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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.

46,221 motifs

Page 21 of 185 · 250 per page
Thompson reference ▲ Description
A2435.5 Food of insects. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.5.1 Why bees may not get honey from red clover. (See A2231.3.2.)
A2435.5.1.1 Why bees eat their own children. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.5.2 Insect fries human blood and eats it. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.6 Food of fish, reptiles, etc.
A2435.6.1 Food of tortoise. Jewish: Neuman; Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 370 No. 21.
A2435.6.2 Food of snake. Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 386; India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.6.2.1 Snake sucks milk from woman's breast. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.6.3 Why leech feeds on human blood. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2435.6.6 Food of hawks. Chinese: Graham.
A2436 Why animals lack fire. Sent to steal fire but are lazy and fail. African (Fang): Tessman 18.
A2440 Animal characteristics: carriage. Dh III 219ff.
A2441 Animal's gait or walk.
A2441.1 Animal's gait or walk—mammals.
A2441.1.0.1 Animals (and men) hop because ground is often so dry that it cracks: they have to jump over the cracks. Canada: Baughman.
A2441.1.1 Cause of monkey's walk. Dh III 223, 229.—Africa (Fang): Trilles 179.
A2441.1.2 Why baboon walks on all fours. Hottentot: Bleek 36 No. 17.
A2441.1.3 Cause of dog's walk. Dh III 221.
A2441.1.4 Cause of hyena's walk. Dh III 223.
A2441.1.5 Cause of wolverine's walk. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 248.
A2441.1.6 Cause of skunk's walk. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 360 No. 12.
A2441.1.7 Cause of elephant's walk. Dh III 226.—India: Thompson-Balys.
A2441.1.8 Cause of ox's walk. Dh III 227.
A2441.1.9 Cause of leopard's walk. Dh III 228.
A2441.1.10 Cause of cat's walk. Dh III 229.
A2441.1.11 Cause of hare's hopping gait. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys.
A2441.1.12 Cause of sheep's walk. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2441.2 Cause of bird's walk.
A2441.2.1 Why raven hops. Jewish. Neuman.
A2441.2.2 Graceful step of dove. Jewish: Neuman.
A2441.3 Cause of insect's walk.
A2441.3.1 Why beetle creeps on ground. (See A2232.3.)—Dh III 227.
A2441.3.2 Cause of flea's movement. Dh III 222f.
A2441.3.3 Cause of fly's movement. Dh III 227.
A2441.4 Cause of movement of reptile, etc.
A2441.4.1 Why snake does not go on the road. (See A2233.1.2.)
A2441.4.2 Cause of crab's walk. Dh III 219ff.
A2441.4.3 Cause of toad's hop. Dh III 222.
A2441.4.4 Cause of chameleon's movement. Dh III 222.—Jewish: Neuman.
A2442 Method and position of bird's flight. Jewish: Neuman.
A2442.1 High and low flight of birds.
A2442.1.1 Why some birds cannot fly high. Dh III 230.
A2442.1.2 Why parrots fly high. Africa (Congo): Weeks 221.
A2442.2 Flight of various birds.
A2442.2.1 Why raven claps wings in flying. (See A2218.6.)
A2442.2.2 Why cuckoo flies with difficulty, and sings with wings spread. Sébillot RTP III 265.
A2442.2.3 Why lapwing flies in curves. Sébillot RTP III 160.
A2442.2.4 Bluejay's flight. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 348 No. 2.
A2442.2.5 Hawk's flight. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 189.
A2442.2.6 Water-birds' flight and diving. Dh III 224ff.
A2442.2.7 Wild-goose's flight. Dh III 223.
A2442.2.8 Eagle's flight. Jewish: Neuman.
A2442.3 How birds began to fly. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2444 Animal's method of swimming.
A2444.1 Why some fish swim deep; others shallow. (See A2238.3.)
A2444.2 Why dolphins swim up and down. (See A2275.5.4.)
A2444.3 How salmon swims. Dh III 222.—Irish: Beal XXI 327.
A2450 Animal's daily work.
A2451 Animal's occupation: carrying.
A2451.1 Why ants carry large bundles. (See A2221.4.)
A2452 Animal's occupation: hunting. *Dh III 272ff. (For animal's favorite prey, see A2494, Why certain animals are enemies.)
A2452.1 Why dogs hunt. Sébillot RTP II 437.
A2452.2 Why stork must hunt for living. Dh III 284ff.
A2452.3 Why hawks put heads of mice, etc. on pile of stones. Zuсi: Handy JAFL XXXI 455.
