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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 |
|---|---|
| T581.2 | Child born of woman abandoned in pit. Indonesian, Polynesian: Dixon 234 n. 43. |
| T581.2.1 | Child born to an apparently dead mother in her grave. *Bolte "Die Sage von der erweckten Scheintoten" Zs. f. Vksk. XX (1910) 353—81; H. Hauvette "La morte vivante" (Paris, 1933); Krappe "L'enfant de la morte" Lettres Romanes I (1947) 297—310. |
| T581.2.2 | Blind wives fall into a pool where they give birth to children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T581.2.3 | Children born in dungeon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T581.3 | Child born in tree. English: Child II 109; Indonesian, Polynesian: Dixon 234 n. 43. |
| T581.4 | Child born in stable. English: Child II 85—99 passim, V 221. |
| T581.5 | Child born during snowstorm. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T581.6 | Noise of battle precipitates birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T581.7 | Child born on flagstone. Loomis White Magic 20f.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T581.8 | Woman bears twins at end of footrace (with king's horses). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T581.9 | Child born on beach. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 2—5, Boberg. |
| T581.10 | Twins born in tent; mother abducted. Icelandic: FSS 246—48, Boberg. |
| T581.11 | Boy is born in a wrapping of fine cloth. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1097. |
| T582 | Precautions at childbirth. *Penzer II 166ff.; *McDaniel Conception. Birth and Infancy (Miami, 1948); *H. A. Winkler Salomo und die Karina: eine orientalische Legende von der Bezwingung einer Kindbettdämonin (Stuttgart, 1931); Irish myth: Cross. |
| T582.1 | Avoidance of evil spirits at childbirth. Armenian: Ananikian 88f. |
| T582.2 | All locks in house to be shot during childbirth. English: Child II 498. |
| T582.3 | Knots to be untied at childbirth. Particularly knots in the woman's clothes. Aly Hdwb. d. Abergl. V. 19; cf. Frazer Pausanias V 45f.; English: Child I 85. |
| T582.4 | Knife (other sharp instrument) as childbirth precaution. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T583 | Accompaniments of childbirth. |
| T583.1 | Couvade. Father goes into confinement at time of childbirth. *Encyc. Religion Ethics II 635b; *Ploss Das Kind I 125; Bouwman Revue Anthropologique XXV 49ff., Lévy-Bruhl L'âme primitive 225ff.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. V 1573; Grimm Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer I 106. — Irish myth: *Cross; Latin American: Alexander Lat. Am. 37f.; Melanesia: Codrington 228ff. |
| T583.1.0.1 | Husband goes into seclusion at wife's pregnancy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T583.1.0.2 | Couvade imposed on man during wife's menstruation. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T583.1.1 | Pains of woman in childbirth repeated in person of the man. English: Child II 109, V 292; U.S.: Baughman. |
| T583.2 | Calamities at birth of hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T583.3 | King leaves bell with his wife for her to ring so he will know when her child is born. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T584 | Parturition. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| T584.0.1 | Childbirth assisted by magic. (Cf. D1501.2.) *Kittredge Witchcraft 114, 443f. nn. 85—102; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T584.0.2 | Husband acts as midwife when no woman is available. Boje 125ff. |
| T584.0.3 | Birth of holy person painless. Loomis White Magic 16, 20; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| T584.0.4 | Childbirth assisted by angel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T584.0.5 | While saint's mother was giving birth to the child, she grasps a stout rod which roots and becomes a sturdy tree. Loomis White Magic 22f. |
| T584.0.6 | Childbirth assisted by sacred stone. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T584.1 | Birth through the mother's side. *Hartland Primitive Paternity I 21; Toldo I 340; English: Child I 83, II 309ff., 373ff.; V 227ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Egyptian: Müller 390 n. 34; Persian: Carnoy 290, 331; Hindu: Keith 33; Malagasy: Sibree FLJ II 50; Haiti: Alexander Lat. Am. 29; Bakairi: ibid. 312. |
| T584.2 | Child removed from body of dead mother. *Schoepperle 280 n. 2; Loomis White Magic 21; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Greek: Fox 286; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Oceanic: *Dixon 132 n. 4; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 324 n. 166i; S. A. Indian (Yuracare): Alexander Lat. Am. 314, Métraux RMLP XXXIII 144, (Karib): ibid. 147, (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132. |
