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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 |
|---|---|
| K2335 | Parson is tricked into giving up his room. Is told there is a snake in it. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2336 | Tiger frightened away from man's tree refuge by man's stick and rope. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2338 | Wife, to drive away parasite priest, tells him husband has gone to get drunk and will kill him with rice mortar on his return. He leaves in haste. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2345 | Ogre frightened at rustling. Man sets juniper afire. Type 1145; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K2345.1 | Tiger frightened at sound of clashing knives: thinks it is leak in house of which he is afraid. Chinese: Graham. |
| K2345.2 | Bear frightened by wife's sneezing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2346 | Wooden image frightens away invaders. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 388. |
| K2350 | Military strategy. |
| K2351 | Animals help in military victory. |
| K2351.1 | Sparrows of Cirencester. Fire is attached to birds who fly in and set fire to a besieged city. **Krappe MPh XXIII 7ff.; **DeVries Arkiv för Nordisk Filologi XLVII 66ff.; Stender-Petersen Edda Nordisk Tidsskrift f. Litteraturforskning 1929, 145—64; Herrmann Saxo II 93; *Liebrecht 109f.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2351.1.1 | Fire tied to foxes' tails: destroys enemy's cities and fields. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K2351.2 | Bees thrown into redoubt drive out enemies. *Fb "bi" IV 36b; Deutschbein I 256; Hdwb. d. Abergl. I 1249; *Liebrecht 75; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.2.1 | Bees carried in drum attack and defeat attacking army. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.2.2 | Ashes transformed into bees, wasps, scorpions and snakes drive invading army away for hero. India: Thompson-Balys |
| K2351.3 | Mice and hogs let loose put elephant cavalry to flight. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 528; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 246—248; Jewish: Neuman. |
| K2351.4 | Elephant drunk with toddy sent to attack enemy. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1108, II 527. |
| K2351.5 | Horses frightened by instruments of war are backed into enemy's ranks. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2351.5.1 | Birds frighten enemy's horses so that they throw their riders down. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2351.6 | Wild horses with bags containing stones tied to their tails, driven into enemy's camp to cause stampede. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2351.6.1 | Horse with basket of powdered peppers sent into hostile camp: enemy overcome. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.6.1.1 | Hot pepper mixed with flour supplying enemy camp. Thinking they have been poisoned, they beat a retreat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.7 | Wild fawn sent by saint into hostile army, so that all follow it and leader (enemy of saint) is slain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2351.8 | Strategy to get into enemy city: huge rat makes a burrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2352 | Women spread shawls on enemy's path and entangle them. They are easily defeated. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 525. |
| K2352.1 | Fresh hides spread so that enemy slips and falls. Herrmann Saxo II 327, 596; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2353 | Treasure cast down crushes besiegers. English: Wells 85 (The Sowdone of Babylone). |
| K2354 | Treacherous priests prolong mass to let enemy destroy city. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 301 No. 17, 326 No. 28. |
| K2356 | Women throw ashes in eyes of attacking soldiers, so that they are defeated. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 301 No. 17; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K2356.1 | Man blinded by throwing dust in his eyes: he is robbed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357 | Disguise to enter enemy's camp (castle). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Panchatantra III 5 (tr. Ryder 328ff.). |
| K2357.0.1 | Disguise to spy on enemy. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2357.0.2 | Owner admitted into his own castle, captured in his absence, in guise of a monk. He has given news to conqueror of his purported death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357.1 | Disguise as musician to enter enemy's camp. Herrmann Saxo II 210; Irish myth: Cross; Collingwood Sagabook of the Viking Society X (1) 134. |
| K2357.2 | Disguise as pilgrim to enter enemy's camp (castle). Massmann Kaiserchronik III 110. |
| K2357.3 | Disguise as old man to enter enemies' camp. Maori: Beckwith Myth 250. |
| K2357.4 | Rabbi feigns death to be carried out of the besieged city and to approach enemy. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K2357.5 | Weapons disguised permit entry to enemies' camp. Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 390. |
