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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 |
|---|---|
| E722.2.10 | Soul taken away by God (angel). Jewish: Neuman. |
| E722.2.10.1 | Chariot of gods bears astral bodies of dead to heaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E722.2.11 | Soul leaves body through eye. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 144. |
| E722.2.12 | Soul leaves body because of God's kiss on mouth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E722.3 | Circumstances of soul on leaving dead body. |
| E722.3.1 | Soul cannot go far from grave. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E722.3.1.1 | Soul remains about dead body. Chinese: Graham. |
| E722.3.2 | Soul wanders till corpse decays. Fb "lig" II 413a; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 3f.; Jewish: *Neuman; Marshall Islands: Davenport 222; Chinese: Graham. |
| E722.3.3 | Soul visits places of birth, death, baptism, and burial after leaving body. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E723 | Wraiths of persons separate from body. England, U.S.: Baughman. |
| E723.1 | Person sees his own wraith. U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E723.1.1 | Person sees his own wraith; the wraith saves his life. (Cf. E363.2.) England: Baughman. |
| E723.2 | Seeing one's wraith a sign that person is to die shortly. (Cf. F405.4.) England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E723.3 | Wraith takes place of person unable to do duty at the necessary time. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.4 | Wraith does what person wishes to do but is unable to do in the flesh. |
| E723.4.1 | Wraith returns to home and goes to bed while body is at home of friends in deep reverie. Ireland: Baughman. |
| E723.4.2 | Wraith of murderer tells authorities where to find girl he has murdered. The murderer is in church at the time. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.4.3 | Wraith of debtor tries to find his creditor at time of death. England: Baughman. |
| E723.4.4 | Wraith of dying woman goes to see children for last time before death. England: Baughman. |
| E723.4.5 | Wraith gives information of death in family. England: Baughman. |
| E723.4.6 | Wraith investigates welfare of absent person. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E723.5 | Wraith of sweetheart stays in room where lover has died. It disappears only after her death at far distant point twenty years after death of lover. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E723.6 | Appearance of his wraith as announcement of person's death. (Cf. E723.2.) England, Scotland, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E723.7 | Actions of wraith. |
| E723.7.1 | Wraith speaks. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| E723.7.2 | Wraith rings doorbell. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.7.3 | Wraith opens and closes door. England: Baughman. |
| E723.7.4 | Wraith slams gate. England: Baughman. |
| E723.7.5 | Wraith selects wood for coffin. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.7.6 | Wraith binds grain in field. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.7.7 | Wraith rides horse. (Cf. E922.1.1.3.1.) Scotland: Baughman. |
| E723.7.8 | Wraiths of persons drowning appear in dripping clothes. England: *Baughman. |
| E723.8 | Appearance of wraith as calamity omen. |
| E723.8.1 | Wraith appears before mine disaster. England: Baughman. |
| E725 | Soul leaves one body and enters another. *L. Bloomfield Proc. Am. Philosophical Soc. LVI 1; Penzer I 38; Hartland Science 227; Slavic: Máchal 228; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 438—440. |
| E725.1 | Soul leaves man's body and enters animal's. *Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 208; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E725.2 | Ghost possesses girl and she speaks in dialect unknown to her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E726 | Soul enters body and animates it. *Chauvin V 287 No. 171; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 266; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 149—179. |
| E726.1 | Soul received at birth. Jewish: Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 472. |
| E726.2 | Soul of unborn son comes out of mother's mouth (in form of stone), is kept by her, and later is given to son. (Cf. E711.7.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E726.3 | Soul reunited with body. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 89. |
| E727 | Relation of body to soul. |
| E727.1 | Debate of body and soul. Soul having left body enters into debate with the body concerning relative merits of body and soul. (Cf. H500.) English: *Wells 411; Irish: Gaidoz and Dottin Revue Celtique X part 4, *Cross. |
| E727.1.1 | Soul curses body. (Cf. M400.) Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E727.2 | Soul as vital principle. N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 149—179. |
| E727.3 | Body dependent on soul. N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 430—440. |
| E728 | Evil spirit possesses person. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E728.1 | Evil spirit cast out of person. England, U.S.: Baughman; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E728.1.1 | Evil spirit cast out of person by killing and resuscitating. Köhler-Bolte I 442ff. |
