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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 |
|---|---|
| L148 | Slowness surpasses haste. |
| L148.1 | If you hasten you will not get there. In spite of the saint's advice the teamster hastens and breaks his wagon. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 255; Alphabet No. 324. |
| L151 | Peasant girl outwits prince. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 3. |
| L152 | Daughter succeeds on quest where son fails. Africa (Rozwi): Posselt Fables of the Veld (Oxford, 1929) 30ff. |
| L154 | Scorning stops when it turns out that the scorned has saved the king by fighting alone against four. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L155 | Disagreeable and disliked child surpasses the likeable one. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L156 | Unpromising hero kills those who scorn him. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| L156.1 | Lowly hero overcomes proud rivals. Korean: Zong in-Sob 120 No. 58. |
| L160 | Success of the unpromising hero (heroine). Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 27, Beal XXI 309; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L161 | Lowly hero marries princess. *Types 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 306, 307, 308*, 314, 325, 329, 400, 434, 502, 506, 507, 508, 513, 514, 530, 545B, 552, 553, 559, 560, 561, 570, 571, 575, 577, 580, 590, 594*, 725, 853, 854, 930, 935; Child V 488 s.v. "marriages".—Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Tahiti: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 614. |
| L161.1 | Marriage of poor boy and rich girl. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Korean: Zong in-Sob 81 No. 44; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): *Benedict II 336. |
| L161.2 | Fool wins beautiful woman as wife. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 530B*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L161.3 | Mercenary soldier (exile) accepted lover of princess. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L162 | Lowly heroine marries prince (king). *Types 310, 403, 428, 431, 440, 442, 450, 451, 501, 510, 511, 545A, 585, 652, 705, 706, 707, 708, 711, 870A, 873, 875, 883A, 887; Hibbard 190ff.; *Roberts 196. — Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 107f., 154, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 80, 142; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 5 and passim, *Rotunda; India: Cowell Jataka I 27f., *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 147, 423, II 103, 455, 1366; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L165 | Lowly boy becomes king. (Most references to L161 apply here). Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 51; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 249; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45). |
| L175 | Lowly successful hero invites king and humbles him. *Type 675; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L175.1 | Lowly successful soldier invites general and humbles him. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| L176 | Despised boy wins race. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327f. nn. 185f. (many references), (Zuсi): *Benedict II 336. |
| L177 | Despised boy wins gambling game. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 336. |
| L200 | Modesty brings reward. |
| L210 | Modest choice best. Types 480, 580. See also references to L211 and L221. Scala Celi 26a No. 171; *Roberts 177, 198; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 71, 74, 139, 191; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 10; Icelandic: Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 340; Africa: Werner African 196, 205; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 277 No. 91; West Indies: Flowers 559. |
| L211 | Modest choice: three caskets type. Objects from which choice is to be made are hidden in caskets (or the like). The worst looking casket proves to be the best choice. Type 480; *Cox 501ff.; Cosquin Lorraine No. 17; *Chauvin III 99 No. 4; *Crane Vitry 153 No. 47; *Oesterley No. 251; *Roberts 200; *Cosquin Contes indiens 527; Boccaccio Decameron X No. 1 (Lee 294); *Ward II 122; Herbert III 196; *Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 18; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 836; *Fb "skеl" III 352a. —North Carolina: Brown Collection I 633; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Anesaki 320; N. A. Indian (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII No. 16, (Nez Percé): Spinden JAFL XXI 156, (Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 264; Malay: V. Ronkel Catalogus der Maleische Handschriften te Batavia (Den Haag, 1909) 48; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 121 No. 10, 229 No. 41, (Benga): Nassau 225 No. 33. |
| L212 | Choice among several gifts. The worst horse, armor, or the like proves best. *Fb "hest" I 598b; Child II 444f., 450, 453f.; German: Grimm No. 57; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 62, 64; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 341, (Arikara): Dorsey CI XVII No. 16; West Indies: Flowers 559. |
