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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| T586.4 | Extraordinary number of animals at birth. |
| T586.2 | Extraordinary number of children in family. |
| F781.2 | Extraordinary number of rooms. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F813.3 | Extraordinary nut. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F931 | Extraordinary occurrence connected with sea. |
| F989 | Extraordinary occurrences concerning animals—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F980 | Extraordinary occurrences concerning animals. |
| F986 | Extraordinary occurrences concerning fishing. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F930 | Extraordinary occurrences concerning seas or waters. |
| F934 | Extraordinary occurrences connected with lakes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F935 | Extraordinary occurrences connected with pond (pool, tank). |
| F932 | Extraordinary occurrences connected with rivers. |
| F1015 | Extraordinary occurrences connected with shoes. |
| F933 | Extraordinary occurrences connected with springs. |
| F900 | Extraordinary occurrences. |
| F827 | Extraordinary ornaments. |
| F865 | Extraordinary pavement. |
| F547.3 | Extraordinary penis. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F655 | Extraordinary perception of blind men. |
| A139.9 | Extraordinary physical characteristics of gods. |
| F253.1 | Extraordinary physical powers of fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F1041.16 | Extraordinary physical reaction to anger. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 88. |
| F1041.16.6 | Extraordinary physical reactions of angry warriors in battle. (Cf. F1041.8.7.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F1041 | Extraordinary physical reactions of persons. |
| F774 | Extraordinary pillars. |
| F700 | Extraordinary places. |
| F815 | Extraordinary plants. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F887.1 | Extraordinary plow (made of snakes and drawn by tigers). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1099.6.1 | Extraordinary plowing by teeth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1099.6 | Extraordinary plowing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F813.8 | Extraordinary pomegranate. |
| F713 | Extraordinary pond (lake). Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F717 | Extraordinary pool. Eskimo (Central): Boas RBAE VI 599. |
| A524 | Extraordinary possessions of culture hero. |
| F253 | Extraordinary powers of fairies. |
| F640 | Extraordinary powers of perception. Penzer VI 285; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F639 | Extraordinary powers—miscellaneous. |
| F962 | Extraordinary precipitation (rain, snow, etc.) Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 18, 110, Beal XXI 306, 334. |
| F960.1.2.1 | Extraordinary precipitation at birth of hero. (Cf. F962.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F984 | Extraordinary protection for animal. |
| F983.0.1 | Extraordinary quick growth of animal. (Cf. T585.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F695 | Extraordinary reading ability. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F867 | Extraordinary reel. |
| F1041.17 | Extraordinary result of fear. (Cf. F950.5, F1041.1.11). |
| F815.4 | Extraordinary rice producing million-fold and ripening overnight. (Cf. F815.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F825 | Extraordinary ring. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 160—61, *Boberg. |
| F715 | Extraordinary river. (Cf. D915.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F800 | Extraordinary rocks and stones. (Cf. D931, D1553, D1641.2.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F781 | Extraordinary rooms. |
| F843 | Extraordinary rope. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| F868 | Extraordinary saddle. |
| F711 | Extraordinary sea. (Cf. D911.) |
| F894 | Extraordinary seat, covered with skins of lice. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F815.5 | Extraordinary seed. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Marquesas: Handy 40. |
| F839.2 | Extraordinary shield. (Cf. F824.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F841.3 | Extraordinary ship—miscellaneous. |
| F931.5 | Extraordinary shipwreck in calm weather. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F823 | Extraordinary shoes. *Cox Cinderella 506; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F171 | Extraordinary sights in otherworld. *Types 470, 471; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 489f; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F790 | Extraordinary sky and weather phenomena. |
| F962.11 | Extraordinary snow. |
| F715.1 | Extraordinary source of river. |
| F842.2.3 | Extraordinary span of bridge. |
| F834 | Extraordinary spear. |
| N2 | Extraordinary stakes at gambling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F899.1 | Extraordinary standard. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F891 | Extraordinary still (with the beads of crocodiles, owls, and parrots as pots). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F559.6 | Extraordinary stomach. |