| T584.2.1 | Child born of dead mother in grave. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T584.2.1.1 | Twins freed from dead mother's body as body rots. New Hebrides: Codrington 398. |
| T584.3 | Cesarean operation upon a woman at childbirth as a custom. Hatt Asiatic Influences 83f. |
| T584.4 | Piglings cut from bodies of sows and reared. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T584.5 | Extraordinarily long labor at childbirth. |
| T584.5.1 | Prolonged labor: woman has childbirth pains for 100 days but is not delivered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T584.6 | After-birth (placenta) becomes a demon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T584.7 | Hero is born by splitting mother's womb. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 93f. |
| T584.8 | Child helps mother in severing his navel string. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| T585 | Precocious infant. *Toldo I 329; Loomis White Magic 23; Gaster Oldest Stories 69; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 79 (Hercules), 92 (Hermes); India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T585.1 | Child born full (nearly) grown. *Ranke FFC CXIV 156; Persian: Carnoy 287; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 5 No. 2; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 230; S. A. Indian (Aztec): Alexander Lat. Am. 60, (Inca): Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 318, (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 161, 166, (Karib): ibid. 147; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 126, (Fjort): Dennett 60 No. 12, (Zulu): *Callaway 9; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 352. |
| T585.1.1 | Child stronger than mother on day of birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T585.2 | Child speaks at birth. (Cf. T575.1.) *Penzer II 39 n. 2; *Liebrecht 210ff.; Günter 242 s.v. "redend"; Cowell Jataka VI 157, 250; Chavannes 500 Contes I 30, 243, 427.—Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 151, II 944, 1247; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 97; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis II 57, IV 278, VII 148, 208, XII 125, (Benga): Nassau 184 No. 24 version 2, (Bahonga): Einstein 247, (Fang): ibid. 57, (Mkulwe): ibid. 18f. |
| T585.2.1 | Child two months old speaks. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T585.2.2 | Child speaks prematurely on first birthday. Moreno Esdras. |
| T585.3 | Infant born blind immediately drowns self. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T585.4 | Infant saint rebukes mother's impiety. Loomis White Magic 23; Irish myth: Cross. |
| T585.5 | Child born with all his teeth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T585.5.1 | Child born with hairy mane. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T585.6 | Newborn child kisses dying mother. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T585.7 | Precocious hero leaves cradle to go to war. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T585.8 | Child stands (walks) at birth. Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 789, II 299. |
| T585.9 | Child born circumcised. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| T586 | Multiple births. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 85, 251. |
| T586.1 | Many children at a birth. BP I 432; Köhler-Bolte I 467; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 420; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 200f.; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 310 n. 116a; S. A. Indian (Chibcha): Alexander Lat. Am. 199. |
| T586.1.1 | Four children at a birth. Haiti: Alexander Lat. Am. 30. |
| T586.1.1.1 | Six children at a birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T586.1.2 | Seven children at a birth. *Fb "gifte" I 432; *BP I 432; Wesselski Märchen 174 No. 64; *Loomis White Magic 87; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T586.1.2.1 | King and queen have seven sons, all named Maine. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T586.1.2.2 | King has six (seven) sons, all named Lugaid. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T586.1.3 | Nine children at a birth. Ward II 657 No. 9. |
| T586.1.4 | Five children at a birth for four successive years. All alive. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T586.1.5 | Forty sons born in one day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T586.2 | Extraordinary number of children in family. |
| T586.2.1 | King with fifty sons (daughters). Greek: Fox 20, 30. |
| T586.2.2 | King with 60,000 sons. Hindu: Keith 115. |
| T586.3 | Multiple birth as result of relations with several men. (Cf. T587.1.) Irish myth: Cross; S. A. Indian (Tenetehara): Wagley-Galvao BBAE CXLIII (3) 148, (Kaigua, Tembé, Apapocuvá-guarani): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 136. |
