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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| F721.4 | Underground treasure chambers. *Type 676; *BP III 137; *Fb "höj" I 740a; Chauvin V 10 No. 7, 60 No. 19 and passim; Irish myth: *Cross; Chinese: Graham. |
| F725.3.3 | Undersea house. Chinese: Graham. |
| F715.3.1 | Undersea river. (Cf. F718.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N547 | Understanding of animal languages leads to discovery of a treasure. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 42. |
| J52.1 | Understanding of universality of death from watching animals prey on one another. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H509.4.3 | Understanding poem as test. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F771.1.5.4 | Underwater castle with walls of gold and diamonds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F251.4 | Underworld people from children which Eve hid from God. *Fb "underjordiske" III 975b; Wales: Baughman; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 30 No. 261; German: Grimm No. 180. |
| F162.2.13 | Underworld river from blood of sick mortals. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 24. |
| K1083 | Undesignated present starts quarrel for its possession. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S311 | Undesirable children exposed, desirable preserved. *Frazer Old Testament II 437ff.; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N731.2.2 | Undesired combat between sworn (blood) brothers (foster brothers). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T322.3 | Undesired lover drugged and carried out. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q411.2 | Undesired suitor hiding under girl's bed is killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q411.2.1 | Undesired suitor killed asleep in his tent. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Judith and Holofernes. |
| Q433.11 | Undesired suitor's messengers imprisoned. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| P236.5 | Undutiful children ridicule father while he is drunk and naked. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| P236 | Undutiful children. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P236.6 | Undutiful son overawes his father by threats. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q551.1 | Undutiful son punished by toad clinging to face. (Cf. Q281.1.) *BP III 167; Köhler-Bolte I 473ff.; *Ward II 664; Herbert III 343; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 437; Irish: Beal XXI 317. |
| J121.2 | Undutiful son rebuked by father. Father tells son not to drag him past the threshold, because he had dragged his own father only up to that point when he had thought of putting him out of his house. Spanish: Childers. |
| P236.7 | Undutiful son taught lesson showing his mother has suffered from him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N550 | Unearthing hidden treasure. Irish myth: *Cross; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| T121 | Unequal marriage. Child V 500 s.v. "Unequal"; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1264.8 | Unequal returns. Man at his lady's funeral says to priest: "You enjoy them when they are young and then give them to us to bury. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T91.7 | Unequals in love—miscellaneous. |
| T91 | Unequals in love. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1653.1.5 | Unerring arrow. (Cf. D1092.) Icelandic: Anssaga Bogsveigis 327; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "flèches"; Greek: Fox 84, 131; India: *Thompson-Balys; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 70. |
| D1653.1.4 | Unerring bow. Always hits mark. (Cf. D1091). Type 592. |
| D1653.1.2 | Unerring spear. (Cf. D1084.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 72 (Procris); Hindu: Keith 140. |
| D1653.1.6 | Unerring stone missile. (Cf. D1093.) S. A. Indian (Fuegian): Alexander Lat. Am. 340. |
| N335 | Unexpected death at hands of an animal. |
| N761 | Unexpected encounter in oasis. Malone PMLA XLIII 398. |
| N731 | Unexpected meeting of father and son. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N741 | Unexpected meeting of husband and wife. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N764 | Unexpected meeting with wild man. (Cf. F567.) Dickson 122 n. 72; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| A871.0.2 | Unextinguishable fire at end of earth. S. A. Indian (Mbayá, Mataco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 367. |
| D1652.7 | Unfading garlands. (Cf. D975.) Penzer I 100, II 22ff., IX 53 n. 2; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S413 | Unfaithful husband and his mistress persecute his wife. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| C31.12 | Unfaithful husband loses magic wife. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1549.5 | Unfaithful wife communicates with lover by pouring milk into stream. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M359 | Unfavorable prophecies—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M340 | Unfavorable prophecies. |
| W110 | Unfavorable traits of character—personal. |
| W150 | Unfavorable traits of character—social. |
| W100 | Unfavorable traits of character. |
