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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| J2411.1.1 | Foolish imitation of sham death and return (= resuscitation). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2420 | Foolish imitation—miscellaneous. |
| J2400 | Foolish imitation. |
| J2143 | Foolish interference in quarrel of the strong fatal to the weak. |
| J2285 | Foolish interpretation of omens. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1705.4 | Foolish king. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J2062.2 | Foolish logician upsets ghee in argument. "Does the ghee protect the saucer, or the saucer the ghee?" India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1737.1 | Foolish lover does not know that his mistress lacks an eye. Only after his return from an absence does he notice it. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 407; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1737 | Foolish lover ignorant of mistress's flaws. |
| J445.2 | Foolish marriage of old man and young girl. Nouvelles Recreations No. 16; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 99; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 341; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J1713 | Foolish married couples. (Cf. J1701, J1702.) *Type 1430. |
| J2671.4 | Foolish messenger muddles message. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1911.2 | Foolish mother does not understand how babies cry. Wrings the child's neck. Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 406 No. 3. |
| J2311.9 | Foolish peasants carry couple to burial; when "corpses" speak they flee in terror. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1116 | Foolish person becomes clever. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 184ff. nn. 18, 95, 173—176; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2412.7 | Foolish physician cauterizes "sick" cartwheel to stop it from creaking; burns it up instead. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1705.3 | Foolish pundits. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2085 | Foolish reward offered. |
| J2136.5.6 | Foolish thief asks help of owner. Caught. (Cf. J2223.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2136.5.5 | Foolish thief cooks food and awakens household. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1772.12 | Foolish tiger thinks dog's tail is a gun. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2066 | Foolish waiting. |
| J1762.9 | Foolish wife believes goats' heads are human heads. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2079.2 | Foolish wish: to destroy all flies and spiders. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2326.1 | Foolish woman gives swindler money for her parents in heaven. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J445.1 | Foolish youth in love with ugly old mistress. Herbert III 39ff.; Hervieux I 188 No. 14a; Heptameron No. 27; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| Q6.1 | Foolishness brings a man to death, quiet calm to fortune. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 92f. |
| J682 | Foolishness of alliances with the weak. |
| J683 | Foolishness of attacking real allies. |
| J677 | Foolishness of king's taking a washerman for chief minister; washerman makes no preparation for war and kingdom is conquered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J581 | Foolishness of noise-making when enemies overhear. |
| J582 | Foolishness of premature coming out of hiding. |
| J642 | Foolishness of surrendering weapons. |
| J684.2 | Foolishness of taking on too strong a partner: crow crowds sparrow out of its nest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1736 | Fools and the unknown animal. |
| J2614.1 | Fools are frightened at the humming of bees. Think it is a drum. *BP II 555; Christensen DF XLVII 194ff. No. 20. |
| J2272.3 | Fools believe sun sleeps at certain woman's house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2060.4 | Fools cast lots for royal purple of queen who is still alive. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1736.1 | Fools do not know what a crayfish is. Shoot it and build a rampart around it. *Wesselski Bebel II 114 No. 43. |
| J1736.2 | Fools do not know what an owl is and attack it. BP III 286. |
| J2614.2 | Fools frightened at the flight of a quail. When they hear "whirr!" the army flees. Africa (Thonga): Junod 247. |
| J2614 | Fools frightened by stirring of an animal. Christensen DF XLVII 175, 197 No. 24. |
| J24 | Fools learn to be peaceable. Two fools in the habit of striking people are brought together when they strike each other until they appreciate the value of peace. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 38. |
| J2129.1 | Fools make a boat go over a precipice. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 249. |
| J2254 | Fools reprove each other for speaking at prayers. They speak while doing so. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1791.9 | Fools see bee's nest reflected in water: try to carry off the well. Clouston Noodles 67. |
| J1881.2.2 | Fools send money by rabbit. Since he is a swift runner they expect it to reach the landlord in time. Field Pent Cuckoo 6; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2081.4 | Fools sent to buy cow procure a monkey instead. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2115 | Fools take fatal overdose of medicine. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1772.7 | Fools think evening star is morning star. Start morning journey evening before. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1819.1 | Fools think thorn bush doesn't sting at night. Christensen DF XLVII 219 No. 80. |