| K2357.6 | Woman disguises as man to enter enemy's camp. Slays enemy king. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2357.7 | Disguise in killed enemy's clothes to enter enemy's castle. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2357.8 | Disguise as woman to enter enemy's camp (castle). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357.9 | Disguise as beggar (pauper) to enter enemy's camp (castle) or to spy. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Grote I 276. |
| K2357.10 | Disguise as merchant to enter enemy's castle. (Cf. K1817.4.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2357.11 | Disguise as leper to enter enemy's camp. (Cf. K1818.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2357.12 | Disguise as carpenter (tradesman) to enter enemy's camp. (Cf. K1816.11.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2357.13 | Disguise as juggler to enter enemy's camp. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2357.14 | Disguise as churl (bachlach) to enter enemy's hall. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2357.15 | Capture by hiding warriors in baskets on back of oxen driven into enemy's camp on pretence that food is being brought. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2358 | Man disguised as animal sent among enemy that first blood be spilled by other side. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2361 | Woman saves herself from soldiers by receiving them joyfully rather than fearfully. Alphabet No. 541; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2362 | Capture of castle by feigning death. *DeVries Arkiv f. Nordisk Filologi XLVII 56ff., 67ff.; Wilken Geschichte der Kreuzzüge II 321ff.; Herrmann Saxo II 126; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2363 | Spies' false report of enemies' weakness brings on premature attack. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 394. |
| K2364 | Enemy's ships fired by use of fireship. English: Malory X 32; Greek: Iliad XVI 84. |
| K2364.1 | Enemies defeated by setting forest afire. Africa (Fang): Trilles 202. |
| K2365 | Enemy induced to give up siege. |
| K2365.1 | Enemy induced to give up siege by pretending to have plenty of food. Grimm Deutsche Sagen 460, 470, 504; Von der Leyen Sagenbuch III 1 No. 75, 2 No. 278; Lübbing Friesische Sagen 65; Laport FFC LXXXIV 182; Herodotus I ch. 22; Ovid Fasti VI 349ff.; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K2365.2 | Enemy induced to surrender city by show of wealth on part of besiegers, who shoot golden apples over walls. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2365.3 | Enemy soldiers persuaded by show of great wealth and generosity of king to desert to his side. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2366 | City is falsely promised to enemy. When they enter they are attacked and defeated. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2366.1 | Trickster admits defeat: enemy and friends invited to fort for ceremony and then attacked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2367 | Besieger scatters beads in protecting hedge: besieged destroy hedge to find beads. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2368 | Enemy deceived into overestimating opponents: retreat. (Cf. K548.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2368.1 | Sound of artillery is simulated to overawe enemy. |
| K2368.1.1 | Persons run wagon back and forth over a corduroy bridge to simulate sound of artillery. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K2368.2 | Sounds of mock battle scare away attacking force. |
| K2368.2.1 | Sounds of battle in playhouse scare away attacking soldiers. England: Baughman. |
| K2368.3 | Sham doctor prescribes medicine for king's army; they fall ill; invading army, seeing multitudes being carried away in litters, flee, thinking there is a plague. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2368.4 | Enemy induced to give up siege by making it look as if the besieged have got reinforcement. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2369 | Military strategy—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2369.1 | Marauder pretends beggary that king will underestimate his power. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2369.2 | Division of warriors hidden in pit on battlefield. Emerge during battle. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2369.2.1 | Largest part of fleet does not emerge until late in battle. Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 86—89, Boberg. |
| K2369.2.2 | Treacherous king participates in battle only when he sees who is likely to win. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2369.3 | Treacherous ruler of city under siege sends sons to deliver city to enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2369.4 | Postponing of payment asked in order to get time to gather reinforcements. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2369.5 | Besiegers drowned by diversion of river. England: Baughman. |
