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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| X1739.2 | Lie: man makes drinking water from his own skull. (First ed. X961.29.) Type 852; BP II 514. |
| X1495 | Lie: man raises eggs from eggplant. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1004.2 | Lie: man rides cyclone. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1004.1 | Lie: man rides unusual riding animal (lion, deer, etc.). (Cf. B557.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1723.1.2 | Lie: man swallowed by fish and later rescued alive. (First ed. X921.10.) Wesselski Bebel II 137 No. 113. |
| X942.1 | Lie: man ties up 700 camels in a corner of his sheet. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X1133.1 | Lie: man uses remarkable means of getting out of tree stump. Type 1900; U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1721.2 | Lie: man's organs replaced with animal's. (Cf. E782.) He acts like animal. Type 660; U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1226.1 | Lie: mice consecrate bishop. (First ed. X961.16.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1490 | Lie: miscellaneous plant motifs. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1605 | Lie: mixed weather: summer in one spot and winter in another nearby. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1286.1.3 | Lie: mosquito's long bill. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1528.1 | Lie: mountain of cheese. (First ed. X961.5.) Type 1930; BP III 258. |
| X1215.9 | Lie: obedient or dutiful dog. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X980 | Lie: occupational or professional skill. |
| X1080 | Lie: occupations of remarkable man. (Cf. X980.) |
| X1031.5 | Lie: other extraordinary foods from great kitchen. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1022 | Lie: other extraordinary personal effects of remarkable person. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X939 | Lie: other motifs pertaining to extraordinary senses or bodily powers. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1060 | Lie: other possessions of remarkable man. (Cf. X1215 [dog], X1235 [cow], X1237 [ox]). |
| X959 | Lie: other strong physical reactions. |
| X1156 | Lie: other unusual methods of catching fish. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1472.1 | Lie: pancakes growing on lime-tree. (First ed. X961.27.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1756.1 | Lie: people carry wine in baskets. Italian Novella: Rotunda (X961.38). |
| X1761.2 | Lie: people eat the bungholes from barrels. Italian Novella: Rotunda (X961.39). |
| X1012 | Lie: person displays remarkable ingenuity or resourcefulness. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X938 | Lie: person of remarkable sight. (Cf. F642.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1122.2 | Lie: person shoots many animals with one shot. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X936 | Lie: person with remarkable hearing. (Cf. F641.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X937 | Lie: person with remarkable voice. (Cf. F556.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X916 | Lie: persons with remarkable bodily parts. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1663.2 | Lie: place so healthful that residents shoot man to start cemetery. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1405 | Lie: plants produce fruit in remarkably short time after planting. (Cf. F815.1, F811.13, F971.7.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1855 | Lie: plow without horse or wheels. (First ed. X961.12.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1817.1 | Lie: razor-sharp sword as footbridge. (First ed. X961.6.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1303 | Lie: remarkable actions of big fish. |
| X1200 | Lie: remarkable animals. Types 1875—1910. |
| X1119.2 | Lie: remarkable bag of deer. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.4 | Lie: remarkable baking in big kitchen. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X947 | Lie: remarkable bender. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X935 | Lie: remarkable blower. (Cf. F622.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1021.1 | Lie: remarkable bouncing rubber boots (or the like). U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X946 | Lie: remarkable breaker. (Cf. F625.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1030 | Lie: remarkable buildings. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X994 | Lie: remarkable carpenter. Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X942 | Lie: remarkable carrier. (Cf. F631.) Canada, England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X944 | Lie: remarkable catcher. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X933 | Lie: remarkable chewer. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1021 | Lie: remarkable clothing of remarkable man. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1005 | Lie: remarkable cook. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.3 | Lie: remarkable cooking in big kitchen. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1455.1 | Lie: remarkable cornstalks. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1235 | Lie: remarkable cow. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1082.2 | Lie: remarkable dairyman. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X965 | Lie: remarkable diver. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X932 | Lie: remarkable drinker. (Cf. F633.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X931 | Lie: remarkable eater. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.1 | Lie: remarkable equipment in big kitchen. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X972 | Lie: remarkable fighter. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.6 | Lie: remarkable food preferences. French loggers prefer pea soup for all three meals. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X945 | Lie: remarkable hitter or striker. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X966 | Lie: remarkable jumper. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X967 | Lie: remarkable kicker. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X955 | Lie: remarkable killer. (Cf. X945.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1481 | Lie: remarkable lilies. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X987 | Lie: remarkable logger. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1081 | Lie: remarkable logging operations. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1082 | Lie: remarkable manufacturer. |
| X1010 | Lie: remarkable mental skills. |
| X971 | Lie: remarkable oarsman. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1084 | Lie: remarkable oil drilling operator. U.S.: Baughman (X988 and X1084). |
| X1237 | Lie: remarkable ox or steer. (First ed. X1021.1.) U.S.: *Baughman, *Folk-Say I 62 (bibliography of "Paul Bunyan" stories). |
| X930 | Lie: remarkable person's physical powers and habits. |
| X960 | Lie: remarkable person's skills. |
| X952 | Lie: remarkable pincher. Hero marks logs by pinching a piece out of end of each one. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1020 | Lie: remarkable possessions of remarkable man. |
| X954 | Lie: remarkable pusher. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1815 | Lie: remarkable railroad. |
| X1004 | Lie: remarkable rider. |
| X1547 | Lie: remarkable river. |
| X991 | Lie: remarkable rock driller. (John Henry.) Engages in contest with steam drill; he wins the contest but dies in the attempt. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1003 | Lie: remarkable roper. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1082.1 | Lie: remarkable sawmill operator. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X982 | Lie: remarkable smith. (Cf. F663.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X934 | Lie: remarkable spitter. (Cf. F635.) Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X951 | Lie: remarkable squeezer. (Cf. X955.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1083 | Lie: remarkable steel worker. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X964 | Lie: remarkable swimmer. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1001 | Lie: remarkable thresher. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X943 | Lie: remarkable thrower. (Cf. F636.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X948 | Lie: remarkable twister. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1002 | Lie: remarkable user of whip. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X973 | Lie: remarkable wrestler. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1455.2 | Lie: remarkable yield of corn. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1321.1.1 | Lie: remarkably long snake. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X940 | Lie: remarkably strong man. |
| X921 | Lie: remarkably tall person. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X924 | Lie: remarkably thin persons. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1547.2 | Lie: river of honey. (First ed. X961.1). Type 852; BP II 515. |
| X1208.2 | Lie: roast hens fly, heads to sky, tails to ground. (First ed. X961.23.) Type 1930; BP III 258. |
| X1561 | Lie: Rome hanging by thread. (First ed. X961.8.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1547.1 | Lie: round river: runs in circle without outlet. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1233.4.1 | Lie: salesman guarantees sow to bear male, then female, then kid. (First ed. X931.) Wienert FFC LVI 84 (ET 506), 104 (ST 167); Halm Aesop No. 11. |
| X908 | Lie: sea has burned up. (Often with answer: "Many fried fish.") (First ed. X925.) Type 1920A; *BP II 371; Fb "vesterhav" III 1042b, "a" III 1187b; Indonesian: DeVries Volksverhalen II 377. |
| X1396.1 | Lie: seaserpent. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1623.1 | Lie: shadow freezes. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1651.1 | Lie: shingling the fog. Man shingling building during thick fog shingles several feet of fog when he gets beyond the roof line. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.4.1 | Lie: skating with bacon to grease griddle in big kitchen. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X986 | Lie: skillful axe-man. (Cf. F666.) Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman (X986 and X1796.3). |
| X983 | Lie: skillful flayer. Man skins buffalo alive, turns them loose to grow new skins. (Cf. F664.1.) Type 654; U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1215.3 | Lie: small dog. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1345.1 | Lie: snail kills lion. (First ed. X961.35.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X953 | Lie: strong puller. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1856 | Lie: suckling children rock mother in cradle. (First ed. X961.18.) Type 1930; BP III 244ff. |
