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 |
|---|---|
| E761.3.4 | Life token: trees prostrate themselves. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E761.4 | Life token: object darkens or rusts. |
| E761.4.1 | Life token: knife stuck in tree rusts (becomes bloody). *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 2; *Fb "kniv" II 221a. |
| E761.4.2 | Life token: picture burns black. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 4. |
| E761.4.3 | Life token: mirror becomes black (misty). (Cf. D1163.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 5; Armenian: Macler contes Arméniens 28; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| E761.4.4 | Life token: ring rusts. English: Child I 201; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 4. |
| E761.4.5 | Life token: silver object turns dark. Russian: Ralston Russian Folk-Tales (London, 1875) 91. |
| E761.4.6 | Life token: charm dries. Africa (Lamba): Doke MAFLS XX 14 No. 11. |
| E761.4.7 | Life token: sword rusts. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.4.8 | Life token: beads cling together. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.4.9 | Life token: milk turns dark. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.5 | Life token: object breaks (bursts). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.5.1 | Life token: pot breaks. (Cf. D1171.1.) Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 188 No. 27. |
| E761.5.2 | Life token: zither string breaks. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 9. |
| E761.5.3 | Life token: ring springs asunder. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 68f. n. 4; Fb "ring" III 60a. |
| E761.5.4 | Life token: cup springs asunder. (Cf. D1171.6.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 7. |
| E761.5.5 | Life token: stone breaks. (Cf. E711.7.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E761.5.5.1 | Life token: stones prostrate themselves. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E761.5.6 | Life token: sheaves prostrate themselves. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E761.6 | Life token: troubled liquid. (Cf. D1242.) |
| E761.6.1 | Life token: troubled water. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 1; Italian: Basile Pentamerone No. 9; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.6.2 | Life token: milk becomes red. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 1; England: Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.6.3 | Life token: boiling liquid. *Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 270 No. 82. |
| E761.6.4 | Life token: beer foams. (Cf. D1045.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 69 n. 5. |
| E761.6.5 | Life token: wine turns to vinegar. Gaster Exempla 219 No. 156 (155.) |
| E761.6.6 | Life token: milk becomes agitated in pan at death of relative. (Cf. E761.6.2.) England, U.S.: Baughman. |
| E761.7 | Life token: miscellaneous. |
| E761.7.1 | Life token: ring presses finger. (Cf. D1076.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 6. |
| E761.7.2 | Life token: spring goes dry. (Cf. D927.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 10. |
| E761.7.3 | Life token: leaves full from tree. (Cf. D955.) Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 185. |
| E761.7.4 | Life token: light goes out. (Cf. E765.1.) *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 70 n. 11; Gaster Thespis 275ff. |
| E761.7.5 | Life token: dogs pulling on leash. Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 123. |
| E761.7.6 | Life token: bird sent each day to tell of hero's condition; when owl comes it will be to announce death. Carib: Alexander Lat. Am. 265. |
| E761.7.7 | Life token: bird feathers sink in river at hero's death. Kirghiz: Radloff Proben der Volksliteratur der türkischen Stämme Südsiberiens III 85. |
| E761.7.8 | Life token: great wind blows. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E761.7.9 | Life token: flaming shield goes out. (Cf. D1101.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E761.7.10 | Life token: armor rattles at home when owner is killed away from home. England: Baughman. |
| E761.7.11 | Life token: music box plays by itself as owner awaits burial. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E761.7.12 | Life token: arrow falls down. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.7.13 | Life token: paddy productive or unproductive. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.7.14 | Life token: rings will exchange places on girls' fingers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E761.7.15 | Life token: direction dagger points determines if ogress has been killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E765 | Life dependent on external object or event. Person's life is mystically connected with something else and comes to an end when that thing is destroyed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E765.1 | Life bound up with light (flame). Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "vie"; Fb "lys" II 483ab; Gaster Thespis 275f.; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E765.1.1 | Life bound up with candle. When the candle goes out, person dies.—*Krappe in Penzer Ocean of Story VIII 107; Anderson Die Meleagrossage bei den Letten (Philologus N. F. XXXIII [1923]); Icelandic: De la Saussaye 315, *Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 82 No. 708*A. |