| K2369.6 | Military strategy: city won by turning river from its course through city. Enemy soldiers march through empty bed into city. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2369.7 | Shammed discussing of peace while getting reinforcements. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2369.8 | Cauldron containing lighted torch brought into enemy's camp ostensibly to be used for serving food: torch uncovered as signal for attack. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2369.9 | Fairy mist mistaken for smoke of enemy's burning ships. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2369.11 | Hero causes confusion in enemy camp in dead of night: army men fall upon one another, convinced the enemy has infiltrated their camp. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2369.12 | Poisoned food sent to enemy camp. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2369.12.1 | Enemy leaders invited to banquet and poisoned. (Cf. K871.1.) Krappe Romanic Review XVI. |
| K2369.13 | Brambles heaped in ford to halt enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2370 | Miscellaneous deceptions. |
| K2371 | Deceiving the higher powers (God, the saints, the gods, fate). U.S.: Baughman. |
| K2371.1 | Heaven entered by a trick. *Type 330; *BP I 343, II 189, III 303; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 210; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 164, 349; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2371.1.1 | Heaven entered by trick: permission to pick up cap. Trickster throws a cap or leather apron inside the gate. *BP II 163, 189; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 83. |
| K2371.1.2 | Heaven entered by trick: demanding back the charity gift. The trickster demands of Peter an article which he has given in charity. He then sits on it as his own property within the gates. *BP II 163. |
| K2371.1.3 | Heaven entered by trick: "wishing sack" thrown in. Trickster wishes himself in the sack. *Type 330; *BP II 158, 163, 188f.; *Fb "Himmerige" I 611a. |
| K2371.1.4 | Heaven entered by trick: sitting on Peter's chair. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 49 No. 330. |
| K2371.1.5 | Heaven entered by trick: slipping in along with holy person. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 94 No. 807*. |
| K2371.1.6 | Heaven entered by trick: angel tricked by drink into telling woman how to enter. *Stiefel Zs. f. Vksk. VIII 280. |
| K2371.2 | Gods tricked into help in escaping one's fate. *Penzer VI 92 n. 2, IX 25 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2371.3 | Ingeniously worded boon asked of God combines riches, issue, and restoration of eyesight: "Oh God! I want to see from above the seventh story of my mansion my great-grandsons playing in the streets and eating their cakes from golden vessels." India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2371.4 | Dog sent ahead so as to avoid seeing husband transformed. (Cf. S241.1.) Chinese: Graham. |
| K2373 | Enemies reconciled by gifts which the one's son tells are sent from the other. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2376 | The returned box on the ears. At table each gives his neighbor a box on the ears. The soldier is to give it to the king, but he returns it to the courtier from whom he has received it. Anderson FFC XLII 360; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 924B*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1637*. |
| K2377 | Entering a garden by swimming down a stream that flows into it. Malone PMLA XLIII 399. |
| K2378 | Temporary advantage gained by pretending to yield in a combat. *Dickson 175 n. 38. |
| K2378.1 | Person allowed to win first game so that he will play for higher stakes. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2378.2 | Warrior consents to flee for the sake of future victory. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2378.3 | Enemies deceived through shammed flight. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2378.4 | Ammunition saved till enemy has used his. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2378.5 | Hero sleeps during the first part of battle and emerges only later. Herrmann Saxo II 185—87; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2381 | Ruler diverts attention from misgovernment by beginning a war. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 443. |
| K2382 | One animal injures another by deception. B[ö]dker Exempler 281 No. 25; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2382.1 | Bird plucks another bird's feathers out. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 105. |
| K2382.2 | Dwarf-deer pastes other animal's eyes shut and pretends that hunters are coming. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 36. |
| K2383 | Tying cat to balky horse's tail to make him move. Nouvelles Récréations No. 41. |
