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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.

46,221 motifs

Page 145 of 185 · 250 per page
Thompson reference ▲ Description
K2114 Man falsely accused of infidelity. (Cf. K2121.) Icelandic: Boberg; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2115 Animal-birth slander. A woman is accused of having given birth to animals. Her children are put out of the way and animals substituted. *Types 707, 710; *BP I 13ff., 20, II 380ff.; *Schlauch, Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 21; *Huet Revue d'Ethnographie et de Sociologie II 200; *Chauvin VII 97 No. 375 n. 1; *Dickson 39ff. nn. 39, 40, 45; Fb "kattekilling" II 111; *Cox 486.—Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; English: Wells 130 (Emare); Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, *Rotunda; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 137, Espinosa II Nos. 99—104; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 383; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 116; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 190 No. 28, (Benga): Nassau No. 22.
K2115.0.1 Jealous queens tell child-bearing queen to put her head in the hole at the bottom of grain-bin, so that she fails to see what she delivers. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2115.1 Animal-descent slander. Malicious story that man is son of an animal. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2115.2 Slander: woman has given birth to objects. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2115.2.1 Stone substituted for newly-born babies. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2115.2.2 Log-birth slander. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 420, II 526.
K2115.3 Prophecy of ogre-child so that pregnant woman will be killed. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2116 Innocent person accused of murder.
K2116.1 Innocent woman accused of murder. Dickson 72, 225; *Hibbard 26ff.; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 385 n. 4; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2116.1.1 Innocent woman accused of killing her new-born children. *Type 451; BP I 70ff.; *Dickson 43, 73 n. 26; *Schlauch, Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 12; *Hibbard 26ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 94f.; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 311 No. 56; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 89, 99—103; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 321. See also references to K2116.1.1.1.
K2116.1.1.1 Innocent woman accused of eating her new-born children. *Types 652, 706, 710, 712; *BP I 13ff., 18 n. 1, 20, II 121ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 392, 582; Chauvin VI 159 No. 323; *Dickson 38ff. nn. 34, 42, 45, 48, 49; Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2116.1.1.1.1 Bones of puppies as false evidence of wife's having eaten her new-born child. Irish myth: Cross.
K2116.1.2 Queen falsely accused of having poisoned husband. Ignorant doctors cannot diagnose king's illness. Queen burned at stake. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2116.1.3 Girl falsely accused of murdering her lover. Investigation reveals poisonous breath of toad as cause of death. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2116.1.4 Incognito queen falsely accused of having killed child left in her care. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2116.2 Man falsely accused of murder. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2116.2.1 Anchorite falsely accused of murder. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2116.2.2 Man accused of having starved woman to death and taken treasure. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2116.3 Person wounds self and accuses another of attempting murder. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2116.4 Murderer makes outcry so that innocent person is accused of murder. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2116.5 Warrior falsely accused of having killed his sleeping adversary. Not supposed to have been able to do it if latter was awake. Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2117 Calumniated wife: substituted letter (falsified message). The letter announcing the birth of her children changed on the way to the king, so that the queen is falsely accused. (Cf. K2115, K2116.) *Type 706; *BP I 295ff.; Hibbard 26ff.; *Schlauch, Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 12ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 119; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, Rotunda.
K2117.1 Husband's letter ordering the calumniated wife to be treated well is altered into an order of execution. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2121 Man slandered as having deflowered princess. (Cf. K2114.) *Boje 74ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2121.1 Brother accused of paternity of mystically impregnated sister. S. A. Indian (Amuesha): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 149.
K2121.2 King's faithful servant falsely accused of familiarity with queen. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga II 164—9, Boberg; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 393.
K2123 Innocent woman accused of using witchcraft. Sham sickness. India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 427.