| L212.1 | Saint, offered any gift from God, chooses (virginity and) wisdom. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L212.2 | Solomon, offered any gift from God, chooses wisdom. Granted wisdom and wealth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L212.3 | Hero prefers fame to long life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L212.3.1 | "Fame (honor) is more enduring than life." Irish myth: *Cross. |
| L212.4 | Modest choice proves good (simple unique privilege). Girl offered reward of five villages chooses rather to be only one on certain night to be allowed to have light in her house and to keep all animals who enter as hers. All kinds of livestock come. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L213 | Poor girl chosen rather than the rich. Treasure follows. Chauvin III 103 No. 13; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L213.1 | Modest choice best: wife chosen from crowd of women—only one poorly dressed. Chinese: Graham. |
| L213.2 | Choice of ugliest girl as bride. Chinese: Graham. |
| L214 | Old chosen rather than new. Fortunate choice. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 142 No. 20. |
| L215 | Unpromising magic object chosen. Hero refuses to take one that cries out "take me!" Roberts 204; Tonga: Beckwith Myth 25, Gifford 20; Africa (Benga): Nassau 114 No. 11; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 269 No. 81. |
| L216 | Poor game proves rich. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 83. |
| L217 | Accustomed rags preferred to new garments. A Brahmin returns home to find a palace instead of a cottage; he recognizes his wife only after she throws off her jewels and ornaments to stand before him in her old rags. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L217.1 | Former poverty chosen over new riches. Weaver laments loss of water vessel. Offered many new, but prefers old and modest life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L220 | Modest request best. *Cox 480; *BP II 232; *MacCulloch Childhood 191; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 276 n. 18a. |
| L221 | Modest request: present from the journey. Asked what her father shall bring her as a present, the heroine chooses a modest gift. It is usually a flower but sometimes does not turn out to be such a simple gift after all (golden cloak, golden apple). *Type 425; *Fb "rose" III 80a, "guldæble" I 515b, "guldrok" I 514b; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 206b; Tegethoff 11; Italian Basile Pentamerone II No. 8; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L221.1 | Present from the journey: what you first see. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 606a nn. 80—89. |
| L222 | Modest choice: parting gift. Small gift with blessing preferred to large gift with parent's curse. *Köhler-Bolte I 188; BP I 214 n. 1; Gunkel Das Märchen im alten Testament (Tübingen, 1921) 100f.; Campbell Tales I 220 No. 13; Lang English Fairy Tales 136 No. 23; Gipsy: Aichele Zigeunermärchen 289 No. 69; Jewish: Neuman; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 110, 122. |
| L222.1 | Modest choice for parting gift—money or counsels. Counsels chosen. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 100, 304. |
| L222.2 | Modest parting gift best—meat or bones. Bones thrown to pursuing dogs delay them and allow escape; not so with meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L222.3 | Modest choice for parting gift: when offered money man takes magic stick. Chinese: Graham. |
| L222.4 | Modest choice of parting gift: magic iron measure chosen. Korean: Zong in-Sob 27 No. 12. |
| L225 | Hero refuses reward. Rides away without it. *Types 300, 303; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| L250 | Modest business plans best. |
| L251 | Beggar with small bag surpasses the one with the large. Latter refuses all but large donations; gets none. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 607; *Crane Vitry 168 No. 77; Alphabet No. 607. |
| L290 | Modesty brings reward—miscellaneous. |
| L291 | Prosperity forever or for a day? King asks prince whether he has secret of prosperity forever or a day. Prince says "forever" and is captured. Later his wife, asked same question, says "for a day" and is honored. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L300 | Triumph of the weak. Chauvin II 204 No. 59; Irish myth: Cross. |
| L301 | Hermes distributes wit. Gives everyone the same measure of wit, so that the smaller are more clever than the large. Wienert FFC LVI 35; Halm Aesop No. 150. |
| L310 | Weak overcomes strong in conflict. |
| L311 | Weak (small) hero overcomes large fighter. *Type 328; A. Stender-Petersen Acta Jutlandica VI (1934) 166ff.; Irish myth: Cross; English: Child II 35ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Japanese: Anesaki 311; Jewish: Neuman, I Samuel 17:23 (David and Goliath); N. A. Indian (Southern Paiute, Shivwits): Lowie JAFL XXXVII 150 No. 17; Guatamala Indian (Quiche): Alexander Lat. Am. 168ff.; Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 476. |
| L311.1 | Sick hero overcomes antagonist. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L311.2 | Poorly-armed hero overcomes well-armed by strategy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L311.3 | Poor prince overcomes king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L311.4 | Little innocent girl is able to drive giant out of land. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L311.5 | Small boy overcomes enraged gorilla. Africa: Stanley 281ff. |