A2453 Animal's occupation: collecting.
A2453.1 Why ant collects resin. (See A2221.4.)
A2455 Animal's occupation: stealing. Dh III 255.
A2455.1 Why wolf is thief. Dh III 295.
A2455.2 Why swallow is thief. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 84b.
A2455.3 Why raven is thief. Because he has none of ten commandments and carries a black stamp on his breast.—Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 90 No. 84.
A2455.4 Why hen does not know how to steal. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 88 No. 98a.
A2455.5 Why wolverine is a thief. Kaska: Teit JAFL XXX 470f.
A2456 Animal's occupation: boring.
A2456.1 Why woodpecker bores in wood. Am. Negro (North Carolina): Brown Collection I 633; Jamaica Negro: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 259 No. 53.
A2456.2 Why wood-worm bores wood. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 243.
A2457 Animal's occupation: rolling.
A2457.1 Why tumble-bug rolls in dung. Jamaica Negro: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 258 No. 46.
A2460 Animal characteristics: attack and defense.
A2461 Animal's means of defense. Dh III 234ff.
A2461.1 Hare sleeps with open eyes as defense. Dh III 234.
A2461.2 Toad remains still when he hears footsteps (defense). Dh III 235.
A2461.3 Killer-whale uses dorsal fin as weapon. Joshua: Frachtenberg JAFL XXVIII 236.
A2461.4 Why deer run, stop, and run on again (defense). Quileute: Farrand JAFL XXXII 251.
A2462 Animal's habits when attacked.
A2462.1 Why squirrel barks when attacked. Dh III 237.
A2462.2 Why beaver splashes his tail in water and dives when attacked. Quileute: Farrand JAFL XXXII 251.
A2462.3 Why mouse does not defend self against cat. Jewish: Neuman.
A2463 Animal's means of attack.
A2463.1 Why leopard cannot capture animal who passes him on right side. Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 146 No. 28.
A2464 Why animal does not attack.
A2464.1 Why lion does not attack dog. Jewish: Neuman.
A2465 Means of capturing animal.
A2465.1 Why fish are caught in nets. (Cf. Type 253.)—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 21 No. 118, XXXIII 55 No. 118.
A2466 Animal's habits when caught.
A2466.1 Why opossum plays dead when caught. Dh III 236f.—Am. Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 11 No. 3.
A2466.2 Why turtle beats with forelegs when caught. Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 87 No. 15.
A2468 Animal's behavior at death.
A2468.1 Why shrew dies on road. (See A2233.1.3.)
A2468.2 Why toad dries up when dead. (See A2231.8.)—Jewish: Neuman.
A2468.3 Why dragon dies by means of fire. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 379 No. 4.
A2470 Animal's habitual bodily movements.
A2471 Why animals continually seek something. (See A2275.5.)
A2471.1 Why dogs look at one another under tail. (See A2275.5.5, A2232.8; also *Dh IV 129ff.)—Sébillot RTP ii 433; England, U.S.: Baughman.
A2471.1.1 Why dogs sniff at one another. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *202; Prussian: Plenzat 10.
A2471.2 Why hogs inspect one another: seek pancake. (See A2275.5.1.)
A2471.3 Why hawk (vulture) hovers over camp-fire: seeks grandmother. (See A2275.5.2.)
A2471.4 Why diver always looks at sea. (See A2275.5.3.).
A2471.5 Why lynx squints: is looking afar at view. Ojibwa: Jones JAFL XXIX 378.
A2471.6 Why dog is always looking. Jamaica negro: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 259 No. 48.
A2471.6.1 Why dog looks back at person who has beaten him. Liberian: Bundy JAFL XXXII 421.
A2471.6.2 Why dogs howl, looking at sky. Joshua: Frachtenberg JAFL XXVIII 225.
A2471.7 What hawks are looking for. Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 128 No. 22.
A2471.8 Why mason-wasp looks for fireplace. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 346 No. 1.
A2471.9 Why animals always look down. Jewish: Neuman.
A2472 Why animals ruminate.
A2472.1 Why cows ruminate. (See A2231.1.1.)—Chinese: Graham.
A2473 Why animals lift their legs.
A2473.1 Why dogs lift their legs. Dh III 261.—Sébillot RTP II 436; Japanese: Ikeda.
A2473.1.1 Why dogs leave droppings at crossroads. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2473.2 Why pigs in mud lift their legs. Jewish: Neuman.
A2474 Why some animals continually shake head.
A2474.1 Why lizard bobs head up and down. (See A2255.2, A2211.9.)