| J2026 | Fools try to fight with man inside of drum who seems to make the noise. Are really pounding each other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2632 | Fools try to frighten one another, but get scared themselves and both flee. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3444; Legends Nos. 867, 869f. |
| J1904.2.1 | Fools try to hedge the cuckoo so that they will have summer the year round (the coming of the first cuckoo being the sign of the coming summer). England: *Baughman. |
| J1905.2 | Fools try to milk male ass. Penzer V 136 n. 3. |
| J1971 | Fools try to use buffalo tongue as a knife. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 253. |
| J1700 | Fools. **Clouston Noodles; *Field Myth of the Pent Cuckoo; *Types 1200-1349, 1381-1387, 1430, 1450, 1642, 1643, 1653B, 1675, 1680-1696, 1725, 1750, 1775; *Bolte Frey's Gartengesellschaft No. 1; Köhler-Bolte I 135. — Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 299 No. 18; Hindu: Penzer V 67ff., 80ff., 113ff., 117 n. 1; Oceanic (German New Guinea, Banks Is., New Hebrides): Dixon 124f.; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 295ff. nn. 81, 84-87, 92, 95, 103, 109f., 109h, 109k, 109y 109bb, 109dd, 270a-270c, 271b, 286. |
| Q451.2.3 | Foot cut off as punishment for murder. (Cf. Q211.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1594.1 | Foot-race between fairy and mortal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1594.2 | Foot-race between giant and mortal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1594 | Foot-racing contest. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F167.7 | Footless people in otherworld. Siuts 218. |
| A972.1.3 | Footprints of holy man are still seen in stone where he stood to preach. England: Baughman. |
| F531.5.11.2 | Footrace between giant and mortal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H264 | Footsteps in manure (dust) as proof that dead man has walked. Chinese: Graham. |
| E402.1.2 | Footsteps of invisible ghost heard. England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| A152.6 | Footstool before divine throne. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F1037.1 | Footstool thrown from heaven. *Type 800; *BP I 342; *Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Schneider im Himmel". |
| P673 | Footwashing as sign of reconciliation. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T165.7 | For first six months bride of prince is only to sit an hour or two in his house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K362.1 | For the long winter. The numskull has been told to keep the sausage "for the long winter". When the trickster hears this, he claims to be Long Winter and receives the sausage. *Type 1541; *Fb "tosse" III 832a, "pølse" II 907b; BP I 521, 526; Christensen DF L 46; *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 194 n. 3; Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 1541. |
| C617.1 | Forbidden (perilous) ford. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C624 | Forbidden barrel. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C615 | Forbidden body of water. Mono-Alu: Wheeler 69. |
| C611 | Forbidden chamber. Person allowed to enter all chambers of house except one.—Types 311, 312, 313, 314, 480, 502, 516, 710; *BP I 21; *Cox Cinderella 484; Roberts* (Type 480) 174.—*MacCulloch Childhood 306; *Chauvin V 302 No. 117; **Hartland FLJ III 193; Fb "kammer" II 83, "menneske" II 577b; Penzer II 223 n. 1, 252f., VII 21 n. 3, VIII 57 n. 1; Rösch FFC LXXVII 98; Clouston Tales I 198ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 129, 312.—Irish myth: Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 101; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chambre"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 23; Missouri French: Carrière; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 304 No. 30; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Spanish Exempla: Keller.—Seneca: Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 135 No. 21; Tonga: Gifford 189. |
| C617 | Forbidden country. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C614.1 | Forbidden direction of travel. Person free to go in any other. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.4 | Forbidden direction: east. |
| C614.1.1 | Forbidden direction: north. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.0.3 | Forbidden direction: not to step outside a certain line. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.2 | Forbidden direction: south. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.3 | Forbidden direction: west. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C611.1 | Forbidden door. All doors may be entered except one. *Kirby FLJ V 112; *Chauvin V 203 No. 117; India: Thompson-Balys; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 275 No. 86; Seneca: Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 75 No. 1. |
| C622 | Forbidden drinking horn. One may drink from anything else. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C612 | Forbidden forest. (Cf. C614.1.0.2.)—Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 142; African (Pahouini): Largeau 195, (Bondei): Woodward FL XXXVI 367ff. No. 12. |
| C619.3 | Forbidden horse fair. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C619.1 | Forbidden hostel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C611.3 | Forbidden ladder. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C615.1 | Forbidden lake (pool). |
