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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 |
|---|---|
| M119.8 | Oath taken by the life of a person. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M119.8.1 | Swearing by one's father and mother. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M119.8.2 | Swearing by life of father. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M120 | Vows concerning personal appearance. |
| M121 | Vow not to shave or cut hair until a certain time. *BP II 431ff.; A. Bugge "Harald Haarfagres løfte" Edda VII 166; Helm Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte I 301; Eitrem Opferritus und Voropfer (Skrifter Vidensk. Selsk. i Oslo No. 1, 1914) 400; Frazer Golden Bough III 194; Kruyt Het Animisme 33; FFC LXXXIII xxiv. — Irish: O'Suilleabhain 24, 45, Beal XXI 307, 316; Icelandic: *Boberg; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 No. 39; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400B*; Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Achilleus"; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M122 | Vow: woman not to bind hair till enemy is conquered. Alphabet No. 529. |
| M125 | Vow not to change clothes till a certain time. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400B*. |
| M126 | Vow not to wash till a certain time. Greek: Iliad XXIII 49. |
| M130 | Vows concerning sex. (Cf. M151.2, M152.) |
| M131 | Vow of chastity. Penzer I 67; Wesselski Mönchslatein 142 No. 117; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: *Grote I 162f. |
| M132 | Vow of virginity. Penzer III 40. |
| M133 | Vow: man will love only a virgin. Malone PMLA XLIII 427. |
| M134 | Prince vows to marry no woman unless he can beat her daily. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M135 | Vow never to remarry. Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M136 | Vow not to marry till iron shoes wear out. Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 71 (to Gonzenbach No. 32); *Roberts 137. |
| M137 | Vow never to be jealous of one's wife. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M137.1 | Woman requires husband free from jealousy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M138 | Vow to marry first person performing certain act. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M138.1 | Vow to marry off two daughters to first two men father looks at on the following morning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M141 | Vow never to strive against a woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M142 | Vow never to carry a woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M145 | Vow to wed no man who cannot perform certain feat. |
| M145.1 | Vow to wed no man who fears to saddle and mount a lion. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146 | Vow to marry a certain woman. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M146.1 | Vow to marry queen of fairies and not to eat or drink inside kingdom until this is done. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.2 | Boy vows to marry none but girl born under the same circumstances as he. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.3 | Vow that magically conceived children shall marry (or be friends). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.4 | Brother and sister arrange marriage of their unborn children to each other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M146.5 | Vow to marry none but daughter of certain man. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M146.7 | Vow of enemy chief to marry princess of besieged city. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M149 | Vows concerning sex—miscellaneous. |
| M149.1 | Lovers vow to marry only each other. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M149.2 | Vow to die rather than marry unwelcome suitor. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M149.3 | Vow to kill more successful rival. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M149.4 | Quarreling prince and princess vow that if they are married he will desert her on the wedding day and she will make him eat boiled rice and thin broth for six months. It so happens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M149.5 | Oath to marry daughters only into family with bridegroom for each daughter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M149.6 | Vow to get stubborn girl half-married only. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M149.7 | Vow only to marry daughter to the man who kills snake by her house. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M150 | Other vows and oaths. |
| M151 | Vow not to eat before hearing of adventure. Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight § 5; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.1 | Vow not to eat before learning secret. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.2 | Vow not to marry until quest is concluded. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.2.1 | Vow not to reign and to starve to death unless picture's original is found. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.3 | Vow not to take food or drink until manner of father's death is learned. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.4 | Vow not to take food or drink until enemy is killed. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M151.5 | Vow not to eat or sleep until certain event is brought to pass. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.5.1 | Vow not to eat, drink, or move from position until dead anchorite comes himself to accept necklace. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.6 | Vow not to eat or drink before knowing if king is alive. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M151.7 | Heroine will not laugh till arrival of destined hero. (Cf. H341.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| M151.8 | Vow not to eat until lost son is found. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M151.9 | Vow not to see friends until quest is completed. English romance: Malory XI 12. |