| X1306 | Lie: tamed fish lives on dry land. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1224.1 | Lie: the big chipmunk. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1342.1 | Lie: the big frog. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1201 | Lie: the great animal. (First ed. X1021.) Types 852, 1960A. |
| X1282.1 | Lie: the great bee. Liar says that in a certain place bees are as big as sheep.—And the bee-hives?—The same as ours.—How do the bees get in? (Various answers.) (First ed. X1021.3.) BP II 515; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 219. |
| X1033 | Lie: the great bunkhouse. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1423.1 | Lie: the great cabbage. (Usually matched by tale of great pot to put cabbage in.) (First ed. X1024.1.) *Type 1960D; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 220 No. 454; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| X1243.1 | Lie: the great Darby ram. England: *Baughman. |
| X1032 | Lie: the great dining quarters (Paul Bunyan tales). U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1813 | Lie: the great egg. (First ed. X1036.) (Cf. B31.1.1.) *Fb "æg" III 1142a; U.S.: Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X1301 | Lie: the great fish. (First ed. X1021.7.) Type 1960B; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1035 | Lie: the great hotel. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1011 | Lie: the great inventor. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1031.1.1 | Lie: The great kettle. (First ed. X1035.) Type 1960F. |
| X1031 | Lie: the great kitchen. (First ed. X1033.1.) Chauvin VII 57 No. 77; U.S.: *Baughman, *Folk-Say I 62. |
| X1811.1 | Lie: the great loaf of bread. (First ed. X1038.) Type 1960K. |
| X1120 | Lie: the great marksman. (Cf. F661.) U.S.: Baughman (X1120 and X981). |
| X1121 | Lie: the great marksman's remarkable gun. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1411.1 | Lie: the great melon. (First ed. X1024.2.) *BP II 516. |
| X1866 | Lie: the great noise from the bass-viol. (First ed. X1037.) BP II 516. |
| X1411.4 | Lie: the great pear. (First ed. X1025.1.) Hdwb. d. Märchens I 256a n. 18. |
| X1321.1 | Lie: the great snake. |
| X1036.1 | Lie: the great stable: distance to stall. Cow has calf and the calf grows up and has calf before it can reach its stall. (First ed. X1033.2.) Fb "stald" III 534a. |
| X1036 | Lie: the great stable. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X1401 | Lie: the great vegetable. |
| X1861 | Lie: the hunt for the lost bee. (First ed. X928.) Köhler-Bolte I 323. |
| X1124 | Lie: the hunter catches or kills game by ingenious or unorthodox method. (Cf. X1132.) Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1133 | Lie: the hunter in danger. |
| X1411 | Lie: the large fruit. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X920 | Lie: the large man. (First ed. X1041.) *Type 852; BP II 516. |
| X1286.1 | Lie: the large mosquito. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 703. |
| X1655.1 | Lie: the man under the hat, which is the only thing seen above the mud. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1788 | Lie: the realistic painting. (Cf. H504.1.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1237.2 | Lie: the remarkable blue ox. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1100 | Lie: the remarkable hunter. |
| X910 | Lie: the remarkable man. (Cf. F500—F599.) For bibliography of American hero material see Harold Felton Legends of Paul Bunyan (New York, 1947). |
| X1381 | Lie: the side-hill beast. Animal with two short legs on one side for convenience in living on hillsides. It can walk around the hill in only one direction. U.S.: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 703. |
| X1215.11 | Lie: the split dog. Put back together but back legs point upwards. Canada, England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1785.1 | Lie: the stretching and shrinking harness. Man driving team with wagon uphill in rain finds on arrival at the top of the hill that the tugs of rawhide or buckskin have stretched and that the loaded wagon is still at the bottom of the hill. He unhitches the horses and throws the harness across a stump. Sometime later, or the next morning, the sun comes out and shrinks the tugs, drawing the load to the top of the hill. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1258.2 | Lie: the tough goose. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1119.1 | Lie: thick flock of birds. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1215.5 | Lie: tough dog. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1233.2 | Lie: tough hog. |
| X1472 | Lie: tree bears unusual fruit. |
| X1204.2 | Lie: two birds swallow each other. (First ed. X926.) Africa (Vai): Ellis 239 No. 46. |
| X1743.2 | Lie: two bullocks go where one cannot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X1154 | Lie: unusual catch by fisherman. |
| X1205 | Lie: venom of animal (snake, hornet, bee) causes object to swell. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1864 | Lie: warrior whose horse is cut in two continues to ride on the half horse. (First ed. X961.4.) Wesselski Bebel II 108 No. 25. |
