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 |
|---|---|
| F339.1 | Fairy grateful for rides on man's back, warns him his cow is choking. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F339.2 | Fairies care for tulip bed out of gratitude to owner for not plucking any of blossoms. England: *Baughman. |
| F339.3 | Fairy grateful for returning lost fairy child. |
| F339.3.1 | Fairies do all house and farm work for family who returns lost child. England: Baughman. |
| F339.3.2 | Fairies cause all ewes to have two lambs for owner who has returned fairy child. Wales: Baughman. |
| F340 | Gifts from fairies. Type 503; BP III 324; Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Elbengeschenke", "Geschenke des kleinen Volkes"; Irish myth: *Cross; French: Saintyves Perrault 72ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone Introduction; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F340.1 | Parting fairies leave gifts for newborn princess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F341 | Fairies give fulfillment of wishes. Hartland Science 55; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 51; English: Wells 32 (Layamon's Brut); Wales: Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F341.1 | Fairies give three gifts. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "dons". Rotunda: Italian Novella. |
| F341.2 | Fairy ransoms self with wish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F341.2.1 | Captured water fairy promises to make ugly man beautiful in return for her release. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F342 | Fairies give mortal money. Hartland Science 39, 53, 56; Irish myth: Cross; English: Wells (Sir Launfal); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bourse"; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3594. |
| F342.1 | Fairy gold. Fairies give coals (wood, earth) that turns to gold. *Type 503; BP I 366, III 324ff.; Hartland Science 57; Fb "kul" II 326b, "guld" I 512, "hövlspеn" I 762, "jord" II 45b.—England: Baughman; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 No. 2; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 47 No. 388; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 434, Index No. *771, 3648; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F342.2 | Man borrows money from fairy (dwarf, devil). When the man brings the money back, he learns that the fairy was killed by thunder. He keeps the money. German, Swedish, Finnish-Swedish, Estonian, Livonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Kashubish, and Wendish: Balys Tautosakos Darbai VI 163—195. |
| F343 | Other presents from fairies. |
| F343.0.1 | Fairy offers mortal choice of magic objects. (Cf. D813.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F343.1 | Fairies give woman silver spoons. Hartland Science 38. |
| F343.2 | Fairies give hunter a dog. Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 285ff. |
| F343.2.1 | Dogs as gifts from fairy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.3 | Fairy smith gives knight a magic sword. English: Wells 32 (Layamon's Brut); Scotch: Campbell Tales III 122. |
| F343.4 | Fairies give avaricious man gift of benevolence. Hartland Science 55. |
| F343.5 | Fairies give beautiful clothes. Irish myth: Cross; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 10. |
| F343.5.1 | Fairy gives magic cloak (and shirt). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.6 | Bonga lends dishes to mortals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F343.7 | Fairy-wife furnishes provisions. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F343.8 | Fairy leaves goats as purchase price for girl he has carried off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F343.9 | Fairy gives man horses, cattle, etc. Irish myth: *Cross; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F343.9.1 | Horses as fairy gifts. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F343.10 | Fairy gives warrior equipment for soldiers. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.10.1 | Fairy gives person magic sword. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.10.2 | Fairy gives person magic spear. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.10.3 | Fairy gives person invulnerable shield. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.11 | Fairy offers man change of form and feature for aid in battle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F343.12 | Grateful fairy gives ring. Icelandic: Göngu-Hrуlfs saga 277. |
| F343.13 | Fairy gives mortals a child. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| F343.14 | Golden cup (bowl, urn) as gifts from otherworld inhabitants. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.15 | Magic apple as fairy gift. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.16 | Gigantic ox rib as gift from fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.16.1 | Gigantic hog rib as gift from fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F343.17 | Fairies give haymakers dinner each year until one of men keeps a fairy knife. They give no more food even though the man returns the knife. (Cf. F353.) England: Baughman. |
| F343.18 | Fairies return hatchet head lost in river. England: Baughman. |
| F343.19 | Fairies give mortals fairy bread. |
| F343.19.1 | Fairy bread must be eaten same day it is given or it turns to toadstools. Wales: Baughman. |
| F343.20 | Sack of coals as fairy gift. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F344 | Fairies heal mortals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F344.1 | Fairies remove hunchback's hump (or replace it). *Type 503; BP III 324ff.; RTP I 129, 186, III 582, V 690, VIII 549, IX 285, X 124, XX 389, XXII 79, XXVII 490; Clouston Tales I 352; FL XIX 324ff.—Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 205ff.; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bossu"; cf. Japanese: Mitford 191ff., Ikeda. |