| Z12 | Unfinished tales. Just as the interest is aroused the narrator quits. "If the bowl had been stronger my tale had been longer." *Types 2250, 2260; BP II 210, III 455; Taylor Hdwb. d. Märchens II 189b; Köhler-Bolte I 269. |
| F941.3.1 | Unfinished Tower of Babel sinks into earth. (Cf. F772.1.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1172.3 | Ungrateful animal returned to captivity. A man rescues a serpent (bear) who in return seeks to kill his rescuer. Fox as judge advises the man to put the serpent back into captivity. *Type 155; **Krohn Mann und Fuchs 38; **McKenzie MPh I 497ff.; Herbert III 14, 37, 54; *Köhler-Bolte I 50; *Chauvin II 121 No. 109; IX 18 No. 4; *Gaster Exempla 268 No. 441; *Crane Vitry 201 No. 160; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 745; Wienert FFC LVI 65 (ET 293), 147 (ST 515); Halm Aesop No. 97; *Fb "utak"; Scala Celi 86b No. 502; Alphabet No. 706; Oesterley No 174; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 39. -Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 27 No. 15; Indonesia: Dixon 197 n. 36; American Negro: Harris Nights 274 No. 46; Africa: Milligan Jungle 98f., (Cameroon): Lederbogen 63. |
| W154.5.1.3 | Ungrateful ape plucks feathers from heron who has carried him across water. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 34. |
| W154.12.2 | Ungrateful Brahmin brings his wild goose rescuer to king as remedy against leprosy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.12.3 | Ungrateful brothers plot against rescuer. *Types 550, 551. |
| G85 | Ungrateful cannibal. Eats offered food and then threatens hosts. *Jochelson JE VI 376. |
| Q281.1 | Ungrateful children punished. (Cf. Q551.1, Q557.1, Q557.2, Q588.) Irish: Cross, O'Suilleabhain 46, Beal XXI 317; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F451.5.2.1 | Ungrateful dwarf. *Type 426; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 326 No. 23. |
| W154.5.1 | Ungrateful fox hits with tail the man who carries him across stream. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W154.19 | Ungrateful Jew steals horse of Christian who has lent it to him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q281.4 | Ungrateful king raises old woman's rent; miraculous punishment. (Cf. W154.2.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K952.1.2 | Ungrateful rat defecates upon head of (or kills) octopus that rescues him from sea. Oceania: *Lessa MS. |
| K952.1 | Ungrateful river passenger kills carrier from within. Crawls inside during the passage. (Porcupine and buffalo.) India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 302 n. 104. |
| Q281.2 | Ungrateful ruler is deposed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q588 | Ungrateful son punished by having a son equally ungrateful. (Cf. Q281.1.) BP I 135. |
| J121.1 | Ungrateful son reproved by naпve action of his own son: preparing for old age (wooden drinking cup or bowl). Spanish: Childers; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J121 | Ungrateful son reproved by naпve action of his own son: preparing for old age. Man gives his old father half a carpet to keep him warm. Child keeps the other half and tells his father that he is keeping it for him when he grows old. *Bédier Fabliaux 463f.; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 436, 760; Crane Vitry 260 No. 288; Herbert III 25; *BP II 135, IV 172 n. 14; Scala Celi No. 530; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 41.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *996; Russian: Andrejev No. *982; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256f. No. 201; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| W154.6 | Ungrateful wanderer pulls nut tree to pieces to get the nuts. Wienert FFC LVI *74 (ET 394), 147 (ST 520); Halm Aesop No. 188. |
| A2214.3 | Unicorn thrown from ark and drowned: hence no longer exists. Dh I 287f. |
| K771 | Unicorn tricked into running horn into tree. *Type 1640; *BP I 148ff., 164; Missouri French: Carrière; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 432; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 41 No. 9 (cow). |
| B13 | Unicorn. (cf. B15.7.2.)—*Type 1640; *BP I 164; **Odell Shepard The Lore of the Unicorn (London, 1929); **Robert Brown Jr. The Unicorn, a Mythological Investigation (London, 1881); Howey Horse in Magic and Myth 232f.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Einhorn"; Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 212; Icel.: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Ferguson 98. |
| M404 | Unintentional curse or blessing takes effect. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N385 | Unintentional injuries bring unfortunate consequences. (Sometimes the injuries are mere breeches of tabu.) *Penzer II 147, VII 92 n. 1. |
| Z312.4 | Unique bait for fish. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 216. |
| Z312 | Unique deadly weapon. Only one thing will kill a certain man. *Dh II 211; *Wesselski Archiv Orientální II 430; Penzer VIII 109 n. 3; R. M. Meyer Archiv f. Religionsgeschichte (1907) 93ff. — Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 151, *Cross; Icelandic: De la Saussaye 154, 156, *Boberg; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 357 n. 287g; Africa (Cameroon): Ittman 77, (Swahili): Steere 441. |