| E765.1.2 | Life bound up with burning brand (torch). Hartland Science 205 (Olger the Dane); Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 65 n. 5 (Meleager). |
| E765.1.3 | Life-lights in lower world. Each light mystically connected with the life of a person. When light is extinguished, person dies. *Type 332; BP I 377ff., *388. |
| E765.2 | Life bound up with that of animal. Person to live as long as animal lives. *Krappe in Penzer Ocean of Story VIII 107; Irish myth: *Cross (Diarmaid); Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 5; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 364—374. |
| E765.3 | Life bound up with object. *Krappe in Penzer Ocean of Story VIII 107; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 364. |
| E765.3.0.1 | Life bound up with magic object. When magic object is lost, person dies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E765.3.1 | Person to live as long as church stands. Fb "kirke" II 126a, "leve" II 401b. |
| E765.3.2 | Life bound up with calabash. As calabash grows, so does girl. Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 55 No. 24. |
| E765.3.3 | Life bound up with tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E765.3.4 | Girl lives until her cowslip is pulled. England: Baughman. |
| E765.3.5 | Man's magic contains his life essence. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 541. |
| E765.4 | Life bound up with external event. Death to come when certain thing happens. |
| E765.4.1 | Father will die when daughter marries. (Cf. E765.4.3.) Irish myth: Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 187. |
| E765.4.2 | Mother will die when daughter is wooed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E765.4.3 | Father will die when daughter bears son. (Cf. E765.4.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E765.4.3.1 | Father (and mother) will die on same day as daughter. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E765.4.4 | Person will die year he marries. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E765.4.5 | Person will die when he drinks from horn. (Cf. D1793.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E765.4.6 | Snake can die only if it gives away hoarded treasure. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E765.4.7 | Man dies when tortoise shell is dug up. Tonga: Gifford 52. |
| E765.5 | One person's life dependent on another's. Penzer I 131. |
| E766 | Object dies or stops when owner dies. |
| E766.1 | Clock stops at moment of owner's death. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E766.2 | Tree dies when owner dies. England: *Baughman. |
| E766.3 | Post falls when owners lose estate. England: Baughman. |
| E767 | Affinity of person and object. |
| E767.1 | Ash pole appears at doorway several times on day owner's daughter dies. (It is used for coffin rests. The pole has previously mysteriously escaped being used for other purposes.)—Canada: Baughman. |
| E767.2 | Clothes of wicked person burn when owner dies. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E770 | Vital objects. Objects that have life in them. (Cf. D1620, D1640.) |
| E771 | Ring with life in it. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animisme". |
| E772 | Sickle with life in it. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animisme". |
| E780 | Vital bodily members. They possess life independent of the rest of the body. (Cf. F1096.) India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 346 n. 246b. |
| E780.1 | Vital body: kills attacking enemies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E780.2 | Animal bodily members transferred to person or other animal retains animal powers and habits. (Cf. E781, E782.) Type 660; Haiti: Parsons MAFLS XVII (1) 59—62. |
| E781 | Eyes successfully replaced. Jacobs' list s.v. "Eyes exchanged"; Fb "øje" III 1166a; Köhler-Bolte I 434ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Gaster Thespis 333f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 139 No. 13. |
| E781.1 | Substituted eyes. Lost eyes are replaced by those of another person or animal. (Cf. F512.1.4.) *Type 660; BP II 552; Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 299 n. 94. |
| E781.1.1 | Prince regains his eyesight after theft of eyes from water maidens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E781.2 | Eyes bought back and replaced. *Type 533; *BP II 278 n. 1; *Köhler-Bolte I 463; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 83 No. 711A*; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| E781.3 | Eyes borrowed by animal. Later returned.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 166. |