| T586.3.1 | Woman ravished by three brothers bears triplets. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T586.3.2 | Triplets killed by tribe at birth. Africa (Fang): Einstein 56, Trilles 182. |
| T586.4 | Extraordinary number of animals at birth. |
| T586.4.1 | Four calves to one cow at a birth. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T586.5 | Extraordinarily frequent childbirth. |
| T586.5.1 | Woman bears child every month. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T586.5.2 | Child born each day for seven days. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T587 | Birth of twins. (Cf. T685.) Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T587.1 | Birth of twins an indication of unfaithfulness in wife. (Cf. T586.3.) *Harris Cult of the Heavenly Twins 10ff.; Krappe "Tyndare" Studi e Materiali di Storia delle Religioni XV (1939) 23—29; English: Child II 67 n., 511a, Wells 96 (Chevalere Assigne), 126 (Lai Le Freine), *Hibbard 295; Greek: Fox 79; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T587.2 | Twins born one with ear of other in mouth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T587.2.1 | Immediately after birth of twins one puts the other in his mouth: this twin's body becomes made of iron. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T587.3 | Last born twin conceived first. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T588 | Motifs associated with the placenta. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T588.1 | Spirits make child from placenta. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 185. |
| T589 | Childbirth—miscellaneous motifs. |
| T589.1 | Co-operative birth. Each of two wives bears a half-boy. They are placed together and form a real boy. Hindu: Keith 156. |
| T589.2 | Boy cut in two: each half becomes a boy. N. A. Indian (Shoshonean): Alexander N. Am. 133, (California): Gayton and Newman 92. |
| T589.3 | Birth trees. Spring forth as hero is born; act as life tokens, etc. (Cf. T589.7.1.) Type 303; Köhler-Bolte I 179; Fb "træ" III 865b; *Kittredge Arthur 171 n. 1; Irish myth: Cross. |
| T589.4 | Birth with veil brings luck. (Cf. T552.5.1.) Fb. "sejrsskjorte". |
| T589.5 | New-born child reincarnation of recently deceased person. Fb "sjæl" III 214a; N. A. Indian: *Alexander N. Am. 281 n. 20. |
| T589.6 | Where children come from. Explanations given to children. Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 1342ff.; v. Wlislocki Germania N. R. XXII 134ff. |
| T589.6.1 | Children brought by the stork. *Fb "barn" I 50b. |
| T589.6.1.1 | Newborn boy placed in the lap of bathing queen by vulture. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T589.6.2 | Children brought by midwife. *Fb "barn" I 50b. |
| T589.6.3 | Children said to come from underworld. Kalevala-seuran Vuosikirjaa IV 243. |
| T589.6.4 | Children said to come from a well. Wuttke Deutsche Aberglaube Register s.v. "Kinderbrunnen". |
| T589.6.5 | Children said to come from cauliflower. Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 1348. |
| T589.6.6 | Children said to come from stones. Schmidt DF XXXIX 92ff. |
| T589.7 | Simultaneous births. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T589.7.1 | Simultaneous birth of (domestic) animal and child. Type 303; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T589.7.2 | Hero born in hour of Christ's Nativity. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T589.8 | Woman strives to delay birth until auspicious day. Loomis White Magic 20f.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T589.9 | Child with several mothers. (Heimdal.) Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 153. |
| T590 | Conception and birth—miscellaneous motifs. |
| T591 | Barrenness or impotence induced by magic. *Kittredge Witchcraft 113, 441 n. 78; *Boje 107; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T591.1 | Magic remedies for barrenness or impotence. (Cf. D1347, D1925, D2161.3.11.) Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T591.1.1 | Magic potion as remedy for impotence. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 87 n. 3. |
| T591.1.2 | Milk of hornless, single-colored cow drunk by man to make wife fruitful. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T591.2 | Unlucky for a woman to look on the face of a childless person. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T592 | Milk suddenly appears in woman's dry breast. *Cosquin études 199ff., 238ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T592.1 | Milk medicine fills woman's breasts with milk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T595 | Sign hung out informing brothers whether mother has borne boy or girl. *Type 451; BP I 70ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 8. |
| T596 | Naming of children. |
| T596.1 | Angel names child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T596.2 | Children named by numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.). Hdwb. d. Märchens I 521a; Irish myth: Cross. |
