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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 |
|---|---|
| E387.3 | Ghost summoned for purposes of necromancy. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E389 | Ghost summoned—miscellaneous. |
| E389.1 | Ghost must be summoned by king else he appears head downward. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E389.2 | Summoned ghost audible and visible only to person who has summoned him. Jewish: Neuman. Cf. Shakespeare Hamlet ("ghost scene"). |
| E390 | Friendly return from the dead—miscellaneous. |
| E400 | Ghosts and revenants—miscellaneous. *Wimberly 451f. s.v. "Ghost", "ghosts"; *Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Gespenst"; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XX 353; *Feilberg Sjæletro (København, 1914).—Irish: O'Suilleabhain 62, Beal XXI 324; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "revenant"; Slavic: Máchal 230; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 44f. Nos. 40—77 passim; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 153—170, 506—519; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 41 Nos. 12—16; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 1ff., Landtman Finlands Svenska Folkdiktning VII pt. 1, 199f.—Melanesian: Dixon 142ff. |
| E401 | Voices of dead heard from graveyard. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 63, Beal XXI 324; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 2 No. 20. |
| E401.0.1 | Ghostly voice heard on battlefield. (Cf. E502, F418.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E402 | Mysterious ghostlike noises heard. (Song, animal cries, footsteps, etc.) (Cf. E337.1, E236.7.) Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 24 Nos. 211—214; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 250; England: *Baughman. |
| E402.1 | Noises caused by ghost of person. |
| E402.1.1 | Vocal sounds of ghost of human being. (Cf. E545. |
| E402.1.1.1 | Ghost calls. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.1.2 | Ghost moans. (Cf. E547.) Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.1.3 | Ghost cries and screams. England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.1.4 | Ghost sings. (Cf. E546.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.1.5 | Ghost snores. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E402.1.1.6 | Ghost sobs. (Cf. E551.) England: Baughman. |
| E402.1.2 | Footsteps of invisible ghost heard. England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.3 | Invisible ghost plays musical instrument. (Cf. E548.) England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.3.1 | Ghost sounds conch shell. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 349. |
| E402.1.4 | Invisible ghost jingles chains. (Cf. E231.4.) England, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.5 | Invisible ghost makes rapping or knocking noise. (Cf. F470.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.6 | Crash as of breaking glass, though no glass is found broken. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.1.7 | Ghost slams door. Canada: Baughman. |
| E402.1.8 | Miscellaneous sounds made by ghost of human being. Canada, England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E402.2 | Sounds made by invisible ghosts of animals. (Cf. E520.) |
| E402.2.1 | Crowing of ghost rooster. England: Baughman. |
| E402.2.2 | Braying of ghost donkey. England: Baughman. |
| E402.2.3 | Hoofbeats of ghost horse. (Cf. E423.1.3, E521.1, E535. 1ff.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E402.3 | Sound made by ghostly object. (Cf. E530.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| E402.4 | Sound of ethereal music. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E410 | The unquiet grave. (Cf. D2151.1.2.3.) Dead unable to rest in peace. Aside from the references given in the numbers immediately following, see E200—E399 passim. Jewish: *Neuman; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 48. |
| E410.1 | Ground trembles or rumbles when ghost rises from grave. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99. |
| E410.2 | Ghost shakes off earth when he rises from grave. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99. |
| E411 | Dead cannot rest because of sin. *Herbert III 380 No. 127; Alphabet Nos. 198, 300, 386, 701, 703, 752; Irish: Beal XXI 330, O'Suilleabhain 96; Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 Nos. 31—34; Spanish Exempla: Keller; England, Wales: *Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 242; Africa (Fang): Trilles 134. |
| E411.0.1 | Hand of sinner sticks out of grave. *BP II 550. |
| E411.0.2 | Unquiet dead sinner taken to priest for absolution. Type 760; Alphabet Nos. 17, 178, 303, 331, 337. |
| E411.0.2.1 | Return from dead to do penance. Alphabet Nos. 363, 616.—Lithuanian: *Balys Ghosts; U.S.: Baughman. |
| E411.0.2.2 | Unconfessed person cannot rest in grave. Spanish Exempla: Keller; England: Baughman. |