K2124 Woman slandered as an ogress. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2125 Slander: woman said to be possessed of demons. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2125.1 Girl reported possessed of demon: suitors frightened away. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2126 Knight falsely accused of sedition. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2126.1 King's advisor falsely accused of treason. Accusers exposed and punished. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2126.2 King's man falsely accused of being in the secret service of another king. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2127 False accusation of theft. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2127.1 Desiring woman they quarrel over, man accuses group of men of having abducted his wife. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2127.2 False queen puts horseflesh in bed of one with child so as to identify her as horse-eating thief. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2128 Slander: prince is bastard. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2129 Slanders—miscellaneous.
K2129.1 Jealous monk falsely accuses novice of laziness. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 792.
K2129.2 Sick crew accused of being magicians so that nobody wants to have anything to do with them. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk III 435.
K2129.3 Stepsisters scatter sugar in girl's litter so that flies congregate; would-be bridegroom disgusted and tells bearers to abandon her in jungle. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2129.4 Family is accused of stinginess by recipients of their hospitality. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T—G. 3/515).
K2130 Trouble-makers. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2131 Trickster makes two friends each suspicious of the other's intentions. BP II 129; Irish myth: *Cross (cf. K2130); India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1028; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 40.
K2131.1 Cat brings suspicion between eagle and sow. Eagle lives in the top of the branches, cat in the middle, and sow at bottom; all are happy. Cat tells eagle that sow is trying to root down the tree: eagle is frightened and dares not leave tree. Cat tells sow that eagle plans to carry off pigs: sow dares not leave. They starve and fall victims to the cat. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 143), 99 (ST 130, 421).
K2131.2 Envious jackal makes lion suspicious of his friend, the bull. The lion kills the bull. Chauvin II 86 No. 18; Penzer V 42-63, 130 n. 1; B[ö]dker Exempler 277 No. 17; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2131.3 Woman destroys men's friendship by pretending to whisper to one. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2131.4 Trickster fills supposed treasure box with trash. Joint owners each accuse other of theft. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2131.5 Treasure-animal introduced into family's flock in order to stir up dissension and enmity. Greek: Grote I 149.
K2132 False message of love carried to hero and maiden by troublemaker. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2134 Servant lays skin of dead dog in the bed of his mistress and master. Makes trouble between them. Type 1573*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1573*.
K2135 The complaint about bad breath: trouble for the king's favorite. A steward advises the courtier to hold his head away when serving the king, since the king objects to his bad breath. He then tells the king that the courtier holds his head back to avoid the king's bad breath. Penzer II 113; *Chauvin VIII 144 No. 145 B; *Zs. f. Vksk. IX 188ff., 311ff.; *Oesterley No. 283; Herbert III 198; *Cosquin études 82, 116; *Paris Romania V 454ff.; Hertz Deutsche Sage im Elsass (1872) 283ff.; Dunlop-Wilson II 49; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2136 Officers praised in reverse from their real merit: trouble for them and their master. Type 1579*.
K2137 The priest's guest and the eaten chickens. The servant who has eaten the chickens tells the guest to flee because the priest is going to cut off his ears, and he tells the priest that the guest has stolen two chickens The priest runs after him. *Type 1741; *BP II 129; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 364; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 245 No. 543; Chauvin VI 179 No. 341; *Fb "[ö]re" III 1181a; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2138 Trouble-maker in night-lodging. Comes riding a wolf and asks for hospitality. Wolf kills sheep. Beehive in bed. Bees sting family and cause father to kill son. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1878*.
K2141 Jealous courtiers shake king lion's confidence in his councillor, the virtuous jackal, by accusing the jackal of stealing the lion's food. *Chauvin II 102 No. 64; B[ö]dker Exempler 303 No. 74.
K2142 Two persons separately informed about each other's death. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2150 Innocent made to appear guilty. B[ö]dker Exempler 303 No. 74; Spanish Exempla: Keller; West Indies: Flowers 555.
K2151 The corpse handed around. (The thrice-killed corpse.) Dupes are accused of murder when the corpse is left with them. The trickster is paid to keep silent. *Types 1536C, 1537; *Taylor MPh XV 221ff., 226 n. 1; **Suchier Der Schwank von der viermal getöteten Leiche (Halle a. S., 1922); *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 598; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 214 No. 438; Köhler-Bolte I 190; Bédier Fabliaux 469; BP II 10; Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 73 n. 3.—Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 176, 189, *Espinosa JAFL XLIX 181—193; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.