| L312 | Little strong man defeats giant in race. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 150. |
| L315 | Small animal overcomes large. *BP II 437. |
| L315.1 | Bird flies into large animal's ear and kills him. *Type 228; *BP II 437; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 115. |
| L315.1.1 | Mouse runs into buffalo's ear and overcomes him. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 393f. |
| L315.2 | Mouse torments bull who cannot catch him. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 74), 113 (ST 236). |
| L315.3 | Fox burns tree in which eagle has nest. Revenges theft of cub. Herbert III 12; *Crane Vitry 194 No. 144. |
| L315.4 | Mother ape burns bear. Revenges theft of her young. *Crane Vitry 194 No. 143. |
| L315.5 | Lark causes elephant to fall over precipice. Chauvin II 81 No. 1; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 771; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L315.5.1 | Elephant killed by mouse who runs up open end of trunk to head and there smears poison over his brain. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 393f. |
| L315.6 | Insects worry large animal to despair or death. Wienert FFC LVI *48 (ET 76), 120 (ST 301); Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 187, 209; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 132, 137. |
| L315.7 | Dungbeetle keeps destroying eagle's eggs. Eagle at last goes to the sky and lays eggs in Zeus's lap. The dungbeetle causes Zeus to shake his apron and break the eggs. Wienert FFC LVI *51 (ET 106), 77 (ET 432), 113 (ST 237), 114 (ST 249); Halm Aesop No. 7. |
| L315.8 | Fish pricks monster with fins and defeats him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.9 | Falcon attacks eagle repeatedly and defeats him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L315.10 | Mice overcome camel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.11 | Lizard defeats leopard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.12 | Rabbit slays rhinoceros. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.13 | Hedgehog defeats tiger by jumping into tiger's mouth and tormenting him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L315.14 | Ants overcome serpent. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 386. |
| L315.15 | Small animals dupe larger into trap. Africa (Bankon): Ittman 85, (Wachaga): Gutmann 190, (Cameroon): Lederbogen 19. |
| L316 | Offended rats gnaw saddle girths of king's horses so that he is defeated in battle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L318 | Mice win war with woodcutters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L330 | Easy escape of weak (small). |
| L331 | Little fishes escape from the net. The large are caught. *Type 253; *BP III 355; Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 299), 113 (ST 240); Halm Aesop No. 26. |
| L332 | Mice escape into their holes; weasels cannot follow them. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 65), *113 (ST 241); Halm Aesop No. 291. |
| L333 | Hummingbird can see fowler's net; eagle is caught in spite of his boasts of good eyesight. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 290; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 254*. |
| L350 | Mildness triumphs over violence. |
| L350.1 | Mildness triumphs over violence: queen advises husband to use kindness to enemies. This wins them over where war failed. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L350.2 | Saint uses kind words to pagan priest who has just smitten a Christian. This causes pagan to repent. Conversion follows. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L351 | Contest of wind and sun. Sun by warmth causes traveler to remove coat, while wind by violent blowing causes him to pull it closer around him. Wienert FFC LVI 43 (ET 7), 80 (ET 457), 136 (ST 419); Halm Aesop No. 82; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3900; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 381ff.; Russian: Andrejev No. 298*; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 95, 140. Cf. Halm No. 414. |
| L351.1 | Contest between wind (rain) and sun. Rain also tries unsuccessfully like wind. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L351.2 | Sun cursed by man for its burning rays, wind for its hot breath, but moon is blessed for its soft, cool, and beautiful light. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L353 | Mild brother triumphs over warlike. Survives him and inherits property. Africa (Fang): Tessman 191ff. |
| L361 | Priest who gives mild penances succeeds where others fail. Scala Celi 48a No. 272; Alphabet No. 183; Herbert III 505, 570; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L363 | Goldsmith gives money to one who addressed him as friend (the goldsmith had no friends because he has cheated everybody.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L390 | Triumph of the weak-miscellaneous. |
| L391 | Needle kills an elk. Slips into his stomach. Type 90. |
