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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| F531.6.8.8 | Giant does not grow until another giant causes him to do so. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 8. |
| B871.1.7 | Giant dog (hound). Irish myth: Cross; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 114, Holm 24. |
| B871.1 | Giant domestic beasts. |
| F531.3.4.2 | Giant drinks up a river (lake, sea). German: Grimm No. 134; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A928 | Giant drinks up ocean. Hindu: Keith 146.—Cf. Icel.: Meyer Mythologie der Germanen (1903) 244 (Thor lowers level of ocean). |
| F531.5.10.1 | Giant driven by girl. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.6.12.8.2 | Giant drowned in Deluge. (Cf. A1010.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531.6.12.8 | Giant drowned. |
| B872.1 | Giant eagle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.3.4 | Giant eats (drinks) prodigious amount. Broderius § 23.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 86, 89, 171, 275, *Boberg; Norwegian: Norske Folkminnelag II 28, XIII 23; Swedish: Sydow Jättarna; Westphalia: Kuhn No. 129; Swiss: Henne-Am Rhyn 2 No. 596; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) No. 217; Gaster Thespis 329; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.3.4.1 | Giant eats a thousand cattle. Type 701*. |
| G15.1 | Giant eats men on New Year's Day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.3.4.3 | Giant eats whales as small fry. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 449, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 638, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 196, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 66. |
| B874.2 | Giant eel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B871.2.1 | Giant elephant. Icel.: *Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 737, II 409; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 37 No. 5. |
| F531.6.13.2 | Giant enchanted in car. Icelandic: Hálfdanar saga Br. 574, Boberg. |
| F531.2.1.4 | Giant extends across whole island. Head against stone in west and feet against another in east. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 150, *Cross. |
| B872.3 | Giant falcon. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 207. |
| F531.2.1.1 | Giant fifteen feet tall with three feet between the eyes. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| B874 | Giant fish. *Chauvin VII 8 No. 373A n. 2; *Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 447 n. 81; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 40, 269f., 1014, II 29; Japanese: Ikeda.—Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 78, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 640, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 539. |
| G322.1 | Giant fisherman. Draws in ships with his line. Scotch: Campbell-McKay No. 17. |
| F531.3.12.2 | Giant fishes whales. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 233, MacCulloch Eddic 277, Snorra Edda Skalksk XLVI, Boberg; Maori: Clark 51. |
| F531.1.3.5 | Giant fleet of foot despite size. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531.6.17.2.1 | Giant flies over water like bird. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| B878 | Giant flock of animals (birds.) |
| B878.1 | Giant flock of birds. |
| F531.5.1 | Giant friendly to man. Broderius § 24.—Irish myth: *Cross; U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 148, *Boberg; Norse: Feilberg Jul II 56; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) Nos. 40. 172, 183, 186, 199, 200, 220. |
| B876.1 | Giant frog. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| G101 | Giant gambler as ogre. N. A. Indian (Navaho): Alexander N. Am. 163. |
| F531.2.2.1 | Giant girl's face is an elbow length wide. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q111.5 | Giant gives gold, silver and weapon as reward for good advice. (Cf. Q113.1, Q114.) Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 124—125. |
| B871.1.4 | Giant goat. Africa (Benga): Nassau 202 No. 32. |
| A133.1 | Giant god drinks lakes dry. (Indra).—Hindu: Keith 33. |
| A133.2.1 | Giant god goes with three steps through the world. Güntert Weltkönig 293ff.; Hopkins JAOS XVI Proc. cxlvii. |
| A133 | Giant god. (cf. A128.2). Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A133.2 | Giant goddess bestrides entire land. One foot is in the north of the country and the other is in the south.—Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 30; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B872.2 | Giant gull. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 455, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 195. |