| Z300 | Unique exceptions. |
| C601 | Unique prohibition announced by mysterious voice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C640 | Unique prohibition—miscellaneous. |
| C600 | Unique prohibition. A person is forbidden to do one particular thing; everything else he is free to do.—Celtic: *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt. II 307.—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H49.1 | Unique scent of their rice betrays abandoned children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z312.3 | Unique source of weakness. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 204. |
| Z356 | Unique survivor. Only one person left from destruction of his community. India: *Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 135, 443f., 449; Marquesas: Handy 77; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 71; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/203); Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 246. |
| Z310 | Unique vulnerability. Chinese: Graham. |
| K362.0.1 | Unique weapon got by misrepresenting to guardian use to which it is to be put. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1025 | United cocks defeat partridge. When they quarrel they are defeated. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 70), 135 (ST 409); Halm Aesop No. 22. |
| J624 | Uniting against a common enemy. |
| A102.10 | Unity of God. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A615 | Universe as offspring of creator. The Sky Father begets various parts of the universe by his various wives.—Maori: Dixon 8 n. 9. |
| A618.1 | Universe coughed into being. Mono-Alu: Wheeler 67. |
| A618.2 | Universe created by spitting. Melanesia: Wheeler 66. |
| A618 | Universe created by various activities of creator. |
| A601.1 | Universe created in five periods of time. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 44. |
| A601.2 | Universe created in six days. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 45. |
| A601 | Universe created in specified time and order. Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 45. |
| A622 | Universe created out of fire world. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 279, 324, 326. |
| A623 | Universe created out of ice and mist. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 324—26, 304, 329, Herrmann Saxo II 584. |
| A642 | Universe from body of slain giant. Ymir. See A621.1.—Icel.: *De la Saussaye 341. |
| A621 | Universe from congealed vapor. Kachin (North Burma): Scott Indo-Chinese 263; Chinese: Werner 136. |
| A615.2 | Universe from copulation of various objects to produce others. Easter Is.: Métraux Ethnology 320f. |
| A647 | Universe from cosmic fowl. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 217ff. |
| A615.1 | Universe from creator's masturbation with water, with stone, and with earth. (Cf. A1216.1). Easter Is.: Métraux Ethnology 314. |
| A614 | Universe from parts of creator's body. Ymir makes the world from his members—mountains from bones, cliffs from teeth, heavens from skull, etc.—Norse: Dh I 111 n. 1; Lang Myth I 234 ff.—Mexican: Danzel Kultur und Religion des primitiven Menschen 60; Kalmuck, Chinese, Hindu: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 372; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 96 No. 55. |
| A614.1 | Universe from parts of man's body. (Cf. A831.2)—Kabyle: Frobenius Atlantis I 101; Madagascar: Dandonau Contes pop. de Sakalava No. 58; Papuan: Landtmann The Kiwai Papuans 551; Sumatra: Pleyte Bataksche Vertellingen 68. |
| A644 | Universe from pre-existing rocks. Originally rocks are assumed and everything is made from them.—Samoa: Dixon 17. |
| J1675.1.2 | Unjust action brought to inform king of judge's malfeasance. Husband is imprisoned and wife detained by judge. She accuses her husband of having stolen her. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 287, 378. |
| K1667 | Unjust banker deceived into delivering deposits by making him expect even larger. |
| J1172.3.1 | Unjust claimant of woman duped into entering jar. Jackal as judge declares that real husband shall enter jar woman carries on her head. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Q265.1.1 | Unjust judges punished in hell. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1521.4 | Unjust oath countered by another. A woman entrusts three coins to a headsman. He denies her claim which she fails to substantiate in ordeal. She now claims more and happens to succeed with ordeal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1657 | Unjust official outwitted by peasant who quarrels with him and thus turns the attention of the ruler to the abuses. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 847; Nouvelles de Sens. No. 1; Lithuanian: Balys Historical. |
| K451 | Unjust umpire as trickster's confederate. (Cf. K455.7.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K451.1 | Unjust umpire decides a religious dispute. His confederate thus wins an absurd wager. *Type 613; *BP II 468ff.; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 489; **Christiansen FFC XXIV 46ff.; Jewish: Gaster Exempla 191 No. 29, Neuman; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 395. |