| E782 | Limbs successfully replaced. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 248 No. 36. |
| E782.0.1 | Substituted limbs. Man borrows various limbs and successfully uses them. Africa (Yoruba): Ellis 267 No. 4. |
| E782.1 | Hands restored. *Type 706; *BP I 295; Fb "hеnd" I 765b; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller, Nouvelles de Sens No. 12; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| E782.1.1 | Substituted hand. Man exchanges his hand for that of another. *Type 660; BP II 552. |
| E782.2 | Substituted ribs (chariot ribs). Irish myth: Cross. |
| E782.3 | Arms restored. Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bras". |
| E782.3.1 | Substituted arm. Injured arm replaced by another. (Cf. A128.4.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E782.4 | Horse's leg cut off and replaced. *Type 753; *BP III 198; *Lowes Romanic Review V 368; Saintyves Saints Successeurs 248—251; Köhler-Bolte I 132, 297 n. 1; Dh II 169; Hoefler Zs. f. Vksk. I 304; Ons Volksleven III 43, V 28, 136f. |
| E782.4.1 | Substituted leg. Injured leg replaced by another. Alphabet No. 219. |
| E782.4.2 | Severed leg(s) regrow(s). Africa (Somali): Kirk A Grammar of the Somali Language (Cambridge [Eng.], 1905) 162f., (Ishhak): Kirk FL XV 391ff. No. 3, (Saho): Reinisch Die Saho-Sprache I 76ff. No. 3. |
| E782.5 | Substituted tongue. Haiti: Parsons MAFLS XVII (1) 59—62. |
| E783 | Vital head. Retains life after being cut off. (Cf. D992, F511.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 432. |
| E783.1 | Head cut off and successfully replaced. *Kittredge Gawain 147ff.; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 61, *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 175; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 113 No. 8, (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 10. |
| E783.2 | Severed head regrows. Penzer III 268 n. 1.—Greek: Fox 81. |
| E783.2.1 | Origin of Pegasus from neck of slain Medusa. Greek: Fox 34. |
| E783.3 | Severed head reddens and whitens. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E783.4 | Severed head opens eyes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E783.5 | Vital head speaks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E783.6 | Headless body vital. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E783.7 | Headless man lives four (seven) years. (Cf. Q551.8.5.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E783.8 | Dead head grateful for burying it. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 34. |
| E784 | Flesh regrows. Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chair"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E785 | Vital skin. Retains life after death of owner. Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 3. |
| E785.1 | Substituted skin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E785.1.1 | Ewe's hide grafted to skinless head of wounded man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E786 | Heart successfully replaced. *Type 660. |
| E787 | Stomach borrowed by animal. Later returned. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 167. |
| E788 | Severed pap regrows when woman bears child. Child V 177. |
| E789 | Vital bodily members—miscellaneous. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E789.1 | Organs exchanged with those of animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E790 | The soul—miscellaneous. |
| E791 | Man who forgets to count himself dies immediately after. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F0 | Journey to other world. *Patch Some Elements in Mediaeval Descriptions of the Otherworld (PMLA XXXIII 601—643); *Wimberly 108ff.; *Ward II 396ff.; *von Negelein Zs. f. Vksk. XI 16ff., 149ff., 263ff; *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Other world"; *Henne-am Rhyn Das Jenseits (1881).—Irish: Nutt The Irish Vision of the Happy Otherworld and the Celtic Doctrine of Rebirth (in Meyer, The Voyage of Bran), *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 114ff.; Brown Iwain 56ff.; Icelandic: Gould Scandinavian Studies and Notes IX (1927) 190; German: *Siuts Jenseitmotive im deutschen Volksmärchen; Jewish: *Neuman; Hindu: Tawney I 58f., 417ff., 526f., II 267ff., 288ff.; Arabian: Burton Nights VIII 70, IX 181ff., S II 85ff., S IV 443ff.; Russian: Kuzenow Ueber den Glauben vom Jenseits und den Todtenkultus der Tcheremissen (Internationales Archiv für Ethnographie IX No. 4, X No. 2); Melanesia (Ysabel): Codrington 365, (Mono-Alu-Fauru): Wheeler 21f., 33, (Buin): ibid. 47, (Papua): Ker 7; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 330 n. 192. |
| F0.1 | Names for otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F1 | Journey to otherworld as dream or vision. *Loomis White Magic 52.—Irish myth: *Cross; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 25. |