| M152 | Vow not to go to bed with wife till enemy is killed. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M152.1 | Vow not to kiss anybody until father is revenged. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M152.2 | Vow not to sit on father's high-seat until he is revenged. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M155 | Vow to perform act of prowess. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M155.1 | Vow to kill wild boar alone at night. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.). |
| M155.2 | Vow to find vanished sister. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M155.3 | Vow never to flee from fire or weapon. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M156 | Vow to watch at frightful place all night. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur). |
| M157 | Vow to ride the forest all night and slay all comers. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur, etc.). |
| M158 | Vow never to refuse food to any man. Wells 64 (The Avowynge of King Arthur); Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M161 | Vow never to flee in fear of death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M161.1 | Vow to attack (kill) the enemy or die. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M161.2 | Vow to revenge (king, friends, father) or die. English: Malory XX 10; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M161.3 | Vow to live and die with the king. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M161.4 | Vow rather to die (on a spear) than to accept grace. (Cf. M165.) Hdwb. d. Märchens II s.v. "Gnade ausbitten"; Icelandic: Ragnars saga Loрbr. 139-41, *Boberg. |
| M161.5 | Rather die than go in the enemy's service. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M161.6 | Rather die in battle than in bed. Icelandic: cf. MacCulloch Eddic 305ff., *Boberg. |
| M162 | Vow not to be killed by a single opponent. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M163 | Vow never to make a nocturnal assault. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M164 | Bard vows that none of his profession will make a request of any man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M165 | Vow to ask nobody for peace, grace. (Cf. M161.4.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M166 | Other vows about fighting. |
| M166.1 | Vow never to give more than one blow in a fight and never to beat a fallen enemy nor take his weapons. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M166.2 | Vow rather to be cut in pieces than permit oneself to be bound. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M166.3 | Vow to kill anyone who touches his beard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M166.4 | Vow: never to fight with brother. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1019. |
| M166.5 | Oath not to fight relatives of king. English romance: Malory X 44. |
| M167 | Vow to serve only the most generous of all kings. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M168 | Vow not to devastate country or take revenge after release. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M168.1 | Vow not to deceive the man who spared one's life. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M171 | Vow never to accept a man who does not know any sport. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M172 | Vow not to touch certain thing. |
| M172.1 | Vow never to touch money and to give what anyone begs for. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M172.2 | Vow not to touch certain tree. Later cannot cross bridge made of this wood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M175 | Pledge to say but a single phrase. In carrying out this agreement the men innocently confess a crime. *Types 360, 1697; BP II 561ff.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 37 No. 44; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M177 | Vow to change religion. |
| M177.1 | Vow to become a Christian. |
| M177.1.1 | King swears to become Christian if he wins battle. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M177.1.2 | Oath not to be christened until he has fought in seven battles for Jesus. English romance: Malory X 47. |
| M177.2 | Prince vows that he will always be servant of a goddess (Kali). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M182 | Vow not to enter any house before reaching one's own. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M183 | Religious vows. (Cf. M177.) |
| M183.1 | Vow to build shrine. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M183.2 | Vow to bathe in the Ganges. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M183.3 | Vow to find Holy Grail before returning to Round Table. English romance: Malory XIII 7. |
| M183.4 | Vow to become monk should he escape execution. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 817. |