| E411.0.3 | Horse unable to draw evil dead man. McKay Bealoideas III 141; Icelandic: *Boberg; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 113 No. 4; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 39 No. 4; Finnish-Swedish: cf. Wessman 1 Nos. 7—9; U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E411.0.3.1 | Dead body cannot be moved from where it lies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E411.0.4 | Sinner wanders between earth and heaven. Fb "selvmord" III 183b. |
| E411.0.5 | Other dead drive sinner from graveyard. Fb "lig" II 412b. |
| E411.0.5.1 | Rich man dragged from grave by demons in hallowed ground and flung into grave in unblessed ground. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E411.0.6 | Earth rejects buried body. (Cf. V62.1.) Loomis White Magic 44; Irish myth: *Cross; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3748; Danish: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| E411.0.7 | Demons cast evil man from grave leaving only his shroud. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E411.0.8 | Saint's body miraculously moves so that it is laid properly north and south, not northeast and southwest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E411.1 | Murderer cannot rest in grave. *Type 760; Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 323; Fb "gjenganger" I 443b, "lig" II 412b; Tobler 83, 90.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 No. 32; England, U.S.: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 678; Greek: Aeschylus Eumenides 100. |
| E411.1.1 | Suicide cannot rest in grave. (Cf. E334.7, E431.16.) Fb "lys" II 481b, "selvmord" III 183b; Hartland Science 238; Tobler 22.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 No. 35, 7 No. 53; Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E411.1.1.1 | Suicides must walk the earth until time for their natural death. England: *Baughman. |
| E411.2 | Adulterous person cannot rest in grave. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 228; English: Wells 61 (Awntyrs off Arthure at the Terne Wathelyne), Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E411.2.1 | Priest's concubine cannot rest in grave. Herbert III 380; Wesselski Mönchslatein 163 No. 125. |
| E411.2.2 | The devil's concubine haunts after her death. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E411.3 | Perjurer cannot rest in grave. *Fb "sværge" III 692b, 693a. |
| E411.4 | Usurer cannot rest in grave. Herbert III 83; Alphabet Nos. 704, 784; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E411.5 | Swindler cannot rest in grave. Fb "gjenganger" I 443b; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 47 No. 326A*; England: *Baughman. |
| E411.6 | Person who never said "good morning" cannot rest in grave. Tobler 64. |
| E411.7 | Monk who dies without his cowl cannot rest in grave. Alphabet No. 501. |
| E411.8 | Pilate appears periodically at Mt. Pilatus and washes his hands. *Hauffen Zs. f. Vksk. X 435. |
| E411.9 | Magician who has sold his soul to the devil hires his servant to bury him properly: the coffin bursts. (Cf. E261.2.1.) Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E411.10 | Persons who die violent or accidental deaths cannot rest in grave. See all references to E334ff., especially E334.5, E411.1, E411.1.1, E413, E414. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E412 | Person under religious ban cannot rest in grave. |
| E412.1 | Excommunicated person cannot rest in grave. Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 323. |
| E412.2 | Unbaptized person cannot rest in grave. *Fb "udøbt" III 960a; Tobler 47; Irish: Beal XXI 315, O'Suilleabhain 41; England: Baughman; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3557. |
| E412.2.1 | Unchristened person cannot rest in grave nor enter heaven. Scotland: Baughman. |
| E412.2.2 | Mother of unbaptized child cannot rest in grave. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E412.3 | Dead without proper funeral rites cannot rest. Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 228ff.; Fb "spøgelse" III 521b; Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman; Greek: Fox 145; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 3 No. 25; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 123; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 342. |
| E412.3.1 | Dead man comes back because he was buried without a cap. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E412.3.2 | Naked ghost asks for shirt and promises luck on market for man. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E412.3.2.1 | Ghost asks to wash his shirt. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E412.3.3 | Dead man asks for shoes (was buried without them). Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E412.4 | Child cursed by father cannot rest in grave. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 2 No. 19; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3591. |
