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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| B275.2 | Excommunication of animal. *Saintyves RTP XXVII 155. |
| V84 | Excommunication. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 193b; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J1772.9.1 | Excrement thought to be berries. Numskull tries to sell it. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| D1312.1.1 | Excrements as advisers. (Cf. D1002.)—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 296 n. 83c. |
| D1402.18 | Excrements cause approaching animals to fall dead. (Cf. D1002.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2385 | Excrements of animals. |
| J1772.9 | Excrements thought to be meat and therefore eaten. Christensen DF XLVII 192 No. 18; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F559.3.1 | Excreta is so fiery it starts great fires. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1183 | Execution escaped by invoking laws of hospitality. |
| J1185 | Execution escaped by story-telling. Cf. Browning's "Balaustion's Adventure." |
| J1189.2 | Execution escaped by threatening with malediction. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| J1181 | Execution escaped by use of special permissions granted the condemned. |
| J1181.2 | Execution evaded by having three wishes granted: to be emperor, judge and the emperor's son-in-law during the last week of his life. As judge he frees himself and is in reality freed. Köhler-Bolte II 651—57; Zs. f. Vksk. XV 222; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J1181.1 | Execution evaded by using three wishes. King ordains that guest who turns his plate shall be executed, but orders that anyone so condemned shall have three wishes granted. One of the wishes: to have all blinded who saw him turn the plate. He is freed. *Wesselski Märchen des Mittelalters 230 No. 40; Herbert III 197; Oesterley No. 194. |
| D2086.1.1 | Execution sword turned to wood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1181.0.1 | Execution: man induced to kill self. King may not execute Brahmin, but gets him drunk and brings about his death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K555 | Executioner kept busy or interested until rescue comes. Sometimes until he changes his mind. |
| K512.2.2.1 | Executioner makes substitution when victim escapes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R176 | Executioner miraculously blinded: condemned man saved. Jewish: *bin Gorion Born Judas I 39, 361, Neuman. |
| F960.1.3 | Exhibition of lights at saint's birth. Loomis White Magic 21. |
| Q431.9.2 | Exile as punishment for parricide. (Cf. Q211.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| Z71.5.5 | Exile for seven years. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L111.1 | Exile returns and succeeds. **A. Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; *Hibbard 111 n. 6; Boccaccio Decameron II No. 8 (Lee 39); v. Hahn Sagenwissenschaftliche Studien 341ff.; *Dickson 42 n. 42; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A2513.0.1 | Existence of animals depends upon existence of man. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T131.5 | Exogamy. Marriage only outside the group. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K255 | Exorbitant price demanded and received. |
| F321.1.3 | Exorcising a changeling. Hartland Science 122f.; Ireland: Baughman. |
| D2176 | Exorcising by magic. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F382 | Exorcising fairies. Fairies disappear when some name or ceremony of the Christian Church is used. Hartland Science 107, 127, 130, 138f., 166; Fb "Kristen" II 300, "døbe" I 227, "messevin" II 582, "trold" III 852a; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; England: Baughman; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 74; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 50 No. 416. |
| D2176.6 | Exorcising invisible man by flailing air with peach branch. Chinese: Graham. |
| F471.1.2.1 | Exorcising the nightmare. Meyer Germanen 132. |
| G271.4.1 | Exorcism by burning object for sympathetic magic. (Cf. G257.1) Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.2 | Exorcism by injuring image of witch. Canada. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.8 | Exorcism by means of ghoulish charm. (Cf. D1278.) See Kittredge Witchcraft 141—51; England: Baughman. |
| G271.4 | Exorcism by use of sympathetic magic. (Cf. D1782, D2063.1.1.) |
| G271.5 | Exorcism by violent treatment of the witch in person. England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| G271.6 | Exorcism of witch by countercharm. England, Ireland, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.7 | Exorcism of witch by special burial practice. England: *Baughman. |
| A192.3 | Expected return of deity. Banks Is. (Fiji): Beckwith Myth 316. |
| F451.5.22 | Expelled dwarfs plan to dig underground bed for Rhine. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 303 No. 23. |
| W116.2 | Expenditure of money for vanity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2103 | Expensive extermination of rodents. |
| J2102 | Expensive means of being rid of insects. |
| J2094 | Expensive wood burned to make charcoal. Penzer V 67. |
| D1976 | Experiences during magic sleep. |
| N770 | Experiences leading to adventures. |
| F493.2 | Experiences with pestilence spirit. |