| M184 | Vow if queen bears another girl she and child will both be killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M184.1 | Vow that no daughter born to chief's wife will be allowed to live until she bears a son. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 526. |
| M185 | Vow to abide by laws. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M186 | Vow never to pass over demarcation line into other's property. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M187 | Oath to abide by results of lot drawing. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M188 | Oath not to mention what has been seen. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M192 | Vow to put to death every king that comes his way unless engaged in marrying a lady at the time he sees them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M193 | Vow to destroy kingdom by austerities. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M200 | Bargains and promises. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M201 | Making of bargains and promises. |
| M201.0.1 | Bargain with God (by holy man). Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M201.0.1.1 | Covenant between Israel and God. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M201.0.2 | Covenant between heathen and Israelites. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M201.1 | Blood covenant. Contract written (or signed) with blood. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 272ff., 1026; *Wilken Verspreide Geschriften I 539ff.; *W. Robertson Smith Religion of the Semites@3 270ff.; *Penzer I 98 n.; *Fb "skrive"; "blod" IV 47b; ** H. C. Turmbull The Blood Covenant (London, 1887). — Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "sang", "pacte"; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M201.1.1 | Blood of contractors mixed to seal bargain. Irish myth: *Cross; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 268. |
| M201.1.2 | Pact with devil signed in blood. (Theophilus.) (Cf. M211.) Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 64; Scala Celi 9a, 135b Nos 58, 749; Wünsche Teufel 55f.; England, U.S.: Baughman; Irish: Beal XXI 310 —312, O'Suilleabhain 33f.; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 80. |
| M201.2 | Covenant confirmed by eating together. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 272ff.; U.S.: Baughman; Africa (Fang): Nassau 242 No. 9. |
| M201.3 | Spitting of all parties into vessel to seal bargain. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 53; England: Baughman. |
| M201.4 | Covenant between saints confirmed by cutting off their thumbs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M201.5 | Covenant confirmed by marriage. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M201.6 | Covenant confirmed by hostages. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M202 | Fulfilling of bargain or promise. |
| M202.0.1 | Bargain or promise to be fulfilled at all hazards. English romance: Malory VIII 30; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M202.1 | Promise to be fulfilled when iron shoes wear out. *Cox Cinderella 508. |
| M202.2 | Man keeps word to return to enemy if his mission to his people fails. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M203 | King's promise irrevocable. Basil Pentamerone I No. 5; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 560. |
| M203.1 | King punishes one of his men who robs someone to whom the king has given safe conduct. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M203.2 | King kills self to carry out own promise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M203.3 | King sells self and family into slavery to keep promise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M204 | Demanding of promised boon postponed. |
| M204.1 | Demanding of promised boon postponed until an auspicious moment. Granted anything he may ask, the recipient waits to announce his choice. English romance: Malory VIII 15; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M205 | Breaking of bargains or promises. India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 561. |
| M205.0.1 | Promise kept in deed but not in spirit. English romance: Malory X 38. |
| M205.1 | Animal punishes broken promise. |
| M205.1.1 | Turtle carrying man through water upsets him because of a broken promise. Chinese: Werner 367. |
| M205.1.1.1 | Fish (whale) carrying man through water shakes him off when man strikes him with coconut. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 252; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/600). |
| M205.1.2 | Cat witness to betrothal punishes violator. Kills the man's son when he has married a different woman. Hebrew: *bin Gorion Born Judas I 368. |
| M205.2 | Curse as punishment for broken promise. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M205.3 | A man who breaks his oath to a woman cannot be king with right. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M205.4 | King breaks promise to care for man's family. Is caught trying to steal his money. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M206 | Promise made merely as a matter of form not binding. |
| M206.1 | Host offers to send his guest a cask of the wine he has praised. Later refuses to send it as it was merely a "verba honoris". Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 308. |
| M207 | Land grants (bargains). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M208 | Price set on one's head. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M210 | Bargain with devil. Types 310, 313A, 316, 360, 400, 425C, 441, 500, 502, 706, 710, 756B, 810—812, 1170—1199; BP II 164, 329f., 427, 561ff., III 12, *Andrejev FFC LXIX 222ff.; *Fb "djævel" IV 99a, "blod" IV 47b.—England, U.S.: Baughman; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 562. |