| K452.2 | Unjust umpire keeps the stakes when contest cannot be decided. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K452 | Unjust umpire misappropriates disputed goods. Chauvin VII 38ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q280 | Unkindness punished. Irish: Beal XXI 320; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 127; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen JAS IV 67, (Bulu): Krug 109, (Congo): Weeks Congo 216. |
| T475 | Unknown (clandestine) paramour. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1736.3 | Unknown animal: a pig captured in a pit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R169.11 | Unknown helper(s) emerge(s) in the last moment and turn(s) out later to be well known. (Cf. R222.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| R222 | Unknown knight. (Three days' tournament.) For three days in succession an unknown knight in different armor wins a tournament and escapes without recognition. Finally identified by tokens. **Weston The Three Days Tournament; *Types 314, 502; *BP III 111; *Child V 44ff.; *Webster Kittredge Memorial Volume 227; Bruce MLN XXIV 257; *Hibbard 226 n. 2; *Fb "hest" I 598a; Zs. f. Vksk. IV 98; RTP VIII 82. — English: Wells 48 (Lancelot of the Laik), 147 (Ipomadon); Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 349ff., 407, (Wichita): Dorsey JAFL XVI 160, (Skidi Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII Nos. 40, 41. |
| T475.1 | Unknown paramour discovered by string clue. Japanese: Anesaki 341, Ikeda. |
| P35 | Unknown prince chosen chief of children in play. *Type 920; *DeVries FFC LXXIII 40ff. |
| H41.5.1 | Unknown prince reared by fisher spends money on princely tastes. *Boje 126; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H41.5 | Unknown prince shows his kingly qualities in dealing with his playmates. Type 920; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 40ff., 323ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N731.1 | Unknown son returns to father's court. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 119 (Paris). |
| N300 | Unlucky accidents. Norwegian: Solheim Register 21. |
| N256 | Unlucky classes. |
| N128 | Unlucky days ("cross-days"). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N553.2 | Unlucky encounter causes treasure-seekers to talk and thus lose treasure. *Fb "skat" III 236b; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 78f. Nos. 659, 664—672; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 439ff., 447ff., (1931) 304ff., 307ff.; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 692f. |
| T591.2 | Unlucky for a woman to look on the face of a childless person. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N122.1 | Unlucky places. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N134.1.1 | Unlucky to have man in house while cloth is being dyed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| G71 | Unnatural children eat parent. *Cox Cinderella 499; MacCulloch Childhood 295; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| G72 | Unnatural parents eat children. MacCulloch Childhood 293ff.; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos 148, 216; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 8 n. 2 (Zeus and Kronos); Jewish: Gaster Exempla 198f. No. 69; India: Thompson-Balys; New Zealand: Dixon 85; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 199; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 89, Rasmussen III 121, 305; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 232 No. 46; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 31; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 99 No. 6, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 413 No. 12, (Kaffir): Theal 140, (Zulu): Callaway 47, (Fang): Tessman 108, (Pangwe): Tessman 365. |
| J462.1 | Unnecessary choice of gods. King's sons each choose a god: Jupiter for power, Saturn for wisdom, etc. Father says that a god of all combined would be better. Oesterley No. 243; Herbert III 204. Cf. Wienert FFC LVI 44 (ET 23), 135 (ST 410); Babrius No. 15. |
| J462.2 | Unnecessary choice of philosophies. Aristotle drinks both red and white wine to show that all philosophies are good. Scala Celi 35b No. 197. |
| J462.3 | Unnecessary choice of religion. |
| J465 | Unnecessary choice: praying or reading. Both are good. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 105. |
| J463 | Unnecessary choice: to go uphill or downhill. Camel prefers the level. Wienert FFC LVI 71 (ET 353), 111 (ST 223). |
| J462 | Unnecessary choices of belief. |
| J460 | Unnecessary choices. |
| V29.5 | Unnecessary for husband to confess as his wife has already done it for him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J571.8 | Unpaid servant refuses to blame master: later rewarded. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J815 | Unpleasant truths must be withheld from the great. |
| J413 | Unprofitable association of unequals. |
| L111.10 | Unpromising fourth son succeeds. Africa (Luba): DeClerq ZsKS IV 200. |