| G154 | Giant hacked so that a staircase is made up his body. Hero climbs up and kills him. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 17. |
| B871.2.8 | Giant hare. Icel.: Boberg. |
| F531.4.5.5 | Giant has enormous spear. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.4.8 | Giant has stone as boat. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.4.5.3 | Giant has stone club. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 282, Snorra Edda Skaldsk. XVII, Boberg. |
| F531.4.5.4 | Giant has stone shield. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F531.6.5.3 | Giant has wound-healing balm. Dickson 187 nn. 61—62; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 230, *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| G152 | Giant herdsman. Hideous beastlike giant guards a herd of wild fighting animals. Herdsman can seize one of them in such a way as to make rest beg mercy. *Brown Iwain 7ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F531.6.17.5 | Giant herdsman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z261 | Giant heroes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B871.2.4 | Giant hippopotamus. Chauvin VII 86 n. 5. |
| B871.1.2.1 | Giant hog. Fb "svin" III 676a.; India: Thompson-Balys; Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.3.1.2.1 | Giant holds back water of river with his foot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B871.1.5 | Giant horse: hair from the tail is seven yards. Nornagests th. ch. 7 p. 67. |
| F531.3.2.4 | Giant hurls mountain. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1854 | Giant immortal so long as he touches land of his birth. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 44 n. 1. |
| F531.6.4.3 | Giant immortal. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K897.2.1 | Giant impales self on javelin fugitive holds behind himself. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.1.8.6 | Giant in a gam's shape. Icelandic: Hjálmtèrs saga ok ölvers 506, Egils saga Einhenda ch. I 4, II 6, XIV 4, Boberg. |
| F531.1.8 | Giant in animal form. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 279. |
| F531.5.11 | Giant in contest with man. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.6.8.1 | Giant in love with giantess. Broderius § 30; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Norse: Norsk Folkminnelag XIII 29; Danish: Thiele Danmarks Folkesagn (København, 1843) II 47; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1907) No. 319. |
| A751.9.3 | Giant in moon. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 736. |
| F531.6.17.2 | Giant inflates self and floats through air. (Cf. F531.6.5.2.) Malone PMLA XLIII 412. |
| B873 | Giant insects. |
| F531.5.12 | Giant insults hero by shaving his head and smearing it with cow dung. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N111.5 | Giant is clerk to God of Destiny and measures out mortals' spans of existence. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.6.1.2 | Giant is transformed man. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| G161 | Giant issues out of tiny vessel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G512.6 | Giant killed by cutting his foot (feet) off. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.6.12.5 | Giant killed by earthquake. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga I 80, Boberg. |
| G527 | Giant killed by his own bucket of death water; captive princess tells him to wash. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G512.1.1 | Giant killed with magic knife. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "géant". |
| D1402.24.1 | Giant kills people by sprinkling water on their heads. (Cf. D1242.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.2.6 | Giant lies underground with trees growing all over his body. When his mouth is opened man falls into it and is swallowed. Finnish: Kalevala rune 17. |
| B16.2.3 | Giant lion overcome by hero. Babylonian: Jensen Gilgamesch-Epos VIII; Greek: Fox 80; Icel.: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B871.2.5 | Giant lion. Malone PMLA XLIII 402f.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| G162 | Giant lives in a castle in the air. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.6.3.2 | Giant lives in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.6.2.2.2 | Giant lives under lake. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| B873.1 | Giant louse. *Type 621; *BP III 483 (Gr. No. 212). See also all references to F983.2. |