| K2384 | Man tricked to be one's sworn brother in order to secure his help against his mother. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2385 | Demon enters person and refuses to leave until wishes have been fulfilled. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 193ff., 352f.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2388 | Attempt to kill by throwing knife. *Boje 90; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L0 | Victorious youngest child. *Fb "yngst" III 1132a; *Saintyves Perrault 128ff.; *Jacobs's list s.v. "Youngest best"; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "cadet"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 13; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L10 | Victorious youngest son. *Types 326, 402, 471, 513, 550, 551, 554, 569, 570, 571, 577, 580, 610, 935, 1650. See also references under each of these type entries in FFC LXXIV. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 186a; Malone PMLA XLIII 398f.; *A. Christensen Danske Studier (1916) 46ff.; Chauvin II 115 No. 88.—Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 491; Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 614; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/403, 615); Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 383; Polynesian: Dixon 41; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 185, (California): Gayton and Newman 74; Africa (Jaunde): Heepe 262, (Fang): Tessman 107, (Zanzibar): Bateman 155ff. No. 8, (Ekoi): Talbot 207, 259, 355, (Fjort): Dennett 65 No. 13, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 171 No. 34; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 110f. No. 39. |
| L10.1 | Name of victorious youngest son. Fb "Esben" I 256. |
| L10.1.1 | "Thirteen" as name of victorious youngest son. (Youngest of thirteen brothers.) BP III 34; *Köhler-Bolte I 383; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L10.2 | Abused son of younger co-wife becomes hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L11 | Fortunate youngest son. Always has good luck. *Type 1650; BP II 69ff.; MacCulloch Childhood 365; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 93, 281, 434, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 630, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 265, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 309, (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 16. |
| L11.1 | Seal of humiliation put by youngest brother-in-law on the back of his rivals. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L12 | Favorite youngest son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L13 | Compassionate youngest son. Kind to people or animals: rewarded. *Types 513, 550, 551, 570, 571, 577, 610; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 10. |
| L13.1 | Youngest wife's son restores eyesight to blinded six wives of raja and reinstates his mother. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L21 | Stupid youngest son becomes clever. Panzer Beowulf passim; N. A. Indian (Micmac, Shuswap): Thompson CColl II 416ff. |
| L31 | Youngest brother helps elder. Types 516, 550; Rösch FFC LXXVII 96; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 130; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L32 | Only the youngest brother helps his sister perform dangerous task. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L41 | Younger brother given birthright of elder. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L50 | Victorious youngest daughter. *Types 361, 425, 431, 440, 480, 510, 511, 707, 901, 923; **Cox Cinderella passim; *BP I 185; Nutt FL IV 133; Jacobs FL IV 269; Lang FL IV 413; Cox FL XVIII 191; *Roberts 110; Tegethoff 10; *MacCulloch Childhood 357; *Saintyves Perrault 113. — Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 65 No. 471B*; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I Nos. 2, 8, II Nos. 2, 3, III No. 4, V No. 9, Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193; Indonesia: Dixon 210; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 382ff., 390, (Maliseet): Mechling GSCan IV No. 9, (Chinook): Boas BBAE XX 77ff. No. 4, (Kwakiutl): Boas and Hunt JE III 371, (Gros Ventre): Kroeber PaAM I 80ff. No. 19, (Wichita): Dorsey CI XXI No. 33. |
| L51 | Favorite youngest daughter. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 85. |
| L52 | Abused youngest daughter. *Types 425, 510, 511, 709; *Cox 492ff.; Böklen 78ff.; *Roberts 110; Tegethoff 10; Icelandic: Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 170 n. 5; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/346). Most references to L50 apply to this motif. |
| L54 | Compassionate youngest daughter. *Types 361, 431. See also most references to Q2. |
| L54.1 | Youngest daughter agrees to marry a monster; later the sisters are jealous. *Type 425; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 199 No. 76. |
| L55 | Stepdaughter heroine. *Types 403, 425, 432, 450, 480, 510, 709; BP I 226; *Roberts 109; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 481*; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 6. |
| L55.1 | Abused stepdaughter. See references to L52 and L55. *Roberts 137; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142—145; Greek: Grote I 103. |
| L61 | Clever youngest daughter. Type 923; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 123. |