| J2391 | Experiment in gravity. Which has greatest attraction to earth, cup or contents? Father shows great attraction of fool's back and a stick. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F667.3 | Expert swordsman cuts clothes bag in two. (Cf. F611.3.3.1) Chinese: Graham. |
| A2375.2.8 | Explanation of duck's feet. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 73; S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 178. |
| H614 | Explanation of enigmatic phenomenon. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H614.1 | Explanation of phenomenon; a man who not only picks up wood but everything that lies in his path (a miser). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H614.2 | Explanation of phenomenon: large pond emptying itself into several smaller pools (man may spend without getting any return). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S355 | Exposed child carried off by wild beast. (Cf. R13.) Dickson 169ff. |
| S353.2 | Exposed children miraculously fed by angels. Jewish: Neuman. |
| R142 | Exposed children swallowed by earth; vomited up when grown. (Cf. F900.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| S354 | Exposed infant reared at strange king's court (Joseph, Oedipus). *Type 931; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R131 | Exposed or abandoned child rescued. Gaster Oldest Stories 171; Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 19, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 138—41; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S453 | Exposed woman helped by magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q476 | Exposing mistress's person (excepting face) to her husband (paramour's friends). Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| M371.1 | Exposure (murder) of child to avoid fulfillment of prophecy of future greatness. Parent fears that the child will overcome him. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 167; Icelandic: De la Saussaye 142; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek; Fox 6f.; India: Thompson-Balys |
| S141.3 | Exposure astride a log of wood floated down river. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S341.1 | Exposure given up on account of newborn son's protesting stanza. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H263.1 | Exposure in boat as test of sin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S141 | Exposure in boat. A person (usually woman or child) set adrift in a boat (chest, basket, cask). *Types 590, 675, 708, 930; BP I 489, II 236f., III 2; **Cosquin études 199ff., 215ff.; Chauvin VII 95ff.; *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 83; *Aarne FFC XXIII 60; *Penzer II 4, VII 81 n. 1; Dickson 35 n. 16, 41f. nn. 40, 42, 169f. n. 23; *Krappe Balor 3ff., 17ff. nn. 57—60; *Sparnaay 31ff., 50; *Frazer Old Testament II 437ff.; *Fb "е" III 1187b, "bеd" IV 87a; *Schoepperle II 374 n. 4; Hibbard 276; *Basset 1001 Contes II 371. — Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 116; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, *Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 155, Grote I 86, *103, Fox 22, 33, 307; Egyptian: Müller 116; Babylonian: Spence 16; Jewish: *Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 103, 633; Japanese: *Ikeda; Chinese: Ferguson 192; Palaung tribe: Scott Indo-Chinese 276; Indonesian: DeVries's list No. 219; Tonga: Gifford 154; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45); Marquesas: *Beckwith Myth 502 n. 4; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 167, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 261; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 131. |
| S322.1.2.1 | Exposure in jungle for refusing to marry according to father's wishes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S331 | Exposure of child in boat (floating chest). See references for S141, nearly all of which refer to this motif. Type 930; W. R. Halliday Indo-European Folk Tales and Greek Legend (London, 1933) 55; Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Grote I 103; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 558, 931; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 152. |
| M371.2 | Exposure of child to prevent fulfillment of parricide prophecy. *Type 931; Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Fox 48 (Oedipus); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M371 | Exposure of infant to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. *Type 930; **Aarne FFC XXIII 56, 91; *Encyc. Religion and Ethics s.v. "Abandonment and exposure"; *Krappe Revue de l'Histoire des Religions CVII (1933) 126ff.; Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; Greek: Fox 5, 118; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M376.1 | Exposure of pregnant woman to avoid fulfillment of prophecy concerning future child. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S341 | Exposure prevented. |
| H316.5 | Expressing love by throwing little stones. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A516 | Expulsion and return of culture hero. |
| M373 | Expulsion to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. *Types 517, 671, 725; Köhler-Bolte I 145; *BP I 322ff.; Cox 500; MacCulloch Childhood 354; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 204. |
| P427.7.1 | Extemporaneous composition by poets. Irish myth: Cross. |