| F531.6.1.6 | Giant made of the venom from Elivagar. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 326, Boberg. |
| F981.8 | Giant magic boar slain by tearing out entrails from behind. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.5.10.2 | Giant maidens grind gold, peace, soldiers, salt, etc., on large stone mill. BP II 438ff.; Type 565; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 140ff.; MacCulloch Eddic 282—83, Boberg. |
| F531.6.6.4 | Giant makes cleft in rock when he misses another giant with spade blow. England: Baughman. |
| B16.6.1 | Giant man-eating ants. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B16.2.8 | Giant man-eating mice. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B81.13.5 | Giant mermaid (man) cast ashore. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B81.9.4 | Giant mermaid. Irish myth: Cross. (Cf. [b]B81.13.13.) |
| B871.2.7 | Giant mice. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.2.10 | Giant must rest on elbow while speaking to be audible to mortal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B877 | Giant mythical animals. |
| F531.6.7.2 | Giant obtains treasure from man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.2.9 | Giant occupies space of thrice nine men. Irish myth: Cross. |
| G100.1 | Giant ogre (Fomorian). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| Z312.2 | Giant ogre can be killed only with iron club he carries (with own sword). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| G126 | Giant ogre in shape of animal. |
| G126.2 | Giant ogre in shape of horse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G126.1 | Giant ogre in the shape of a cat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G131 | Giant ogre never crosses water. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 12. |
| G519.5 | Giant ogre tricked into running round a tree the branches of which catch the strokes of his iron bar, until he falls down dead. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| G100 | Giant ogre. Polyphemus. (For motifs concerning giants who are not malevolent but merely large, see F531.) *Types 304, 311, 312, 313, 314, 314*, 327, 327*, 328, 518, 531, 545A, 1137, 1148*, 1165*; *Hackman Die Polyphemsage; *BP III 375ff.; *Clouston Tales I 133ff.: Arill Polyphemosmotivet i bohuslänsk folkdiktning (Bohuslänska Folkminnen [Uddevalla, 1922] 54); *Chauvin VII 17 No. 373C, VIII 205, IX 93; Saintyves Perrault 281ff.; Dickson 130—135 passim.—English: Wells 17 (Guy of Warwick), 22 (Sir Beues of Hamtoun), 32 (Layamon's Brut), 80 (Sir Tristem), 88 (Roland and Vernagu), 117 (Sir Torrent of Portyngale); Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "geant"; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 47 Nos. 69—73; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 275ff.; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 12, 20; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 85 No. 5. |
| G157 | Giant ogre's prodigious speed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G111 | Giant ogres possess castle. *Types 304, 545A; *BP III 113 n. 4; English: Wells 66 (Ywain and Gawain); Irish myth: Cross. |
| G150 | Giant ogres—miscellaneous. |
| G123 | Giant ogress with breasts thrown over her shoulder. Van Gennep Formation des Légendes 47; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 183. |
| N812 | Giant or ogre as helper. *Types 531, 709; Böklen 84ff.; BP III 18ff.; Malone PMLA XLIII 412; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 471; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 44, (Benga): Nassau 208ff. |
| A133.3 | Giant orderly of the gods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G530.1.1 | Giant overcome and slain when his wife binds his hair to posts. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A1791 | Giant ox ancestor of all animals. Persian: Carnoy 289. |
| B871.1.1.1 | Giant ox. Persia: Carnoy 289; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B871.2.3 | Giant panther. *Chauvin VII 86 n. 6. |
| K1733.1 | Giant persuaded that hero has pushed hole in wall with bare hand. Hole bored before. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.6.17.4 | Giant plays musical instrument. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F621.2.2 | Giant polishes teeth with uprooted tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F813.8.2 | Giant pomegranate rind holds 13 men. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531.6.7.1 | Giant possesses treasure. Broderius § 13.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 279 (Alvaldi's gold), 84 (magic objects); Norwegian: Norske Folkminnelag XIII 29; Faröe: Zs. f. Vksk. II 6 No. 6; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 92 No. 117; Styria: Henne-Am Rhyn No. 225. |
