621. |
| H1562.10 | Test of strength: pushing out heavy ferry. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1562.13 | Test of strength: shooting through seven iron plates with arrow. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1562.9 | Test of strength: wrestling. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
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.