Folklore Database · Browse
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 |
|---|---|
| B604.1 | Marriage to snake. (Cf. B613.1.)—Fb "slange" III 363a; *BP II 251.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 388, 1354; Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 49, 176.—Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 272; Buin: Wheeler 43; San Cristoval (Solomon Islands): Beckwith Myth 104.—Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 75, (Greenland): Rink 186, Rasmussen I 148, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 178f., (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 555; (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 516.—S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 65. |
| B604.2 | Marriage to tortoise. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Benga): Nassau 134 No. 15. |
| B604.2.1 | Marriage to turtle. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B604.3 | Marriage to crocodile. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B604.4 | Marriage to lizard. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Fang): Einstein 152. |
| B604.5 | Marriage to frog. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Luba): DeClerq Zs. f. Kolonialsprachen IV 211, (Togo): Einstein 7. |
| B605 | Marriage to dragon. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 64f. |
| B610 | Animal paramour. |
| B610.1 | Girl's animal lover slain by spying relatives. BP I 69f. (Gr. No. 8a).—Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 267 No. 78.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 345 n. 244. |
| B611 | Beast paramour. (Cf. B601.) |
| B611.1 | Bear paramour. (Cf. B601.1., B631, B635.) India: Thompson-Balys.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 345 nn. 244, 245. |
| B611.2 | Dog paramour. (Cf. B601.2, B642.)—India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 456; Siberian and North Pacific Coast Natives: Jochelson JE VI 374. |
| B611.3 | Horse paramour. Hindu: Penzer IV 16, IX 153; Japanese: Ikeda; *N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 348 n. 254a. |
| B611.3.1 | Sea-horse paramour. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B611.3.2 | Lake-horse paramour. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B611.4 | Bull paramour. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 305 n. (Pasiphoe), I 299 n. 2. (Europa); Am. Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 81 No. 11. |
| B611.5 | Deer paramour. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B611.6 | Monkey paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B611.7 | Rat paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B611.8 | Tapir paramour. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 60. |
| B612 | Fish paramour. (Cf. B603.)—*Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 140 n. 1.—Japanese: Ikeda.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 187. |
| B612.1 | Eel paramour. Maori, Mangaia: Dixon 55; Samoa, Mangaia: Beckwith Myth 103; Hawaii: ibid. 136. |
| B612.2 | Dolphin as paramour. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B613 | Reptile paramour. (Cf. B604.) |
| B613.1 | Snake paramour. (Cf. B604.1.) Armenian: Ananikian 74; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda, Anesaki 332.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 344 n. 239.—S. A. Indian (Warrau, Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 272; (Amazonia) ibid. 286; (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 65f.—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 142 No. 20. |
| B613.1.1 | Snake woman as paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B613.2 | Crocodile paramour. Africa (Fang): Trilles 162, (Ekoi): Talbot 333. |
| B613.3 | Lizard paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B614 | Bird paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B620 | Animal suitor. Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| B620.1 | Daughter promised to animal suitor. *Types 425, 552; *BP II 232 III 424ff.—India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 65 No. 3. |
| B621 | Beast as suitor. |
| B621.1 | Bear as suitor. (Cf. B601.1, B611.1, B635.1.)—Fb "björn" IV 43a. |
| B621.2 | Lion as suitor. Fable: Halm Aesop No. 249, Babrius No. 98, Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 32), 70 (ET 344), 107 (ST 198). |
| B621.3 | Tiger as suitor. Chinese: Graham; India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian: (Jivarу): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 148. |
| B621.4 | Rat as suitor. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| B621.5 | Leopard as suitor. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B621.6 | Pig as suitor. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 77. |
| B621.7 | Horse as suitor. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 79. |
| B621.8 | Wolf and wolverine fight over girl. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 38. |
| B622 | Reptile as wooer. |
| B622.1 | Serpent as wooer. Fb "slange" III 363a.; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B622.2 | Crocodile as wooer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B622.3 | Tortoise as wooer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B623 | Bird as wooer. |
| B623.1 | Crane as wooer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B623.2 | Owl as suitor. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 154. |