| M211 | Man sells soul to devil. (Faust, Theophilus.) Types 330, 360, 361, 756B, 810, 812, 1170-1199; *BP II 164, 427, 561ff., III 12; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 46, 50, 223, 227 n.; Lidzbarski Am Urds-Brunnen IV 59 n. 1; Scala Celi 9a, 112a, 135b Nos. 58, 625, 749; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 667; *Fb "sjæl" III 215a; Faligan RTP V 1; Alphabet Nos. 50, 467; *Ludorff Anglia VII 60ff.; *Loomis White Magic 112f.; *K. Bittner Die Faustsage im russischen Schrifttum (Reichenberg. i. B. [Prager Deutsche Studien No. 37], 1925); *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 34.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3400, Legends No. 757; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 49, 67 Nos. 330, 510, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70-74, 83f.; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 74; N. A. Indian (Wampanoag): Knight JAFL XXXVIII 134, (Salinan): Mason U Cal X 196. |
| M211.1 | Man unwittingly sells soul to devil. He jestingly offers to sell his soul. Devil in disguise buys it. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 280; *Wesselski Märchen 245 No. 55. |
| M211.1.1 | Man goes to well at midnight on Old Christmas to see water turned into wine. Just as it turns into wine the devil takes him, or injures him. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| M211.2 | Man sells soul to devil in return for devil's building house (barn, etc.). Wünsche Teufel 29-56 passim. |
| M211.3 | Man bequeaths soul to devil. U.S.: Baughman; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M211.4 | Jews must repay devil's help by giving tribute of persons each year. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1867D*. |
| M211.5 | Formulas for selling one's soul to devil. England: Baughman. |
| M211.6 | Man sells soul to devil for visit home in boat that sails through sky. U.S.: Baughman. |
| M211.7 | Man sells soul to devil for magic power to escape capture. Canada: Baughman. |
| M211.8 | Man sells soul to devil for devil's doing one specific job. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| M211.9 | Person sells soul to devil in return for the granting of wishes. England: Baughman. |
| M212 | Devil agrees to help man with robberies. |
| M212.1 | Devil as helper of robber refuses to let women's ornaments be stolen. They are his own weapons. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 86. |
| M212.2 | Devil at gallows repudiates his bargain with robber. Ring turns to rope. The judge cannot find a rope and is about to release the thief because of the miracle. But the ring in the box presented by the devil as a bribe turns out to be a rope. The man is hanged. *Krappe Archivum Romanicum VII 470ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 244 No. 54; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M213 | Devil as substitute for day laborer at mowing. He mows with a magic sickle. The evil overseer tries to keep up with him and dies of overexhaustion. Type 820. |
| M214 | Devil to help gambler in exchange for one task yearly. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 55 No. 408A*. |
| M215 | With his whole heart: devil carries off judge. The devil refuses to take anything not offered him with the whole heart. He hears the judge (advocate) cursed for fraud with such sincerity that he carries him off. *Type 1186; **Taylor PMLA XXXVI 35ff., also in Bryan and Dempster Sources and Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales 26974; *Herbert III 592; *Fb "ridefoged" III 53b; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 81, 807; *Robinson Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Cambridge, Mass., 1933) 809 (Friar's Tale). |
| M216 | Devil bargains to help man become priest. He must not later exorcise him from people. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 50 No. 332. |
| M216.1 | The devil helps man study for priesthood. For this, he must promise the devil his soul. Having become a great priest, the man finds means to save himself. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3266, Legends Nos. 400ff. |
| M216.2 | The devil makes the herdsman's son a priest in return for a whistle. After quarreling with the devil, who asked to repair the whistle during Mass, the priest forgets all he learned and does not know how to hold Mass. Is beaten. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3269, Legends Nos. 413f. |
| M217 | Devil bargains to help man win woman. *Loomis White Magic 113; Alphabet No. 64; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 66 No. 508A*, Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. Cf. Cosquin études 545ff. (sale of self to magician). |
| M217.1 | Servant makes pact with devil denying Christ to secure nobleman's daughter. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M218 | Contract with the devil destroyed. Dh I 140; Alphabet Nos. 64, 467; Irish: Beal XXI 311, O'Suilleabhain 33. |
| M218.1 | Pacts with the devil, sealed in blood, made ineffective by a saint. *Loomis White Magic 75. |
| M219 | Other devil contract motifs. |
| M219.1 | Bargain with the devil for an heir. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M219.2 | Devil fetches man contracted to him. |