| E730 | Soul in animal form. (Cf. E721.1.2.4, E722.1.4, E734.2.) Bugiel RTP XVII 602; Tobler 19; England: Baughman; Icelandic: *MacCulloch Eddic 233; Montenegrin: Máchal 228; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 266f., 496. |
| E730.1 | Souls of animals. Slavic: Máchal 227; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E731 | Soul in form of mammal. |
| E731.1 | Soul in form of dog. Tobler 49, 54, 68; Icelandic: Boberg; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 213. |
| E731.2 | Soul in form of cat. Tobler 42, 47, 56. |
| E731.3 | Soul in form of mouse. Tobler 13ff.; *Fb "heks" I 581a, "høle" I 747a, "mus" II 631b; Sébillot RTP XX 189, 489; J. Grimm Kleinere Schriften VI 192ff.; Germanic: De la Saussaye 296, E. H. Meyer Germanische 64; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Indonesia: Kruyt 176f. |
| E731.4 | Soul in form of weasel. Tobler 19; Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 209; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 172; *E. H. Meyer Germanische 64. |
| E731.5 | Soul in form of hare. Tobler 20. |
| E731.6 | Soul in form of seal. *Fb "sælhund"; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 56, 172. |
| E731.7 | Soul in form of bat. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 1591; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7. |
| E731.8 | Soul in form of bear. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E731.9 | Soul in form of wolf. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E731.10 | Soul in form of fox. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E731.11 | Soul in form of lion. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E731.12 | Soul in form of hog. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E731.13 | Soul in form of bull. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E731.14 | Soul in form of deer. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E732 | Soul in form of bird. (Cf. G251.1.1.) **Weicker Der Seelenvogel in der alten Literatur und Kunst; *Dh III 482; *Fb "fugl" I 380b, "sjæl" III 214a; *Patch PMLA XXXIII 626 n. 88; De Gubernatis Die Thiere in der indogermanischen Mythologie (Leipzig, 1874) 469ff.; Meyer Germanische 64; *Krappe Balor 95ff., Romanic Review XV 94ff.; *Penzer VI 283; *BP II 394 (Type 707); Tobler 30f.; Wimberly 44; Kruyt 175f.; J. E. Harrison Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion 199ff.; Irish myth: *Cross, Beal XXI 322, O'Suilleabhain 99; Icelandic: *Boberg; Slavic: Máchal 229f.; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 398, 473; Egyptian: Müller 174; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda; Marquesas: Handy 36; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 266f., 363; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 60 No. 9. |
| E732.1 | Soul in form of dove. (Cf. E423.3.1.) Type 756B; Andrejev FFC LXIX 154; Tobler 28f.; *Crane Miraculis 93 No. 27; Alphabet Nos. 204, 269; Meyer Germanische 63; *Loomis White Magic 66; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 317, 320, 332, O'Suilleabhain 45, 99, 53; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 320 No. 35, 323 No. 133; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E732.2 | Soul in form of crow. (Cf. B141.4.) Tobler 31; Fb "krage" II 285b. |
| E732.3 | Soul in form of hen. Tobler 36; Fb "sjæl" III 214a. |
| E732.4 | Soul in form of magpie. Tobler 34. |
| E732.5 | Soul in form of seagull. Tobler 34; Fb "mеge" II 655b. |
| E732.6 | Soul in form of eagle. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E732.7 | Soul in form of swan. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E732.8 | Soul in form of raven. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 127—31, (1928) 91—95; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E732.9 | Soul in form of hawk, or falcon seen in dream. (Cf. E720.1.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E733 | Soul in form of reptile. |
| E733.1 | Soul in form of serpent. Tobler 22ff., 74; Fb "lindorm" II 433b; Meyer Germanische (1891) 63f.; Lévy-Bruhl L'âme primitive 369ff.; Kruyt 177ff.; Schreuer Zs. f. vgl. Rechtsgeschichte XXXIII (1916) 406f.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 217, Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda; Oceanic: Dixon 119; Africa: Werner African 193. |
| E734 | Soul in form of insect. *Krappe Balor 95 n. 8. |
| E734.1 | Soul in form of butterfly. Tobler 37; Meyer Germanische 63; Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 1627f.; Güntert Kalypso 215ff.; Frazer Golden Bough I 259.—Irish: Beal XXI 307, O'Suilleabhain 24; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "âme", "papillon"; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Jewish: Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; Japanese: Anesaki 337; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 266; Hawaii: Dixon 76, Beckwith Myth 148. |
| E734.2 | Soul in form of bee. Type 808**; Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 468; Tobler 37; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| E734.3 | Soul in form of spider.1 Tobler 38. |
| E734.4 | Soul in form of wasp. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473. |
| E734.5 | Soul in form of cricket. Meyer Germanische 63. |