| L391.1 | Reed pricks and drives away dog that urinates on it. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L392 | Mouse stronger than wall, wind, mountain. *DeCock Volkssage 31ff.; BP I 148 n. 2; Wesselski Mönchslatein 82 No. 75; Chauvin II 97 No. 55; Archiv f. d. Studium d. neueren Sprachen LXXXI 265; Germania II 481; Basset RTP VII 394ff.; Basset Contes Berbères 95f; *Bødker Exempler 297 No. 60.—Spanish: Keller, Espinosa III Nos. 275—277; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L392.1 | Mosquitoes sting King Pharaoh and show they are stronger than the man who cannot escape them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L393 | Only love to offer. Bride asks suitors what they have to offer her. Poor youth who has nothing but love to offer gets her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L394 | Slow flying swan lasts longer than speedy crow in flying. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L395 | Frog, tortoise, fish each tell of how long they expect to live. Frog alone does not expect to live to a hundred and ten years and alone escapes fisherman's net. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L400 | Pride brought low. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L410 | Proud ruler (deity) humbled. |
| L410.1 | Proud king humbled: realizes that pomp, possessions, power are all of short duration. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L410.2 | King, defeated in battle, obliged to flee without money. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.3 | Boasting king insulted by crow dropping filth on him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.4 | Defeated king must be peddler or beggar. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.5 | King overthrown and made servant. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.6 | Ruler enslaved. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L410.7 | Queen forced to become a courtesan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L411 | Proud king displaced by angel. (King in the bath.) While the king is in the bath (or hunting) an angel in his form takes his place. The king is repulsed on all sides until he repents of his haughtiness. *Type 757; **Varnhagen Ein indisches Märchen auf seine Wanderung durch die asiatischen und europäischen Literaturen (Berlin, 1882); Chauvin II 161 No. 51; *Wesselski Märchen 237 No. 49; Hibbard 58ff.; *Herbert III 202; *Oesterley No. 59; *Andraea Anglia Beiblatt XIII 302; *von der Hagen III cxv; bin Gorion Born Judas III 47ff., 299f.; *Goebel Jüdische Motive im Märchenhafte Erzählungsgut (Gleiwitz, 1932) 89ff. — Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L412 | Rich man made poor to punish pride. He boasts that God has no power to make him poor. While he is at church, his property burns and he returns home poor. Type 836; Irish: Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 122; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 249; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L412.1 | Woman casts ring into sea boasting that it is as impossible for her to become poor as for the ring to be found. Ring is found in fish: she becomes poor. W. Jones Finger-Ring Lore (London, 1898) 440; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 19 No. 178. |
| L413 | Proud inscriptions sole remains of powerful king. *Chauvin V 33 No. 16; Spanish Exempla: Keller. Cf. Shelley's "Ozymandias". |
| L414 | King vainly forbids tide to rise. (Canute.) Herbert III 62; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L414.1 | King vainly attempts to measure the height of the sky and the depth of the sea. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 920A*. |
| L415 | God punishes David for his pride in the number of his subjects. An angel is sent to kill his people. Desists only when David repents. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L416 | King commanded to wear enemy's shoes on his shoulders as sign of submission. Irish myth: Cross. |
| L416.1 | Proud king humbled when imprisoned by enemies. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L417 | God finds that his statue sells at low price. He prices it in a statue shop and finds that his price is lower than other gods. Wienert FFC LVI 80 (ET 455), 94 (ST 77); Halm Aesop No. 137. |
| L418 | King shown he is less powerful than God. In spite of all his plans, his servant recovers the lost (exchanged) treasure. Type 841. |
| L419 | Proud ruler (deity) humbled—miscellaneous. |
| L419.1 | Goose boasts superiority to mushroom. Both served up at same meal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L419.2 | King (prince) becomes beggar. Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L420 | Overweening ambition punished. Chinese: Graham. |
| L420.0.1 | Overweening ambition punished. Man sets self up as a god. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L421 | Attempt to fly to heaven punished. Car supported by eagles. Persian: Carnoy 336. |
| L421.1 | Attempt to climb to heaven punished. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L423 | Peter acts as God for a day: tires of bargain. A girl takes her goat to pasture and leaves him: "My God care for you!" Peter must run everywhere after the goat. *Dh II 188. |
| L424 | Man who has never known unhappiness or want is swallowed up by earth with all his household. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L425 | Dream (prophecy) of future greatness causes banishment (imprisonment). *Type 671, 725; *BP I 322ff., 324; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L427 | Poor man aspires to high office: made a cook. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L430 | Arrogance repaid. Icelandic *Boberg. |