| F2 | Translation to otherworld without dying. (Cf. F12.3.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F2.1 | Supernatural husband takes mortal wife with him to heaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F3 | Journey to otherworld as invasion. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F4 | Journey to otherworld as hunt. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F5 | Journey to otherworld as penance. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F6 | Departure to otherworld (fairyland) attributed to death. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F7 | Journey to otherworld with angel. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F10 | Journey to upper world. Most references for F0 discuss this motif. Chauvin VII 54ff. No. 77.—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 332 n. 2 (Dionysus and Semele); India: *Thompson-Balys, Tawney II 483; Chinese: Werner 224, 282; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 460, 515; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118; S. A. Indian (Kariri, Shipaya): Métraux MAFLS XL 25; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 97 No. 18, (Fjort): Dennett 74 No. 16, (Ekoi): Talbot 71, 184, 344, (Congo): Weeks 202 No. 1, 217 No. 12, (Zulu): Callaway 147, (Ila [Rhodesia]): Smith and Dale II 348. |
| F10.1 | Return from upper world. Indonesia: De Vries' list No. 165. |
| F10.2 | Man taken to upper world sees all that happens on earth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F11 | Journey to heaven (upper-world paradise). Types 800—809; K. Kahler Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion (New York, 1923).—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Hartland Science 193; Jewish: *Neuman; Arabian: Burton Nights II 197n.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 606, II 294; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 183; Korean: Zong in-Sob 171; Melanesia: Wheeler 21f., Codrington II 1, Ker 7; N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Teit MAFLS XI 53 No. 34; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 177. |
| F11.1 | Journey to heaven in trance. Hartland Science 189; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F11.2 | Man goes to heaven without dying. (Cf. D1856, F2.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F11.3 | Man goes to heaven for limited time. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F12 | Journey to see deity. Usually to the upper world. *Type 460A; *Aarne FFC XXIII 124.—Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/79); Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 18, 184. |
| F12.1 | Journey to sky-god. Chinese: Graham. |
| F12.2 | Grieving mortal taken by god of the dead up to otherworld to identify his son, who has just died. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F12.3 | Men taken by Brahma to Siva so they can petition him personally. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F12.4 | Journey to heaven to see Buddha. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 183. |
| F13 | Man admitted into heaven but must not find fault. *Type 801; BP III 297. |
| F15 | Visit to star-world. Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian: **Thompson The Star-Husband Tale 93—163; *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118c; S. A. Indian (Cherentes, Amazon): Alexander Lat. Am. 308, (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 41, (Chaco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369. |
| F15.1 | Man seeks his mother (star-maiden) in upper world. Chinese: Graham. |
| F16 | Visit to land of moon. India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 515, (Greenland): Rasmussen II 30, Rink 440, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 598; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 131 No. 12. |
| F17 | Visit to land of the sun. *Type 461; *Aarne FFC XXIII 115ff.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118b; Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 82, 90; Africa: Werner African 233, (Angola): Chatelain 131 No. 12. |
| F30 | Inhabitant of upper world visits earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F31 | Child of deity visits earth. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 342, 359, 389, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 347. |
| F31.1 | Child of deity stolen and brought down to earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F32 | God visits earth. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1003; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 3; Africa (Fang): Einstein 94, Trilles 137, (Ila [Rhodesia]): Smith and Dale II 348. |
| F32.1 | God descends to found royal dynasty. Tonga: Gifford 28. |
| F33 | Cloud-folk visit earth. Africa (Congo): Weeks 205 No. 3. |
