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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 |
|---|---|
| M359.7 | Prophecy: rich man will have a son but the son will marry a poor girl. Chinese: Graham. |
| M359.8 | Deluge prophesied. Chinese: Graham. |
| M359.9 | Prophecy of famine. Chinese: Graham. |
| M359.10 | Thievery a predestined lot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M360 | Other prophecies. |
| M361 | Fated hero. Only certain hero will succeed in exploit. Dickson 132 n. 108; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Sturlaugs saga Starfsama; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M361.1 | Prophecy: certain hero to achieve Holy Grail. English romance: Malory XIV 2. |
| M362 | Prophecy: death of ruler to insure victory. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M363 | Coming of religious leader prophesied. (Cf. M300.1.) |
| M363.1 | Coming of Christ (Christianity) prophesied. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M363.1.1 | Coming of Antichrist prophesied. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M363.2 | Prophecy: coming of Messiah. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M363.2.1 | Prophecy: woman to be ancestress of David and the Messiah. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M364 | Various prophecies connected with saints (or holy men). Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M364.1 | Prophecy: saint's monastery will be persecuted. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.1.1 | Prophecy: founding of church at certain place by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.2 | Prophecy: remission of tax through endeavor of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.3 | Prophecy: saint will succeed in conversion. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.3.1 | Prophecy: sinners going to heaven are to be numbered by hairs in saint's chasuble. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.3.2 | Prophecy: great numbers (three) to be saved through virtue of saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.4 | Place of saint's resurrection prophesied. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.4.1 | Saint's resurrection to take place where chariot breaks down. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.5 | Prophecy: vicinity in which saint lost tooth will be deserted by heathen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.6 | Prophecy: rainbow will appear at saint's death. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.7 | Coming (birth) of saint prophesied. (Cf. M363.1.2.) Loomis White Magic 17; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.7.1 | Coming of saint prophesied by druids. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.7.2 | Coming of saint (Christianity) prophesied by heathen. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.7.3 | Bishop foretells birth of saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.7.4 | Prophecy: unborn child shall be nun. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.8 | Prophecy: miraculous removal of saint's bones. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M364.8.1 | Saint foretells desecration of his bones. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.9 | Hero prophesies that one-half of the churches in Ireland shall be named for Ciaran. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.10 | Destruction and rebuilding of church foreseen by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M364.11 | Everyone buried in saint's soil shall go to heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M365 | Prophecy: eternal peace in an early death or long troublesome life. (Cf. M369.7.) Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Achilleus". |
| M365.1 | Prophecy: hero may win fame but die early. Chooses fame. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M365.2 | Son to be brave and wise but not to remain and cause mother to weep. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M365.3 | Prophecy: girl will be perfect in love but will die in a desert overcome by separation from her love. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M366 | Prophecy: hero may win lady's love but die early. Chooses this rather than long life without her. Icelandic: Völsunga saga 53. |
| M367 | Prophecy: immunity from certain types of death. |
| M367.1 | Immunity from wet or dry, steel or wood, sword or javelin, by day or by night. Man killed at edge of sea, at twilight, with force of sea and thunderbolt. India: Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Keith 133. |
| M368 | Prophecy: punishment for misappropriation of property. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M369 | Miscellaneous prophecies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.1 | Prophecies that person will tell three (two) falsehoods before death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M369.2 | Prophecies concerning love and marriage. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.2.1 | Future husband (wife) foretold. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.2.1.1 | Prophecy of king taking a cruel stepmother to her sons after her death enacted before eyes of dying queen by sparrow family living in tree by palace window. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.2.1.2 | Prophecy: princess will marry a bastard. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M369.2.2 | Prophecy: lovers not destined to meet in life will never part after death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M369.2.3 | Prophecy: marriage when one is twelve years old. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.2.4 | Prophecy: if the raja marries certain girl he will prosper. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.2.5 | Prophecy: descendant of mistress shall serve that of handmaid. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.3 | Prophecy that certain person will fight particular battle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.4 | Names of future kings foretold. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.4.1 | Prophecy that bird will become king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.5 | Prophecies concerning invasion and conquest. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M369.5.1 | Signs before destruction of Jerusalem. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.6 | Time and place of landing of returning heroes prophesied. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M369.7 | Prophecy about birth of children. (Cf. M365.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M369.7.1 | Prophecy: birth of twins. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.7.2 | Prophecy about birth of heir. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M369.7.3 | Prophecy: sex of unborn child. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M369.8 | Prophecies about children born at the same time. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.9 | Prophecy: king will have head pounded by strange queen. Due to peculiar set of circumstances this happens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M369.10 | Prophecy: boy to be great hunter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M370 | Vain attempts to escape fulfillment of prophecy. (Cf. M341.2.10, M343, M344.) *Type 930; **Aarne FFC XXIII 110ff.; *BP IV 116 n. 10; *Fb "rig" III 55a; *Cosquin études 27ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Grote I 85; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 109, 428, 598, II 1220; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 202 No. 149; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 103. |