K2151.1 Live man thought to be returning corpse pleads with trickster to save him. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2152 Unresponsive corpse. Corpse is set up so that dupe addresses it and when it does not respond knocks it over. He is accused of murder. Most references to K2151 apply to this motif as well. *Cox 501; Christiansen Norske Eventyr No. 1536; *Clouston Tales II 242; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 176, 189; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 197 No. 96; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand No. 57, (Zuсi): Cushing 255, (Ojibwa): Schoolcraft Hiawatha 246.
K2152.1 Dead dog set up so that woman knocks it over. Must pay damages. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2152.2 Legs of a corpse cause accusation of murder. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1537A*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1537 I*.
K2153 Trickster wounds self and accuses others. India: *Thompson-Balys; Marquesas: Handy 87, 110.
K2153.1 Animal nurse wounds self so as to throw blame for eaten young on other animal. Africa (Kaffir): Alexander and Mohl Mitteilungen des Seminars für orientalische Sprachen VIII (3) 24ff., (Vandau): Boas and Simango JAFL XXXV 170ff. No. 7, (Thonga): Junod 232ff. No. 2, (Lamba): Doke MAFLS XX (1927) 71 No. 31.
K2155 Evidence of crime left so that dupe is blamed. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 26, 44, Beal XXI 307, 316; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 555.
K2155.1 Blood smeared on innocent person brings accusation of murder. *Types 652, 712; *BF I 18 n. 1; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 89, India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 369 No. 20. See also all references to K2116.1.1. West Indies: Flowers 536.
K2155.1.1 Bloody knife left in innocent person's bed brings accusation of murder. See references to K2155.1. Dickson 74, 225; Hibbard 25 n. 5.
K2155.2 Slanderers kill a woman and put her body near Buddha's cell. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1216.
K2156 Innocent man compelled to write treasonable letter. It brings about his death sentence. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 178 n. 1 (Palamedes).
K2165 Sham blind man throws suspicion on real blind. He admits his deception so that his companion, who is really blind, is punished. *Chauvin V 159 No. 83.
K2171 The dog receives the blows. The cat steals a sausage from the table but the dog receives the blows from the mistress. Type 200*.
K2172 Rats cause cats to be killed. The rats unite and all go to houses together, increasing or decreasing their ravages with the increase or decrease in the number of cats. Thus the cats are suspected of the damage and are killed. *Chauvin II 110 No. 74.
K2175 Grandmother causes grandchildren to be whipped: puts dirt and hairs into cooking pot by stealth and sand in the water they draw. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2200 Villains and traitors. Irish myth: Cross.
K2210 Treacherous relatives. Distinction between treacherous relatives and cruel relatives (S0-S99) is frequently impossible to make. Relatives whose treachery seems to be uppermost have been listed here; those usually possessing power over their charges and exercising their power in a cruel fashion have been listed under cruel relatives. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2211 Treacherous brother. Usually elder brother. *Types 301, 502, 506, 550, 551; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "jalousie"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 21; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 49 No. 328*A, Espinosa II Nos. 120f., III Nos. 141f., Espinosa Jr. Nos. 81, 202—204; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; Persian: Carnoy 323; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham, Eberhard FFC CXX 125; Marquesas: Handy 86; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/615); Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 170; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 68.
K2211.0.1 Treacherous elder brother(s). India: Thompson-Balys.
K2211.0.2 Treacherous younger brother(s). India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 43; Mono: Wheeler No. 22.
K2211.1 Treacherous brother-in-law. *Types 315, 712; Dickson 178, Schlauch Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 108; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 139, 151, 157.
K2211.2 Treacherous foster brother. False accusation of theft. Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2211.3 Treacherous stepbrother. Irish myth: Cross.