| L431 | Arrogant mistress repaid in kind by her lover. *Type 900; *BP I 443ff.; **Philippson König Drosselbart FFC L; Krappe études ital. II 141ff.; *Gigas "Et eventyrs vandring" Litteratur og Historie (København, 1902); *Fb "bejler" IV 31b; Icelandic: Boberg; West Indies: Flowers 560. |
| L431.1 | Haughty mistress makes extravagant demands of lover: repaid. (Glove and the Lion.) *Shearin MLN XXVI 113; *Buchanan Modern Language Review IV 183 n. 1; Krappe MLN XXXIV 16; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 349 n. 256. |
| L431.2 | Scorned lover poses as rich man and cheats his scornful mistress. Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 10 (Lee 266); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| L431.3 | Sneering princess is impregnated by magic. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| L432 | Impoverished husband begs from wife's new husband. He has formerly refused this man charity. *Chauvin II 174 No. 16, VIII 180 No. 212; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 263 N. 232; *Basset 1001 Contes II 305. |
| L432.1 | Cruel brothers brought to beg charity from abused sister. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| L432.2 | Impoverished father begs from daughter he has banished: recognized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L432.2.1 | Impoverished father begs from his prosperous daughter whom he has made to marry a poor man. Chinese: Graham. |
| L432.3 | Impoverished husband begs from wife he has formerly expelled. Chinese: Graham. |
| L432.4 | Impoverished youngest brother comes to elders in search of work. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L434 | Arrogant farmer allows none to ride his precious horse without permission. He kills the man who does it, but is in revenge deprived of most of his goods. Icelandic: Hrafnkels saga Freysgods ch. 2ff. (ed. F. S. Cawley) (Cambridge, Mass., 1932). |
| L435 | Self-righteousness punished. |
| L435.1 | Self-righteous hermit must do penance. He has said of a condemned man that he deserves his punishment. *Types 756A, 756B; BP III 463ff.; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 160ff., 250ff.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 21 No. 16; Alphabet No. 206; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 99, Beal XXI 332; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos 79f. |
| L435.1.1 | Self-righteous monk rebuked by abbot. Abbot tells him to search his own heart to see if he is free of sin before attacking others. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L435.2 | Self-righteous woman punished. She has passed judgment on a girl who has a bastard. Köhler-Bolte I 147f., *578, 581. |
| L435.2.1 | Woman with three hundred sixty-five children. Punished for self-righteous condemnation of unchaste girl. *Taylor Notes and Queries No. 251 (Feb., 1923) 96; *K. Nyrop Grevinden med de 365 Born (København, 1909); Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 469; Child II 67f., IV 463b.; *Köhler Lais der Marie de France xc; *DeCock Volkssage 9ff. |
| L435.3 | Self-righteous tailor in heaven expelled. Throws God's footstool at an old woman thief on earth. *Type 800; BP I 342; Wesselski Bebel I 126 No. 19. |
| L435.4 | The beggar on the cross in place of Christ. Is made to leave the cross for his impatience concerning the sinners. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 800A*. |
| L450 | Proud animal less fortunate than humble. |
| L451 | Wild animal finds his liberty better than tame animal's ease. |
| L451.1 | Tame bird and wild bird. The tame bird tells the wild one to look about him. He is shot. Type 245; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| L451.2 | Wild ass envies tame ass until he sees his burdens. Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ST 198), 124 (ST 328); Halm Aesop No. 321. |
| L451.3 | Wolf prefers liberty and hunger to dog's servitude and plenty. *Type 201; Crane Vitry 221 No. 217; Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 238), 124 (ST 326); Halm Aesop No. 278; Jacobs Aesop 206 No. 28; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 433; Scala Celi 76b No. 435; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L451.4 | Parrot prefers cold wet nest in freedom to luxury in royal palace. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L452 | Ass is jealous of the horse until he learns better. |
| L452.1 | Ass jealous of horse, but sees horse later working in a mill. *Chauvin III 50 No. 2; Wienert FFC LVI *56 (ET 171), 94 (ST 78). |
| L452.2 | Ass jealous of war-horse until he sees him wounded. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 191), 124 (ST 327); Halm Aesop No. 328; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| L453 | Mule carrying corn escapes while one carrying gold is robbed. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 169), 94 (ST 75). |
| L455 | Lean dogs envy arena-dog his fatness. Later see their error. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 169), 94 (ST 75). |
| L456 | Calf pities draft ox: is taken to slaughter, ox spared. Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 230), 57 (ET 185), *92 (ST 44), 124 (ST 331); Halm Aesop No. 113. |
| L460 | Pride brought low—miscellaneous. |