| B31.3 | Giant ravens. They sit on mountain; when they fly, avalanche comes. —Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 323 No. 139. |
| F531.2.1.5 | Giant reaches to the sky. Must lean over to keep from touching. N. A. Indian: *Boas BBAE LIX 289 n. 2, (Kaska): Teit JAFL XXX 445 No. 6. |
| B875 | Giant reptiles. |
| R164.1 | Giant rescues maiden. Dickson 154. |
| R164.2 | Giant rescues woman from burning at stake. (Cf. R175.) *Dickson 130 n. 102. |
| A977.1 | Giant responsible for certain stones. (Cf. A963.1.)—Canada, England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman; Icel.: Boberg. |
| B874.1 | Giant river catfish. Ladino: Conzemius BBAE CVI 130f. |
| G171 | Giant roasts camels, elephants for food on crater of volcano. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G316 | Giant robber with club. Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 98 (labors of Theseus). |
| F531.6.17.6 | Giant rolls like wheel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.1.6.9 | Giant rooted to ground because his nails and hair have grown into the earth on account of his great age. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B874.4 | Giant salmon. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B873.2 | Giant scorpion. *Chauvin VII 86 No. 373bis.; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| B877.1.2 | Giant sea monster overpowered by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B877.1 | Giant sea monster. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.1.1.4 | Giant sees great distance. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B875.1 | Giant serpent. *Chauvin VII 10 No. 373B n. 2; Jataka Index s.v. "Naga".—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 216f.; Norwegian: Solheim Register 17; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 181; Irish myth: Cross; Missouri-French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda.—Eskimo (Greenland): Thalbitzer 5; Tonga: Gifford 178; Ladino: Conzemius BBAE CVI 169.—S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 57, 59, 71. |
| B874.5 | Giant shark. Marquesas: Handy 110. |
| B871.1.3 | Giant sheep. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F65 | Giant shot into upper world by means of magic bow. N. A. Indian: Alexander N. Am. 163. |
| F531.6.12.6 | Giant slain by man. (Cf. F531.6.9, F628.2.3, G500.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 374f.; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 83, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 315, 537f. |
| F531.3.2.2 | Giant slings stone with his garters (hair ribbon, etc.) Broderius § 20.—Swedish: Hofberg Svenska Folksägner (Stockholm, 1882) 132; Danish: Thiele Danmarks Folkesagn (København, 1843) I 46; Holstein: Müllenhoff Sagen der Herzogthümer Schleswig-Holstein u. Lauenborg (Kiel, 1921) No. 423. |
| F531.2.7 | Giant so large he cannot be carried by a horse. Dickson 173 n. 33. |
| F531.6.1.3 | Giant son of black cat. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk I 529, Boberg. |
| B873.3 | Giant spider. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 347. |
| F531.3.5.3 | Giant stands astride river. England: Baughman. |
| F531.6.8.3.2 | Giant steals from giant. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F531.6.7.2.1 | Giant steals from man (fish, sheep, sword). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.3.5 | Giant steps prodigious distance. Broderius § 21; *Höttges FFC CXXII 165ff., 281f.—Irish myth: Cross; England: Baughman; Norwegian: Norske Folkeminnelag I 61, 65, II 30, 118, IV 101, XIII 26; Finnish-Swedish: Landtmann Finlands Svenska Folkdiktning VII 539, 540, 549, Wessmann 66 No. 570; Danish: Ohrt Danmarks Folkeminder XXI 22; Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 474; Eskimo (Central): Boas RBAE VI 638. |
| F911.5 | Giant swallows man. Finnish: Kalevala rune 17. |
| F531.3.11 | Giant swallows men. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B31.3.1 | Giant swimming raven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A523.1 | Giant sword of culture hero. Fb. "sværd" III 691a.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.5.4 | Giant thinks hammer-blow on head is a nut falling. Man strikes with all his might. *Von Sydow Danske Studier (1910) 159; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 92; N. A. Indian (Seneca): CurtinHewitt RBAE XXXII 213 No. 41; Africa (Fang): Einstein 47. |