| M370.1 | Prophecy of death fulfilled. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 932A*; Russian: Andrejev No. 932I*; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVII No. 932*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M370.1.1 | Prophecy wittingly fulfilled by wazir that he will murder the raja, but unwittingly causes his own death twelve years hence. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M371 | Exposure of infant to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. *Type 930; **Aarne FFC XXIII 56, 91; *Encyc. Religion and Ethics s.v. "Abandonment and exposure"; *Krappe Revue de l'Histoire des Religions CVII (1933) 126ff.; Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; Greek: Fox 5, 118; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M371.0.1 | Abandonment in forest to avoid fulfillment of prophecy India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M371.0.2 | Father throws boy of boy-girl twin birth into river to avoid evil effects of twin birth. Africa (Fang): Tessman 91. |
| M371.1 | Exposure (murder) of child to avoid fulfillment of prophecy of future greatness. Parent fears that the child will overcome him. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 167; Icelandic: De la Saussaye 142; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek; Fox 6f.; India: Thompson-Balys |
| M371.2 | Exposure of child to prevent fulfillment of parricide prophecy. *Type 931; Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Fox 48 (Oedipus); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M371.3 | Murder of child to prevent fulfillment of prophecy of ruin she will bring upon kingdom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M372 | Confinement in tower to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Type 932*; Köhler in Gonzenbach II 222; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 91 No. 77; Chauvin V 253 No. 150, VIII 105 No. 80; Irish myth: *Cross; Russian: Andrejev No. 932*; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda, Basile Pentamerone III No. 3, IV No. 6; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M372.1 | Confinement in iron house below surface of earth to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M373 | Expulsion to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. *Types 517, 671, 725; Köhler-Bolte I 145; *BP I 322ff.; Cox 500; MacCulloch Childhood 354; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 204. |
| M375 | Slaughter of innocents to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. *Hartland Perseus I 14; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M375.1 | All male children killed for fear that they will overcome parent. Africa (Zulu): Callaway 41. |
| M375.2 | Slaughter of children to prevent fulfillment of parricide prophecy. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Keith 171. |
| M375.3 | Child mutilated to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M375.4 | Wooers slain to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M376 | God swallows his pregnant wife to prevent birth of son whom he fears. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 24 n. 1. |
| M376.1 | Exposure of pregnant woman to avoid fulfillment of prophecy concerning future child. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M376.2 | Murder of pregnant woman to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M376.3 | Children swallowed one after the other as they are born for fear one of them will overcome father. Greek: Grote I 6. |
| M376.4 | Delivery of child fated to rule retarded in order to avoid fulfillment of prophecy. Greek: Grote I 88. |
| M377 | Sword that is to kill one is weighted and sunk so as to avoid the prophecy. (Cf. M341.2.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M377.1 | Stone that is to kill one powdered and thrown into distant sea. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M381 | Man whose death has been prophesied takes refuge in church, but is accidentally slain through window by arrow directed at stag. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M382 | Futile moving to avoid death. Man told by Death he will die where he stands sells everything and moves to another town. He goes for a ride on a mare which runs away with him and throws him on the spot he so dreads, killing him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M390 | Prophecies—miscellaneous motifs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M391 | Fulfillment of prophecy. |
| M391.1 | Fulfillment of prophecy successfully avoided. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M391.1.1 | Prophecy of misfortune for prince avoided successfully in one respect. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M391.2 | Wandering skull fulfills prophecy. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M392 | Queen dies from fright from evil prophecy. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M393 | Favorable prophecies: blessings, beatitudes. |
| M393.1 | Child pronounces blessing according to which countries are to be filled with what they are later famous for. India. Thompson-Balys. |
| M394 | Hero's coming prophesied. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M395 | Prophecy: son of certain name will become king; all sons given the name. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M396 | Prophecy: meeting will take place only after death. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M397 | Prophecy: hunters will encounter certain wild boar. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M398 | Futility of weather prophecies. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 72, 110. |
| M400 | Curses. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Cursing and Blessing"; Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 326, 328, O'Suilleabhain 73, 88; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 205ff.; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M401 | Cursing match (flyting). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402 | Satire. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402.1 | Woman satirist. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402.1.1 | Woman satirists punished in hell. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M402.2 | No one to go security for a satirist. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M403 | Curse of everlasting terror. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 318. |