| E412.5 | Ghost of church desecrator cannot rest. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E413 | Murdered person cannot rest in grave. (See all references to E231, E334, E337.1.1, E337.3.) *Fb "spøgelse" III 521a, "gjenganger" I 443b; Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 323; Tobler 47; England, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 682; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 5 Nos. 37—38; Kristensen Danske Sagn V (1897) 102ff., 334ff., (1934) 78ff., 252ff. |
| E414 | Drowned person cannot rest in peace. (Cf. E334.4.) Fb "spøgelse" III 521b; Kristensen Danske Sagn V (1897) 90ff., 359ff., (1934) 70ff., 265ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 5 No. 40. |
| E414.1 | Person otherwise killed by accident cannot rest in grave. Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E415 | Dead cannot rest until certain work is finished. U.S.: Baughman (E354); North Carolina: Brown Collection I 679; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 245; West Indies: Flowers 430. |
| E415.1 | Ghost returns to hunt lost article. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 3 No. 24; U.S.: *Baughman (E328). |
| E415.1.1 | Ghost unlaid until iron he hid in life is found. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E415.1.2 | Return from dead to uncover secretly buried treasure. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E415.2 | Dead rich man returns to rebuke his children who have kept the money he promised to the church. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E415.3 | Ghost of priest cannot rest because he failed to say certain masses for the dead. (Cf. E341.3, Q521.6.) Canada, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E415.4 | Dead cannot rest until money debts are paid. (See E351.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| E416 | Man who removes landmarks cannot rest in grave. (Cf. E345.1.) Kuhn Sagen aus Westfalen I 40f. No. 34, 118 No. 127, 177 No. 187; Sikes British Goblins (London, 1880) 149; Hoffman JAFL II 33; Frahm Am Urquell II 202; Kristensen Danske Sagn V (1897) 404ff., (1934) 308ff. |
| E417 | Dead person speaks from grave. Madagascar: Sibree FLJ I 202ff., Larrouy RTP IV 305. |
| E419 | Other restless dead. England: Baughman. |
| E419.1 | Soul wanders and demands that a temple be built for him. Chinese: Werner 314. |
| E419.2 | Dead find no rest since someone daily knocks at grave. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E419.3 | Dead find no rest since grass is pulled on grave. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E419.4 | Dead move when cemetery is moved. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 6 No. 42. |
| E419.5 | Dead arise when one plays organ for first time in church. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 8 No. 64. |
| E419.6 | Lovers buried apart found in one grave each morning. (Cf. E631.0.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E419.7 | Person with missing bodily member cannot rest in grave. (Cf. E235.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E419.8 | Ghost returns to enforce its burial wishes or to protest disregard of them. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E419.9 | Ghost flits between two graves reputed to contain body. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E419.10 | Concern of ghost about belongings of its lifetime. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E419.11 | People who bury metal cannot rest in grave. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| E419.12 | Fate of ghosts of persons eaten by tigers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E420 | Appearance of revenant. |
| E421 | Spectral ghosts. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "fantфme"; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 684; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 239. |
| E421.1 | Invisible ghosts. *Tobler 92ff.; N. A. Indian (Tahltan): Teit JAFL XXXII 226; England, Wales: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681; Jewish: Neuman. |
| E421.1.1 | Ghost visible to one person alone. Spanish Exempla: Keller; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 64; N. A. Indian (Teton): Dorsey AA o.s. II (1889) 148. |
| E421.1.1.0.1 | First-born of a family cannot see ghosts. England: Baughman. |
| E421.1.1.1 | Persons born at midnight can see ghosts. England: *Baughman. |
| E421.1.1.2 | Only sorcerers can see ghosts. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 181. |
| E421.1.2 | Ghost visible to horses alone. *Fb "hest" I 600a, IV 212a; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 26 No. 227; England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 678. |
| E421.1.3 | Ghost visible to dogs alone. England: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E421.1.4 | Ghosts visible only to sheep. England: Baughman. |