| E734.6 | Soul in form of beetle. Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 906. |
| E734.7 | Soul in form of fly. Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 201. |
| E734.8 | Soul in form of grasshopper. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E735 | Soul in form of fish. Dh. III 482. |
| E736 | Soul in form of amphibian. |
| E736.1 | Soul in form of frog. Tobler 26, 75. |
| E736.2 | Soul in form of toad. Tobler 25, 29; Meyer Germanische (1891) 64. |
| E738 | Soul in form of a mythical animal. |
| E738.1 | Soul in form of dragon. (Cf. B11.) Tobler 81; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E740 | Other forms of the soul. |
| E741 | Soul in form of heavenly body. |
| E741.1 | Soul in form of star. (Cf. V515.1.2.) |
| E741.1.1 | Shooting star signifies that someone is dying. One star for each person. At his death it falls. *BP III 235; *G. Bellucci Le stelle cadenti e le lore leggende (Perugia, 1895); *Handwb. d. Abergl. IX n. 770f.; Fb "lys" II 483a, "stjerne" III 577b.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3906; Slavic: Máchal 273; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E741.1.1.1 | New star for each birth. A star in the sky for each person. Fb "menneske" II 577b. |
| E741.1.1.2 | Star as sign of birth of hero. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E741.1.2 | Shooting star signifies a birth. Stars are the dead. When they fall they are being reborn. At death they are replaced in the sky. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX N. 770f.; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 395; N. A. Indian (Mandan): Alexander N. Am. 96. |
| E742 | Soul as light. *Type 332; Fb "sjæl" III 214b, "lys" II 482a; BP I 377ff., *388; Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish: Plummer cxxxviii, Cross, Beal XXI 315, O'Suilleabhain 41; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "vie"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 24; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 82 No. 708A*; Jewish: Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 48; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 260ff.; Africa (Fang): Trilles 133. |
| E742.1 | Soul as taper (candle). Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 82. |
| E742.2 | Soul as will-o-the-wisp. Appears as a ball or fire or a figure in a fiery garment.—Tobler 82—86 passim; Meyer Germanische 63; Fb "ild" II 11b; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 84; Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts; Slavic: Máchal 229ff.; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 677. |
| E742.3 | Souls of dead as Aurora Borealis. Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 81; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 284ff. |
| E743 | Soul as shadow. Tobler 89; Meyer Germanische 66; Fb "skygge" (1) III 347b, "sjæl" III 214b; Wundt Völkerpsychologie IV 125ff.; *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 137; *Frazer Golden Bough III 77ff.; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 6, 12; Jewish: Neuman; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 257ff, 302ff. |
| E743.1 | Soul as smoke. Tobler 87; Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E743.2 | Soul as reflection or image. N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 309—316. |
| E744 | Soul as weather phenomenon. |
| E744.1 | Soul as mist (fog). Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E744.2 | Soul as cloud. Tobler 87f. |
| E744.3 | Soul as whirlwind. Tobler 89. |
| E745 | Soul as object. (Cf. E765.) N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 268; Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XXII 11, (Greenland): Rasmussen 1 136. |
| E745.1 | Soul as feather. Tobler 51; Fb "sjæl" III 214b (shower of feathers). |
| E745.2 | Soul as needle. Tobler 51. |
| E745.3 | Soul as straw. Tobler 51. |
| E745.4 | Soul as flower. BP II 394; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E745.4.1 | Soul as lotus flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E745.5 | Soul as fruit. |
| E745.5.1 | Souls as golden apples. Later turn into birds and fly away. Hdwb. d. Märch. I 91b s.v. "Apfel". |
| E745.5.2 | Soul as bulb. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E745.6 | Soul as ghi (clarified butter). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E747 | Soul as mannikin (child). Frazer Golden Bough III 26ff.; Tobler 67; Meyer Germanische 66; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 262—266. |
| E747.1 | Soul as small replica of body. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E748 | The soul as a guardian spirit. Hilda R. Ellis The Road to Hell, A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature (Cambridge [Eng.], 1943) 127ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E750 | Perils of the soul. *Frazer Golden Bough III 26ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 464—480. |
| E750.0.1 | Soul cannot enter heaven till body is buried. (Cf. E235.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E750.1 | Souls wander after death. *v. Negelein Zs. f. Vksk. XI 16ff., 149ff., 263ff.; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Anesaki 237ff. |
| E750.1.1 | Virgins condemned to wander at death. Korean: Zong in-Sob 39. |