| L100 | Unpromising hero (heroine). Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L101 | Unpromising hero (male Cinderella). Usually, but not always, the unpromising hero is also the youngest son. *BP I 183ff.; *Rank Mythus v. d. Geburt d. Helden; *Cosquin Contes indiens 494ff.; Cox 437—462, 519; M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII x; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 184b nn. 13ff.; Chauvin II 83 No. 9.— Icelandic: *Boberg; English: Wells 25 (The Tale of Gamelyn); Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 52 No. 32; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 408; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 185; Africa (Fang): Trilles 251f. |
| R169.10 | Unpromising hero as rescuer. (Cf. L100.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L103 | Unpromising hero given great powers by deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L156 | Unpromising hero kills those who scorn him. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H991 | Unpromising hero last to try task (rescue from animal). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L134 | Unpromising hero must live in hut. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1242.1 | Unpromising hero succeeds in quest. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L101.1 | Unpromising hero: aged man. Irish myth: Cross; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L102 | Unpromising heroine. Usually, but not always, the youngest daughter. See references to L50. *BP I 165ff.; **Cox passim; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "merle"; Missouri French: Carrière: Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/346); N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L215 | Unpromising magic object chosen. Hero refuses to take one that cries out "take me!" Roberts 204; Tonga: Beckwith Myth 25, Gifford 20; Africa (Benga): Nassau 114 No. 11; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 269 No. 81. |
| L133 | Unpromising son leaves his home and goes into the world. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N171 | Unprotected son makes fortune; protected son has bad luck. Type 935*. |
| D1672 | Unquenchable fire. (Cf. D1271.) Fb "ild" II 10a; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E411.0.2 | Unquiet dead sinner taken to priest for absolution. Type 760; Alphabet Nos. 17, 178, 303, 331, 337. |
| T571 | Unreasonable demands of pregnant women. *Penzer I 97 n. 1, 221ff., II 31, III 60, V 127 n. 2, VII 201, IX 144; Cowell Jataka Index s.v. "pregnancy"; *M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII vii, JAOS XL 1; Child II 408f., 414; Loomis White Magic 20. — Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 176, *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 95, 98; Maori: Dixon 60; Indonesian, Polynesian: ibid 233 n. 42; Sumatran: ibid. 161; Batak: Voorhoeve 141; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 51; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 374, (Angola): Chatelain 83 No. 4, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 414 No. 13; West Indies: Flowers 578. |
| Q501.7 | Unremittent thirst as punishment. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q501 | Unremitting torture as punishment. |
| T75.3 | Unrequited love expressed in song (poem). English romance: Malory X 86; Spanish: Childers. |
| K2152 | Unresponsive corpse. Corpse is set up so that dupe addresses it and when it does not respond knocks it over. He is accused of murder. Most references to K2151 apply to this motif as well. *Cox 501; Christiansen Norske Eventyr No. 1536; *Clouston Tales II 242; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 176, 189; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 197 No. 96; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand No. 57, (Zuсi): Cushing 255, (Ojibwa): Schoolcraft Hiawatha 246. |
| L114.3 | Unruly hero. Types 301, 650; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 95. |
| J217.0.1 | Unsatisfactory life preferred to death. |
| J56 | Unscrupulous conduct of business learned from observation of usurer's own practices and used against him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F171.7 | Unseen hands lave feet in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| V23.1 | Unshriven man restored to life in order to confess. (Cf. V251.) Herbert III 14; *Crane Vitry 267 No. 303; *Crane Miraculis 93 No. 27; English: Wells 167 (Vernon Miracles). |
| F660.2 | Unskilled man made skillful by saint's blessing. *Loomis White Magic 72, 82. |
| L122 | Unsophisticated hero. *Dickson 128ff. nn. 94—99; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1385.0.1 | Unspelling quest: journey to disenchant (free) captives. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E481.2.1.2 | Unstable bridge to land of dead. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99. |
| J1383 | Unstable security. Stag tries to borrow grain from the sheep, using the wolf as security. Sheep says that they are both so swift that he does not know where they will be on the day of payment. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 144), 98 (ST 118). |
| B335.3 | Unsuccessful attempt by enemy to kill helpful animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F357 | Unsuccessful attempt to steal fairy necklace. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S401 | Unsuccessful attempts to kill person in successive reincarnations (transformations). Egyptian: Petrie Egyptian Tales (London, 1895) I 36ff., Von Sydow "Den fornegyptiska Sagan om de tvе Bröderna" Yearbook of the New Society of Letters of Lund, 1930, 53ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J866.1 | Unsuccessful fishermen console themselves that their earlier high hopes balance up their disappointment. Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 300), 133 (ST 324); Halm Aesop No. 23. |