| F531.5.4.1 | Giant thinks shower of stones is snowfall. Wales: Baughman. |
| J1769.1 | Giant thought to be a hill. BP III 333 (Grimm No. 183). |
| F531.3.12.1 | Giant threads an elephant on a fish-hook. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.3.2 | Giant throws a great rock. Broderius § 8; **Höttges FFC CXXII 21ff., 196f.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 590, *Boberg; Norwegian: Norske Folkminnelag VI 142; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 61; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 47 No. 67; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 127 No. 61; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 32f. |
| B871.2.2 | Giant tiger. *Chauvin VII 86 n. 7. |
| B875.4 | Giant tortoise. Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 339. |
| F811.14 | Giant tree: nuts fall scores of miles away, etc. Irish myth: *Cross; Japanese: Anesaki 339; Marquesas: Handy 70; Africa (Upoto): Einstein 120. |
| K722 | Giant tricked into becoming mouse. Cat eats him up. *Types 545AB; BP I 325ff., III 487; Missouri French: Carrière, India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B875.3 | Giant turtle. *Chauvin VII 16 No. 373C n. 2. |
| N484 | Giant unwittingly reveals span of life to dwarf, who is thus emboldened to attack him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.3.1 | Giant wades the ocean. *Krappe études 79ff.; Broderius § 21.—England: Baughman; Icelandic: *Boberg; Norwegian: Norske Folkminnelag I 65 No. 47, IX 99; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (Berlin, 1905) No. 319; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 31 n. 4; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 737. |
| B871.2.6 | Giant walrus. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B877.1.1 | Giant water monster attacks man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.4.6 | Giant wears enormous jewel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B874.3.2 | Giant whale cast ashore on the night of Christ's Nativity: "fifty men were on the upper parts of its head, and (there was) the limit of vision between each two of them. Such was the amount of ground which the animal occupied. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B874.3 | Giant whale. Irish myth: Cross; Marquesas: Handy 116. |
| B871.2 | Giant wild beasts. |
| F531.5.11.1 | Giant wins walking contest against man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.4.4 | Giant with club as large as wheelshaft of mill. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.1.6.6.1 | Giant with crook on end of his nose. Icelandic: *Boberg; Herrmann Saxo II 599. |
| F531.1.6.1.2 | Giant with crooked nails. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.3.1 | Giant with dragon-scales for feet. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 43 n. 2. |
| F531.1.1.5.1 | Giant with eight eyes. Polynesia: Beckwith Myth 210. |
| F531.1.1.2.1 | Giant with eyes as big as cauldrons. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.1.1.2.2 | Giant with eyes like ponds. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F531.1.3.6 | Giant with feet so large they cannot be moved. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531.4.2 | Giant with gigantic chain as belt. Elephant can go through each link. Malone PMLA XLIII 401. |
| F531.1.6.5 | Giant with golden hair on forehead. *Fb "guldhеr". |
| F531.1.3.2 | Giant with heels in front. (Cf. A526.8, F451.2.2.1, F517.1.5, G303.4.5.6.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.1.2.4 | Giant with horse head. Tirol: Zingerle (1891) 26 No. 41. |
| F531.4.5.2 | Giant with iron bar as weapon. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.4.5.1 | Giant with iron club as weapon. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.1.2 | Giant with large gleaming eyes. Broderius § 37; *Höttges FFC CXXII 192; Icelandic: Boberg; Norway: Faye Norske Folke-Sagn (Christiania, 1814) 19; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) Nos. 193, 201. |
| F525.5 | Giant with limbs and organs only on his left side. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.1.6.4 | Giant with long beard. Broderius § 37.—Icelandic: *Boberg; Swedish: Runa IV (1843) 41 No. 71; Finnish-Swedish: Landtmann Finlands Svenska Folkdiktning VII 537; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) No. 193. |
| F531.1.4.1.1 | Giant with lower lip reaching earth. Gaster Thespis 190. |
| F531.1.1.5 | Giant with many eyes. |
| F531.4.1 | Giant with mill-wheel as shield. Malone PMLA XLIII 401. |
| F531.1.6.1 | Giant with nails like claws. Icelandic: *Boberg; Chinese: Werner 387. |