| E421.1.5 | Ghosts visible only to seals. Greenland: Baughman. |
| E421.1.6 | Ghost visible only to wild fowls. Greenland: Baughman. |
| E421.2 | Ghosts cast no shadow. *Fb "skygge" III 347a; *Handwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 138ff; *Penzer IV 239 n. 2; U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 682. |
| E421.2.1 | Ghost leaves no footprints. Canada, England: *Baughman. |
| E421.3 | Luminous ghosts. (Cf. E530.1, E742.) Tobler 83f.; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 240. |
| E421.3.1 | Ghost as glowing wheel. *Fb "hjul" I 626b, "spøgelse" III 521a, "gloende" IV 181b. |
| E421.3.2 | Ghost as firebrand. Fb "spøgelse" III 520b. |
| E421.3.3 | Ghost with glowing face. *Fb "gloende" I 465b; England: *Baughman. |
| E421.3.4 | Ghost as fiery bull. Tobler 81; England, Ireland: *Baughman. |
| E421.3.5 | Ghosts in glowing wagon. Fb "karet" II 91b. |
| E421.3.6 | Ghosts as dogs with glowing tongues and eyes. (Cf. E423.1.1, E522.) *Fb "hund" I 676a; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; England, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E421.3.7 | Flames issue from corpse's mouth. Penzer II 62; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E421.4 | Ghosts as shadow. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E421.5 | Ghost seen by two or more persons; they corroborate the appearance. England: *Baughman. |
| E422 | The living corpse. Revenant is not a specter but has the attributes of a living person. He wanders about till his "second death", complete disintegration in the grave. (Cf. E261.1.3, E268, E461.) *Naumann Primitive Gemeinschaftskultur (Jena, 1921) 18ff.; *Wimberly 229, 239, 256ff.; *Klare Acta Philologica Scandinavica VIII 1—56; *Gould Scandinavian Studies and Notes IX 167; *Fb "spøgelse" III 519b; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 70—152; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3590, Ghosts; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 21 No. 199; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 3f.; Irish: *Cross, Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 682; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 239f., 243; West Indies: Flowers 430; Africa: Werner African 180f., (Ekoi): Talbot 7 (dies a second time and becomes more dead). |
| E422.0.1 | Hanged man thirsty; demands water to drink. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E422.1 | Body of living corpse. |
| E422.1.1 | Headless revenant. *Fb "hoved" I 655b, "hovedløs" IV 223a; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 300 No. 6, 301 No. 18, 311 No. 46; India: *Thompson-Balys; England, U.S.: *Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 680, 683, 693. |
| E422.1.1.1 | Two-headed ghost. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; England, Scotland, U.S.: Baughman. |
| E422.1.1.2 | Revenant with ball of fire in place of head. England: Baughman. |
| E422.1.1.3 | Actions of headless revenant. |
| E422.1.1.3.1 | Headless ghost rides horse. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.1.4 | Headless ghost carries head under arm. (Cf. F511.0.4.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.2 | Armless revenant. Wimberly 235. |
| E422.1.3 | Revenant with ice-cold hands. *Fb "hand" I 765b; Kristensen Danske Sagn V (1897) 554ff., (1934) 400ff.; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.4 | Revenant with cold lips. Wimberly 235. |
| E422.1.5 | Revenant with bad breath. *Wimberly 233. |
| E422.1.6 | Revenant with chicken feet. Gaster Germania XXV (1880) 290ff. |
| E422.1.6.1 | Ghost with feet twisted backward. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E422.1.6.2 | Revenant with thin legs. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 96. |
| E422.1.7 | Revenant with chip of resin between teeth. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 116 No. 18; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 40 No. 18. |
| E422.1.8 | Revenant with peculiar nails. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E422.1.9 | Living corpse returns every night, shows gradual wasting away of body. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E422.1.10 | Dismembered corpse. |
| E422.1.10.1 | Dismembered corpse reassembles. (Cf. E31.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.11 | Revenant as part of body. |
| E422.1.11.1 | Revenant as an eye. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E422.1.11.2 | Revenant as face or head. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.11.3 | Ghost as hand or hands. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.11.4 | Revenant as skeleton. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E422.1.11.5 | Revenant as blood. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.11.5.1 | Ineradicable bloodstain after bloody tragedy. England, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn IV 267ff. |
| E422.2 | Color of revenant. (Cf. F527.) |