| L461 | Stag scorns his legs but is proud of his horns. Caught by his horns in trees. *Type 77; Wienert FFC LVI 65 (ET 285), 140 (ST 465); Halm Aesop No. 128; *Crane Vitry 254 No. 274; Herbert III 23; Jacobs Aesop 206 No. 25. |
| L462 | Fox destroys nest of bird who boasts of nest's warmth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L465 | The mule's double ancestry. When well fed says, "My mother was a thoroughbred horse." Later, hard worked, says, "My father was a miserable ass." Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 275), 94 (ST 80); Halm Aesop No. 157. |
| L471 | The man scorns the storm: killed by it. Type 933*. |
| L472 | Zeus smites Capaneus while he is climbing a ladder. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 367 n. 3. |
| L473 | Pride or wealth of man brought low by actions of gods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L475 | Oil lamp blown out: had thought that it outshone stars. Wienert FFC LVI 75 (ET 409), 93 (ST 64); Halm Aesop No. 285. |
| L476 | Jackal singing about his deeds falls down from tree and is eaten by alligator. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L478 | Gnats having overcome lion are in turn killed by spider. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 75), 92 (ST 57); Halm Aesop No. 234. |
| L482 | Men too prosperous (happy): things are made more difficult. |
| L482.1 | Men are too rich: greedy gods created to impoverish them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.1.1 | Men are too rich: gold sent below ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.2 | Men are too rich: weeds created to spoil their harvests. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.3 | Men are too proud: snakes created. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.4 | Men are fearless: tiger made to frighten them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L482.5 | Men enjoy themselves too much: disease created. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M0 | Judgments and decrees. |
| M1 | Senseless judicial decisions. *Chauvin VIII 203 No. 245. |
| M2 | Inhuman decisions of king. Fansler MAFLS XII 137; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M2.1 | Inhuman decision of king: sends man's sons to certain death and then murders man. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M4 | Deity settles disputes between races. Africa (Fang): Trilles 142. |
| M10 | Irrevocable judgments. |
| M11 | Irrevocable judgment causes judge to suffer first. Has decreed that no one enter a meeting armed. He forgets to remove his sword. Kills himself. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 353; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M12 | Irrevocable sentence carried out even when innocence is proved. A knight condemned for murdering his comrade is met by the latter on the way to the gallows. A centurion leads them to the emperor, who condemns all three to death: first because he has been sentenced; second for causing by his absence the conviction of his comrade; third for delay in the execution. Oesterley No. 140; Herbert III 208. |
| M13 | Sentence applied to king's own son. Those caught in adultery are to have eyes put out. When king's son is found guilty he insists on the punishment. He finally compromises by having one of his own and one of his son's eyes put out. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 226; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| M13.1 | Ruler has son beheaded for rape. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M13.2 | Captain hangs own son for violating order not to enter enemy city. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M13.3 | Gardener made king by minister decides against him in law case and returns lands to plaintiff. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M14 | Irrevocable judgment of king upheld. King leaves laws that must be kept until his death. Years later he has his bones sent back to that land to let people know that he is dead and they are free. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M20 | Short-sighted judgments. |
| M21 | King Lear judgment. A king flattered by his elder daughters and angered by the seeming indifference, though real love, of the youngest, banishes the youngest and favors the elder daughters. Type 510; BP II 47, III 305; *Cox Nos. 208—226; *Hartland FLJ IV 308; *Oesterley No. 273; Herbert III 201; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 183 No. 124. |
| M50 | Other judgments and decrees. |
| M51 | Decree that hero must wed only a virgin. English: Wells 22 (Sir Beues of Hamtoun). |
| M55 | Judgment: pardon given if hero produces the lady about whom he has boasted. English: Wells 132 (Sir Launfal). |
| M56 | Judgment: thief to be pardoned if he can steal king's treasure without being caught. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M90 | Judgments and decrees—miscellaneous motifs. |
| M91 | Virgin Mary reverses judgments of church. *Ward II 638 No. 5, 651 No. 4, 668 No. 15, 682 No. 21, 704 No. 42, 722 No. 30 and passim; Irish: Beal XXI 315, O'Suilleabhain 41. |
| M92 | Decision left to first person to arrive. Type 613; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 604b n. 31ff.; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 118, Beal XXI 335; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M93 | Deity grants woman two sons, one to be wise and ugly and the other a fool and handsome. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 964. |