A2474.2 Why hare shakes head. Bushman: Bleek and Lloyd 65.
A2474.3 Why owl shakes head. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2475 Why animals scent from distance.
A2475.1 Why deer scent people from distance. Sinkyone: Kroeber JAFL XXXII 346.
A2476 Why animals move mouth, nose, etc.
A2476.1 Why rabbit continually moves mouth. Zanzibar: Bateman 22 No. 1.
A2477 Why animals root in ground.
A2477.1 Why hog roots in ground. (See A2236.3, A2275.5.1.)—India: Thompson-Balys.
A2477.2 Why hen scratches in ground. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 233.
A2478 Why certain animals are continually eating. (See A2231.1.1.)
A2478.1 Why zebra is continually eating. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 369 No. 19.
A2479 Other habitual bodily movements of animals.
A2479.1 Why wagtail moves tail up and down. Dh III 226.
A2479.2 Why hare skips about like a leaf. India: *Thompson-Balys.
A2479.3 Why jackals make noise at night when seeking food. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2479.4 Why the hedgehog draws himself up: shame at sight of a good man. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges.
A2479.6 Why caterpillars climb trees. Marquesas: Handy 115.
A2479.7 Why ants fall upon every man. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 231.
A2479.8 Why dog snaps every fly. Fly laughed at dog's (feigned) death. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 227.
A2479.9 Why flies fly around ox's eyes. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 230.
A2480 Periodic habits of animals.
A2481 Why animals hibernate.
A2481.1 Why bears hibernate. Dh III 257.—Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 53 No. 78**.
A2482 Why animals migrate. Dh III 257ff.
A2482.1 Why swallows migrate. Dh III 258.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 16 No. 86; Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 86.
A2482.2 Why caribou migrate. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 232.
A2482.3 Why wren does not migrate. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 86a.
A2483 Why animals shed periodically.
A2483.1 Why snake sheds skin. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 88 No. 110a; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.
A2484 Why animals crowd together seasonally.
A2484.1 Why fish come in seasonally. New Guinea: Ker 25; Tonga: Gifford.
A2486 Why animals lay eggs as they do. (Cf. A2431, A2433.6.1.2.)
A2486.1 Why raven lays eggs in March. (See A2251.1.)
A2486.2 Why bustard hatches but two eggs. (See A2284.2.)
A2486.3 Why dove lays but two eggs. (See A2247.4.)
A2486.4 How birds began to lay eggs. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2489 Animal's periodic habits—miscellaneous.
A2489.1 Why cock wakes man in morning. India: Thompson-Balys; Mpongwe: Nassau 58 No. 9.
A2489.1.1 Why cock crows to greet sunrise. India: *Thompson-Balys.
A2490 Other habits of animals.
A2491 Why certain animals avoid light. Dh III 266ff.
A2491.1 Why bat flies by night. (See A2275.5.3.)—Dh III 267.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3170; Legends No. 271; Japanese: Ikeda.
A2491.1.1 Why bat sleeps by day. (See A2236.3.)—India: Thompson-Balys.
A2491.2 Why owl avoids daylight. Dh III 270.—Ibo (Nigeria): Thomas 162; (Wakweli): Bender 39, 46.
A2491.3 Why mole burrows underground. Dh III 267.—Cherokee: Alexander N. Am. 64.
A2491.4 Tiger cursed with short sight in day time: good sight only at night. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2491.5 Why grasshoppers and locusts hide in day. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2492 Why certain animals go in herds.
A2492.1 Why jackals do not go in herds. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 368 No. 18.
A2492.2 Why birds do not live in societies. New Guinea: Ker 77.
A2493 Friendships between the animals. Dh III 324ff.—Bödker Exempler 290 No. 45—46.—Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 86.
A2493.0.1 Former friendship between domestic and wild animals. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.1 Friendship of prairie-dog and owl. Dh III 352.
A2493.2 Friendship of bat and owl. Dh III 355.
A2493.3 Friendship of tiger and buffalo. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.4 Friendship between man and dog. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Kweli): Sieber 92f.
A2493.5 Friendship between deer and fish. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.6 Friendship between squirrel and quail. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.7 Friendship between leopard-cat and squirrel. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.7.1 Friendship between leopard-cat and night-jar. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.8 Friendship between leopard and goat. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 433ff.
A2493.9 Friendship of cat and mouse. Grimm No. 2.
A2493.9.1 Oath of friendship between cat and rat. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.10 Friendship of fox and titmouse. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges.