| L62 | Youngest daughter suspects impostor. Elder have been deceived. N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey CI LIX 166 No. 44, (Kwakiut): Boas and Hunt JE X 196ff.; (Takelma): Sapir U Pa II (1) 64 No. 4, (Modoc): Curtin Myths of the Modocs (Boston, 1912) 27ff., (Yana): Curtin Creation Myths (Boston, 1898) 353ff. |
| L63 | Youngest daughter avoids seducer. Elder sisters have been deceived. Type 883B; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 4; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L70 | Youngest of group victorious. |
| L71 | Only the youngest of group of imprisoned women refuses to eat her newborn child. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L72 | Youngest animal in group overcomes adversary. N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 7—9. |
| L100 | Unpromising hero (heroine). Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L101 | Unpromising hero (male Cinderella). Usually, but not always, the unpromising hero is also the youngest son. *BP I 183ff.; *Rank Mythus v. d. Geburt d. Helden; *Cosquin Contes indiens 494ff.; Cox 437—462, 519; M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII x; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 184b nn. 13ff.; Chauvin II 83 No. 9.— Icelandic: *Boberg; English: Wells 25 (The Tale of Gamelyn); Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 52 No. 32; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 408; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 185; Africa (Fang): Trilles 251f. |
| L101.1 | Unpromising hero: aged man. Irish myth: Cross; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L102 | Unpromising heroine. Usually, but not always, the youngest daughter. See references to L50. *BP I 165ff.; **Cox passim; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "merle"; Missouri French: Carrière: Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/346); N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L103 | Unpromising hero given great powers by deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L110 | Types of unpromising heroes (heroines). |
| L111 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising origin. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.1 | Exile returns and succeeds. **A. Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; *Hibbard 111 n. 6; Boccaccio Decameron II No. 8 (Lee 39); v. Hahn Sagenwissenschaftliche Studien 341ff.; *Dickson 42 n. 42; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.1.1 | Banished youth becomes mighty king. Icelandic: Völsunga saga ch. 1, Boberg. |
| L111.1.2 | Fugitive bull-calf returns when grown and defeats his father. West Indies: Flowers 557—9. |
| L111.2 | Foundling hero. *Dickson 144ff. n. 147; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 120b; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Tonga: Gifford 130; N. A. Indian: Lowie JAFL XXI 27. |
| L111.2.1 | Future hero found in boat (basket, bushes). Legends of Moses, Cyrus, Beowulf and others. *Usener Die Sintfluthsagen (Bonn, 1899) 80ff.; Hdwb. d. Märchens I s.v. "Aussetzung in Boot"; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L111.2.1.1 | Future heroine found in hollow tree (calfshed, house "without door but only window and skylight"). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L111.2.2 | Future hero found on shore. Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Tonga: Gifford 122. |
| L111.2.3 | Future hero found on top of a tree. Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.2.4 | Future hero found in wolf den. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L111.2.5 | Heroine found in harp. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L111.3 | Widow's son as hero. *Jacobs's list s.v. "Widow's son"; *Krappe Balor 126ff.; Garnett FL III 265; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.4 | Orphan hero. Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; New Hebrides: Codrington 283ff.; Buin: Wheeler No. 8; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/818); Africa (Wakweli): Bender 81. |
| L111.4.1 | Orphan hero lives with grandmother. Avenges slaughtered kin. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 320 n. 156 (most of the references). |
| L111.4.2 | Orphan heroine. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Mossi): Frobenius Atlantis VIII 274ff. No. 120. |
| L111.4.3 | Orphan brothers as heroes. Chinese: Graham. |
| L111.4.4 | Mistreated orphan hero. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 93, Rasmussen I 123, 230, 238, II 34, 38, III 90, 295, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 188, (West Hudson Bay): ibid. 309, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 265, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 630. |
| L111.5 | Bastard hero. Icelandic: Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 957; Africa (Nuba): Reinisch Sprachen von Nord-Ost-Africa (Wien, 1879) II 224ff. No. 9. |
| L111.6 | Anchorite's son as hero. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L111.7 | Future hero (heroine) raised by animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.8 | Heroes sons of wife not favorite of king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.8.1 | Heroine daughter of wife not favorite of king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.9 | Hero of story neglected grandson of raja. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L111.10 | Unpromising fourth son succeeds. Africa (Luba): DeClerq ZsKS IV 200. |