| F34 | Temptress sent from upper world by deity (Pandora). Greek: Grote I 72. |
| F35 | Divine animal visits earth. |
| F35.1 | Divine cow descends to earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F35.2 | Divine elephant comes down from heaven to feed and disport himself. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F50 | Access to upper world. |
| F51 | Sky-rope. Access to upper world by means of a rope. BP II 511 (Gr. No. 112); Fb "reb" III 25b.—Icelandic: Gering Islensk æventyri II 166f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 24, 227; Oceanic (Indonesia, Melanesia, Polynesia): Dixon 66, 156f, 160, Beckwith Myth 255, (Tonga): Gifford 20; N. A. Indian: Hatt Asiatic Influences 48ff., *Thompson Tales 283 n. 48, (California): Gayton and Newman 78; Maya: Alexander Lat. Am. 153; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880, Alexander Lat. Am. 271, (Toba, Mataco): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 448, MAFLS XL 101—103; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 10, 12. |
| F51.0.1 | Sky-rope shot by means of arrow. Indonesia: Kruyt Het animisme 494. |
| F51.0.2 | Four sky-ropes. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F51.1 | Special kinds of sky-rope. |
| F51.1.1 | Spider-web sky-rope. (Cf. F101.7.) Spider makes web on which ascent or descent is accomplished. India: Thompson-Balys; Oceanic (Hawaii, New Zealand, New Hebrides, Caroline Is.): Dixon 59, 66, (Maori): Clark 163f., (Hawaii): Beckwith Myth 254f., 530; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 332 n. 201; Arawak and Carib: Alexander Lat. Am. Myth. 274; Africa: Werner African 132ff., (Baluyi, Basubiya, Congo, Angola): Chatelain 135, (Fjort): Dennett 74 No. 16. |
| F51.1.2 | Vine as sky-rope. Indonesia: Dixon 66; Mono-Alu, Fauru: Wheeler 21f.; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 33; N. A. Indian: Thompson Star Husband 130; S. A. Indian (Eastern Brazil): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 434. |
| F51.1.3 | Stalk as sky-rope. *Type 804. |
| F51.1.4 | Chaff sky-rope. Fb "hakkelse" I 535. |
| F51.1.5 | Rope of god's own hair. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F51.1.5.1 | Heavenly being's hair as sky-rope. Australia: Howitt-Siebert JAI XXXIV (1904) 121. |
| F51.1.6 | Iron chain hanging from heaven. Korean: Zong in-Sob 10. |
| F51.1.7 | Sky-rope of mucus. S. A. Indian (Yuracare): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 504. |
| F51.2 | Sky-basket. Ascent to or descent from upper world in a basket. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 355 n. 283. |
| F51.2.1 | Ascent to upper world on seat attached to cord. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 110. |
| F52 | Ladder to upper world. *Frazer Old Testament II 52ff.; *Toldo IV 59; Gaster Thespis 400.—Irish myth: Cross; Egyptian: Müller 176; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 126; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 333 n. 204; Hatt Asiatic Influences 48ff.; S. A. Indian (Brazil): Oberg 109; Africa: Werner African 136, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 97 No. 18; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 11 n. 2. |
| F52.1 | Ladder of glass to upper world. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F52.2 | Columns of smoke as ladder to upper world. (Cf. F61.3.1.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F53 | Ascent to upper world on arrow chain. Hero shoots arrows which join one another in the air to form a chain. *Pettazzoni The Chain of Arrows, the Diffusion of a Mythical Motive (FL XXXV 151);—Indonesia. Voorhoeve 142; Oceanic (Australia, New Hebrides, Aurora, Whitsuntide, Torres Is., New Guinea): Dixon 139 n. 19, 293f.; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 333 n. 203, Hatt Asiatic Influences 40ff.; S. A. Indian: *Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 55, *Ehrenreich Mythen u. Legend der südamerikanischen Urvölker 50, (Guarayú): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 438, RMLP XXXIII 147, (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 156, 164, BBAE CXLIII (3) 484, (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132, (Jibaros, Ecuador): Karsten Myths of the Jibaros (cited from Boas JAFL XXXII 446). |
| F54 | Tree to upper world. Type 1960G; *BP II 511; Köhler-Bolte I 322; S. Solymossy Revue des études hongroises VI (1928) 311—336 No. 2.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "branche", "paradis"; Egyptian: Müller 176; Sumatra: Dixon 160; Tonga: Gifford 25, 39, Beckwith Myth 482; Hawaii: ibid. 232; Samoa: ibid. 486; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 332 n. 200; S. A. Indian (Cariri): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (1) 559, Métraux MAFLS XL 26, (Langua): Métraux ibid. 106, (Toba): Métraux ibid. 45; Africa: Werner African 136f. |