| V461.5 | Extended meditation as clerical virtue. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P427.7.2 | Extensive repertory of poets. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E710.2 | External soul avenges murder. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 145. |
| E710 | External soul. A person (often a giant or ogre) keeps his soul or life separate from the rest of his body. *Type 302; *BP III 440; *Krappe in Penzer Ocean of Story VIII 107; *MacCulloch Childhood 118ff.; *Chauvin V 176 No. 100, II 193 No. 12; Fb "hjærte" IV 318b; Mélusine XI 263; *Penzer X 143 s.v. "External Soul"; Clouston Tales I 347; Köhler-Bolte I 161, 515; Gittée RTP II 283; Krappe Revue Archéologique (May-June 1933) 195—211.—Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "corps", "âme"; Icelandic: Fripjofssaga (Wenz ed., Halle 1914) 16; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 11; Greek: Grote I 136f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 178; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 346 n. 246a, *Hultkrantz 330—341; Africa (Swahili): Steere 3ff. |
| W193 | Extortion. |
| V29.9 | Extortionate confessor demands golden statue. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F821.4 | Extraordinarily beautiful mantle. None surpasses it. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F832.2 | Extraordinarily big lance. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F866.6 | Extraordinarily costly drinking horn. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T586.5 | Extraordinarily frequent childbirth. |
| F831.5 | Extraordinarily heavy arrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F837.1 | Extraordinarily keen stone axe. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 395. |
| F836.3 | Extraordinarily large bow. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F813.0.3 | Extraordinarily large fruit. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F881.1 | Extraordinarily large vessel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T584.5 | Extraordinarily long labor at childbirth. |
| F824.2 | Extraordinarily painted shield. Herrmann Saxo II 288; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F838.1 | Extraordinarily sharp knife. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F596 | Extraordinarily slow person. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H591 | Extraordinary actions explained. Herrmann Saxo II 273. |
| F1006 | Extraordinary activity of mountains. (Cf. F755.) |
| F815.2.1 | Extraordinary amount of liquor pressed from single grain. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F695.2 | Extraordinary amount read in short time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F813.1 | Extraordinary apple. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F824 | Extraordinary armor. (Cf. F839.2.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F873 | Extraordinary army. |
| F831 | Extraordinary arrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F813.6 | Extraordinary banana. |
| F872 | Extraordinary bath. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F837 | Extraordinary battle-axe. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F787.1 | Extraordinary bed woven with spider's webs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F787 | Extraordinary bed. |
| F846 | Extraordinary bed. |
| F967 | Extraordinary behavior of clouds. |
| F964 | Extraordinary behavior of fire. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F961 | Extraordinary behavior of heavenly bodies. |
| F961.3 | Extraordinary behavior of moon. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F961.2 | Extraordinary behavior of stars. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F961.1 | Extraordinary behavior of sun. (Cf. F965.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F979 | Extraordinary behavior of trees and plants—miscellaneous. |
| F970 | Extraordinary behavior of trees and plants. Irish: Beal XXI 308, O'Suilleabhain 27. |
| F931.4 | Extraordinary behavior of waves. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F963 | Extraordinary behavior of wind. |
| F829.3 | Extraordinary belt. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F964.3.2 | Extraordinary blood catches fire. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F841 | Extraordinary boat (ship). Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F710 | Extraordinary bodies of water. |
| F1041.16.5 | Extraordinary bodily contortion as result of warrior's anger. (Cuchulain's battle-rage.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F883.1 | Extraordinary book. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F836 | Extraordinary bow. |
| F827.6 | Extraordinary bracelets. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F842.2 | Extraordinary bridge miscellaneous. |
| F842 | Extraordinary bridge. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F857 | Extraordinary broom (besom). |
| F789 | Extraordinary buildings and furnishings—miscellaneous. |
| F770 | Extraordinary buildings and furnishings. Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 771, Beal XXI 322. |
| F783 | Extraordinary carpet. |
| F771 | Extraordinary castle (house, palace). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F757 | Extraordinary cave. Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 197. |
| F863 | Extraordinary chain. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| F786 | Extraordinary chair. |