| T597 | Ambitions of father transferred to child at moment of conception. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T600 | Care of children. **Ploss Das Kind; Fellinger Das Kind in der altfranzösischen Literatur (Göttingen, 1908); *McDaniel Conception, Birth and Infancy (Miami, 1948); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T601 | Infant bathed in milk. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T602 | Weapons and horses procured for boy at his birth. Icelandic: Hervarar saga 85, Boberg. |
| T605 | Divine nurse. Greek: Grote I 52. |
| T610 | Nurture and growth of children. |
| T611 | Suckling of children. |
| T611.1 | Child nourished by sucking its own fingers. *Cosquin études 208, 256; Toldo I 341; Babylonian: Spence 54. |
| T611.1.1 | Child nourished by sucking thumb of a god. Egyptian: Müller 115; India: Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Keith 166. |
| T611.2 | Child miraculously suckled by his father. *BP II 296; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T611.3 | Witch (fairy) suckles child. Hoffman-Krayer Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 121 n. 4; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3297, Legends No. 528. |
| T611.4 | Children magically prevented from suckling. Fb "patte" I 791a. |
| T611.5 | Child miraculously suckled by saint. (Cf. V211.1.8.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T611.5.1 | Saint has two paps—a pap with milk and a pap with honey: with these he suckles two infants. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T611.5.2 | Saint feeds children by cutting off cow's teats and pouring milk into them. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T611.5.3 | Children miraculously suckled by angel. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T611.6 | Milk magically appears in woman's breast so as to nourish orphan. (Cf. T592.) Loomis White Magic 22; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T611.7 | Abandoned child saved by seagulls; milk furnished by doe; angel brings bell as drinking utensil. Loomis White Magic 22. |
| T611.8 | One woman suckles many babies. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| T611.9 | Dead mother's breasts furnish sufficient nourishment for her baby during two years. *Loomis White Magic 108. |
| T611.10 | Man suckled by dog (wolf): called Mac Con (Son of Dog). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T611.10.1 | Girl suckled by wolf has nail "like a wolf's nail." Irish myth: Cross. |
| T611.10.2 | Saint suckled by wolf. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T611.11 | Child nourished by sucking the eyeballs of snake-mother (frog-mother) who left it. Japanese: Ikeda. |
| T612 | Child born of slain mother cares for itself during infancy. Oceanic: Dixon 132, 137; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 319 n. 152. |
| T614 | Diabolical child kills his wet-nurses. (Gowther, Robert the Devil.) *Hibbard 49ff.; *Wells 784. |
| T615 | Supernatural growth. (Cf. T585.) *Köhler-Bolte I 405, 544; *Child V 482 s.v. "growth"; Fb "pattebarn" II 792; Gaster Oldest Stories 130.—Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 26, *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 95; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 21, 74; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "croissance"; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 175 n. 2, Fox 175; Persian: Carnoy 332; Babylonian: Spence 54; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Ferguson 30, Werner 306, *Coyajee JPASB XXIV 179; Japanese: Mitford 189ff., Ikeda; Philippine: Dixon 234, (Tinguian): Cole 30 n. 3, 53, 102; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47, Rasmussen I 234, 238, III 153; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 307 n. 112, (California): Gayton and Newman 69; S. A. Indian (Carajá): Métraux MAFLS XL 49, (Toba): ibid. 89, 98, 157, (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132, (Cashinawa): ibid. 684, (Yurakare): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 144, (Karib): ibid. 147, (Uru-Chipaya): ibid. 109; Africa: Werner African 221, (Benga): Nassau 185 No. 24, (Basuto): Jacottet 118 No. 17, 70 No. 11, (Ekoi): Talbot 33, 127, 312, (Zulu): Callaway 8ff., 73, 110, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 147 No. 29, (Boloki): Einstein 112, (Baluba): ibid. 183, (Fang): ibid. 57. |
| T615.1 | Precocious speech. (Cf. T585.) DeVries "De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind" Nederlandsche Tijdschrift voor Volkskunde XXXII (1917) 1; Irish myth: *Cross; Finnish: Kalevala runes 31, 50; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 72f. |
| T615.2 | Women old from their birth. Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 155 n. 4. |