| E422.2.1 | Revenant red. Fb. "rød" III 117a. |
| E422.2.2 | Revenant green. Wimberly 240. |
| E422.2.3 | Revenant gray. Tobler 64, 89. |
| E422.2.4 | Revenant black. Irish: Cross, O'Suilleabhain 63, Beal XXI 324. |
| E422.3 | Size of revenant. |
| E422.3.1 | Revenant as small man. Wimberly 244; Tobler 64, 89; England: *Baughman. |
| E422.3.2 | Revenant as a very large man (giant). (Cf. F531.) Scotland, Canada, U.S.: *Baughman; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| E422.4 | Dress of revenant. |
| E422.4.1 | Revenant with hat of birch. Wimberly 243. Note: in the motifs immediately following, it is frequently impossible to tell whether the spectral ghost (E421) or the living corpse (E422) is thought of. |
| E422.4.2 | Ghost with bonnet pulled down over her face. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681. |
| E422.4.3 | Ghost in white. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681f. |
| E422.4.4 | Revenant in female dress. England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E422.4.5 | Revenant in male dress. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E422.4.6 | Revenant in red cap. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 670. |
| E423 | Revenant in animal form. *Rosén Om Själavandringstro; *Fb "spøgelse" III 521a; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "mort"; Scotland, England, U.S.: *Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243. |
| E423.1 | Revenant as domestic animal. |
| E423.1.1 | Revenant as dog. (Cf. E421.3.6.) *Rosén Om Själavandringstro 14; *Fb "spøgelse" III 521a, "hund" I 675b, 676a, "præst" II 886a; Tobler 49, 54, 68; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 92; German: Grimm No. 4; England, Scotland, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 675, 684. |
| E423.1.1.1 | Color of ghostly dog. Canada, England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.1.2 | Features of ghostly dog. |
| E423.1.1.2.1 | Headless ghostly dog. (Cf. B15.1.1, E422.1.1.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.1.2.2 | Human-headed ghostly dog. (Cf. B25.) England: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.2 | Revenant as cat. Type 326; Rosén Om Själavandringstro 16; *Fb "kat" II 107b; Tobler 42, 47, 56; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.3 | Revenant as horse. (Cf. F401.3.1.) Rosén Om Själavandringstro 16; *Handwb. d. Abergl. VI 1614f., IX Nachträge 168; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E423.1.3.1 | Revenant as three-legged horse. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 81, 326 No. 18. |
| E423.1.3.2 | Revenant as mare. Herbert III 380. |
| E423.1.3.3 | Revenant as headless horse. (See E422.1.1, E535.1.) England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.3.4 | Revenant as white horse. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.3.5 | Actions of ghostly horse. England: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.4 | Revenant as ass. Tobler 89; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.5 | Revenant as swine. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 316 No. 134f.; England, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman; Irish: Beal XXI 310, O'Suilleabhain 31. |
| E423.1.6 | Revenant as lamb. Tobler 56; England: Baughman. |
| E423.1.7 | Revenant as ram. Tobler 51. |
| E423.1.8 | Revenant as cow. Tobler 50.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.1.8.1 | Revenant as calf. (Cf. E521.4.) Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| E423.1.9 | Revenant as goat. England. U.S.: *Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243. |
| E423.2 | Revenant as wild animal. |
| E423.2.1 | Revenant as bear. (Cf. E522.2.) Tobler 56. |
| E423.2.2 | Revenant as rabbit (hare). *Fb "hare" I 556a; Rosén Om Själavandringstro 15; Tobler 52; England: *Baughman; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 56. |
| E423.2.3 | Revenant as fox. Fb "ræv" III 113a; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 24. |
| E423.2.4 | Revenant as hedgehog. Hartland Science 247. |
| E423.2.5 | Revenant as seal. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E423.2.6 | Revenant as deer. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.2.7 | Revenant as wolf. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E423.2.8 | Revenant as rat. England, Ireland: *Baughman. |
| E423.2.9 | Revenant as "man-monkey". England: *Baughman. |
| E423.2.10 | Revenant in tiger form. Chinese: Graham. |
| E423.2.11 | Revenant as mouse. Africa (Wachaga): Gutman 35. |
| E423.2.12 | Revenant as squirrel. Africa (Wachaga): Gutman 35. |
| E423.3 | Revenant as bird. Tobler 34; Krappe Balor 96—97; Irish: Cross, Beal XXI 332, O'Suilleabhain 99; England, U.S.: *Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243. |
| E423.3.1 | Revenant as dove. Tobler 30; Krappe Balor 96—97; Irish myth: Cross; U.S.: Baughman. |
| E423.3.2 | Revenant as swan. Tobler 34; England: Baughman. |