| E750.2 | Perilous path for soul to world of dead. (Cf. F151.1.) Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 484. |
| E750.2.1 | Dead person of good life goes over bridge to otherworld without fear. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E750.2.2 | Perilous valley in (on way to) land of dead. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E750.2.3 | Branching tree as roadway for souls. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 154. |
| E750.3 | Journey of soul to world of dead on reindeer. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 485. |
| E750.4 | Soul leaves possessions on road to final resting place. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E751 | Souls at Judgment Day. Irish: *Cross; O'Suilleabhain 62, 78, Beal XXI 324, 327; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E751.0.1 | There are to be two resurrections. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E751.1 | Souls weighed at Judgment Day. (Cf. Q155.1.) Fb "veje" III 1025b; Irish myth: Cross. |
| E751.2 | Souls await Judgment Day in shapes of birds. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E751.3 | Souls of Irish to be judged by St. Patrick on Judgment Day. (Cf. Q173.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E751.4 | Four (five) groups on Judgment Day. (Cf. A661.0.5.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E751.5 | Souls of sinners to spend seven years under waters of the sea before Doomsday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E751.6 | Resurrection to take place on Sunday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E751.7 | Judgment day on Monday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E752 | Lost souls. Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Arme Seelen"; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E752.1 | Soul in jeopardy after leaving body. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E752.1.1 | Devil in disguise hunts souls. (Cf. G303.7.1.3.) French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 13; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 91 No. *773A. |
| E752.1.2 | Fiends play ball with a soul. Alphabet No. 699. |
| E752.1.2.1 | Demons amuse themselves by plaguing souls in hell. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E752.1.3 | Souls of dead captured on leaving corpse. Africa (Fang): Einstein 70ff., Trilles Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise de Géographie XVI 190ff. |
| E752.2 | Soul carried off by demon (Devil). Frazer Golden Bough III 60; *Fb "djævel" IV 99b.—Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 464. |
| E752.3 | Raven carries off souls of damned. Tobler 31; Fb "ravn" III 22a. |
| E752.4 | Lost soul in raven feathers. Fb "ravn" III 22a. |
| E752.5 | Hell-hounds accompany soul to lower world. Wimberly 120. |
| E752.6 | Soul bound for hell given sight of heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E752.7 | Lost soul gnawed by worms. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E752.7.1 | Abandoned souls feed on spiders and night moths. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 154. |
| E752.8 | Souls of dead eaten by sky-spirits. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E752.9 | Souls of wicked eaten by deity. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 312. |
| E752.10 | Precautions taken with corpse before burial to prevent evil spirits from getting, using body. (Cf. E431.) |
| E752.10.1 | Corpse must be watched carefully before burial. England: Baughman. |
| E752.10.2 | Light must be kept burning by corpse to keep evil spirits away. England: Baughman. |
| E754 | Saved souls. *Frazer Golden Bough III 55ff.; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 327. |
| E754.1 | Condemned soul recovered. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E754.1.1 | Condemned soul saved by prayer. Alphabet No. 592; Wells 171 (The Gast of Gy); Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 331, O'Suilleabhain 98; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 89 No. 760C*, Keller; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 294 No. 7. |
| E754.1.1.1 | Demons powerless over souls commended to God before sleep. Jewish: bin Gorion I 238. |
| E754.1.2 | Condemned soul saved by Virgin Mary. (Cf. V250.) Crane Miraculis 84 No. 5, 86 No. 10, 87 No. 12, 93 No. 27; Ward II 605 No. 11, *607 No. 16, 635 No. 36, 670 No. 3, 672 No. 7; Wells 167 (Vernon Miracles). |
| E754.1.3 | Condemned soul saved by penance. (Cf. Q520.) Alphabet No. 697; Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.1.4 | Condemned soul saved by holy person. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E754.1.5 | Condemned soul released by God. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.1.6 | Condemned soul released from hell by Christ. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.1.7 | Few grains of earth from river bed translates soul destined to an evil future to Paradise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E754.1.8 | Condemned soul released because of tears of living. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 21, 74. |
| E754.2 | Saved soul goes to heaven. Fb "sjæl" III 213b; Wells 50, 175; Alphabet No. 316; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 307f., 322, O'Suilleabhain 24, 27, 99; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E754.2.0.1 | Souls of warriors go to Valhalla. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 239. |