| T615.3 | Precocious wisdom. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| T615.4 | Precocious boy supports his widowed mother and himself by use of his wits. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T615.5 | Precocious young child demands weapons. (Cf. T617.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T617 | Boy reared in ignorance of the world. English: Wells 72 (Sir Percyvelle of Galles); Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman. |
| T617.1 | Future hero as child isolated from world kills increasingly larger game with superior weapons. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 69. |
| T617.2 | Hero learns his name at time of first adventure. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T621 | Orphan inquires about parents. (Cf. L111.4.1.) N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 69. |
| T640 | Illegitimate children. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T640.1 | Illegitimate child of nun. (Cf. V465.1.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| T640.2 | Mother of illegitimate child given as pledge for his crime. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T642 | Test of legitimacy of children: exposure to asps. Asps will bite only foreigners. (Cf. H222.1.) Herbert III 168 No. 16. |
| T644 | Child betrays his own illegitimacy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T645 | Paramour leaves token with girl to give their son. *Type 873; *Potter Sohrab and Rustem 6ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 86, 330, 478f. |
| T645.1 | Sword left for posthumous son to kill father's murderer. Krappe Balor 35; Marie de France "Yonec". |
| T645.2 | "Keep it if it is a girl; send it to me if it is a boy." Hero leaving girl says this of the prospective child. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T645.2.1 | "Kill it if it is a girl." Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 203. |
| T645.3 | Father orders the mother to send the expected illegitimate boy to him when he can perform certain feats. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 97 (Theseus). |
| T645.4 | Hero leaves bedmate keys to treasure chamber for the son she is supposed to bear. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| T646 | Illegitimate child taunted by playmates. *Type 873; DeVries Edda (1923) 155ff., DeVries Studiën over Faerösche balladen 44ff.; Chauvin V 72; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 52, *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 200; Missouri French: Carrière; India and China: Cowell Jataka VI 21, Chavannes 500 Contes III 331; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 78 No. 44; Oceanic: Dixon 67f., 82, 113; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IV 273; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 277 No. 89; West Indies: Flowers 579. |
| T646.1 | Child cries because his father is unknown. S. A. Indian (Uru-Chipaya): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 169. |
| T647 | Illegal to care for illegitimate child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T670 | Adoption of children. *Encyc. Religion Ethics s.v. "adoption"; Icelandic: Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T671 | Adoption by suckling. Ogress who suckles hero claims him as her son. *Cosquin études 199ff.; *Roberts 177. |
| T672 | Adopted child reproaches his foster mother and is returned to his real mother. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T673 | Rich but stingy couple adopt young man as their son: everybody is happy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T674 | Adopted child deserted when own child is born to couple. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T675 | Real mother preferred to foster mothers. Kid abandoned by his mother suckles the whole flock but is not satisfied. Chauvin III 56 No. 15. |
| T675.1 | Children prefer foster mother. Gaster Thespis 252. |
| T676 | Childless couple adopt animal as substitute for child. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| T676.1 | Childless woman adopts a serpent (transformed man). (Cf. D191.) Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 5. |
| T677 | Substitute for a child. Aged, childless couple carve themselves a child from wood, or make one from snow, clay, and the like. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 701*; Russian: Andrejev No. 703. |
| T678 | Adopted child identical with real child reared with him. *Ranke FFC CXIV 152—4. |
| T680 | Care of children—miscellaneous motifs. |