K2212 Treacherous sister. Usually elder sister. *Types 300, 315, 425, 706, 709, 780; *BP I 551, III 2; Dickson 29 n. 3; Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 138-141; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 125; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 382ff., 391; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 297.
K2212.0.1 Treacherous sister attempts to poison brother. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2212.0.2 Treacherous sister as mistress of robber (giant) plots against brother. *Type 315; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2212.0.3 Treacherous queen has her brother killed. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2212.1 Treacherous stepsisters. *Types 403, 425, 432, 450, 510, 516, 592; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.
K2212.2 Treacherous sister-in-law. *Type 706; BP I 295ff.; *bin Gorion Born Judas I 364; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 315C*; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2213 Treacherous wife. *Types 560, 561, 566, 612, 670, 1350, 1510; Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 315B*, 894*; Russian: Andrejev No. 315B*, 894*; Prussian: Plenzat 25; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 315B*; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman, *bin Gorion Born Judas III 90ff., 95; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 93, 884, 998, II 491, 510, 516, 1014; Japanese: Ikeda; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 381, 385; Africa (Fang): Trilles 277, Tessman 113f.
K2213.1 Matron of Ephesus. (Vidua.) A woman mourns night and day by her husband's grave. A knight guarding a hanged man is about to lose his life because of the corpse he has stolen from the gallows. The matron offers him her love and substitutes her husband's corpse on the gallows so that the knight can escape. *Type 1510; **Grisebach Die Wanderung der Novelle von der treulosen Witwe durch die Weltliteratur (Berlin, 1889); *Crane Vitry 228 No. 232; *Chauvin VIII 210 No. 254; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 752; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 93; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas III 240ff.; *315.
K2213.2 Faithless wife and paramour throw hero overboard. *Type 612; *BP I 126ff., 129.
K2213.2.1 Love-mad queen pushes her husband into well, as fakir lover directs. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2213.3 Faithless wife plots with paramour against husband's life. (Cf. K2213.5.) Malone PMLA XLIII 413, 419, 432; Boje 62; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 103; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2213.3.1 Faithless wife has husband and children killed so that she can be with paramour. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2213.3.2 Faithless wife poisons husband to be with paramour. Paramour fearing a like fate refuses to go to her. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2213.3.2.1 Paramour demands that wife bring him her husband's head. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2213.3.2.2 Wife plots to kill her husband, but her paramour answers that he could never touch murderess. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2213.3.3 Faithless wife deceives husband while she searches for lover. Irish myth: Cross.
K2213.3.4 Queen in love with own brother kills her husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2213.4 Betrayal of husband's secret by his wife. *Oertel JAOS XXVIII 96; Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2213.4.1 Secret of vulnerability disclosed by hero's wife. Huet 134; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 97, *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; Persian: Carnoy 302; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Cameroon): Ittman 77.
K2213.4.2 Noah's secret betrayed by his wife. The devil persuades his wife to intoxicate him and then find out what he is doing (building the ark). Dh I 258.
K2213.5 The faithless resuscitated wife. Husband at great sacrifice has brought his wife back to life. She immediately deserts him and plots with a paramour against his life. (Cf. K2213.2.) *Type 612; *BP I 126ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 188; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 226. Cf. Paris Zs. f. Vksk. XIII 4.
K2213.6 Faithless wife transforms husband. Malone PMLA XLIII 421; *Penzer VI 8.
K2213.7 Faithless wife betrays husband to her father. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2213.8 Faithless queen aids lover to dispossess king. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg, FSS 209—12.
K2213.9 Faithless wife incites sons to make war upon father. Irish myth: Cross.
K2213.10 Faithless wife tricks husband into setting lover free. Irish myth: Cross.
K2213.11 Treacherous queen tricks king into bestowing kingdom upon her son. Irish myth: *Cross (fuller text).
K2213.12 Young queen murders her old husband in order to get a new one. Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2213.13 Queen kills her husband as revenge of his killing of her father and brother. Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2213.14 Queen deceives her husband as revenge for his killing of her lover and brother (Helgi.) Icelandic: Boberg.