| M219.2.1 | Devil appears in great storm, takes away soul of person contracted to him. (Cf. D2141.0.4, D2141.0.5, Q550.1.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| M219.2.2 | Devil flays corpse of person contracted to him. (Cf. Q457.2.) England: Baughman. |
| M219.2.3 | Man contracted to the devil responds to call by voice: "The hour has come but not the man." England, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| M219.2.4 | Devil carries off hunt-loving priest. (Cf. G303.17.2.4.) England: *Baughman. |
| M219.2.5 | Body of devil's disciple is removed from coffin by devil. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| M219.2.6 | Devil puts body of convert on a sea monster which takes it away. U.S.: Baughman. |
| M219.3 | Familiars guard and protect those who have pact with the devil. Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 80. |
| M219.4 | Familiar devours whoever does not keep pact with devil. Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 82. |
| M220 | Other bargains. |
| M221 | Beheading bargain. Giant allows hero to cut off his head; he will cut off hero's later. **Kittredge Gawain and the Green Knight; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M221.1 | Hag offers to run race with men on condition that the one left behind shall be beheaded. Marvelous runner beheads hag. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M222 | Man umpires dispute in exchange for guarantee of safety. Disputants, bear and tiger, agree not to eat him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M223 | Blind promise (rash boon). Person grants wish before hearing it. English romance: Malory X 22; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M223.1 | Person who never refuses a request. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M225 | Eyes exchanged for food. A starving man lets himself be blinded in return for food. *Type 613; *BP II 468ff.; **Christiansen FFC XXIV 46, 54; *Fb "øje" III 1166b; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M225.1 | Horse, clothes, and members of rider's body exchanged for food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M226 | In return for magic shirt from girl hero is to stay in Ireland for three years. In return he claims her as wife. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M231 | Free keep in inn exchanged for good story. *Fb "kro" II 303a. |
| M232 | Prince to give up life in exchange for learning a secret. Malone PMLA XLIII 405, 413. |
| M233 | Three deformed witches invited to wedding in exchange for help. *Type 501; BP I 109; **Von Sydow Tvе Spinnsagor. |
| M234 | Life spared in return for life-long service. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M234.1 | Life spared in return for poetic mead. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 53. |
| M234.2 | Life spared for bringing a dreaded enemy without weapon. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 83 f. (Thor and Loki). |
| M234.3 | Life bought for gold. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M234.4 | Life bought with promise of reparations and healing of enemy. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M235 | Bargain: woman rides naked through streets to obtain freedom for citizens. Godiva. Liebrecht 104; Hartland FL I 207. |
| M236 | Peace bought for husband. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 103, *Boberg. |
| M237 | Bargain to save face. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M237.1 | Opponents agree not to fight and are thus undefeated. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M241 | Bargain: to divide all winnings. |
| M241.1 | Dividing the winnings: half of the bride demanded. When the hero shows that he is willing to carry out the bargain, his helper relents. *Type 505—508; *BP III 490; Köhler-Bolte I 11, 444; *Liljeblad Tobiasgeschichte; English: Wells 160 (Sir Amadace); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M241.2 | Dividing the winnings: presents (favors) from man's own wife. After the agreement to divide all winnings the first man receives favors (presents, kisses) from the second's wife. He faithfully delivers them. *Type 1364; Wesselski Märchen 187 No. 2; English: Wells 55 (Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight). |
| M242 | Bargains and promises between mortals and supernatural beings. (Cf. M221, M222, M223.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M242.1 | Mortal fosters fairy child to prevent destruction of crops. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M242.2 | Contract between hungry god and untouchable: to give gods food it they will eat from his hands. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M242.3 | Ogre released in return for his magic girdle. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (Z-G. 13/152, 221, 1314). |
| M244 | Bargains between men and animals. |
| M244.1 | Bargain with king of mice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M244.2 | Captured bird promises to deliver fifteen birds in exchange for freedom. Africa (Cameroon): Lederbogen 73. |
| M246 | Covenant of friendship. |
| M246.1 | Covenant of friendship between animals. |
| M246.1.1 | Covenant of friendship between elephant and jackal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M246.1.2 | Covenant of friendship between louse and crow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M246.2 | Covenant of friendship: no matter how poor son of one is, daughter of other will accept him as groom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M246.3 | Covenant of friendship: to secure brides for each other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M250 | Promises connected with death. |