| E423.3.3 | Revenant as partridge. Tobler 32. |
| E423.3.4 | Revenant as raven. Swiss: Jegerlehner Obervallis 329 No. 56; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 127ff., 132, (1928) 91ff.; Krappe Balor 96—97. |
| E423.3.5 | Revenant as owl. Tobler 31f.; Krappe Balor 96—97; U.S.: *Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E423.3.6 | Revenant as hen. Sometimes with chickens. Tobler 33. |
| E423.3.7 | Revenant as goose. Type 403; Tobler 34; England: *Baughman. |
| E423.3.8 | Revenant as crow. Krappe Balor 97. |
| E423.3.9 | Revenant as sea-gull. Krappe Balor 97. |
| E423.3.10 | Revenant as duck. Type 403; England: Baughman. |
| E423.3.11 | Revenant as bean-goose. Wales: *Baughman. |
| E423.4 | Revenant as frog. Tobler 86. |
| E423.5 | Revenant as snake (serpent). Tobler 22, 55f.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243. |
| E423.6 | Revenant as centaur. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E423.7 | Revenant as fly. England: Baughman. |
| E423.8 | Revenant as spider. England: Baughman. |
| E423.9 | Revenant as eel. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 93. |
| E424 | Revenant as dwarf. *Gould They who await the Second Death (Scandinavian Studies and Notes IX 167); Tobler 65. |
| E425 | Revenant in human form. |
| E425.1 | Revenant as woman. |
| E425.1.1 | Revenant as lady in white. *M. Waehler Die Weisse Frau (Erfurt, 1931); Fb "jomfru" II 43a; Tobler 68, 90; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 239; England, Scotland, Wales, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E425.1.2 | Revenant as naked woman. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 228; Tobler 67. |
| E425.1.3 | Revenant as seductive woman. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 303 No. 24. |
| E425.1.4 | Revenant as woman carrying baby. Tobler 90; U.S.: Baughman. |
| E425.1.5 | Revenant as woman riding hog. Walz MLN XVI 130ff. |
| E425.1.6 | Revenant as horrible female figure. Covered with snakes and toads. English: Wells 61 (The Awntyrs off Arthure at the Terne Wathelyne). |
| E425.1.7 | Revenant as woman with seal's head. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E425.2 | Revenant as man. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 101, 103, Beal XXI 332f. |
| E425.2.1 | Revenant as old man. German: Grimm No. 4; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister". |
| E425.2.2 | Revenant as man with horse's head. England: Baughman. |
| E425.2.3 | Revenant as priest or parson. (Cf. E338.5, E417.) England, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E425.2.4 | Revenant as American Indian. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E425.2.5 | Revenant as piper. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 62. |
| E425.3 | Revenant as child. Tobler 66f.; England: *Baughman; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 100, Beal XXI 332. |
| E426 | Revenant as object. |
| E426.1 | Ghost in shape of a bag. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E426.2 | Revenant as a rolling cask. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| E430 | Defense against ghosts and the dead. Frazer The Fear of the Dead (London, 1933—36); Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 335b s.v. "Geister"; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 309; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 251. |
| E431 | Precautions at funeral against revenant. |
| E431.0.1 | Test for presence of demons in corpses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E431.1 | Burial service read into hat to prevent dead walking. *Fb "hat" I 563b, "gjenganger" I 444a. |
| E431.2 | Water thrown on corpse to prevent return. *Fb "død" I 228a, "gjenganger" I 444a. |
| E431.3 | Mould thrown on corpse to prevent return. Fb "muld" II 619a. |
| E431.4 | Coffin carried through hole in wall to prevent return of dead. Fb "gjenganger" I 444a; Frazer JAI XV 70; England, Scotland: *Baughman; Indonesia: Kruyt Het Animisme 264ff., Elshout De Kenja-Dejaks uit het Apo-Kajanggebied (Den Haag, 1926) 62. |
| E431.5 | Limbs of dead fettered to prevent return. Von Trauwitz-Hellweg Urmensch und Totenglaube. 134ff.; Meyer Germanen 102; Wimberly 254; England: *Baughman; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis I 15f. |
| E431.6 | Turf laid on breast of dead to prevent return. Wimberly 256. |
| E431.7 | Beheaded man's head laid at feet to prevent return. *Fb "hoved" I 655b; England: Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 252. |
| E431.7.1 | Beheaded man's head laid at back to prevent return. *Fb "hoved" I 655b; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E431.7.2 | Decapitating in order to prevent return. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E431.7.2.1 | Head of beheaded man separated from body (by walking between them) to prevent return. (Cf. E721.1.2.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
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