K2213.15 Treacherous queen lures her husband into chest and betrays him to hostile king. He is hung up between two fires, but his second wife cuts the strings so that he falls down and kills his enemy and takes his kingdom back. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2213.16 Wife betrays husband in revenge for his once having taken a second wife. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2214 Treacherous children. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2214.1 Treacherous daughter. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus II 117 n. 3; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2214.1.1 Daughter has aged father cremated with dead husband to honor the latter. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2214.2 Treacherous daughter-in-law.
K2214.2.1 Treacherous daughter-in-law plots against husband's mother. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2214.3 Treacherous son: leads revolt against his father to whom he owes all. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 286.
K2214.3.1 Treacherous foster son. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2217 Treacherous uncle. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2217.1 Treacherous nephew kills good uncle for his money. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2218 Treacherous relatives-in-law. Irish myth: Cross (cf. K2211.1).
K2218.1 Treacherous mother-in-law accuses innocent wife. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2218.2 Treacherous father-in-law. Jewish: *Neuman.
K2220 Treacherous rivals. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman.
K2220.0.1 Jealous rivals prevail on person to break tabu (prohibition). Type 425; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2221 Treacherous rival lover. Wife's paramour or rival in love. (Cf. K2230.) *Type 560, 561; Malone PMLA XLIII 417; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/10).
K2221.1 Woman poisons her successful rival. Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2222 Treacherous co-wife (concubine). Type 450; Dickson 29 n. 3, 41 n. 41; Irish myth: Cross; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 526; Africa: Werner 203, (Basuto): Jacottet 246 No. 36, (Fjort): Dennett 47 No. 7, (Ekoi): Talbot 312.
K2230 Treacherous lovers. (Cf. K2221.)
K2231 Treacherous mistress. *Dickson 245 n. 51; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2231.1 Adulteress has lover killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2232 Treacherous lover (man). English and Scottish: Child Ballads Nos. 4; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2232.1 Treacherous lover betrays woman's love and deserts her. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2240 Treacherous officers and tradesmen.
K2241 Treacherous inn-keeper. *Type 563; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2242 Treacherous steward. Malone PMLA XLIII 437; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2243 Treacherous seneschal. Dickson 74 n. 31; *Boje 62; Schlauch Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 98.
K2244 Treacherous porter. Dickson 240; *Boje 71.
K2245 Treacherous marshall. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 6.
K2246 Treacherous prince. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 7; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2246.0.1 Treacherous princess (queen). Irish myth: *Cross.
K2246.1 Treacherous king. Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (Z-G. 13/420).
K2246.1.1 Treacherous king spies so that he may levy fines. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2247 Treacherous lord. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 8; Icelandic: Boberg.
K2248 Treacherous minister. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 9; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 715; Jewish: Neuman.
K2248.1 Treacherous minister's son. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2249 Other treacherous officers and tradesmen.
K2249.1 Treacherous potter. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 17.
K2249.2 Treacherous treasurer. Icelandic: Boberg.
K2249.3 Treacherous goldsmith. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2249.4 Treacherous merchant. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2249.4.1 Treacherous butcher. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2250 Treacherous servants and workmen. Types 450, 652; Dickson 236 n. 37; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 12; Malone PMLA XLIII 417 n. 9; Icelandic: FFC LXXXIII xxxvi—vii, *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "jalousie". P365. Faithless servants.
K2250.1 Treacherous servant. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2251 Treacherous slave. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 19; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2251.1 Treacherous slave-girl. *Penzer VI 47 n. 1; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 61 No. *445B, Espinosa Jr. No. 114.
K2252 Treacherous maidservant. *Types 408, 553; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2253 Treacherous barber. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2254 Treacherous cook. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2255 Treacherous herdsman.
K2255.1 Treacherous swineherd. Malone PMLA VLIII 417 n. 9.
K2255.2 Treacherous ox-herd. Chinese: Chavannes I 382 No. 112.
K2256 Treacherous stable-groom. Malone PMLA XLIII 406; Hdwb. d.