| M404 | Unintentional curse or blessing takes effect. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M410 | Pronouncement of curses. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 119. |
| M411 | Deliverer of curse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.0.1 | Curse by oneself. The person in despair curses himself to sink with palace into the earth. Lithuanian: Balys Historical; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.1 | Curse by parent. Penzer IV 230 n. 2; Irish myth: *Cross; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3591; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Greek: Fox 50 (Oedipus), Grote I 247; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.1.1 | Curse by stepmother. (Cf. S31.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Modern Icelandic: Rittershaus 34, 48, 50, 58, 66, 161, Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII xxviii ff. |
| M411.1.2 | Curse by foster mother. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M411.2 | Beggar's curse. Beggar is refused request. "May your bread turn to stones!" *Kittredge Witchcraft 132, 452 n. 52; England: Baughman; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 183; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.3 | Dying man's curse. Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Aeschylus Agamemnon 235. |
| M411.4 | Man pursued by hatred of the gods. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 74ff., *Cross; Greek: Grote I 147; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.4.1 | Curse by a god. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M411.5 | Old woman's curse (satire). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 106; Italian: Basile Pentamerone |
| M411.6 | Druid's curse. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.6.1 | Druid's curse makes land sterile. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.7 | Curse by spirit. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M411.8 | Saint's (prophet's) curse. *Loomis White Magic 100f.; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.8.1 | Saints curse by ringing bells against offender. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.8.2 | Hermit curses men who kill his pet bear and all the men die. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| M411.8.3 | Curses on places because of offensive answer to saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M411.8.4 | Animals cursed by saint. (Cf. M471.) *Loomis White Magic 100f. |
| M411.8.5 | Saint curses books hidden by inhospitable host: no man shall read them. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.9 | Giantess lays a curse on the one on earth who eventually hears her. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M411.10 | Curse by berserk, giant (ogre). Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.11 | Curse by girl in revenge of the murdering of her foster father. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M411.11.1 | Curse by amazon, "skjaldmær". (Cf. F565.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M411.12 | Curse by witch. (Cf. G269.4.) Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.13 | Curse by thrall. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M411.14 | Curse by priest. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M411.14.1 | Priest curses sinner: even his grave shall not rest. The grave rolls like a wave. U.S.: Baughman. |
| M411.14.2 | Curse by anchorite. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.14.3 | Brahmin's curse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.15 | Curse by monk. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M411.16 | Fairy lays curse on village. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| M411.17 | Curse by king. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.18 | Curse by poet. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M411.19 | Curse by animal. |
| M411.19.1 | Curse by wounded animal. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.19.2 | Ox curses ungrateful man. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 812. |
| M411.20 | Curse by spouse. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M411.21 | Curse by disguised deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.22 | Curse by head of religious order. England: *Baughman. |
| M411.23 | Curse by other wronged man or woman. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| M411.24 | Curse on city by sage. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M412 | Time of giving curse. |
| M412.1 | Curse given at birth of child. *Type 410; *BP I 434; Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 70 (to Gonzenbach No. 28); Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M412.2 | Curse given on wedding night. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M413 | Place of giving curse. |
| M413.1 | Curse given from a height. Will fall with full effect on objects at which it is aimed. Irish: Plummer clxxiv, Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M414 | Recipient of curse. |
| M414.1 | God cursed. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M414.2 | Goddess cursed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M414.3 | Saint cursed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M414.4 | Four year old girl cursed. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M414.5 | King cursed. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| M414.6 | Poet cursed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M414.7 | Hostages cursed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M414.8 | Animals cursed. |
| M414.8.1 | Mice (rats, cats) cursed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M414.8.2 | Pigs cursed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M414.8.3 | Serpent cursed. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M414.8.4 | Birds cursed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M414.9 | Curse on wife's lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M414.10 | Thief cursed. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| M414.11 | Man who betrays secrets cursed. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M414.12 | Earth cursed. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M414.13 | Curse on a deity. |
| M414.13.1 | Curse: god to live life of a cat for twelve full years in house of huntsman on earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M415 | Irrevocable curse. Penzer VI 103 n. 1, 162 n. 1; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M416 | Curse given to negate good wish. Odin gives man life three times the normal; Thor ordains that in each he is to commit crime. Odin gives him the choicest weapons; Thor denies him landed property, etc. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 73. |
| M416.1 | Curse: appetite of twelve men. Given with the gift of twelve men's strength. Hartland Science 144. |