| F964.3.4 | Extraordinary stone catches fire. (Cf. F960.2.3.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F611.3.0.1 | Extraordinary strength from fasting for 12 years and eating nothing except earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F617.1 | Extraordinary strength; elephant-wrestler. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F929 | Extraordinary swallowings—miscellaneous. |
| F910 | Extraordinary swallowings. *Plenzat Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Fressmärchen"; Irish: Plummer I clxxvi; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 428; West Indies: Flowers 436. |
| F989.16 | Extraordinary swarms of birds. |
| F948.4 | Extraordinary sword sinks into earth after use. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F833 | Extraordinary sword. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F648 | Extraordinary sympathy (telepathic) with wild animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F784 | Extraordinary table. |
| F775 | Extraordinary tent. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F877 | Extraordinary threads. |
| F901.1 | Extraordinary threefold death: falling from rock and tree, drowning. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F901.1.1 | Extraordinary threefold death: wounding, burning, drowning. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F896 | Extraordinary threshing-floor. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F785 | Extraordinary throne. |
| F968 | Extraordinary thunder and lightning. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F772 | Extraordinary tower. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F811.13.1 | Extraordinary tree blossoms, bears fruit, matures seeds, seeds sprout and grow, even while one watches. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F979.19 | Extraordinary tree supports pious man and his family. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F811 | Extraordinary tree. Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F810 | Extraordinary trees, plants, fruit, etc. Toldo Studien zur vgl. Litgsch. VIII 48ff.; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 322, O'Suilleabhain 57; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F901.2 | Extraordinary twofold death: burning, drowning. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F576 | Extraordinary ugliness. (Cf. A2402.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F949 | Extraordinary underground (underwater) disappearance—miscellaneous. |
| F940 | Extraordinary underground (underwater) disappearance. *Fb "synke"; Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 136; Юorsteinssaga Vikingssona 417, 421, 432; ásmundarsaga Kappabana (Zwei Fornaldarsogur ed. F. Detter, Halle a. S. 1891) 82; Göngu Hrуlfssaga 330, 339; Sörla saga sterka (FAS III) 440, 444, 446; Hjálmthèrssaga ok ölvis 471; Chinese: Graham. |
| F559.8 | Extraordinary urine. |
| F547.5 | Extraordinary vagina. (Cf. F547.1.1.) |
| F756.2.1 | Extraordinary valley which gives the illusion of earthly paradise. (The Old Man of the Mountain.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F756 | Extraordinary valleys and plains. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F816 | Extraordinary vegetables. |
| F881 | Extraordinary vessel. |
| F815.7.1 | Extraordinary vine bears 926 varieties of fruit. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F815.7 | Extraordinary vine. (Cf. F813.2.) |
| F861 | Extraordinary wagon (cart, carriage, etc.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| A524.2 | Extraordinary weapons of culture hero. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F830 | Extraordinary weapons. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F847 | Extraordinary web (of guts). Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F718.8 | Extraordinary well of blood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F718 | Extraordinary well. (Cf. D926.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1067 | Extraordinary wind at end of the world. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.15). |
| F963.2 | Extraordinary wind blows arrows shot against Christians back against enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F963.3 | Extraordinary wind bursts open locked doors of church to show that dead pope is worthy of burial there. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F883 | Extraordinary writings (book, letter). Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J1701.1 | Extravagant woman whose husband continually finds fault with her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F950.2 | Extreme anger as cure for sickness. (Cf. F955.) Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 358; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F950.5 | Extreme fear as cure for sickness. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W215 | Extreme prudence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J2521 | Extreme prudery. |
| F713.2.1 | Extremely deep water. Axe seven years reaching bottom. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F531.2.5 | Extremely fat giant. (Cf. F532.) German: Grimm No. 134. |
| F571 | Extremely old person. Irish myth: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 28, Beal XXI 309; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 206f. |