| F54.1 | Tree stretches to sky. Type 1960G; BP II 511.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: De Vries Volksverhalen II 381 Nos. 146, Dixon 239; Tonga, Dobu, San Cristobal: Beckwith Myth 486; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 332 n. 199, Alexander N. Am. 48, Hatt Asiatic Influences 48ff. (Zuсi): Parsons JAFL XXIX 392; S. A. Indian (Charentes): Alexander Lat. Am. 308; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 344, (Congo): Weeks 202 No. 1, (Boloki): Weeks Cannibals 202; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 9. |
| F54.2 | Plant grows to sky. (Jack and the Beanstalk). *Types 328A, 555, 852; BP I 147, *II 511; *MacCulloch Childhood 432ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 102; *Fb "træ" III 867b; Fischer Zs. f. Ethnographie LXIV 236.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "fève"; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1416A; England, U.S., Australia: Baughman (Type 328A); Chinese: Graham; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 286; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 283 No. 114. |
| F55 | Mountain reaches to sky. *Holmberg Baum 39f., 42f.; *Patch PMLA XXXIII 617 n. 56; MacCulloch Childhood 437; Wimberly 405.—German: *Siuts Jenseitsmotive 57; Egyptian: Müller 176; Maori: Clark 158; S. A. Indian (Mundurucu): Alexander Lat. Am. 308, (Ackawoi): ibid. 270; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 184. |
| F55.1 | Mountain stretches to sky. India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Maidu): Powers Contributions to N. A. Ethnology III 341, (Ts'ets'aut): Boas JAFL X 38. |
| F55.2 | Rocks piled up to sky. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F56 | Sky-window. An opening into the sky gives access to upper world. Gaster Thespis 181; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Werner 225; Melanesian: Codrington 365; Indonesia: Voorhoeve 64, (Sumatra, Kei Island): Dixon 156; Tonga: Gifford 149; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 301, 307; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 339, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 599, (Greenland): Rink 468, Rasmussen III 165, 170, Holm 80; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 278 n. 28, Hatt Asiatic Influences 64; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Alexander Lat. Am. 271, Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 880, (Mojo): ibid. (3) 424, (Sherente): Lowie ibid. (1) 515. |
| F56.1 | Sky-window from digging or uprooting plant (tree) in upper world. Chinese: Werner 224f.; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 332 n. 197. |
| F56.2 | Bird pecks hole in sky-roof to give access to upper world. Africa (Fjort): Dennett DFLS XLI 74ff. No. 16. |
| F56.3 | Sky-window at horizon. Tonga: Gifford 149; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 467. |
| F57 | Road to heaven. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa: Werner African 233. |
| F57.1 | Narrow road to heaven. Wimberly 405.—Irish: O'Suilleabhain 63, Beal XXI 324; Kachin: Scott Indo-Chinese 265; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153. |
| F57.2 | Person's tongue as path to sky. India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 499. |
| F57.3 | Path to heaven on beard. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 256. |
| F57.4 | Wall as path to upper world. Polynesia: Beckwith Myth 255. |
| F58 | Tower (column) to upper world. *Holmberg Baum 9ff., 33ff. |
| F59 | Access to upper world—miscellaneous. |
| F59.1 | Man stretches self till he reaches other world. Greek: Fox 36 (Dionysus); Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 476. |
| F59.2 | Pursuit of game leads to upper world. N. A. Indian (Iroquois): Alexander N. Am. 26. |
| F59.3 | Gate to upper world. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F60 | Transportation to or from upper world. |
| F61 | Person wafted to sky. |
| F61.1 | Ascent to sky on cloud. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 271 n. 2 (Hercules); Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Werner 282. |
| F61.2 | Ascent to sky on feather. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118a. |
| F61.2.1 | Ascent to sky by sticking to magic feather. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118a (a large proportion of the references given). |
| F61.2.1.1 | Descent from upper world on magic feather (like ladder). Africa (Shangani): Bourhill and Drake 43ff. No. 5. |
| F61.2.2 | Ascent to sky on eagle-down rope. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 66. |
| F61.3 | Transportation from heaven in mist. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F61.3.1 | Ascent to upper world in smoke. India: Thompson-Balys; Caroline Islands: H. Damm Zentralcarolinen (Hamburg, 1938) II 88; New Hebrides: C. B. Humphreys The Southern New Hebrides (Cambridge (Eng.), 1926) 98; Yap: W. Müller Yap (Hamburg, 1918) II 666, 685, 695. |
| F62 | Bird carries person to or from upper world. |
| F62.0.1 | Bird flies to upper world. Chinese: Graham. |