| C614 | Forbidden road. All roads may be taken except one. India: *Thompson-Balys; African (Zulu): Callaway 96, (Kaffir): Theal 86. |
| C611.2 | Forbidden stables. Person allowed to enter everywhere but into three stables. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| J1511.8 | Forbidden to think. A husband forbids a wife to think. During his absence she roasts a chicken, eats it, and leaves two drumsticks on the table. The husband asks for the chicken. "Since you have forbidden me to think, I did not think of you." The ban is lifted. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 145. |
| C621 | Forbidden tree. Fruit of all trees may be eaten, except one. *Frazer Testament I 45ff.; *Dh I 208ff.—Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 381ff.; Burmese, Indo-Chinese: Scott Indo-Chinese 265, 289.—N. A. Indian (Biloxi): Dorsey and Swanton RBAE XLVII 32; (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 171; S. Am. Indian (Yuracare): ibid. 315. |
| C623 | Forbidden well. (One may not go there unless accompanied by cup-bearers.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| U220 | Forced peace valueless. |
| M340.2 | Forced prophecies are unfavorable. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F932.9 | Ford across impassable river created by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T104 | Foreign king wages war to enforce demand for princess in marriage. *Boje 74ff., 78; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| P524.2 | Foreigner may not act as security. (Cf. P191.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| P523.1 | Foreigner may not bring suit. (Cf. P191.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| X332 | Foreigner wonders why city with so many judges has not been destroyed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| A1610.1.1 | Foreigners heads exchanged with those of devils in fight. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 94ff. |
| D1812.0.1 | Foreknowledge of hour of death. Irish myth: *Cross; England: *Baughman; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "mort"; Greek: Aeschylus Agamemnon line 1260; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1812.0.1.2 | Foreknowledge of means of death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1812.0.4 | Foreknowledge of unhappiness of son or sons. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| D1812.0.2.1 | Foreknowledge of unwished guests. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| D1812.0.3 | Foreknowledge of wounding in battle (combat). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| R312.1 | Forest as refuge of eloping lovers. (Cf. R225.) Schoepperle 391ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| R312 | Forest as refuge. |
| D1641.4 | Forest cleared by magic. (Cf. D950.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G303.8.13.2 | Forest devil the one which fell in the forest when driven from heaven. Dh I 67. |
| F812.3 | Forest of Dangers (Wonders). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F812.1 | Forest of straight and tall trees. Each tree straight as an arrow and higher than earthly man ever saw. Patch PMLA XXXIII 625 n. 83. |
| D941.1 | Forest produced by magic. Saintyves Perrault 92.—Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "forêt"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F441.4.3 | Forest spirits brighter than moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F979.8 | Forest springs up from twig (twigs). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F812.5 | Forest where unseen sword cuts off heads of those trying to escape. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F441.4.4 | Forest-spirits with wings and with backward-pointing fingers and toes. (Cf. F401.9, F451.2.2.1.) Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 14, 46. |
| N856.1 | Forester as foster father. *Type 652; BP II 121ff., *122; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E501.1.4 | Forester as wild huntsman. Schweda 38. |
| R131.8.5 | Forester rescues abandoned child. *Boje 125ff.; Sparnaay 43; Chinese: Ferguson 41. |
| J225.7 | Forestman who longs to do evil is sent to hell: writer, who repents, is sent to heaven. God justifies this to his sage. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J689 | Forethought in alliances — miscellaneous. Wienert FFC LVI 48, 59, 60, 66 (ET 77, 205, 218, 302), 101, 102, 114 (ST 142, 153, 242); Halm Aesop Nos. 147, 421. |
| J680 | Forethought in alliances. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J610 | Forethought in conflict with others—general. |
| J670 | Forethought in defences against others. |
| J620 | Forethought in prevention of others's plans. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J730 | Forethought in provision for clothing. |
| J710 | Forethought in provision for food. |
| J700 | Forethought in provision for life (general). |
| J740 | Forethought in provision for shelter. |
| Z61.2 | Forever. "A day and a night." Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1917.6 | Forged credentials used to win girl. Theft of gems. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K455.8.1 | Forged letter used to obtain credit, consideration, and entertainment. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1851.1 | Forged letter: god of death replaced by another. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K455.8.2 | Forged testament used to dupe host. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J556.2 | Forget God for five years and you will become wealthy. Nouvelles Récréations No. 53. |