| E754.2.1 | Souls carried to heaven by doves. Tobler 31; *Fb "himmerige" I 610b. |
| E754.2.2 | Souls carried to heaven by angels. (Cf V232.2.) Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Engel"; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E754.2.2.1 | Angels of death fail to bring soul to heaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E754.2.3 | Dead and living go together to gate of heaven. Fb "død" I 228a. |
| E754.2.4 | Dead children invited to eat at God's table. BP III 463. |
| E754.3 | Burial in certain ground assures going to heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.4 | Soul of hermit who fasts to death for worldly fame would be damned but for past good deeds. Nouvelles de Sens No. 20. |
| E754.5 | Souls carried to heaven in chariot of light. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E754.6 | Souls climb pillars of smoke and light on way to heaven. (Cf. E722.2.1.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E754.7 | Souls of pious as angels. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E755 | Destination of the soul. |
| E755.0.1 | Resurrected boys choose to return to heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.0.2 | Angels separate souls going to heaven or hell. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E755.0.3 | Souls of dead presented to Adam. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E755.1 | Souls in heaven. (Cf. A661.) K. Kohler Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion (New York, 1923); Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.1.1 | Heavenly hierarchy. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. Maori: Clark 182. |
| E755.1.2 | River in heaven burns wicked and gives joy to righteous. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E755.1.3 | Souls on way to heaven pass through Garden of Eden. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E755.1.4 | Sixty thousand Jewish souls in heaven. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E755.2 | Souls in hell (Hades). A. Graf Miti, leggende et superstizioni del medio evo I 241ff.; K. Kohler Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion (New York, 1923); Fb "helvede" I 589; Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 122, 281, 406; Alphabet No. 43; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 320, O'Suilleabhain 53; *Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E755.2.0.1 | Souls leave hell on Sundays. (Cf. Q560.0.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.2.1 | Souls of drowned in heated kettles in hell. *Type 475; BP II 423, III 487; Köhler-Bolte I 69; Fb "potte" II 867a. |
| E755.2.1.1 | Souls in hell wrenched from bodies with hot pitchforks by devils. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E755.2.2 | Souls in chains in hell. (Cf. A671.2.4.7, Q566.1.) Chinese: Werner |
| E755.2.3 | Lost soul to serve as porter in hell for seven years. Köhler-Bolte I 320; Wimberly 416, 426. |
| E755.2.4 | Ghosts gather wood for hell fires. Jewish: bin Gorion II 154ff., 348. |
| E755.2.4.1 | Hell fires kindled according to sins of sinners. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.2.5 | Icy hell. (Cf. A677, Q567f.) Alphabet No. 662. |
| E755.2.6 | Dead flailed by demons. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E755.2.7 | Devils torment sinners in hell. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E755.2.8 | Dialogue between Christ and the souls in hell. (Cf. V211.7.2.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.3 | Souls in purgatory. **Landau Hölle und Fegefeuer in Volksglaube, Dichtung und Kirchenlehre (Heidelberg, 1909); Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 464, 467, 469, Crane Liber de Miraculis 86 No. 10; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Fegefeuer"; Ward Catalogue of Romances II 440ff.; Herbert ibid. III 330; Alphabet Nos. 504, 661.—Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 330—333, O'Suilleabhain 95, 100, 102f. |
| E755.3.1 | Soul in purgatory sends letter bidding his son reward one who has prayed him from purgatory. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *769. |
| E755.4 | Other destinations of souls. |
| E755.4.1 | Souls of dead imprisoned in tree. Icelandic: De la Saussaye 298; Irish: Beal XXI 332. |
| E755.4.2 | Soul of dead in a temple. Chinese: Werner 314. |
| E756 | Contest over souls. (Cf. E754.1.) Type 808**. |
| E756.1 | Devils and angels contest for man's soul. *Wesselski Märchen 199; *Fb "djævel" IV 99b; *Crane Miraculis 87 No. 11; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI No. 808*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *808; Estonian: Aarne in FFC XXV No. 808*; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E756.2 | Soul won from devil in card game. Fb "spille" III 487b; Irish: Beal XXI 329, O'Suilleabhain 90; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 52 No. 345. |
| E756.3 | Raven and dove fight over man's soul. Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 157f., *249ff.; Hdwb. d. Märchen I 356a. s.v. "Busse des Räubers"; England, Wales: Baughman. |