K2257 Treacherous gardener. *Type 314.
K2258 Treacherous peasant. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 16; Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2259 Other treacherous servants and workmen.
K2259.1 Treacherous woodsman. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 15.
K2259.2 Treacherous lamplighter. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b. n. 18.
K2259.3 Treacherous potter. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2259.4 Treacherous sailor. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2260 Dark traitors. Persons darks by race, habitual occupation, or complexion, or even marvelously colored, are frequently traitors in folk-tales.
K2260.1 Treacherous dark man. Malone PMLA XLIII 417 n. 9; Icelandic: Boberg.
K2260.2 Treacherous dark woman. *Dickson 43 n. 47.
K2261 Treacherous negro (Moor). Malone PMLA XLIII 408—432 passim; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 56, 60 Nos. 408A*, 435*, Espinosa II Nos. 120f., Espinosa Jr. Nos. 106—110; Italian: Basile Pentamerone Int., I No. 2, V No. 5.
K2261.1 Treacherous gypsy. Type 450.
K2262 Treacherous charcoal-burner. *Type 300; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 241b n. 14; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 68.
K2265 Treacherous red knight. *Type 300; *Fb "Ridder R[ö]d"; *Ranke FFC CXIV 236.
K2270 Deformed villains.
K2271 Hunchback villain. *Cosquin Lorraine I 46 No. 3; Malone PMLA XLIII 417 n. 9; Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2272 Crippled villain. Malone PMLA XLIII 417 n. 9.
K2273 One-eyed villain. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 477a; BP I 83 (Grimm No. 11); India: Thompson-Balys.
K2273.1 Blind villain. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2275 Beardless villain. *Cosquin Lorraine I 44 No. 3.
K2276 Leper as villain. West Africa: Tremearne FL XXII 464ff.
K2277 Treacherous dwarf. Schlauch Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 104.
K2280 Treacherous churchmen.
K2281 Treacherous bishop. Dickson 46 n. 55.
K2282 Treacherous cardinal.
K2282.1 Boniface VIII, when cardinal, impersonates angel and dupes Clement V into abdicating. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2284 Treacherous priest. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2284.1 Treacherous chaplain. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2284.2 Treacherous brahmin. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2285 Villain disguised as ascetic or nun. **M. Bloomfield "On False Ascetics and Nuns in Hindu Fiction" JAOS XLIV 202ff.; *Penzer III 211 n. 1, V 102 n. 2, VI 12 n. 1, IX 23 n. 2; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2285.1 Ascetic as villain. India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 531.
K2285.2 Treacherous anchorite. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2286 Sage as villain. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2290 Other villains and traitors.
K2291 Treacherous beggar. Tawney I 132f., 349f.
K2292 Treacherous physician. Penzer II 2; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2293 Treacherous old woman. *Type 1353; Irish myth: *Cross.
K2294 Treacherous host. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman.
K2295 Treacherous animals. Wienert FFC LVI *134.
K2295.1 Treacherous partridge. Wienert FFC LVI 51 (ET 111), *65 (ET 290), 139 (ST 448); Halm Aesop No. 356.
K2295.2 Treacherous eagle. Wienert FFC LVI *51, 59 (ET 108, 200), 135, 139 (ST 404, 446); Halm Aesop No. 5.
K2295.3 Treacherous cock. Wienert FFC LVI 49 (ET 84); 135 (ST 407, 449).
K2295.4 Treacherous lizard. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2295.5 Treacherous camel. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2296 Treacherous partner. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 23 and notes.
K2296.1 Treacherous robber-partner. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2297 Treacherous friend. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2297.1 Man leaves his sweetheart in charge of friend. He tries to force his attentions upon her and then claims it was a test of fidelity. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2297.2 Man takes his friend's mistress when the friend is away. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2298 Treacherous counselor. Icelandic: *Boberg.
K2299 Other villains and traitors—miscellaneous.
K2299.1 Treacherous astrologer. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2299.2 Treacherous peoples (tribes). Jewish: *Neuman.