| F760 | Extraordinary cities. Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIII (1931) 97ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F808 | Extraordinary cliff: thin as a hair, sharp as a blade, slippery as an eel's tail, high as a mast. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F547.4 | Extraordinary clitoris. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F166.3 | Extraordinary clothes in otherworld. Siuts 86f. |
| F829 | Extraordinary clothing and ornaments—miscellaneous. |
| F820 | Extraordinary clothing and ornaments. |
| F795 | Extraordinary cloud. |
| F835 | Extraordinary club. (Cf. F531.4.5.4.) Irish myth: *Cross; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 204. |
| F852 | Extraordinary coffin. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F601.4.1 | Extraordinary companion hides behind hero to trick enemy. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 143. |
| F601.4.2 | Extraordinary companion saves hero from death. Korean: Zong in-Sob 164. |
| F601.5 | Extraordinary companions are brothers (twins, triplets). *Cosquin Contes indiens 447ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F601.6 | Extraordinary companions are transformed animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F601.3 | Extraordinary companions betray hero. *Type 301; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 334ff. |
| F601.2 | Extraordinary companions help hero in suitor tests. *Types 513, 514; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 345ff.; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 74ff. No. 16. |
| F601.1 | Extraordinary companions perform hero's tasks. *Types 513, 514; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 163ff.; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 345ff. |
| F601.4 | Extraordinary companions rescue hero. *Type 514. |
| F601 | Extraordinary companions. A group of men with extraordinary powers travel together. *Types 301B, 513, 514, 571; *BP II 79, 95; *Benfey *Kleinere Schriften III 94; *Köhler-Bolte I 601 s.v. "Gefährten"; *Cosquin Contes indiens 431ff.; *Kittredge Arthur and Garlagon 226 n. 3; Jacobs's list s.v. "Extraordinary Companions"; Alphabet No. 693; *Chauvin VII 125 No. 392.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 5, Rotunda; Buriat: Holmberg Siberian 428; Koryak, Mongol-Turk: Jochelson JE VI 363; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries Nederlandsche Tijdschrift voor Volkskunde (1924) 97ff.; Korean: Zong in-Sob 163f.; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 27, 114, 128, 433; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 334ff., 345ff. |
| F866.7 | Extraordinary container used for fluids. |
| F964.3.3 | Extraordinary corpse burns of its own accord. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F828 | Extraordinary crown. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F866 | Extraordinary cup. |
| F965.4 | Extraordinary darkness not dispelled by artificial means. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F981 | Extraordinary death of animal. |
| F1041.1 | Extraordinary death. |
| F1022 | Extraordinary descent into ocean. |
| F962.7 | Extraordinary dew. |
| F956 | Extraordinary diagnosis. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F782 | Extraordinary doors and windows. |
| F821 | Extraordinary dress (clothes, robe, etc.) |
| F969.4 | Extraordinary earthquake. |
| F1021.2 | Extraordinary effect of high flight. |
| F841.2 | Extraordinary equipment of ship. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F1088.3 | Extraordinary escape from drowning. Icelandic: Snorra Edda Gylf. XLI, Boberg; Danish: Schmidt DF XXXIX 44ff.; Maori: Clark 29. |
| F1088 | Extraordinary escapes. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F559.3 | Extraordinary excrement. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z230 | Extraordinary exploits of hero. |
| F864 | Extraordinary fetter. |
| F885 | Extraordinary field. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F813.7 | Extraordinary fig. |
| F552.1.3 | Extraordinary fingernails. (Cf. G11.11.1.) Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 87, Rasmussen III 79; Oceania: *Lessa MS. |
| F882 | Extraordinary fire. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F811.22 | Extraordinary firewood, of elephant tusks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1021 | Extraordinary flights through air. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 91, 92; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D877.2 | Extraordinary flower preserves its freshness so long as it remains unperceived by anyone other than owner. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F811.23 | Extraordinary flower-bearing tree in middle of seven forts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1645.11 | Extraordinary flower; rays of golden light fall from it. (Cf. D975.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F814 | Extraordinary flower. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F851 | Extraordinary food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F812 | Extraordinary forest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F716 | Extraordinary fountain. (Cf. D925.) Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F813 | Extraordinary fruits. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F882.1 | Extraordinary funeral pyre. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F899.2 | Extraordinary game-board. |