A2493.11 Friendship between jackal and crocodile. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.11.1 Friendship between jackal and alligator. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.11.2 Friendship between jackal and elephant. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.11.3 Friendship between jackal and tiger. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.11.3.1 Jackal and tiger as business partners. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.11.4 Friendship between jackal and partridge. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.12 Friendship between turtle and heron. New Hebrides: Codrington I 1.
A2493.12.1 Friendship between turtle and wallaby. Papua: Ker I.
A2493.13 Friendship between hare and parrot. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14 Friendship between monkey and elephant. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14.1 Friendship between monkey and tiger. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14.2 Friendship between monkey and lion. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14.3 Friendship between monkey and stork. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14.4 Friendship between monkey and rabbit. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.14.5 Friendship between partridge, monkey and elephant. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1008.
A2493.15 Friendship between wolf and ass. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.16 Friendship between cock and dog. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.17 Friendship between tiger and deer (fawn). India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.18 Friendship between cat and tiger. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.19 Friendship between crab and cobra. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.20 Friendship between frog and cricket. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.21 Friendship between grasshopper and dungbeetle. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.22 Friendship between goat and hog. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.23 Friendship between louse and crow. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.24 Friendship between cow and tiger, calf and cub. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.25 Friendship between snake and crow. India: *Thompson-Balys.
A2493.26 Friendship between parrot and maina. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2493.27 Friendship between bird and crab. India: *Thompson-Balys.
A2493.28 Friendship between mouse and butterfly. Papua: Ker 100.
A2493.29 Friendship between ant and pheasant. Papua: Ker 118.
A2493.30 Friendship between tiger and lion. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 623, 823.
A2493.30.1 Friendship between lion and jackal. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 775, II 895.
A2493.30.2 Friendship between cow and lioness. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1028.
A2493.31 Friendship between dog and elephant. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 137.
A2493.32 Friendship between antelope, woodpecker and tortoise. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 642.
A2493.33 Friendship between pike and crawfish. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 41.
A2493.34 Friendship of hen and duck. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 81f.
A2493.34.1 Friendship between hen and sparrow. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 51.
A2493.35 Why we know that the parrot comforts and helps man. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 70.
A2494 Why certain animals are enemies. *Dh III 324ff.—(See A2286.0.1.) —India: Thompson-Balys; Africa: Stanley 78, (Wakweli): Bender 88f.
A2494.1 The cat's enemies.
A2494.1.1 Enmity between cat and mouse. (See A2281.)—Dh IV 112ff., 144ff.
A2494.1.2 Enmity between cat and dog. (See A2281.1.)—Dh IV 117ff., 142ff.
A2494.1.3 Enmity between cat and hare. (See A2281.)—Dh III 332.
A2494.1.4 Enmity between cat and rat. Dh III 328 (wildcat).—India: Thompson-Balys; Liberian: Bundy JAFL XXXII 419f.
A2494.1.5 Enmity between cat and hen. Dh III 329ff.
A2494.1.6 Enmity between cat and tiger. Dh III 333f.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 93.
A2494.1.7 Enmity between cat and spider. Dh III 331.
A2494.1.8 Enmity between civet cat and chicken. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 65ff., 71f.
A2494.2 The leopard's enemies. Benga: Nassau 163, 226 Nos. 20, 33; Congo: Weeks 211 No. 7.
A2494.2.1 Enmity between leopard and antelope. Dh III 335.—India: Thompson-Balys; Fjort: Dennett 73 No. 15.
A2494.2.2 Enmity between leopard and lion. Dh III 338.—Spanish Exempla: Keller.
A2494.2.3 Enmity between leopard and goat. (See A2281.)—Africa (Benga): Nassau 99 No. 6, (Angola): Chatelain 195 No. 24, (Vai): Ellis 240 No. 47, (Wakweli): Bender 54.
A2494.2.4 Enmity between leopard and deer. Liberia: Bundy JAFL XXXII 417.
A2494.2.5 Enmity between dog and leopard. Africa: Stanley 196, (Benga): Nassau 189 No. 25.
A2494.2.6 Enmity between leopard and sheep. Ibo (Nigeria): Thomas 72.
A2494.2.7 Enmity between leopard and monkey. India: Thompson-Balys.
A2494.3 The hyena's enemies.
A2494.3.1 Enmity between hyena and ass. Dh III 337.
A2494.3.2 Enmity between hyena and jackal. Dh III 338.
A2494.3.3 Enmity between hyena and weasel. Dh III 338.
A2494.3.4 Enmity between hyena and cow. Dh III 338.
A2494.3.5 Enmity between hyena and wildcat. Dh III 329.
A2494.4 The dog's enemies.