| F531.1.1.1 | Giant with one eye in middle of forehead. (Cf. F512.1.1.) Broderius § 37; *BP III 375; *Höttges FFC CXXII 191; Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 191; Icelandic: Boberg; Faröe: Zs. f. Vksk. II 6; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 67 No. 573; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) No. 2; Greek: Fox 6, Grote I 5, 287; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 10. |
| F531.1.1.1.1 | Giant with one eye in the neck which he covers with his lower lip. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.6.12 | Giant with one hand and one foot. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.1.6.6 | Giant with peculiar nose. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.6.7.2 | Giant with six or eight arms. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 422, MacCulloch Eddic 277, *Boberg; Polynesia: Beckwith Myth 210 (eight). |
| F531.1.2.5 | Giant with stone head. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 83, 279, Boberg (Hrungnir); Oceanic: Beckwith Myth 88. |
| F531.1.6.10.1 | Giant with stone heart. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 279. |
| F531.1.6.2 | Giant with teeth like those of saw. Chinese: Werner 387. |
| F531.2.2 | Giant with three spans between brows and three yards between shoulders. English: Child I 332, II 394. |
| G152.1 | Giant with tree for herding-stick. German: Dümke Havensagen (Leipzig, 1924) 72 No. 56, Haas Pommersche Sagen (Berlin, 1912) 54 No. 106. |
| F531.1.6.10 | Giant with unusual heart. |
| F531.1.4.1 | Giant with upper lip reaching heaven; lower earth. Olrik Ragnarök 94f.; Cosquin études 537; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.1.6.2.2 | Giant with very broad teeth. Chinese: Graham. |
| F531.1.6.3.2 | Giant without hair. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.0.4 | Giant woman. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.5.7.0.1 | Giant wooes mortal woman. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531 | Giant.1 A person of enormous size. (For giants who are primarily ogres see G100 and G400—G599.) *BP III 375; *Fb "kjæmpe" II 149, "Langben Rise" II 377b; Lorenz Das Titan-Motiv in der allgemeinen Mythologie (Imago II 1913] 22—72); Weinhold Die Riesen des germanischen Mythus (Sitzungsberichte d. kais. Akad. d. Wiss. XXVI [1858] 225—306); Laistner Nebelsagen (Stuttgart, 1860); Schoning Dödsriger i Nordisk Hedentro (København, 1903); **Von Sydow Jätterna i Mytologi och Folktro (F och F [1919] 52—96); Ahrendt Die Riese in der mittelhochdeutschen Epik (Rostock, 1923); **F. Wolgemuth Riesen u. Zwerge in den altfranzösischen erzählenden Dichtung (Tübingen, 1906); **V. Höttges Typenverzeichnis der deutschen Riesen; und riesischen Teufelssagen FFC CXXII (Helsinki, 1937); Tegethoff Schweiz. Archiv f. Vksk. XXIV (1922) 137ff.; Borgese Giganti e Serpenti (Archivio per lo studio delle Tradizioni popolari XX 507ff., XXI 90ff., 161ff.); *Handwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 1120—1138.—Irish myth: *Cross; U.S. (lumbermen): *Folk-Say I 62 (bibliography of "Paul Bunyan" stories); Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 66 Nos. 565—592; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 465—490; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3720; Germanic: Meyer Germanen 226ff.; French: Sébillot France IV 455 s.v. "Géants", >>Gargantua", Sébillot **Gargantua dans les Traditions Populaires; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 32f.; Jewish: *Neuman Arabian: Burton Nights I 65n., V 316, VI 24n., 84, 265n., 268ff., VII 84n.; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 47, 430, Holm 7, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 656, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 167; N. A. Indian (Tahltan): Teit JAFL XXXIV 346ff. Nos. 69, 70, 73, (Kaska): Teit JAFL XXX 446 No. 7, (Aztec): Alexander Lat. Am. 92f. |
| K912.1 | Giant's (giantess's) head cut off as he (she) looks out. Icelandic: Snorra Edda Skaldsk. II, *Boberg. |
| G512.6.1 | Giant's (ogre's) arm pulled (cut) off by defender of castle (house). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.6.16.2 | Giant's animals help him in fight. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.4.7 | Giant's clothes. |
| T91.1.1 | Giant's daughter has child by hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T91.1 | Giant's daughter loves hero. See references to G530.2. Icelandic: De la Saussaye 337, *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.2.2.2 | Giant's ears six hundred feet long. Korean: Zong in-Sob 15. |
| F531.4.11 | Giant's enormous animals. |