| D2004.3.1 | Forgetfulness by drinking. Herrmann Saxo II 590.—Africa (Fjort): Dennett 36 No. 4. |
| D2004.3 | Forgetfulness by eating. Fb "glemme" I 462, "spise" III 495.—Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| D2004.8 | Forgetfulness by mourning. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D2004.4 | Forgetfulness by spitting. Greek: Fox 63 (Polydos). |
| D2004.9 | Forgetfulness caused by specific place. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D2004.9.1 | Forgetfulness caused by Tower of Babel. (Cf. F772.1.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| D2004.7 | Forgetfulness from fright. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2004.5.1 | Forgetting by stepping over log. Papua: Ker 36. |
| D2004.5 | Forgetting by stumbling. A name or formula is magically forgotten when one stumbles (or jumps). Type 1687*.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "nom"; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1687; Russian: Andrejev No. 1687*; India: Thompson —Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 303 n. 109g; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 114, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 394 No. 18. |
| E489.3 | Forgetting Charon's fee. Philosopher forgets to put coin in mouth before death (Charon's fee). Charon: "Don't you know the custom?" Answer: "Yes, but I couldn't put off dying for a quarter!"—Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| D1812.5.1.21 | Forgetting leashes of hounds as bad omen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1071.2 | Forging of chain for fettered monster. Smiths hit once in three or four times on the bare anvil. All of these blows go to forging chains for the monster (devil).—Olrik Ragnarök 204ff., 248ff., 253 (Prometheus), 269 (Loki). |
| Q171.1 | Forgiveness of sin for acts of charity. Alphabet No. 296; Irish: Beal XXI 332, O'Suilleabhain 101. |
| H1244 | Forgiveness the reward of successful quest. Icelandic: Boberg; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 164. |
| V441 | Forgiveness. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D2006.1.5 | Forgotten fiancée attracts attention by magically stopping wedding carriage of new bride. *Type 313; BP II 517 (incident G). |
| D2006.1.4 | Forgotten fiancée buys place in husband's bed and reawakens his memory. *Types 313, 425; *BP II 234ff., 527 n. 2; Tegethoff 52f.—Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 165. |
| D2006.1.1 | Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memory by detaining lovers through magic. Heroine takes up residence near home of her forgetful husband. She is apparently going to permit a lover to sleep with her when she detains him by having him try to place some magic birds on their roost. They continue to fall down throughout the night. (Or the lover is left magically sticking to a calf's tail or other object.) The thwarted lover tells of his experience, and in this way the attention of the husband is gained. *Type 313; Tegethoff 50; *BP II 231 n. 1; *Cosquin Lorraine II 28; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Thompson River: Thompson CColl II 372 (European borrowing). |
| D2006.1.3 | Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memory by having magic doves converse. *Type 313; Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 65; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2006.1.2 | Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memory by serving as milkmaid and talking to calf. *Type 313; BP III 339 (Gr. 186). |
| D2006.1 | Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memory. |
| D2006.1.7 | Forgotten fiancée remembered by means of bird. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2006.1.6 | Forgotten fiancée remembered by means of doll. *Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 221. |
| T56.3 | Forgotten fiancée sends lover false diamond inscribed with Christ's last words: "Oh Lord why hast Thou forsaken me?" Lover returns. (Cf. D2003.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| D2003 | Forgotten fiancée. Young husband visiting his home breaks tabu and forgets his wife. Later she succeeds in reawakening his memory. (For details of the ways in which the memory is lost and regained see D2004 and D2006.—*Type 313C, 425; Tegethoff 50ff.; *BP I 442, II 56, 527, III 338, 406, 443 (Gr. Nos. 56, 67, 113, 186, 193, 198); Cox Cinderella 511; *Fb "brud" IV 65a; Jiriczek Der Vergessenheitstrank in der Niebelungensage (Zs. f. vgl. Littgsch. N. F. VII 49): Köhler-Bolte I 169.—English: Child I 461 and note; Icelandic: *Boberg; Korean: Zong in-Sob 25; American Indian (European borrowings): Thompson CColl II 343, 367—371 (Micmac, New Mexican Spanish, Thompson River, Chilcotin), (cf. Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 91 No. 5. |
| D2006.1.10 | Forgotten wife gives food to beggar: husband's memory reawakened. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 527. |
| D2006.1.9 | Forgotten wife remembered by seeing her initials. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F144.1 | Forked glen full of toads, lions on way to otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F420.1 | Form and appearance of water-spirits. See F420.5.2.7. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 280—81. |
| G302.3 | Form of demon. |
| B11.2 | Form of dragon. *Smith Dragon, passim.; Chinese: Werner 208ff. |