| F818 | Extraordinary garden. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F776 | Extraordinary gate. |
| F834.3 | Extraordinary gleaming spear. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F756.5 | Extraordinary glen: mysterious shouting heard. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F813.5 | Extraordinary gourd. |
| F815.2 | Extraordinary grain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F813.2 | Extraordinary grapes. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F817 | Extraordinary grass. |
| F983 | Extraordinary growth of animal. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F983.4 | Extraordinary growth of ox horns. German: Grimm No. 112. |
| F771.5 | Extraordinary guard for castle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F647.1.1 | Extraordinary gustatory sense. Woman detects flavor of garlic in a sauce made in a mortar from which garlic has been removed. Spanish: Childers. |
| F962.5 | Extraordinary hailstones. |
| F822 | Extraordinary handkerchief. |
| F1001 | Extraordinary heads act as living objects. Moreno Esdras (F995). |
| F893 | Extraordinary hearth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F593.1 | Extraordinary heat of body melts snow far around person. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F862 | Extraordinary horseshoe. |
| F962.2.5 | Extraordinary hot rain. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F1041.9 | Extraordinary illness. |
| F855 | Extraordinary image. |
| F887 | Extraordinary implements. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F747 | Extraordinary island upon which no sinner can die (be buried). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F730 | Extraordinary islands. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F826 | Extraordinary jewels. |
| F886 | Extraordinary key. |
| F707 | Extraordinary kingdom. (Cf. F760.) |
| F838 | Extraordinary knife. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F848 | Extraordinary ladder (stair). |
| F964.3.1 | Extraordinary lamps burn with urine. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F832 | Extraordinary lance. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F883.2 | Extraordinary letter (written on human skin). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F988 | Extraordinary limbs of animals. |
| F771.3 | Extraordinary location of castle. |
| F811.4 | Extraordinary location of tree. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F782.4 | Extraordinary lock and key (made of bones). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F821.5 | Extraordinary long turban. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V229.2.12 | Extraordinary longevity of saints. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F856 | Extraordinary loom. |
| F1041.8 | Extraordinary madness. Fb "sær" III 723b. |
| A1097 | Extraordinary man at end of the world. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.16). |
| X1070 | Extraordinary man's family. |
| F842.1 | Extraordinary material of bridge. |
| F962.10 | Extraordinary mist (darkness). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F759 | Extraordinary mountains and valleys—miscellaneous. |
| F844 | Extraordinary nail. (Cf. F841.1.7.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F960.10 | Extraordinary natural phenomena at giving of Tora at Mount Sinai. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F960.4 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at anger of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F960.1.2 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at birth of hero. (Cf. T583, V222.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F960.1 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at birth of holy person (hero). *Dh II 11; Toldo I 327, 335; Irish: Plummer cxxxvii, *Cross; Jewish: Gaster Exempla 216 No. 141 (142); Alphabet Nos. 549, 552; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 682, 788, 969, II 325, 1014, 1245, 1339; Japanese: Ikeda; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 71, 390. |
| F960.1.1 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at birth of royalty. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F960.7 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at cruel treatment of innocent person. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F960.2 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at death of holy person (hero). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F960.8 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at moving of saint's remains. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F960.5 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at prisoner's miraculous release. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F960.1.5 | Extraordinary nature phenomena at rebirth: nine worlds tremble. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F960.3 | Extraordinary nature phenomena during furious battle. (Cf. F1084.) Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F960.6 | Extraordinary nature phenomena on night of fratricide. (Cf. S73.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F960 | Extraordinary nature phenomena—elements and weather. |
| F969 | Extraordinary nature phenomena—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
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.