| B623.3 | Magpie as suitor. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| B623.4 | Crow as suitor. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| B623.5 | Cock as suitor. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 77. |
| B625 | Fish as wooer. |
| B625.0.1 | Half-man, half-fish as wooer. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 30. |
| B630 | Offspring of marriage to animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B631 | Human offspring from marriage to animal. *Type 301, 650; *BP II 300ff., 285ff., especially 293; *Dickson Valentine and Orson 123 n. 76; *Krappe Le Moyen Age XLI 96ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Gaster Oldest Stories 169; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Japanese: Anesaki 332; N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Teit MAFLS XI 42; Danish: Boberg. |
| B631.0.1 | Son warns animal mother. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B631.0.2 | Boy kills his animal father for reward. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1169. |
| B631.1 | Animal mother of man helps him. Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese 274. |
| B631.2 | Human beings descended from seals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B631.3 | Fish bears men-children. Has swallowed rinsings of man's mouth. —India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B631.4 | Lioness bears man child. Africa (Lamba): Doke MAFLS XX 14 No. 11. |
| B631.5 | Cow bears man child. Africa (Lamba): Doke MAFLS XX 14 No. 11. |
| B631.6 | Tigress bears men-children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B631.7 | Human offspring of marriage of person and jaguar. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 62, (Eastern Brazil): Lowie BBAE CXLIII I 434. |
| B631.8 | Human offspring of marriage of person and lion. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1170. |
| B631.9 | Human offspring of marriage of person and snake. S. A. Indian (Tapirape): Wagley-Galvao BBAE 143 III 253. |
| B632 | Animal offspring from marriage to animal. *Fb "kvinde" II 339b, "menneske" II 577b; *MacCulloch Childhood 263ff.; Cox 487.—Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 413, 465, Holm 56, 82, Rasmussen I 363, III 200, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 167, 226, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 637, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 80.—N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin Hewitt RBAE XXXII No. 9; cf. Thompson Tales 347 n. 247, 248.—Africa (Zulu): Callaway 79, 349. |
| B633 | Human and animal offspring from marriage to animal. *Wesselski Märchen 247 No. 57. |
| B634 | Monstrous offspring from animal marriage. Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1169, 1354. |
| B634.1 | Monstrous offspring of sea-horse and woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B635 | Human foster-child with animal qualities. |
| B635.1 | The Bear's Son. Human son of woman who marries a bear acquires bear characteristics. (Cf. B601.1.)—*Type 301; *BP II 300ff.; Cosquin I 6; MacCulloch Childhood 270; Panzer Beowulf I 246; *Wesselski Märchen 249 No. 57; *Fb "bjørn" IV 42b; *Dickson Valentine and Orson 118 nn. 49, 50, 172 n. 30. |
| B635.1.1 | Eaten meat of bear-lover causes unborn son to have bear characteristics. (Cf. B611.1.)—Hrolfs saga Kraka 53. |
| B635.1.2 | Bear's foster child not used to sun and light. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 53. |
| B635.1.3 | Bear says he is boy's father; asks food. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 47. |
| B635.2 | Wolf boy (girl) running around with wolf and cubs recovered by parents after six years: recognized by scar. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B635.3 | Child of mortal and deer has deer's hair on temple. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B635.3.1 | Culture hero licked by deer mother. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B635.4 | Son of dog ("cu," person). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B635.4.1 | Son of three dogs ("con," persons). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B636 | Offspring of human and animal intercourse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B640 | Marriage to person in animal form. |
| B640.1 | Marriage to beast by day and man by night. (Cf. D621.)—*Type 425. See references for D621.—*Tegethoff Amor-Psyche 17; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B641 | Marriage to person in beast form. (Cf. B601, B651.) |
| B641.1 | Marriage to person in dog form. (Cf. B635.4, D141.)—Irish myth: Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 168; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 421.—Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 244; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 347 n. 247; S. A. Indian (Chaco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369. |
| B641.2 | Marriage to woman in deer form. (Cf. D114.1.) Irish myth: Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 168; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B641.2.1 | Marriage to man in deer form. Africa (Swazi): Bourhill and Drake Fairy Tales from South Africa 212ff. No. 18. |
| B641.3 | Marriage to god in bull form. (Cf. B611.4, D133.2)—*Frazer Fasti IV 74 nn. 2, 3 (Europa). |