| T681 | Each likes his own children best. Snipe asks sportsman to spare its small ones, easily recognized as being the prettiest in the forest. To be on the safe side he shoots only the ugliest he can find. They are the young snipes. (Often told of the ape.) *Type 247; Dh II 242ff.; Fb "ugle" III 964a; Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 426), 146 (ST 509); Herbert III 39ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T681.1 | Animals ridicule foolish pride of owl in the beauty of his son's really hideous feet. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| T682 | Hero a posthumous son. *Von Sydow Fеvne 40; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T684 | Devil substitutes himself for new-born child. Köhler-Bolte I 148. |
| T685 | Twins. (Cf. T587.) Saintyves "Les Jumeaux, dans l'ethnographie et la mythologie" Revue anthropologique XXV (1925) 54—9; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T685.1 | Twin adventurers. *Harris Cult of the Heavenly Twins passim; Dickson 98ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; India: *Thompson-Balys; New Hebrides: Dixon 132; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 320 n. 155, (Quiche): Alexander Lat. Am. 169ff. |
| T685.2 | Hostile twins. *Dickson 98ff.; *Krappe Balor 30, 143 n. 33, FL XXXIV 189ff.; Gaster Oldest Stories 168. |
| T685.3 | Twins who look exactly alike. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T685.4 | Twins: as twins are reared one born earlier becomes continually weaker, the other stronger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T686 | Quadruplet heroes. Haiti: Alexander Lat. Am. 30. |
| T687 | Triplets (as heroes). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T688 | Children sleep in village dormitory. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U0 | Life's inequalities. |
| U10 | Justice and injustice. |
| U11 | Small trespasses punished; large crimes condoned. |
| U11.1 | Ass punished for stealing mouthful of grass; lion and wolf forgiven for eating sheep. Wesselski Mönchslatein 71 No. 61. |
| U11.1.1 | Animals confess sins to one another: fox and wolf forgive each other; punish ass. (Cf. V20.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 350. |
| U11.1.1.1 | Animals confess sins to lion holding court. All the powerful animals forgiven. Ass and lamb are punished. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U11.1.1.2 | Penitent in confession worries about little sins and belittles the big ones. *Wesselski Arlotto I 191 No. 17; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U11.2 | He who steals much called king; he who steals little called robber. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 351; Scala Celi 20a No. 120; Alphabet No. 334; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| U11.2.1 | Wolf punished for theft; kings honored. Wesselski Bebel II 126 No. 82. |
| U12 | Largest burdens laid on smallest asses: best offices to most ignorant men. *Wesselski Bebel II 121 No. 64. |
| U14 | Unworthy rewarded instead of the worthy. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| U15 | Fool laughs at the absurdities he sees about him. (1) Sees a man who is to die that day buy shoes. (2) Sees sheriff leading a man to the gallows: a big thief leading a little one. (3) Sees farmer weeping at funeral of his child, while priest (the real father) sings. Wesselski Mönchslatein 193 No. 153. |
| U15.0.1 | Dwarf king (fairy) laughs at the absurdities he sees about him. (1) Sees man who is to die that day complain that his shoes are too thin. (Cf. J2174.) (2) Sees women adorn their heads when they are immoral below. (Cf. J2050.) (3) Sees man remove from his wife's garment dust gathered while she lay with another man. (Cf. J2301.3.) (4) Sees persons making plans while forgetting to say, "If God wills." Irish myth: *Cross. |
| U15.1 | Philosopher laughs at the vanities and sins of the world. His companion weeps. Spanish: Childers. |
| U18 | The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge. Jewish: Neuman. |
| U21 | Justice depends on the point of view. |
| U21.1 | Hen complains that man eats her, but she eats ant. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 101. |
| U21.2 | A gift of property silences criticism. A priest who has preached against lucrative places given the clergy is silent when he receives one. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 546. |
| U21.3 | Man complains of injustice of gods' wrecking ship because of one man's sin. He then kills whole swarm of ants because one has stung him. Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 429), 103 (ST 161); Halm No. 118; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 11, Beal XXI 305. |
| U21.4 | Wolf objects to lion stealing sheep from him although he has himself stolen it. Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 148), 129 (ST 366); Halm No. 279. |
| U21.5 | Judge reduces penalty when accused is his own son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U25 | Theft to avoid starvation forgiven. *Chauvin II 126 No. 128. |
| U27 | Swallow killed in court house by snake laments injustice in house of justice. Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 100), 140 (ST 464); Halm No. 418. |