| F62.1 | Birds carry person to upper world. *Chauvin VII 84 No. 373bis n. 2.—India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 18. |
| F62.2 | Birds carry person from upper world. N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 460 No. 98. |
| F62.3 | Cock carries god to upper world. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F63 | Person carried to upper world by deity (spirit). India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Tapirape): Wagley-Baldao BBAE CXLIII (3) 178; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 348. |
| F63.1 | Mortal taken to heaven by heavenly maidens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F63.2 | Mortal taken to heaven by angel. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F63.3 | Mortal taken to heaven by sun. Melanesia (Ysabel): Codrington 357. |
| F63.4 | Ascent to upper world by holding on to morning star. Papua: Ker 7. |
| F64 | Journey to upper world by keeping thoughts continually on heaven. N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Teit MAFLS XI 56 No. 34. |
| F65 | Giant shot into upper world by means of magic bow. N. A. Indian: Alexander N. Am. 163. |
| F65.1 | Ascent to upper world on arrow. (Cf. F53.) New Hebrides: Beckwith Myth 487. |
| F66 | Journey to upper world on horseback. Jewish: *Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 441. |
| F66.1 | Journey to upper world in chariot. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F66.1.1 | Journey to sky-world by riding unseen in supernatural wife's chariot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F67 | White sheep carries to upper world, black to lower. *Cosquin Contes indiens 486ff. |
| F68 | Ascent to upper world by magic. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Maori: Beckwith Myth 250; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Star Husband 120f.; Africa: Werner African 136. |
| F75 | Ascent to heaven by holding on to elephant's tail. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F76 | Time involved in upper world journey. |
| F76.1 | Five hundred years to journey from earth to heaven. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F80 | Journey to lower world. *Types 301, 650, BP II 300; *Siuts Jenseitsmotive 50ff.; Wimberly 128; Jacob's list s.v. "Underworld"; Tylor Primitive Culture 4th ed. (1903) II 65.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 321, *Hilda R. Ellis The Road to Hell, a Study in the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature (London, 1943), 170ff., *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "souterrain"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 25; Finnish: Kalevala rune 25; *Fb "underjordiske" III 975b; Greek: Grote I 189; Jewish: *Neuman; Gaster Oldest Stories 51, Thespis 183ff., 195; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Dixon 213 n. 12, 215, De Vries' list No. 161; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 199f.; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 151, Thalbitzer 7, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 241; N. A. Indian (Arikara): Alexander N. Am. 108; S. A. Indian (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 170; Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman 201 No. 10, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 89 No. 16, (Zulu): Callaway 317f. |
| F80.1 | Physical features of underworld. Note: physical features of underworld of dead (F81) are listed under A671—A679. Some features of the underworld also appear in F130ff. |
| F80.1.1 | Castle in lower world. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château". |
| F80.1.2 | Darkness of lower world. Jewish: *Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 78, III 58, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 154B. |
| F81 | Descent to lower world of dead (Hell, Hades). Andrejev FFC LXIX 71f., *231n.; *MacCulloch Encyc. Rel. Ethics IV 648ff.; Oertel Studien zur vgl. Literaturgeschichte VIII 123; Aarne FFC XXIII 115ff., 129ff.; BP III 465; Köhler-Bolte I 133; Zemmrich Internationales Archiv für Ethnographie IV 217; Hull FL XVIII 121; *Fb "helvede" I 589a, "gjedebuk" I 440b, "Cyprianus" I 166b.—Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 320, 324, O'Suilleabhain 53, 63; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "visite", "enfer"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 299 No. 17, 313 No. 79; Finnish: Kalevala rune 16; Greek: Roscher Lexikon I 22 s.v. "Archilleus", Fox 105, 137, 145, Frazer Apollodorus I 234 nn. 1, 2, 332 n. 2; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; New Guinea: Ker 81; Mono-Alu: Wheeler 33; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 464; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 165, 180, (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 489; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 337 n. 216; Araucanian: Alexander Lat Am. 330f.; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 225 No. 40, 249 No. 50, (Ekoi): Talbot 7, 34, 46, 56, 63, 99, 233, 238, 280, (Yoruba): Ellis 244 No. 1, (Bantu): Einstein 194f. |