| M100 | Vows and oaths. *Penzer X 355 s.v. "vow"; *Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 659ff.; *Encyc. Rel. Ethics IX 430ff.; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 198ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish *Neuman. |
| M101 | Punishment for broken oaths. Kristensen Danske Sagn VI (1) (1900) 33ff., (1936) 18ff.; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M101.1 | False swearer not allowed to approach altar. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 485. |
| M101.2 | Broken oaths cause of maimed people. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 487. |
| M101.3 | Death as punishment for broken oath. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M101.3.1 | Death caused by elements (exposure, drowning, etc.) as punishment for broken oath. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M101.3.2 | Man offers to sacrifice bangles if he is given a son; when he takes bangles back, son dies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M101.4 | Broken oath causes girl's hand to wither. (Cf. D2062.) Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M101.5 | Punishment for broken oath: loss of the inheritance of earth or heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M105 | Equivocal oaths. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M106 | Escape from vengeance caused by broken oaths. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M107 | Vow fulfilled in next existence. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1221. |
| M108 | Violators of oaths. |
| M108.1 | Babylonians do not keep their oaths. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M110 | Taking of vows and oaths. |
| M110.1 | Swearing while one knows that his oath is rendered valueless. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M110.2 | Oath is valid only when decreed in presence of ten. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M110.3 | Oath uttered by pious when in danger of succumbing to temptation. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M111 | Oaths taken over severed pieces of horse. Pieces are then buried. Greek: Fox 25. |
| M112 | Oath taken on ring. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 67; Brumer Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte I 258; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M113 | Oath taken on arms. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M113.1 | Oath taken on sword. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 20; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 197; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M114 | Oath taken on sacred object. Jewish: Neuman; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M114.1 | Oath on sacred book. |
| M114.1.1 | Oath by Tora. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M114.2 | Oath taken on holy stone. (Cf. M119.5.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M114.3 | Vows taken on holy swine. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M114.4 | Swearing on sacred relics. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M114.5 | Taking oath on cowdung. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M114.6 | Oath by touching sacred thread. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M115 | Only one oath binding. It must be by so and so or else it is worthless. Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV Nos. 6, 8, V No. 4. |
| M115.1 | Three-fold oath. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M115.1.1 | Oath so heavy it dries up stream; oath so great it splits the rock in twain; oath so violent it makes the tree wither. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M116 | Oath taken on hand of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M116.0.1 | Swearing on hand of king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M116.1 | Swearing by saint's bachall. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M116.2 | Swearing by saint's bell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M117 | Vow to perform certain act unless cataclysm occurs. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M118 | Swearing on a skull. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M119 | Taking of vows and oaths—miscellaneous. |
| M119.1 | Swearing by the elements: sun, moon, stars, wind. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Argonautica III 689, Odyssey V 185. |
| M119.1.1 | Oath by River Styx. Greek: Grote I 56f. |
| M119.2 | Swearing by (clan) gods. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M119.3 | Vows taken as an old Norse custom at the festival of Yule. Icelandic: Cleasby and Vigfússon Icel.— Eng. Dict. (1874) 853 s.v. "heitstrenging"; Lagerholm 18, *Boberg. |
| M119.4 | Vows taken by placing one's foot on a certain post in the hall. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M119.5 | Swearing on a stone. (Cf. M114.2.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| M119.6 | Swearing by "the Seven Things which they serve." Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M119.7 | Oath by placing hand on genitals. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
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