| U30 | Rights of the strong. Wienert FFC LVI 147. |
| U31 | Wolf unjustly accuses lamb and eats him. When all the lamb's defenses are good the wolf asserts the right of the strong over the weak. (Usually accused of stirring up water from lower in stream.) (Cf. U141.) Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 97), 148 (ST 526); Halm Aesop No. 274; *Crane Vitry 191 No. 135; Herbert III 12; Alphabet No. 631; Jacobs Aesop 199 No. 2; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 83 (monkey and goat). |
| U31.1 | Cat unjustly accuses cock and eats him. Although all the cock's defenses are good the cat tells him that she can no longer go hungry and eats him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U31.2 | Crow exercises rights of strong over dove who cannot defend self. Dove at crow's request sings to save her brood which crow kills after song. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| U32 | Smallness of offense no excuse when hunter prepares to kill lark. She has stolen but a single grain of wheat. Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 273), 146 (ST 513); Halm Aesop No. 209. |
| U33 | Cock killed by his captors in spite of his plea of usefulness to man. Wienert FFC LVI 49, 64 (ET 88, 280, 281), 146, 148 (ST 514, 527, 528); Halm Aesop Nos. 14, 195, 341. |
| U34 | Nobleman murders one of the people. Goes unpunished. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U34.1 | Nobleman who kills one of the people is brought to justice only after long delay. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U35 | Rich man (king) seizes poor widow's (nun's) cow. Herbert III 40ff. No. 39; Hervieux IV No. 40; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| U35.1 | King seizes old woman's cow. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| U35.1.1 | King seizes poor man's lamb. Jewish: Neuman. |
| U35.2 | Nobles ruin peasant's (widow's) crops with impunity. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| U36 | Lion cub killed by bull gives lioness no right to complain. Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 92), 129 (ST 367); Halm Aesop No. 395. |
| U37 | Wolf as commander orders all booty divided, but keeps his own. Wienert FFC LVI 47 (ET 58), 103 (ST 157); Halm Aesop No. 281. |
| U38 | Ruler exiles subject for trivial remark. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U41 | Ruler forces bishop to ordain ignorant priest. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U42 | Praise what your master likes and scorn what he dislikes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U60 | Wealth and poverty. |
| U61 | Dividing after God's fashion: little to poor, much to rich. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 233 No. 509, Bebel I 232 No. 149, Mensa Philosophica No. 63. |
| U63 | Priest has no friends until he becomes bishop: then they flock to him. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 421. |
| U65 | Wealth is relative: beggar with horse, wife, or dog considered rich by poorer beggar. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 612. |
| U65.1 | Grass serves as pleasant couch for poor. Jewish: Neuman. |
| U66 | Every man has his price. |
| U66.1 | Every woman has her price. |
| U66.1.1 | Bid raised for queen's favors until she hesitates. Jester replies, "If a man have goods enough, he might have a sovereign lady." England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| U67 | Jester takes cow and tells king people have plenty of milk, for "he who is warm thinks everyone else is." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U68 | Optimist becomes pessimist when his money is stolen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U71 | Man so constantly enriched by God that he cannot give all his goods to the poor. Herbert III 7; Crane Vitry 175 No. 97. |
| U81 | Great possessions bring great risks. Jewish: Neuman. |
| U81.1 | Dove's pride in her large brood linked with fear for their loss. Wienert FFC LVI 44 (ET 21), 141 (ST 470); Halm Aesop No. 358. |
| U83 | King in exile neglected, but courted when he regains throne. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U84 | Price of object depends on where it is on sale. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| U110 | Appearances deceive. Wienert FFC LVI 123. |
| U111 | Many books do not make a scholar. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 608. |
| U111.1 | Many books do not make a scholar: youth tricks mother by carrying many books. Pierre Fai-feu No. 3. |
| U112 | Beard on she-goats do not make a male. Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 431), 124 (ST 332). |
| U113 | Big voice: little creature. (Frogs, crickets.) Wienert FFC LVI 61, *66 (ET 232, 304), 123 (ST 321, 322); Halm Aesop Nos. 172, 248. |
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