| B641.4 | Marriage to person in ass form. (Cf. D132.1.)—*Type 430. |
| B641.5 | Marriage to person in hedgehog form. *Type 441; BP II 234, 482. |
| B641.6 | Marriage to person in horse form. Africa (Hausa): Mischlich Neue Märchen aus Africa 186ff. |
| B641.7 | Marriage to person in monkey form. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B641.8 | Marriage to person in opossum form. S. A. Indian (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3). 132. |
| B642 | Marriage to person in bird form. (Cf. B602, D150.).—Type 432; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B643 | Marriage to person in insect form. |
| B643.3 | Marriage to person in caterpillar form. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B644 | Marriage to person in fish form. India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 52. |
| B645 | Marriage to person in amphibian form. |
| B645.1 | Marriage of person to transformed toad. Korean: Zong in-Sob 176 No. 76. |
| B645.1.1 | Marriage to person in toad form. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B645.1.2 | Marriage to person in frog form. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B645.2 | Marriage to person in crocodile form. (Cf. D194.)—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 38; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B646 | Marriage to person in reptile form. (Cf. B604, B652.) |
| B646.1 | Marriage to person in snake form. (Cf. D191.) Type 433.—India: *Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Zulu): Callaway 57, 321, (Kaffir): Theal 48, (Basuto): Jacottet 126 No. 18, 146 No. 20. |
| B646.1.1 | Marriage to person in form of five-headed snake. Africa (Hausa): Stigand Black Tales for White Children 83ff. No. 13. |
| B647 | Marriage to person in animal form—miscellaneous. |
| B647.1 | Marriage to person in crustacean form. |
| B647.1.1 | Marriage to person in crab form. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B648 | Man becomes deer and marries deer. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 348 n. 252. |
| B650 | Marriage to animal in human form. Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese 272. |
| B650.1 | Animal transformed to man wants to marry woman. Indonesian: De Vries' list No. 156. |
| B651 | Marriage to beast in human form. (Cf. B601, B641.) |
| B651.1 | Marriage to fox in human form. *N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 342 n. 233 ("The Fox Woman").—Chinese: Krappe CFQ III (1944) 124, 129ff., 136f., 141, Eberhard FFC CXX 49, 214.—Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 144, 427, Rasmussen I 150, III 76, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 222—224, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 156, (Ungava) Turner RBAE XI 264; Koryak: Jochelsen JE VI 364; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 144ff. |
| B651.2 | Marriage to buffalo in human form. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 339 n. 222 ("The Piqued Buffalo Wife"). |
| B651.3 | Marriage to lion in human form. Africa (Angola): Chatelain 145 No. 15. |
| B651.4 | Marriage to dog in human form. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 258; Chinese: Werner 421. |
| B651.5 | Marriage to deer in human form. India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Maropa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 448. |
| B651.6 | Marriage to wolf in human form. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 258.—Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 38. |
| B651.7 | Marriage to bear in human form. Eskimo (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 176, (Greenland): Holm 82, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 638f., (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 76. |
| B651.8 | Marriage to seal in human form. Helge Holmström Svanjung-frumotivet 1919, 84ff.; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 258. |
| B651.9 | Marriage to tiger in human form. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B651.10 | Marriage to squirrel in human form. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B651.11 | Marriage to leopard in human form. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 52. |
| B652 | Marriage to bird in human form. |
| B652.1 | Marriage to swan-maiden. See all references for D361.1. |
| B652.2 | Man marries crane in human form. Japanese: Ikeda, Anesaki 324. |
| B652.3 | Marriage to dove-maiden. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 260. |
| B652.4 | Marriage to woodpecker in human form. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 146. |
| B653 | Marriage to insect in human form. |
| B653.1 | Marriage to bee in human form. Indonesian: Dixon 219. |
| B654 | Marriage to fish in human form. Irish myth: Cross (B612.0.1); India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 47f., 142; Africa (Congo): Weeks 216. |
| B655 | Marriage to amphibia in human form. |
| B656 | Marriage to reptile in human form. (Cf. B604, B642.) |
| B656.1 | Marriage to python in human form. Africa (Kaffir): Kidd 249. |
| B656.2 | Marriage to serpent in human form. Hindu: Penzer VI 73 n. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indo-Chinese: Scott 276; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 66; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 76, 201.—Krappe CFQ III (1944) 138ff. |