| F531.2.1 | Extremely tall giant. (Cf. F533.) Jewish: *Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 736; Fiji: Beckwith Myth 210. |
| F1085 | Eye bursts forth from overstrain of voice. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F547.5.3 | Eye in vagina. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F541.4 | Eye must be rubbed before it can see. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeil". |
| J1179.14 | Eye of king's foster-son damaged by sting of bee. Boy's friends demand eye of king's son in forfeit; king decrees instead destruction of swarm of bees so that guilty one may perish. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.8 | Eye recedes into head. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.3.3 | Eye with four pupils. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.2 | Eye with picture in the pupil. Witch with picture of cat (dog) in pupil. *Fb "øje" III 1166a, "kattekilling" II 111. |
| F541.7 | Eye with remarkably heavy lid. Requires four men to lift it, or the like. (Cf. F511.1, G631.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F541.3.4 | Eye with seven pupils. (Cf. A526.5.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.3 | Eye with several pupils. |
| F541.3.2 | Eye with three pupils. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.3.1 | Eye with two pupils. Fb "øje" III 1166a.—Chinese: Ferguson |
| K1011 | Eye-remedy. Under pretence of curing eyesight the trickster blinds the dupe. (Often with a glowing mass thrust into the eye.) *Type 1135; *BP III 375; **Hackman Polyphemsage; *Herbert III 40ff.; Hervieux IV 204 No. 29; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 140. |
| X372.3 | Eyedrops prescribed for stomach ache so that patient can see what he eats. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| V12.7 | Eyes (human or animal) as sacrifice. Marquesas: Handy 134; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 130, 497. |
| E781.3 | Eyes borrowed by animal. Later returned.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 166. |
| E781.2 | Eyes bought back and replaced. *Type 533; *BP II 278 n. 1; *Köhler-Bolte I 463; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 83 No. 711A*; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| M225 | Eyes exchanged for food. A starving man lets himself be blinded in return for food. *Type 613; *BP II 468ff.; **Christiansen FFC XXIV 46, 54; *Fb "øje" III 1166b; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F541.1.1 | Eyes flash fire. Greek: Fox 9 (Typhon). |
| F541.1.2 | Eyes flash lightning. N. A. Indian (Navaho): Matthews MAFLS V 123. |
| F541.10 | Eyes impervious to iron lances. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K512.2.0.2 | Eyes of animal substituted as proof for eyes of children. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S165.1 | Eyes of beheaded person gouged out. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 278 n. 1. |
| F531.1.1 | Eyes of giant. *Höttges FFC CXXII 184. |
| D699.1 | Eyes of hero's buffalo friend turn into two powerful dogs that protect his wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F541.1.3 | Eyes of live coals. Köhler-Bolte I 403. |
| D474.9 | Eyes of stone lion become bloody. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 83. |
| A1666 | Eyes of various peoples. |
| F541.6 | Eyes remarkable as to color. |
| F952.7 | Eyes restored by bathing in lake (spring). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F541.9 | Eyes shed tears of blood. (Cf. H71.8.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| E781 | Eyes successfully replaced. Jacobs' list s.v. "Eyes exchanged"; Fb "øje" III 1166a; Köhler-Bolte I 434ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Gaster Thespis 333f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 139 No. 13. |
| S165.4 | Eyes torn out and filled with sand. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D2161.3.1.1 | Eyes torn out magically replaced. Irish: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1603 | Eyes treated for the stomach ache. A man who has stomach ache from eating bad bread is treated for his eyes so that he will thereafter be able to tell good bread from bad. Chauvin II 124 No. 121; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.3 | Eyes wagered. *Type 613; Christiansen FFC XXIV 48ff., 55; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 82. |
| K512.2.0.3 | Eyes, ears, fingers of corpse substituted for those demanded of victim. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1041.16.8 | Face and body turn black from anger. Africa (Swahili): Baler FL XXXVIII 279f. |
| C948.7 | Face chilled because of broken tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F545.4 | Face covered with long moss. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| F1041.16.6.4 | Face of angry warrior lights up with flame. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F451.2.5 | Face of dwarf. |
| D1865.3 | Face of pious girl becomes angelic at death. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 115. |
| F574.3.1 | Face of saint radiant. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A282.0.1.1 | Facial features of wind-goddess reversed. Eskimo: Rasmussen Myter I 102. |