K2300 Other deceptions.
K2310 Deception by equivocation. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière.
K2311 The single cake. Restricted to a single cake during Lent, the peasants make one as large as a cart wheel. Type 1565*.
K2312 Oath literally obeyed.
K2312.1 Oath literally obeyed: to tell no Christian. Woman thus sworn to secrecy talks to her unchristened child. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 20.
K2312.2 Saint, when forced to return to his monastery after swearing not to "come with his face before him," comes walking backwards. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2313 Death message softened by equivocations. Various false explanations are given to prepare the hearer. English: Child I 376—387 passim.
K2314 One day and one night. Saint has tribute remitted for a day and a night, i.e. forever, because there is but one day and one night in time. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2314.1 One day and one night: object borrowed for a day and a night retained. Irish myth: Cross.
K2314.2 King induced by saint to remit tribute till Luan. "Luan" means both "Monday" and "Doomsday." (Cf. K2319.2.) Irish myth: *Cross.
K2314.2.1 Water-monster allows saint to place cauldron over its head until Luan. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2315 Peasant betrays fox by pointing. The peasant has hidden the fox in a basket and promised not to tell. When the hunters come, he says, "The fox just went over the hill," but points to the basket. **Krohn Mann und Fuchs 61ff.; Wienert FFC LVI 68 (ET 324), 102 (ST 150); Halm Aesop No. 35; *Köhler-Bolte I l; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 35 No. *161, Espinosa Jr. No. 24.
K2316 Thieves dig field and drain tank when miser says gold is hidden there. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2319 Deception by equivocation—miscellaneous.
K2319.1 One foot in Ireland, one in Scotland. Man carries sods of two countries with him that his whereabouts will be so defined. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2319.2 Warrior proposes to fight in single combat. Fights with aid of sons and grandsons. They belong to him. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2319.3 Saint hides fugitive from king underground. When king demand fugitive, saint (who never lies) replies, "Verily, I know not where he is, if he is not under thee even where thou art." The king is satisfied and departs. Later suspects trick and arrests fugitive. Irish myth: Cross.
K2320 Deception by frightening. Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 5; West Indies: Flowers 536.
K2321 Corpse set up to frighten people. *Type 1536; *Taylor MPh XV 225 n. 1; Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 73, 360; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2321.1 Man who killed mother uses her corpse to get presents. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 161.
K2321.2 Dummy set up as corpse to frighten people. Italian Novella: Rotunda; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 69.
K2322 The three hunchback brothers drowned. A drunken man is employed, by the woman who has accidently slain three hunchback brothers, to throw one into the river. He does so. Then she puts another out and finally the third. The man thinks they keep coming to life. Finally he sees the woman's hunchback husband and drowns him. *Type 1536B; *BP III 485; **Pillet Das Fablaiu von les trois bossus menestrals (1901); *Taylor MPh XV 223 n. 3; *Chauvin VIII 72; *Herbert III 203; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 31f.; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.
K2323 The cowardly duelers. In the war between the wild and the domestic animals, the cat raises her tail; the wild animals think that it is a gun and flee. *Type 104; *BP I 425; Dh IV 209; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 246—248.
K2323.1 Fox's tail drops and frightens animals. In war between birds and quadrupeds the fox's lifted tail is to be the signal for the attack. Gnats sting the fox under the tail. He drops it and the quadrupeds flee. *Type 222; BP II 435ff.; Japanese: Ikeda.
K2323.2 He-goat bleats and frightens animals assembled for fight. Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 246—248; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 89.
K2323.3 Old woman and tiger flee in terror from each other. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2324 Hiding from the strange animal. A cat shrieks and the frightened bear falls out of the tree and hurts himself. *Type 103; BP I 425; Japanese: Ikeda.
K2324.1 Ferocious animal frightened by ass braying. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2325 Devil frightened by threatening to bring mother-in-law. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 51 No. 340*.
K2327 Wolf-captor scared by fiddle-playing of captive ram, who escapes. American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 44 No. 9.