| J2411.1.2 | Unsuccessful imitation of a god: lions fall out of the furnace instead of men covered with gold and silver. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2411.3 | Unsuccessful imitation of magic production of food. (Cf. J2425.) Type 552B; Christiansen Norske Eventyr 80; West Indies: Flowers 489. |
| J2411.8 | Unsuccessful imitation of magic sewing. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| J414.3 | Unsuccessful marriage of jackals and turtles (different habits). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T252.1 | Unsuccessful search for man who can rule his wife. Type 1375*. |
| K2022 | Unsuccessful suitor pretends friendship with woman's husband. Kills him while on a hunt. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q323 | Unthriftiness punished. Alphabet No. 218; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K197 | Until the log burns out: time given servant for Christmas holidays. Soaks the log so that it burns a week. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 702. |
| D1657 | Untiring object. |
| C551 | Untouchables. Certain castes whose touch is considered a pollution. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J143 | Untrained colt result of master's neglect. Wienert FFC LVI 71 (ET 361), 129 (ST 371); Halm Aesop No. 51. |
| P426.3.1 | Untrained monk becomes skillful wright (smith) through power of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B557 | Unusual animal as riding-horse. *BP II 483 (Gr. 108) (cock); Tobler Epiphanie der Seele 72f. (goat, goose, snake); *Fb "buk" IV 77a (goat); Penzer II 143.—Missouri-French: Carrière; Icel.: Boberg; English: Wells 114 (lion, unicorn, leopard); Jewish: Bin Gorion Born Judas III 148; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 392 (tiger). |
| T538 | Unusual conception in old age. Loomis White Magic 20; Jewish: Neuman; S. A. Indian (Inca): Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 318. |
| B558 | Unusual draft-animal. |
| V229.9 | Unusual fuel used by saints: burning stone, snow and icicles, marble pillar, and green timber. *Loomis White Magic 34f. |
| B754.6.1 | Unusual impregnation of animal. |
| F569 | Unusual manner of life—miscellaneous. |
| F560 | Unusual manner of life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T110 | Unusual marriage. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B670 | Unusual mating between animals. |
| A1002.2.4 | Unusual migration of birds as sign of Doomsday. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.5.). |
| B531.2 | Unusual milking animal. |
| Q581.1 | Unusual murder avenged in like manner. Scottish: Campbell-Mckay No. 17; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B754.7 | Unusual parturition of animal. |
| B754.0.1 | Unusual sexual union of animals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T27 | Unusual success in love. *Loomis White Magic 82. |
| J1805.2 | Unusual word misunderstood. Strange results. |
| B291.0.2 | Unwelcome bird (insect) proves to be messenger. *Jochelson JE VI 373 No. 16. |
| J1344 | Unwelcome guest tells about the hidden food. Having seen his hostess hide it, he tells about it in the form of a tale. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 10; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| N766 | Unwitting adultery with blood-brother's wife. *Type 1364; Wesselski Märchen 187 No. 2. |
| S241.1 | Unwitting bargain with devil evaded by driving dog over bridge first. The child has been unwittingly promised (the first thing that goes over the bridge). Kittredge Witchcraft 206, *518 n. 19; Hazlitt Shakespeare Jest Books I 86f. No. 67; Mensa Philosophica No. 11. |
| N365.3 | Unwitting brother-sister incest. Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 201; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/59); Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 516. |
| G63 | Unwitting cannibalism: scavenger in wedding feast finds basket of noses put there by hero and thinks it full of meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N767 | Unwitting combat between sons of friends. Recognition and reconciliation. (Cf. N731.2.) Greek: Fox 128 (Glaukos and Diomedes). |
| N365.2 | Unwitting father-daughter incest. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 198 (Myrrha); Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/116). |
| G81 | Unwitting marriage to cannibal *Type 311; *MacCulloch Childhood 291ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 5; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Eskimo (Greenland): I 262; West Indies: Flowers 440. |
| N325 | Unwitting murder because of insane illusion. |
| A1610.1 | Unworthy origin ascribed to hostile tribes. *Dh II 184; Jewish: Neuman; S. Am. Indian (Paressi): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 359. |