| L112 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising appearance. Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.1 | Monster as hero. *Type 708; *BP II 236; Cosquin Lorraine II 224; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.1.1 | Loathly man father of supernaturally born boy. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux MAFLS XL 159. |
| L112.2 | Very small hero. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Hrуlfssaga Gautrekssonar passim; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 133—135; Korean: Zong in-Sob 78 No. 44; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 24. |
| L112.3 | Deformed child as hero. Penzer I 184ff. |
| L112.3.1 | Hero with deformed head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.4 | Dirty boy as hero. Type 301; Missouri French: Carrière; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 183. |
| L112.5 | "Burnt-belly" as hero. N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey CI LIX Nos. 42, 44, 47, Grinnell 87ff., (Skidi Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII No. 9, (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII Nos. 17—19, (Hidatsa): Curtis N. A. Indian IV 165. |
| L112.6 | "Scar-face" as hero. N. A. Indian (Blackfoot): Grinnell Blackfoot Lodge Tales (New York, 1892) 93, McClintock Old North Trail (London, 1910) 491. |
| L112.7 | Skin-sore as hero. Africa (Basuto): Kidd The Bull of the Kraal and the Heavenly Maidens (London, 1908) 51ff. No. 1. |
| L112.7.1 | Leper hero. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45). |
| L112.8 | Lame child as hero. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 79. |
| L112.9 | Ugly child becomes great poet. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L112.10 | One-armed hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L112.11 | Heroine born with pigeon's head. Tonga: Gifford 31, 61—65. |
| L113 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising occupation. |
| L113.1 | Menial hero. Type 594*; *Cox xl, 437—446; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand 440 No. 85, (Zuсi): Parsons MAFL XXXI 245. |
| L113.1.0.1 | Heroine endures hardships with menial husband. Rewarded by his success. BP I 443ff.; cf. Type 900; Cosquin Lorraine I 138ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl 348ff., (Blackfoot): Wissler and Duvall PaAM II 81, (Wichita): Dorsey JAFL XVI 160ff., (Teton): Curtis N. A. Indian III 111, cf. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 16. |
| L113.1.1 | Swineherd as hero. (Cf. P412.2.) Hdwb. d. Märchens I 186b n. 109; Irish myth: *Cross: |
| L113.1.2 | Stable-boy as hero. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "garçon"; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| L113.1.3 | Mad fisherman as hero. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L113.1.4 | Shepherd as hero. Type 922; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L113.1.5 | Goatherd as hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L113.1.6 | Cowherd hero. India: *Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L113.1.6.1 | Cowherd's daughter (foster child) as heroine. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L113.1.7 | Slave as hero. Jewish: Neuman. |
| L113.2 | Menial heroine. Cox 1-121 passim; BP I 183; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 119; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L113.2.1 | Heroine has been goatherd. Icelandic: Ragnars saga Loрbr. 127, 198, Boberg. |
| L113.3 | Poor weaver as hero. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.4 | Peasant as hero. Africa (Dschagga): Stamberg ZsES XXIII 296ff., (Ganda): Baskerville 1ff. |
| L113.5 | Woodcutter hero. Africa (Nubian): Rochemonteix Quelques Contes Nubiens (Cairo, 1888) 48ff. No. 4, (Suaheli): Steere 13ff. |
| L113.6 | Smith as hero. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga I 73ff., 114—34 (Velent), Boberg. |
| L113.7 | Quack-doctor as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.8 | Barber becomes king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.9 | Tailor as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L113.10 | Flute player as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L114 | Hero (heroine) of unpromising habits. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L114.1 | Lazy hero. *Type 675; *Fb "doven" IV 102b; *Chauvin VI 64 No. 233 n. 1, 202; Oesterley No. 91; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 416. |
| L114.2 | Spendthrift hero. Type 969; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L114.3 | Unruly hero. Types 301, 650; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 95. |
| L114.4 | Cheater as hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L114.5 | Hero with disgusting habits. Korean: Zong in-Sob 66 No. 36. |