| F531.4.10 | Giant's enormous bed. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F531.4.5 | Giant's enormous weapons. |
| G112 | Giant's fields fertile; others arid. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 21. |
| G122 | Giant's hair grows into rock. He is thus kept from falling from cliff. N. A. Indian (Navaho): Alexander N. Am. 163. |
| F531.5.4.2 | Giant's head gnawed by foxes: thinks soot is falling on him. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 150. |
| N812.0.1 | Giant's help secured by feeding him. *Type 531; BP III 18ff. |
| F531.6.2.2.3 | Giant's home beneath waterfall in lake. Icelandic: *Boberg. Cf. Beowulf. |
| F531.4.9 | Giant's huge kettle. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 220, MacCulloch Eddic 86, *Boberg. |
| F531.3.12 | Giant's hunting (fishing). |
| F531.2.4 | Giant's large footprints. (Cf. F531.2.1.2.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.3.1.2 | Giant's leg stops ship at sea. Hindu: Penzer II 72. |
| F531.3.5.2 | Giant's mighty stride spans earth's width. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.4.12 | Giant's net can hem in whole forest. Africa (Fang): Trilles 202. |
| F531.1.6.8 | Giant's peculiar cheeks. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.5.6.2 | Giant's present: magic loaf producing inexhaustible harvest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.5.6.3 | Giant's presents cease when source is disclosed. (Cf. F348.5.) Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 235. |
| F531.1.2.3 | Giant's self-returning head. Korean: Zong in-Sob 72. |
| G158 | Giant's shriek heard five miles away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.2.3 | Giant's skull holds a man seated. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.2.3.2 | Giant's skull holds three hounds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.2.3.1 | Giant's skull so large fowl can pass through eye-hole. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.3.8.1 | Giant's snoring as thunder or storm. Icelandic: Snorra Edda Gylf. XLVI, MacCulloch Eddic 92, *Boberg. |
| F531.3.8.2 | Giant's snoring felt as rain. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E714.9 | Giant's soul in a mole in the hollow of his palm. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.1.3.4 | Giant's step leaves deep furrows. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F531.1.6.13 | Giant's strength in hair. (Cf. D1831, G221.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.5.3 | Giant's toy. A young giantess picks up a man plowing. Wants him as a toy. Her mother says, "Take him back. He will drive us away." (Cf. F531.5.1.) **V. Höttges Die Sage vom Riesenspielzeug (Jena, 1931); Höttges FFC CXXII 172; Broderius § 29; Type 701*; *Fb "kjæmpe" II 149a; "plove" II 848; *Tegethoff Schweiz. Archiv f. Vksk. XXIV 139 n. 14.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 67 No. 575; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 47 No. 73; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3712; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 73 No. 225; Flemish: Meyer FFC XXXVII No. 701*; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| F531.6.7 | Giant's treasure. (Cf. F531.6.8.3.1.) *Höttges FFC CXXII 143; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 583ff., MacCulloch Eddic 277 (Sutting's poetic mead, runes), Snorra Edda Gylf. IV and XV (Mimir's well), Snorra Edda Skald. XXXII (gold); Estonian: Veckenstedt Sagen der Zamaiten (Heidelberg, 1883) II 141 No. 4, 200 No. 24; Hesse-Nassau: Zaunert 61. |
| N812.2 | Giantess as foster mother and helper of hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.5.7.1.2 | Giantess daughter of giant and abducted maiden (therefore helps hero). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1726 | Giantess frightened of leaving cave because of hero's statue in entrance. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N812.4 | Giantess helps the man she loves. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.8.4 | Giantess in crow's shape. Icelandic: Völsungasaga ch. 1, Boberg. |
| F531.4.7.1.2 | Giantess in obscenely shriveled skin skirt. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.4.7.3 | Giantess in red dress. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F531.2.5.1 | Giantess is more broad than tall. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.2.1.6 | Giantess is twice as tall as tall man. Icelandic: övar-Odds saga 121. |
| K818.2 | Giantess killed with the spear she herself has given hero. Icelandic: Sturlaugs saga Stárfsama 622, Boberg. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.