| X1215.4 | Lie: weak dog. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1633.1 | Lie: weather so hot that corn pops in fields, animals freeze to death thinking it has snowed. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1286.1.2 | Lie: weight of large mosquito. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1286.1.1 | Lie: wingspread of large mosquito. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1623.2 | Lie: words freeze. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1602 | Lie: year with two summers and no winter. Canada: Baughman. |
| X1603 | Lie: year with two winters and no summer. It is winter all summer and in fall it gets colder. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1242.0.1 | Lies about asses. |
| X1221 | Lies about bears. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1291 | Lies about bedbugs. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1282 | Lies about bees. Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1431.1 | Lies about big turnips. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1611.1 | Lies about big wind (cyclone, tornado). Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1250 | Lies about birds. |
| X1781 | Lies about boats with light draft. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1817 | Lies about bridges. (Cf. F842.) |
| X1423 | Lies about cabbages. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1211 | Lies about cats. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1606 | Lies about changes in weather. |
| X1224 | Lies about chipmunks. |
| X1560 | Lies about cities. |
| X1660 | Lies about climate. |
| X1620 | Lies about cold weather. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1455 | Lies about corn (maise). |
| X1344 | Lies about crabs. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1280.1 | Lies about crossbreeding of insects. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1252 | Lies about crows. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1215 | Lies about dogs. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1256 | Lies about doves. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1640 | Lies about dry weather. |
| X1655 | Lies about extraordinary mud. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1731 | Lies about falling. |
| X1523.2 | Lies about farming on steep mountain. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1280.2 | Lies about ferocious insects. |
| X1286.2 | Lies about ferocious mosquitoes. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1450 | Lies about field crops. |
| X1300 | Lies about fish. (Cf. X1150.) |
| X1150 | Lies about fishing. (Cf. X1300.) |
| X1285 | Lies about fleas. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1294 | Lies about flies. |
| X1480 | Lies about flowers. |
| X1651 | Lies about fog. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1623 | Lies about freezing. (Cf. X1606.2.1.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1342 | Lies about frogs. |
| X1410 | Lies about fruits. (Cf. X1402.1, X1405.) |
| X1258 | Lies about geese. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1500 | Lies about geography and topography. |
| X1295 | Lies about gnats. |
| X1244 | Lies about goats. |
| X1288 | Lies about grasshoppers. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1741 | Lies about gravitation. |
| X1663 | Lies about healthy atmosphere. |
| X1241 | Lies about horses. Canada, England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1543 | Lies about hot springs. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1630 | Lies about hot weather. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1370 | Lies about imaginary animals. |
| X1280 | Lies about insects. |
| X1510 | Lies about land features. |
| X1411.2 | Lies about large pumpkins. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1471 | Lies about large trees. (Cf. F811.14.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1296 | Lies about lice. |
| X1811 | Lies about loaves of bread. |
| X1210 | Lies about mammals. |
| X1226 | Lies about mice. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1526 | Lies about mountain roads. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1520 | Lies about mountains and hills. |
| X1242 | Lies about mules. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1710 | Lies about numbers. |
| X1743 | Lies about occupying space. |
| X1213 | Lies about panthers. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1400 | Lies about plants, fruits, vegetables, and trees. |
| X1435 | Lies about potatoes. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1650 | Lies about precipitation and dampness. |
| X1606.1 | Lies about quick change from cold to warm. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1606.2 | Lies about quick change in weather from warm to cold. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1654 | Lies about rain. |
| X1227 | Lies about rats. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1321.3 | Lies about remarkable kinds of snakes. |
| X1530 | Lies about remarkable soil. |
| X1545 | Lies about remarkable underground channels. |
| X1320 | Lies about reptiles. |
| X1243 | Lies about sheep. |
| X1733 | Lies about sinking. |
| X1815.2 | Lies about slow trains. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1345 | Lies about snails. U.S.: Baughman. |
| X1321 | Lies about snakes. |
| X1653 | Lies about snow. |
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