| F403.2.2 | Form of familiar spirit. |
| A1072 | Form of fettered monster. |
| G307.2 | Form of jinn. |
| E722.1 | Form of soul as it leaves body at death. |
| E291.2 | Form of treasure-guarding ghost. |
| E251.4 | Form of Vampire. |
| G219 | Form of witch—miscellaneous. |
| G210 | Form of witch. |
| F441.4 | Form of wood-spirit. |
| A1101.1.3 | Former age: spirits and ogres lived with men, and gods appeared in human guise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2493.0.1 | Former friendship between domestic and wild animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1352.3 | Former intercourse by navel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| P272.3 | Former mistress as sons' foster mother. Icelandic: Bosa saga 6ff. |
| V473 | Former monk refuses to take pay for his work, considering it as a religious act. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L217.1 | Former poverty chosen over new riches. Weaver laments loss of water vessel. Offered many new, but prefers old and modest life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U135.3 | Former slave sickens for accustomed food. Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B210.3 | Formerly animals and man spoke the same language. God took the power of speech from the animals because men refused to kill speaking beasts.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2216.7 | Formerly animals have ears like elephant's: hare bites them off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A720.2 | Formerly great heat of sun causes distress to mankind. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H807 | Formerly I was daughter, now I am mother; I have a son who was the husband of my mother. (Girl has nursed her imprisoned father through a crack in the prison wall.) Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 111 No. 927*A. |
| A1101.2.2 | Formerly men ate grass: cattle ate rice and pulse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1101.2.4 | Formerly men could go safely beneath the sea. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/50). |
| A1101.2.3 | Formerly men dumb: birds and animals talked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1101.2.1 | Formerly men plowed and cattle were their masters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A759.5 | Formerly seven moons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A720.1 | Formerly seven suns. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1316.1.1 | Forming of the nose. Nose was made from clay taken from the posterior of the already created man.—Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 35. |
| A120.4 | Formless gods. Tonga: Beckwith Myth 128. |
| G303.3 | Forms in which the devil appears. *Toldo II 330ff. |
| G303.3.6 | Forms into which the devil cannot change. |
| R255 | Formula for girl fleeing: behind me night, etc. "Behind me night and before me day that no one shall see where I go." *Type 510B; *BP II 46; Ainu: Ikeda (Type 175). |
| Z91 | Formula for other world: "Where no man goes and no crow flies." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K555.2.1 | Formula-tale (Ehod) saves girl from devil. Unsuccessful imitation. (Cf. Z20.) Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 364. |
| Z75 | Formula: as many children as holes in a sieve. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfants". |
| Z71.2.1 | Formula: north, south, east, west. (The cardinal directions.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.1.1 | Formula: three days and three nights. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| Z72 | Formulas based on the year. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F282.2 | Formulas for fairies' travel through air. England: Baughman. |
| M211.5 | Formulas for selling one's soul to devil. England: Baughman. |
| Z92 | Formulas of distance. |
| Z63 | Formulas signifying fruitlessness, e.g. like putting a withe about sand, like mocking a beggar. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z0 | Formulas. |
| Z18 | Formulistic conversations. |
| Z76 | Formulistic exaggerations. |
| Z10 | Formulistic framework for tales. *Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "Formel"; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Z19 | Formulistic frameworks—miscellaneous. |
| Z71.8.3 | Formulistic number: "twice twelve years". India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.1 | Formulistic number: eight. Irish myth: *Cross; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 154, 210, 411 s.v. "acht"; Polynesia: *Beckwith Myth 209f.; Hawaii: ibid. 233; Tahiti: ibid. 209; Cook Islands: ibid. 256, Samoa: ibid. 256; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 80, 376. |
| Z71.16.8 | Formulistic number: eighty thousand. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.6 | Formulistic number: eighty. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.7 | Formulistic number: eleven. Wuttke Volksaberglaube register s.v. "Elf"; Oldenberg Religion der Veda 514; Jewish: Neuman; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Z71.16.11 | Formulistic number: fifteen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z71.16.16 | Formulistic number: fifty-six. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.15 | Formulistic number: fifty-three. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.9 | Formulistic number: fifty-two lakhs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.3 | Formulistic number: five. Irish myth: Cross; English: Gawayne and the Green Knight lines 623ff.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Funf"; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 32ff. |