| M251 | Dying man's promise will be kept. Fb "love" II 452a. |
| M252 | Promise of dying man to bring news of other world. (Or two friends agree that the first to die shall bring news.) *Type 470; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 305 No. 6, 323 Nos. 112, 113, 329 Nos. 31, 33; Irish: Beal XXI 331f., O'Suilleabhain 99—102, *Cross; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas VI 123, 311. |
| M253 | Friends in life and death. In pursuance of the pledge, the living follows the other to the world of the dead. *Type 470; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 561; **MacKay The Double Invitation; Jewish Neuman. |
| M254 | Promise to be buried with wife if she dies first. *Type 612; *BP I 128. |
| M255 | Deathbed promise concerning the second wife. Promises his dying wife that he will not marry unless the bride meets the specifications the dying wife imposes. *Type 510B; *Cox 53—79 passim; De Vries Studien over Færösche Balladen 133; Icelandic: Boberg; Danish: Grundtvig No. 135. |
| M256 | Promise to dying man broken. |
| M256.1 | Sons break promise to have masses for father's soul. "If he is in Hell it will do him no good; if he is in Heaven he won't need it; and if he is in Purgatory he can purge himself." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M257 | Dying monster's request and promise. Hero is to drink his blood, suck his eyes and brains, and give his heart to his loved one to eat. He will become marvelously strong and his wife will have three sons and four daughters with great powers. Köhler-Bolte I 117; Gascon: Bladé I 3, 181; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M257.1 | Dying hero's request and promise to disciples. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M257.2 | Murdered person's request and promise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M258 | Promise to dying man sacred. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M258.1 | Promise to dying father leads to adventures. Type 884; *BP II 56ff. |
| M258.2 | Promise to dying father not to wed woman of certain tribe. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M258.3 | Promise to dying father to bury him in his homeland. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M260 | Other promises. |
| M261 | Chaste woman promises herself to her lover when the rocks leave the coast. (They are moved by magic.) Robinson Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer (Cambridge, Mass., 1933) 826 (Franklin's Tale); **Dempster and Tatlock in Bryan and Dempster Sources and Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales 333—56; Irish myth: Cross; cf. Type 976. |
| M261.1 | Chaste woman promises herself to her lover when he can make a garden bloom in winter. (Cf. H352.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M261.1.1 | Raja to marry girl when cut mango branch blooms. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M261.2 | Princess promises to embrace her teacher on her wedding day. Teacher has only been testing her promise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M262 | Person promises to have but one consort if he is cured. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M263 | Retreat in return for cessation of attack. Host agrees to march back a day's journey if warrior will cease his feats of arms upon them until a certain battle in the future. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M266 | Man promises to build church if he is saved at sea. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 145ff., (1931) 107ff.; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 134 No. 85; Italian Novella: Rotunda; West Indies: Flowers 562. |
| M267 | Promise to give another one's wife for a day. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M268 | Marriage promised to save life. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M271 | Sons agree to meet at father's grave after they have been out in world for one year to learn trade. Chinese: Graham. |
| M272 | Supernatural woman promises to return if she gives birth to a boy. Chinese: Graham. |
| M290 | Bargains and promises—miscellaneous. |
| M291 | Trickster undertakes impossible bargains and collects his part. Trusts that in the year he is given either he or the other will die. Chauvin VIII 117ff. No. 101 n. 1. |
| M292 | Wife undertakes man's penances for him: also to go to heaven for him? He has a dream and when he sees that she also goes to heaven for him he decides against the bargain. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 287. |
| M293 | Covenant: one nation not to wrest city from inhabitants without their consent. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M294 | Divine promise not to destroy sinful city if righteous live there. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M295 | Bargain to keep secret. |
| M295.1 | Tiger lets man go on condition he does not tell what he has overheard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M296 | Two men in love agree to have nothing to do with the girl without the other's consent. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 153. |
| M300 | Prophecies. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Divination"; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 326, 334f.; Schott Weissagen und Erfüllung im deutschen Volksmärchen (München, 1936). |
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