| D1361.39 | Fact that woman bears future saint in womb renders her invisible. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E186 | Failure at resuscitation. |
| Q553.6 | Failure in all efforts as punishment. Loomis White Magic 100; Jewish: Moreno Esdras (Q479.1); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q552.3.0.3 | Failure of crops and milk as punishment for adultery. (Cf. Q241.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q552.3.0.2 | Failure of crops as punishment for murder. (Cf. Q211.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q552.3.0.1 | Failure of crops as punishment for uncharitableness. (Cf. Q286.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q552.3 | Failure of crops during reign of wicked king. (Cf. Q552.10.1.) Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 72, *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Grote I 171, 203; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Q552.3.0.4 | Failure of crops for mistreating the dead. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 233. |
| F460.4.6 | Failure to bless mountains gives mountain-men power. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 301 No. 18; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Q223.11 | Failure to circumcise child punished. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D759.9 | Failure to disenchant by not watching sleeping princess long enough. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *422B. |
| Q223.8 | Failure to do penance punished. Monk fails and becomes ill. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q223.12 | Failure to finish period of mourning punished. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 180. |
| Q223.6 | Failure to observe holiness of Sabbath punished. (Cf. Q551.2.2, Q552.14.1.) *Loomis White Magic 99f.; Irish myth: *Cross; England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3375, Legends Nos. 719—45; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E37.1 | Failure to resuscitate because of premature disturbance of members to be left in cask for certain time. Köhler-Bolte I 140, 585; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3670; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1041.1.6.1 | Fainting away at sight of goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T24.2.1 | Fainting away for love (or sexual desire). (Cf. F1041.1.6.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T24.2.3 | Fainting away from seeing an extraordinary beauty. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F954.3 | Fainting brings recovery of speech. English: Wells 137 (Sir Gowther). |
| F200 | Fairies (elves). See also F420 (Water Spirits), F451 (Dwarfs) and F460 (Mountain Spirits) for many common motifs. **Hartland Science; Brueyre RTP II 74ff.; *Wehrhan Die Sage 74; Doudou RTP XVII 425ff.; Feilberg's MS collection of cards in Copenhagen Nos. 632—925, cf. Ellekilde FFC LXXXV 78 s.v. "Elb" (alf); **Latham The Elizabethan Fairies (New York, 1931); Puckett MPh XVI (1918) 297ff.; De Vries Nederlandsche Tijdschrift voor Volkskunde XXXVI (1931) 3—30; Fb "underjordiske"; Saintyves Contes de Perrault 18, *19.—Irish myth: Cross; Celtic: *H. Schreiber Die Feen in Europa (Freiburg i. Br., 1842), *W. Wentz Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries (Rennes, 1909.); Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 43—45 Nos. 37—40, 41—49, 52—54; Icelandic: *Boberg; *Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 48ff.; Lithuanian: *Balys Die Sagen von den litauischen Feen (Die Nachbarn [Göttingen, 1948] I 31—71); Germanic: MacCulloch Eddic 219ff.; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 13; Armenian: Ananikian 83; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 564; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 326, 328; N. A. Indian: *Alexander N. Am. 68, 290 n. 36; Africa: Werner African 261, (Ibo [Nigeria]): Basden 278, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 141 No. 27. |
| D615.4.1 | Fairies (gods?) transformed to animals fight. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F329.2 | Fairies abduct young woman, return her when fight starts over her. England: Baughman. |
| F366 | Fairies abuse livestock. |
| F366.1.2 | Fairies admit calves to cows, depriving children of milk. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F311 | Fairies adopt human child. English: Wells 32 (Layamon's Brut). |
| F310 | Fairies and human children. |
| F321.5 | Fairies appear in house and offer to dance with child. England: Baughman (F261.5). |
| F233.9 | Fairies are black. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F233.8 | Fairies are brown and hairy. (Cf. F232.5.) Wales: Baughman. |
| F251.12 | Fairies are druids. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F233.7 | Fairies are multicolored. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F238 | Fairies are naked. (Cf. F420.1.6.7.) Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F251.10 | Fairies are not the children of Adam. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F251.14 | Fairies are outlaws hiding out. Wales: Baughman. |
| F251.11 | Fairies are people not good enough for heaven but not bad enough for hell. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F239.4.1 | Fairies are the same size as mortals. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F239.4.2 | Fairies are the size of small children. England: *Baughman. |