| E756.4 | Saint wrests soul from demons. (Cf. V229.5.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E756.4.1 | Soul of gambler won by saint in dice game. Dice miraculously split to make higher score for saint.—Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E756.5 | Saved soul of woman assists her husband's soul in battle against demons. (Cf. E754.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E757 | The soul prays. Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Werner 268. |
| E758 | Rejoicing at arrival of rich man in heaven. Event so rare as to cause rejoicing. Poor man enters unnoticed.—Type 802; BP III 274; Fb "rig" III 55a; Hdwb. d. Märch. I 351a s.v. "Burli im Himmel". |
| E759 | The soul—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E759.1 | Soul strives to be heard by the living. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E759.2 | Angel gives soul information concerning mortal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E760 | Life Index. Object or animal has mystic connection with person. Changes in one correspond to changes in the other.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761 | Life token. (Cf. E760.) Object (animal, person) has mystic connection with the life of a person, so that changes in the life-token indicate changes in the person, usually disaster or death. *Type 303; **Polivka The Life Tokens in Folk-Tales, Custom, and Belief (Národopisny Vestnik Ceskoslovansky XII [Prague, 1917]); *Chauvin V 87 No. 27 n. 1, V 295, VII 98 No. 375 n. 1; Penzer I 130, III 272 n. 1, X 210; Clouston Tales I 169ff.; Jacobs' list s.v. "Life index"; *BP I 545, II 392; *Hartland Legend of Perseus II 1—54; **Nelson The Life-Index, a Hindu Fiction Motif (Studies in Honor of Maurice Bloomfield) 211ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "danger"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Oceanic (New Hebrides, Torres Straits, New Guinea, Indonesia): Dixon 133 n. 5; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 317 n. 149, *Hultkrantz 338—340, (California): Gayton and Newman 69; S. A. Indian (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 173; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 81, (Basuto): Jacottet 212, 218 Nos. 31, 32. |
| E761.1 | Blood as life token. |
| E761.1.1 | Life token: water turns to blood. (Cf. F961.3.1, V211.2.3.2.) Fb "vand" III 1000b.—England: Baughman; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.1.2 | Life token: horn fills with blood. Africa (Congo): Weeks 203. |
| E761.1.3 | Life token: track fills with blood. *Type 303; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E761.1.3.1 | Life token: earth, water, or blood in footprint. Earth: dead by disease; water: drowned; blood: killed in battle. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E761.1.4 | Life token: blood of fish calls out. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 187. |
| E761.1.5 | Life token: blood boils. French: Cosquin Lorraine No. 5; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E761.1.5.1 | Blood stops boiling. Gaster Exempla 224 No. 194. |
| E761.1.6 | Life token: blood changes color. Gaster Exempla 251 No. 373; Russian: Ralston Russian Folk-Tales 102. |
| E761.1.7 | Life token: comb drips blood. Finnish: Kalevala runes 12, 15. |
| E761.1.7.1 | Life token: gloves drip blood. Russian: Ralston Russian Folk-Tales 67. |
| E761.1.7.2 | Life token: scissors (razor, knife) drip blood. Chauvin VII 198; Armenian: Macler Contes Arméniens 28. |
| E761.1.8 | Life token: cloth becomes bloody. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 3. |
| E761.1.9 | Life token: hero's horse stands in stable in blood up to his knees. Russian: Rambaud La Russie Epique (Paris, 1876) 378. |
| E761.1.10 | Life token: milk becomes bloody. England: Baughman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.1.11 | Life token: roof spouts of castle run with blood. England: Baughman. |
| E761.1.12 | Life token: meal ground in mill is the color of blood. England: Baughman. |
| E761.1.13 | Blood stops flowing from wound when captives escape. Papua: Ker 64. |
| E761.2 | Life token: staff stuck in ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.2.1 | Life token: staff stuck in ground shakes. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 212 No. 31, (Kaffir): Theal 82. |
| E761.2.2 | Life token: staff stuck in ground falls. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 8; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 220 No. 32. |
| E761.3 | Life token: tree (flower) fades. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 1; Fb "lilie"; Böckel Psychologie der Volksdichtung 255; *Loomis White Magic 125f.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "flétrissement"; French: Sébillot France III 433; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 93, 96 n. 3, 97; Papua: Ker 61; Indonesian, Polynesian: Dixon 234 n. 46; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 87 No. 5, (Kaffir): Kidd 225, (Madagascar): Dandouau Contes Populaires de Sakalava 231. |
| E761.3.1 | Life token: bamboo stalks grow with joints upside down. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.3.1.1 | Life token: bananas ripen from bottom up. Papua: Ker 61. |
| E761.3.2 | Lifen token: fruit decays on tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.3.3 | Life token: fruit falls from tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
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