| Z71.12 | Formulistic number: forty. *Clouston Eastern Romances 456 n. 1; Dh I 228, 283, 284; Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 301; Wundt Völkerpsychologie VI 341; *Roscher Die Zahl 40 im Glauben der Semiten (Leipzig, 1909).— India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.2 | Formulistic number: four. Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 290ff.; Eisler Weltenmantel 337; Wundt Völkerpsychologie VI 354ff.; Brinton Myths of the New World 66ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| Z71.2.0.1 | Formulistic number: fourfold (e.g. 400, 4000). Jewish: Neuman. |
| Z71.16.10 | Formulistic number: fourteen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.6 | Formulistic number: nine (99, 900, 999, 99,999, etc.). *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 419b, nn. 378—407; Grimm Deutsche Mythologie I 505f.; Ohrt Danske Trylleformler I 196ff.; Agrell Runornas Talmystik 70ff.; Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 84, 295; Wundt Völkerpsychologie V 82, VI 350; Hdwb. d. Abergl. I 1397; Wuttke Volksaberglaube, register.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; Persian: Carnoy 342 (99,999); India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 56, 206 No. 154; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 56ff.; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 76f. |
| Z71.5 | Formulistic number: seven. *Nyrop Dania II 126; Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 292; Wundt Völkerpsychologie VI 349; *Roscher Die Sieben- und Neunzahl im Kultus und Mythus der Griechen (Leipzig, 1904); Aly Volksmärchen bei Herodot 241; *Fb "syv". —Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 45, 100, Beal XXI 316, 332; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "sept"; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 157, 178; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 457; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 49, 162, Graham; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 93 No. 6, 149 No. 24, 154 No. 26; Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 224, 236, (Togo): Einstein 7, (Congo): Weeks Cannibals 217. |
| Z71.16.12 | Formulistic number: seventeen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z71.15 | Formulistic number: seventy-seven. (Cf. Z71.5.0.1.) *Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 991; Wuttke Volksabergl. 525b s.v. "Sieben und Siebenzig"; Gaster Thespis 180, 192, 221. |
| Z71.14 | Formulistic number: seventy-two. (Cf. Z71.8.) Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 303, II 497; Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 989, 991; Schröder Germanentum u. Hellenismus 11f.; Thien Motive 2; Bojunga "Die 72 Völkerschalten in Widsith" Paul und Braune's Beiträge XVI 545ff.; R. Michel ibid. XV 377. — Chinese: Wilhelm Chinesische Märchen 364, 366, cf. 358, 363. |
| Z71.4 | Formulistic number: six. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 420a s.v. "Drie" nn. 408ff. |
| Z71.4.0.1 | Formulistic number: sixfold. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Z71.16.7 | Formulistic number: sixteen hundred. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.10 | Formulistic number: sixteen. E. Skard Maal og Minne (1931) 106f.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.13 | Formulistic number: sixty. (Cf. Z71.4.) Hdwb. d. Märchens I 421a. |
| Z71.16.2 | Formulistic number: ten. Irish myth: Cross; Society Islands: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 430; Africa (Fang): Trilles 186. |
| Z71.9 | Formulistic number: thirteen. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 424a; Grimm Rechtsalterthümer I 298; *Kyriakides To Dysoionon tou Arithmou 13 (Athenae, 1953); India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.8.7 | Formulistic number: thirty-six. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.5 | Formulistic number: thirty-two. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.11 | Formulistic number: thirty. (Cf. Z71.1.0.1.) Hdwb. d. Märchens I 420b nn. 432ff. |
| Z71.1 | Formulistic number: three. **R. Mueller Die Zahl Drei in Sage, Dichtung u. Kunst (Teschen, 1903); Wundt Völkerpsychologie VI 341; Diels Sibyllinische Blätter 40; Aly Volksmärchen bei Herodot 240: Hdwb. d. Märchens I 412ff.; *H. Usener "Dreiheit" Rheinisches Museum f. Philologie N. F. LVIII (1903) 1—47, 161—208; *Fb "tre".—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "trois"; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Africa (Bulu): Krug 120f. (Luba): DeClerq ZsKS IV 201; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 166. |
| Z71.8.4 | Formulistic number: twelve plus thirteen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.8.5 | Formulistic number: twelve score. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.8 | Formulistic number: twelve. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 420b nn. 416ff.; Wundt Völkerpsychologie VI 353; Hoops' Reallexikon I 496; Thien Motive 8f.; Fb "tolv".—Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 64. |
| Z71.16.3 | Formulistic number: twenty-five. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.8.6 | Formulistic number: twenty-four. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z71.16.13 | Formulistic number: twenty-one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
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