| F251.13 | Fairies are Welsh women cursed by St. Patrick for rebuking him because he left Wales for Ireland. Wales: Baughman. |
| F271.2 | Fairies as builders. |
| F271.0.1 | Fairies as craftsmen. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 329. |
| F251.7 | Fairies as demons. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F251.1 | Fairies as descendants of early race of gods. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F251.6 | Fairies as fallen angels. Irish myth: Cross; Scotland, Ireland, U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 224; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 30 No. 260. |
| F232.6 | Fairies as giants. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F251.1.2 | Fairies as gods. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1233.4.1 | Fairies as helpers on quest. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F271 | Fairies as laborers. |
| M301.6 | Fairies as prophets. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F251.2 | Fairies as souls of departed. (Cf. E700.) Hartland Science 132f.; von Sydow F ochF XIII—XIV; Slavic: Máchal 256ff. |
| F251.5 | Fairies as sprites who have been given immortality. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F217.3 | Fairies assemble at cross-roads. Hartland Science 138. |
| F217.2 | Fairies assemble at milestone. Fb "mile" II 591. |
| F267 | Fairies attend games. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F271.10 | Fairies bake bread. **Boberg DF XLVI. |
| F252.4 | Fairies banished from fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F361.17.5 | Fairies bathe children in churn when housewife forgets to leave a supply of clear water for the fairies. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F399.1 | Fairies bear dead warrior to fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D624.2 | Fairies become birds every other year. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F312.1 | Fairies bestow supernatural gifts at birth of a child. Hartland Science 204; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F361.2.3 | Fairies bind man fast to ground after he has attempted to capture fairy prince and princess. England: Baughman. |
| F271.4.1 | Fairies bleach linen. Fb "linned" II 435b; England: Baughman; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 182ff., (1928) 128ff. |
| F391.2 | Fairies borrow food from mortals. Scotland, Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F391 | Fairies borrow from mortals. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b. |
| F391.3 | Fairies borrow tools to make coffin. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F271.2.3 | Fairies build canoe. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 332. |
| F271.2.2 | Fairies build causeway. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F271.2.0.1 | Fairies build great structures in one night. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 333. |
| F346.2 | Fairies build house for mortal. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 508, 510. |
| F276 | Fairies call out to mortals. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b. |
| F254.3 | Fairies can be bewitched. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F254.4 | Fairies can be wounded. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F255.2 | Fairies can set down an object once but cannot raise it again. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 307 No. 22. |
| F259.1.4.1 | Fairies cannot be slain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F339.2 | Fairies care for tulip bed out of gratitude to owner for not plucking any of blossoms. England: *Baughman. |
| F329.1 | Fairies carry off youth; he has gift of prophecy when he returns to earth (Thomas the Rhymer). Scotland: Baughman. |
| F320 | Fairies carry people away to fairyland. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b, "døbe" I 227; Hartland Science 163ff.; Feilberg DF V 55ff.—Irish myth: *Cross; H. Hartmann Ueber Krankheit, Tod und Jenseitsvorstellungen in Irland (Erster Teil: Krankheit und Fairyentrückung, Halle, 1942); India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F339.3.2 | Fairies cause all ewes to have two lambs for owner who has returned fairy child. Wales: Baughman. |
| F362.1 | Fairies cause blindness. Hartland Science 66ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F363 | Fairies cause death. (Cf. F364.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F362 | Fairies cause disease. Kittredge Witchcraft 33, 147, cf. 218; Irish myth: *Cross; Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 225; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| D2031.0.2 | Fairies cause illusions. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F362.2 | Fairies cause insanity. *Fb "ellepige" I 242a, "ellefolk" I 241b, "sær" III 723b; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F361.2.2 | Fairies cause man to lose his senses after he steals flower while visiting them. Wales: Baughman. |
| K1887.3 | Fairies cause sound to appear to come from various directions. 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.