| L115 | Successful foolish son. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L116 | Insane hero (heroine). Irish myth: Cross (L125). |
| L121 | Stupid hero. (Cf. Z253.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 131; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L121.1 | Half-wit successful. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XXII 23. |
| L122 | Unsophisticated hero. *Dickson 128ff. nn. 94—99; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| L123 | Pauper hero. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L123.1 | Penniless hero. Loved by a courtesan, he proves later to be a great man. M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII xxiii. |
| L124 | Dumb hero. Dickson 185; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L124.1 | Child silent till seventh year. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L124.1.1 | Famous poet does not speak until he is fourteen (four, seven) years old. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L124.2 | Silent hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L130 | Abode of unpromising hero (heroine). |
| L131 | Hearth abode of unpromising hero (heroine). *Cox 1—52, 87—121, 437, 446, 493; *Fb "askefis" IV 17b; Saintyves Perrault 124ff.; *Cosquin Contes indiens 494ff.; Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 115; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 119; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 6; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Michelson JAFL XXXVIII 45ff. |
| L131.1 | Ashes abode of unpromising hero. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| L132 | Pig-sty abode for unpromising hero (heroine). *Type 314; Cox Nos. 1, 33, 77, 79, and passim; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 351. |
| L133 | Unpromising son leaves his home and goes into the world. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L134 | Unpromising hero must live in hut. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L140 | The unpromising surpasses the promising. |
| L141 | Stupid person surpasses clever. Missouri French: Carrière; Chinese: Graham; West Indies: Flowers 559. |
| L141.1 | The stupid monk recovers the stolen flocks. A nobleman steals the abbot's flocks, saying that the monks have no use for them since they eat no meat. The most learned of the monks tries to recover them, but without success. The most stupid is then sent. Asked to dinner, he eats till he can hold no more. He tells the nobleman that he ate as much as possible since he could take back with him only what he had in his stomach. The nobleman pleased with the reply returns the flocks. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 61; Alphabet No. 718; Mensa Philosophica No. 187. |
| L141.2 | Simpleton's naive answer to robbers makes them think he knows their secret. They share their loot with him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L141.3 | Hero stupid at games but fleet of foot. Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 214. |
| L141.4 | Inept child eventually surpasses others. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1122). |
| L142 | Pupil surpasses master. *Fb "mester" II 584a; Alphabet No. 38; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L142.1 | Pupil surpasses thieves in stealing. *Type 1525E; *BP III 393 n. 1. |
| L142.2 | Pupil surpasses magician. *Type 325; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L142.3 | Son surpasses father in skill. Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L143 | Poor man surpasses rich. *Types 676, 1535; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 187b; Irish: Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 122; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 181, 201; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256f. |
| L143.1 | Poor girl chosen as wife in preference to rich. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L143.2 | Poor suitor makes good husband; rich suitor cruel. Africa: Weeks Jungle 443f. |
| L144 | Ignorant surpasses learned man. |
| L144.1 | Ignorant steward straightens his master's accounts. The educated stewards have always cheated. The ignorant puts his belongings in one box, his master's in another. Both master and steward gain. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 355. |
| L144.2 | Farmer surpasses astronomer and doctor in predicting weather and choosing food. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2448*; Russian: Andrejev No. 2132; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 921 II*. |
| L145 | Ugly preferred to pretty sister. Type (4032); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "laide". |
| L145.1 | Ugly sister helps pretty one. *Type 711. |
| L146 | Neglected surpasses favorite child. |
| L146.1 | Ape tries to flee with favorite child; neglected child saves himself. The favorite child is killed through the mother's overanxiety. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 253), 146 (ST 510); Halm Aesop No. 366. |
| L147 | Tardy surpasses punctual. |
| L147.1 | Tardy bird alone succeeds at bird convocation. Chauvin V 38 No. 365 n. 1. |
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