| B659 | Marriage to other animals in human form. |
| B670 | Unusual mating between animals. |
| B671 | Goose mates with crow. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 884. |
| B672 | Mythical tiger has family of jaguars. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 155. |
| B690 | Marriage of person to animal—miscellaneous. |
| B691 | Relatives kill animal-husband but wife throws herself into pyre. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B700 | Fanciful traits of animals. |
| B710 | Fanciful origin of animals. |
| B710.1 | Fanciful origin of the jackal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B710.2 | Clever and swift horse of fanciful origin. |
| B710.2.1 | Clever and swift horse fed with worms' milk on the gold mountain Tecklen in India. Icel.: *Boberg. |
| B710.2.2 | Clever and swift horse of dromedary-family. Göngu-Hrуlfs saga 239. |
| B712 | Barnacle goose. Goose born from barnacles.—*Chauvin VII 18 No. 373C; Fb "and" IV 12b; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Baumgans"; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B713 | Animal born from animal carcass. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| B713.1 | Bees born from carcass of ox. Frazer Fasti of Ovid II 157. |
| B713.2 | Animal born from putrification. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B714 | Worm (monster) from caul born with child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B715 | The cow Audhumla sprang from the dripping rime of the creation of the universe. (Cf. A1245.4. and B19.2.1.)—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 324. |
| B716 | Animal born from human or animal bones. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B717 | Animal born from earth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B720 | Fanciful bodily members of animals. |
| B721 | Cat's luminous eye.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeil".; Icel.: Boberg. |
| B722 | Magic stone in animal's head. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B722.1 | Magic love-working stone in swallow's head.—Fb. "svale" III 661b. |
| B722.2 | Magic stone in dog's forehead. Fb "hund" I 678. |
| B722.3 | Luminous jewel in animal's head. *Cosquin Contes indiens 254ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B722.4 | Earthworm has light in its tail. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B723 | Tortoise has no liver or teeth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B724 | Spider has no blood in body. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B725 | Female bears have no breasts to nurse their young; suck paws. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B726 | Double snake—male and female. Africa (Baluba): Einstein 182. |
| B730 | Fanciful color, smell, etc. of animals. |
| B731 | Fanciful color of animal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.0.1 | Animals of strange and varied coloring. *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt II 322 n. 1. |
| B731.1 | Green she-goat. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chèvre". |
| B731.2 | Green horse. Howey Horse in Magic and Myth 7. |
| B731.2.1 | Horse with crimson mane and green legs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.2.2 | Artificially colored horses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.2.3 | Striped horse with purple mane and white feet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.3 | Multicolored llama. Wool red, blue, and yellow. No need to dye it for weaving.—Chincha (peru): Alexander Lat. Am. 230. |
| B731.4 | Cow with changing colors. Changes every four hours: white, red, black.—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 310 n. 3. |
| B731.4.1 | Cow with white ears. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.4.2 | Cow with red ears. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.5 | Silver, gold, and diamond birds. Czech: Tille FFC XXXIV 162. |
| B731.6 | Hound of every color. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.6.0.1 | Polychromatic dogs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.6.1 | Hound half white, half green. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.6.2 | Blue dogs and cats. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.7 | Fancifully colored deer. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.7.1 | Stag with stripe of every color. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.7.2 | Fawn with golden lustre. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.8 | Red (green) swine. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.9 | Purple wether. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.9.1 | Ram with green feet and horns. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.10 | Multicolored worm (serpent). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.11 | Blue serpent. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.12 | Silver fish with gold fins. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B731.13 | Bird with changing color. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B731.14 | Hyena with three hundred sixty-five different colors. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B732 | Panther's sweet smell protects him from other beasts. Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 37ff. (Odo of Cheriton), Hervieux Fabulistes latins IV No. 60. |