| M416.2 | Curse: eternal life without eternal youth. Greek: Fox 246 (Tithonus). |
| M418 | Method of cursing. |
| M418.1 | Curse by "building a fire of stones" in fireplace. The person who removes the stones is cursed. U.S.: Baughman. |
| M420 | Enduring and overcoming curses. |
| M421 | Release from curse with birth of child. Penzer VIII 59 n. 2. |
| M422 | Curse transferred to another person or thing. Irish: Plummer clxxiii, *Cross, Beal XXI 326, O'Suilleabhain 73. |
| M423 | Curse removed when victims reform. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M425 | Curse changed by God into blessing. Jewish: Neuman. |
| M427 | Curse on everybody on earth who listens to the fatal mentioning of trolls' names, is evaded by person in cave, because he is in the earth. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M428 | Curse mitigated by deity when superhuman task is performed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M429 | Miscellaneous ways to overcome curses. (Cf. D2071.1.) |
| M429.1 | Release from curse by burning vomit. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.2 | Release from curse by putting pins around horse's heart and then boiling it. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.3 | Release from curse by burning animal in straw pile. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.4 | Release from curse by heating the colter of the plow in the stove. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.5 | Release from curse by pricking louse and hanging it on wall. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.6 | Release from curse by putting a five cent piece in the churn. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M429.7 | Release from curse by putting a piece of silver in the gun. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| M430 | Curses on persons. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M431 | Curse: bodily injury. Lagerholm 106—107; Irish myth: Cross. |
| M431.1 | Curse: loss of eye. *Type 1331; *BP II 219 n. 1; Irish myth: *Cross; and notes to J2074. |
| M431.2 | Curse: toads from mouth. *Type 403; *Roberts 208; *BP I 99ff. *Fb "tudse" III 889a; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M431.3 | Curse: fire to burn hands and feet. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 440. |
| M431.4 | Curse: arm to fall off. Irish: Plummer clxxiv, Cross. |
| M431.4.1 | Curse: hand of person cursed to drop off. U.S.: Baughman. |
| M431.5 | Curse: wound not to heal. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M431.6 | Wicked stepmother cursed to have fire lit under her. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M431.7 | Curse: leprosy. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1050. |
| M431.8 | Curse of sterility on wife of enemy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M431.9 | Curse: head to split in seven pieces. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 279. |
| M431.10 | Curse: to be plagued by nightmares. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 925. |
| M432 | Curse: to be carried off by evil spirit. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 456; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 547a nn. 127—139. |
| M433 | Endless sleep given Endymion. Greek: Fox 245. |
| M434 | Curse: to be swallowed by a siren. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M435 | Curse: not to taste food from own table. Food always seized by harpies. Greek: Fox 111. |
| M436 | Curse: prince to fall in love with witch's daughter. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7. |
| M437 | Curse: monstrous birth. |
| M437.1 | Curse: "What I carry may you carry; what you carry may I carry." Cat thus causes ungrateful pregnant woman to bear cats and herself to bear twin girls. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M437.2 | Jealous sisters curse the child one of them may have by the god Thor, so that it never will grow nor thrive. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M438 | Curse: humiliation. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M438.1 | Curse: man (poet) to kiss a leper. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M438.2 | Curse: hero not to be able to stand the sight of blood. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M438.3 | Girl bewitched so that no man will remain faithful to her. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M438.4 | Curse: hero to remain as dead till the curser dies. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M438.5 | Dying father condemns weak son to be servant of his brothers. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M441 | Curse: failure in all undertakings. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M441.1 | Curse: man's sword will fail in danger. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M441.1.1 | Curse: when brothers' swords bite the very best, they will all be killed by a single man. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M442 | Curse: deformity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M442.1 | Curse: descendants to be unshapely. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M442.2 | Curse: she-wolf to carry off man's genitals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| M443 | Curse: privation. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M443.1 | Curse: lack of food, shelter, good company. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M444 | Curse of childlessness. |
| M444.1 | Curse laid on unborn child; it is stillborn. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M445 | Giant cursed: may neither heaven nor earth receive him. Irish myth: Cross. |
| M446 | Curse: undertaking dangerous quest. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M446.1 | Curse: undertaking dangerous revenge of father. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| M448 | Curse: to sink into the earth. Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 91; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 585. |
| M448.1 | Curse: ground shall swallow children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M451 | Curse: death. England, U.S.: *Baughman; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 126. |
| M451.1 | Death by suicide. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| M451.2 | Death by drowning. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| M452 | Curse: insanity. U.S., Wales: Baughman. |
| M453 | Curse: corpse to be put in three different places after person's death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M454 | Curse: change of sex. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| M455 | Curse: restlessness. (Cf. K1837.4.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Lagerholm lxi—ii. |
| M455.1 | Hero cursed to restlessness (except on boat or in tent), till he sees girl. (Cf. D1900.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| M455.2 | Curse: not to be able to love the same woman more than twelve months. Icelandic: Boberg. |
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