| F81.1 | Orpheus. Journey to land of dead to bring back person from the dead. **E. Maass Orpheus (München, 1895); Frazer Pausanias V 154; Cosquin études 188ff. —Irish myth: *Cross; England: Child I 215ff., Wells 128 (Sir Orfeo); Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 130; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 17 n. 7, von den Steinen Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 260; Babylonian: Spence 125ff. (Ishtar); Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 491; India: Thompson-Balys, Keith 161 (Savitri); Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 198f., Graham; Japanese: Anesaki 223; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 160; Oceanic (New Zealand, Mangaia, Hawaii, Samoa, New Hebrides, Bankes Island, German New Guinea): Dixon 72—78; Maori: Clark III; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 269, 298, Rasmussen III 59, 167; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 337 n. 215, Hatt Asiatic Influences 65ff., **Gayton The Orpheus Myth in North America (JAFL XLVIII 263—293), E. W. Voegelin JAFL LX 52—58, (California): Gayton and Newman 99; Surinam: Alexander Lat. Am. 275; Africa: Werner African *138ff., 196. |
| F81.1.1 | Wife goes to land of dead to procure dead husband's heart. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F81.1.2 | Journey to land of dead to visit deceased. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 199f. |
| F81.2 | Journey to hell to recover devil's contract. Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 71ff. |
| F81.3 | Journey to hell to circumcize child. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas VI 63ff., 308. |
| F81.4 | Journey to hell to retrieve soul of mother. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F81.5 | Journey to lower world to get treasures. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 583ff. |
| F81.6 | Souls redeemed from hell in shape of sheep. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *730. |
| F83 | Hell of women in south of otherworld. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F85 | Ishtar unveiled. Goddess going to lower world passes through seven gates, at each of which she is divested of a garment till she is entirely unclothed. Babylonian: Spence 130. |
| F87 | Journey to otherworld to secure bride. Africa (Cameroon): Rosenhuber 41ff. |
| F90 | Access to lower world. **Hilda R. Ellis, The Road to Hell (London, 1943) 170ff. |
| F91 | Door (gate) entrance to lower world. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 33, 58, Beal XXI 311, 323; Gaster Oldest Stories 152; Jewish: *Neuman; New Zealand: Dixon 73; Africa: Werner African 184. |
| F91.1 | Slamming door on exit from mountain otherworld. It (almost) injures the hero because he has failed to bring back the talisman which opened the mountain. *Krappe Balor 108ff.; Gaster Oldest Stories 46. |
| F92 | Pit entrance to lower world. Entrance through pit, hole, spring, or cavern. *Type 301; *BP II 300ff.; Penzer VI 108f.; *Siuts Jenseitsmotive 50; *Roberts 140.—Irish myth: Cross (F158), Beal XXI 311, 324, 329, O'Suilleabhain 33, 91; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 103, MacCulloch Eddic 320; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "puits"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 25; Greek: Fox 88, 143; Gaster Thespis 183f.; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 167; Marquesas: Handy 110; Maori: Clark 100; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XV 153; S. A. Indian (Tereno): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 367; Africa: Werner African 175, 184, 195. |
| F92.1 | Visit to lower world through hole made by lifting clumps of grass. Type 425, 480; *Roberts 140; Tegethoff 15.—Greek: Fox 227 (Proserpine); Oceanic (New Zealand, Samoa, Nieue Island): Dixon 47f. |
| F92.2 | Person swallowed up by earth and taken to lower world. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F92.2.1 | Girl gathering flowers swallowed up by earth and taken to lower world. Greek: Fox 227 (Proserpine); Oceanic (Mangaia [Cook Group]): Dixon 74. |
| F92.3 | Visit to lower world through opening rocks. Rocks open with a charm. Oceanic (New Zealand, Samoa, Mangaia): Dixon 48. |
| F92.4 | Entrance to lower world through mountain. Patch PMLA XXXIII 614 n. 48.—Irish myth: Cross; Babylonian: Gilgamesch-Epos IX; Chinese: Graham. |
| F92.5 | Entrance to lower world by making hole in ground. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F92.6 | Entrance to lower world through cave. England: *Baughman. |
| F92.7 | Hole to underworld kingdom of snakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F93 | Water entrance to lower world. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
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.