| B733 | Animals are spirit-sighted. Scent danger.—Swiss; Jegerlehner Oberwallis 298 No. 9—Irish myth: Cross. Cf. B120. Wise animals. |
| B733.1 | Balaam's ass perceives angel. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B733.2 | Dogs howling indicates death. Argentina: Jijena Sanchez Perro Negro 115; Fb "hund" I 676 b; Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 473. |
| B733.2.1 | Cock hears inaudible voice of dying man. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B735 | Bird gives milk. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 102 No. 15, (Kaffir): Theal 33; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B736 | Animal sheds tears. |
| B736.1 | Bird sheds tears. (Cf. D1505.5.1.)—Spanish Boggs FFC XC 59 No. 425D.; Irish myth. Cross. |
| B736.2 | Horse sheds tears (of blood). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B736.3 | Dog sheds tears. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B736.4 | Fox sheds tears. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B736.5 | Stag sheds tears. German: Grimm No. 11. |
| B736.6 | Calf sheds tears. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B737 | Fish with coat of wool. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B738 | Animal's skin revolves while flesh and bones remain stationary. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B739 | Fanciful color, smell etc. of animals—miscellaneous. |
| B739.1 | Magic cock has elixir in his body which makes people light. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 222. |
| B740 | Fanciful marvelous strength of animals. |
| B741 | Lion's roar causes havoc at 300 miles. At 300 miles all women miscarry, at 200 teeth of all men drop out.—Gaster Exempla 187 No. 7; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B741.1 | Cry of giant ox impregnates all fish. Persian: Carnoy 289. |
| B741.2 | Neighing of stallion in Assyria impregnates mares in Egypt.—*De Vries FFC LXXIII 375. |
| B741.3 | Cow whose bellowing defeats army. *Liebrecht Zur Volkskunde 71; Norse: *Boberg. |
| B741.4 | Bellow of bull heard over entire land. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B742 | Animal breathes fire. Gaster Oldest Stories 69. |
| B742.1 | Lion breathes fire. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "lion". |
| B742.2 | Birds spit fire. English: Wells 104 (Alexander and Dindimus); Irish myth: Cross. |
| B742.3 | Fire-breathing horses. Hartland Science 243. |
| B742.4 | Fire-breathing dogs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B743 | Blowing serpent. Can blow through seven church walls but not through a pair of hose.—Fb "blæseorm". |
| B744 | Animal travels extraordinary distance. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B745 | Indestructibility of leech. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B746 | Bear could formerly lift mountain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B747 | Animal's strong teeth. |
| B747.1 | Strong teeth of lion. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B747.2 | Locusts with jaw teeth strong as lion's. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B747.3 | Mice gnaw through metal vessels. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B748 | Snake shoots rapids of mighty river. S. A. Indian (Pilcomayo River Tribes): Belaieff BBAE CXLIII (1) 379. |
| B750 | Fanciful habits of animals. |
| B751 | Animal's fanciful treatment of their young. |
| B751.1 | Snake swallows young to protect them. *Speck JAFL XXXVI 298; England, U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Coll. I 637f. |
| B751.2 | Pelican kills young and revives them with own blood. Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 37ff. (Odo of Cheriton), Hervieux Fabulistes latins IV No. 57. |
| B751.3 | Eagle tests eaglets by having them gaze at sun. Herbert III 38 (Odo of Cheriton), Hervieux Fabulistes latins IV No. 10; Gaster Thespis 30. |
| B751.4 | The lion blows first life into its cubs three days after their birth. Zs. für deutsche Philol. XXVI 25. |
| B751.5 | Animal neglects its young. Jewish: Neuman (raven, jackal, ostrich). |
| B751.6 | Wolf strongly attracted to his own children. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B752 | Fanciful behavior of animal at death. |
| B752.1 | Swan song. Swan sings as she dies.—Fb "svane" III 663b. |
| B752.2 | Snake does not die before sunset.—Fb "orm" II 759a; U.S.: Baughman. |
| B752.3 | Snake kills itself by biting part of body (when in danger or torture). U.S.: Baughman. |
| B754 | Sexual habits of animals. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| B754.0.1 | Unusual sexual union of animals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B754.1 | Animal changes sex periodically. |
| B754.1.1 | Hyena changes sex yearly. Fable: Halm Aesop 405, Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 251), 131 (ST 376, 401); Jewish: Neuman. |
| B754.1.2 | Hare changes sex periodically. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B754.2 | Elephants have sexual desire only after eating mandrakes. English: Wells 182 (The Bestiary). |
| B754.3 | Lions do not mate with their fellows, but prefer leopards. (Cf. Q551.3.)—*Krappe Balor 82; Frazer Apollodorus I 401. |
| B754.3.1 | Female rattlesnakes mate with black snakes rather than with male rattlesnakes. U.S.: Baughman. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.