| U14 | Unworthy rewarded instead of the worthy. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F493.3.1 | Upon destruction of pestilence-spirit, plague ceases. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 29 No. 259. |
| D1766.1.5 | Upon praying of a saint, sea or pool is filled with sand so that people are able to cross with dry feet. *Loomis White Magic 43. |
| F544.1.1 | Upper lip curls over nostril; lower hangs down to neck. Malone PMLA XLIII 401. |
| A662 | Upper world (heaven) as a mountain. The sky is the hollowed under side of the mountain.—Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 341ff. |
| W35.2 | Upright judge refuses a bribe: he is responsible to a higher tribunal called Conscience. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q54 | Uprightness rewarded. (Cf. Q151.7.) |
| F811.15 | Upside-down tree. Branches in ground, roots in air. Africa (Bambara): Travélé 205ff. No. 66. |
| K511 | Uriah letter changed. Falsified order of execution. A messenger is sent with a letter ordering the recipient to kill the bearer. On the way the letter is changed so that the bearer is honored. *Types 428, 930; *Aarne FFC XXIII 69ff., 91; *BP I 282; *Fb "brev" IV 61ab; *Chauvin VIII 143ff. Nos. 145ABC; *Cosquin études 143ff.; Gunkel Märchen im alten Testament (Tübingen, 1921) 132; *Boje 79; *Penzer I 52, II 113f., III 277ff.; Alphabet No. 593; *Dickson 235 n. 33; Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 271.—Icelandic: Hdwb. d. Märchens I 326 nn. 16-26, Herrmann Saxo II 262ff. I, *Boberg; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 151 n. 2; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 828; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IV 290. |
| K978 | Uriah letter. Man carries written order for his own execution. *Types 428, 930; *Aarne FFC XXIII 64ff., 91; Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 38, Beal XXI 314; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 262ff., Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 828, II 267; Japanese: Ikeda. See also all references to K511. |
| J1149.4 | Urinalysis reveals coition as cure for illness. Treatment successful. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1818.1 | Urination of bull thought to be bleeding. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1734.1 | Urine diagnosis to tell where a man comes from. A farmer takes some of his master's urine for examination. The doctor asks where the man comes from. "You will soon see," says the man, expecting the analysis to tell. (Cf. K2321.1.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 857; Christensen DF L 72; ibid. DF XLVII 202f. Nos. 42, 47. |
| D1500.1.37 | Urine used in medicine. (Cf. D1002.1.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1317.6 | Use of drugs to usurp lover's place. |
| Q274.3 | Use of false weights and measures punished. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F382.3 | Use of God's name nullifies fairies' power. (Cf. D1766.7, G303.16.8.) Wales: Baughman. |
| X34 | Use of itch-producing ointment. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| G271.3 | Use of salt in exorcism of witch. (Cf. G254.2, G272.16.) England: *Baughman. |
| W116.7 | Use of strange language to show one's high education. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J245 | Useful and ugly preferred to expensive and beautiful. |
| J242 | Useful wins contest over beautiful. |
| J243 | Usefulness better than speed. |
| J1842 | Useless surgical operation from misunderstanding. |
| J2241.1 | Useless trip to find a name the wife already knew. Fool goes to astrologer for child's name, but forgets it on way home. Later wife happens to use the word and reminds him. But he cannot see the use of the trip when she already knew this word. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1653 | Using the lamb to get an audience. Peasant calls on lawyer for advice. Lawyer says that he is busy. Peasant returns with lamb. The lawyer hears its bleat and grants the audience. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K443.11 | Usurer blackmailed. Shrewd suitor persuades usurer to charge him 100 per cent interest, then has him arrested. Thus gets daughter for wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E411.4 | Usurer cannot rest in grave. Herbert III 83; Alphabet Nos. 704, 784; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| X516 | Usurer encourages sermons against usury, so that his competitors will cease activity. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 192; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q558.3 | Usurer flees city to escape plague. On his return he boasts that God did not get him. He takes the plague and dies. (Cf. Q221.3.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q273.3 | Usurer punished in hell. *Crane Vitry Nos. 167—170 and passim; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q273.2 | Usurer refused burial. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P435.2 | Usurer stops lending money. He does so, not because it is wrong, but because he is losing money. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| P435 | Usurer. |
| W154.1.1 | Usurer's ingratitude toward servant. Dismisses him and charges him for a rope which he had cut while saving the usurer from hanging. Spanish: Childers. |
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