| F344.2 | Fairy physician can heal anyone whose spine is not severed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F344.3 | Fairies give man white powder to cure mortals, replenish his supply whenever needed. England: Baughman. |
| F345 | Fairies instructs mortals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F345.1 | Fairies teach mortal to walk under water. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F345.2 | Supernatural person (poet) reveals marital infidelity. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F346 | Fairy helps mortal with labor. England, Scotland, Wales: *Baughman; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 187; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3695; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 4; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 181 No. 36. |
| F346.0.1 | Fairy serves mortal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F346.1 | Fairies make shoes for shoemaker. German: Grimm No. 39; BP I 364. |
| F346.2 | Fairies build house for mortal. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 508, 510. |
| F347 | Fairy adviser. Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 199, 223; Icelandic: *Boberg; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14f. |
| F347.1 | Bonga made village headman and advice asked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F348 | Tabus connected with fairy gifts. |
| F348.0.1 | Fairy gift disappears or is turned to something worthless when tabu is broken. German: Grimm No. 182; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *771. |
| F348.1 | Fairy gift not to be taken to earth. Hartland Science 50. |
| F348.2 | Cup given by fairy not to be broken. Bad luck will follow (Luck of Edenhall). Hartland Science 156f.; Gröning Am Urquell IV 101f., 208f.; Sprenger ibid. V 34, VI 41, *191 n. 1; Grimm Deutsche Sagen No. 547. |
| F348.3 | Fairy gift not to leave possession of mortal's family. Bad luck will follow. Hartland Science 56. |
| F348.4 | Gifts of gold and silver not to be accepted from fairies. Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 277. |
| F348.5 | Mortal not to recognize fairy who gives him gift. Hartland Science 57. |
| F348.5.1 | Mortal not to betray secret of fairies' gift. Wales, England: *Baughman. |
| F348.5.1.1 | Mortal not to tell secret of gift of inexhaustible meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F348.5.2 | Mortal not to thank fairy for gifts. England: *Baughman (F451.5.10.9). |
| F348.6 | Gifts of the fairies must never be measured or counted. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3694. |
| F348.7 | Tabu: telling of fairy gifts; the gifts cease. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F348.7.1 | Abuse of fairy gifts brings about their loss. Wales: Baughman. |
| F348.8 | Tabu: mortal for whom fairy works must not watch him at work. England, Scotland, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F348.9 | Gift barrel of ale which never runs dry goes dry when maid looks into bunghole. England: Baughman. |
| F348.9.1 | Fairy gifts turn to paper when shown. (Cf. F342.1, F348.0.1.) Wales: Baughman. |
| F349 | Gifts from fairies—miscellaneous. |
| F349.1 | Fairy aids mortal in flight. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F349.2 | Fairy aids mortal in battle. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F349.3 | Fairies exile devastating host. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F349.4 | Fairy promises abundant crops, etc., to mortal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F350 | Theft from fairies. |
| F351 | Theft of money from fairies. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F351.1 | Theft of money from fairies by joining unperceived in their game of money-throwing. Hartland Science 139; England: *Baughman. |
| F351.2 | Theft of money from fairies by frightening them away from it. Hartland Science 140. |
| F352 | Theft of cup (drinking horn) from fairies. Fb "guldhorn" I 513; Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 206ff., (1928) 144ff.; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 590, *Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 65 No. 559. |
| F352.1 | Theft of cup (drinking horn) from fairies when they offer mortal drink. Hartland Science 141—159 passim; Boberg Festskrift til Hammerich, 1952, 53—61. —England: *Baughman. |
| F352.2 | Theft of vessel from water-deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F353 | Kettle borrowed from fairies and not returned. (Cf. F343.17.) Hartland Science 244; England: *Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F354 | Fairy's ornament snatched. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F355 | King's crown stolen from fairyland. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F356 | Fairy cattle (bull, cow) stolen. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F357 | Unsuccessful attempt to steal fairy necklace. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F358 | Money borrowed from the fairies and not returned on time. England: *Baughman. |
| F359 | Theft from fairies—miscellaneous. |
| F359.1 | Eggs stolen from fairies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F359.2 | Theft of golden bird from fairies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F360 | Malevolent or destructive fairies (= pixies). Saintyves Perrault 83ff.; Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 62, Beal XXI 324; Icelandic: Boberg, Papua: Ker 73. |
| F360.0.1 | Malevolent or hostile beings in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F360.1 | Fairies pursue unbaptized children. *Fb "udøbt" III 959b. |
| F361 | Fairy's revenge. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F361.1 | Fairy takes revenge for being slighted. |
| F361.1.1 | Fairy takes revenge for not being invited to feast. *Type 410; BP I 434ff.; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| F361.1.2 | Fairy takes revenge for not being offered food (drink). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F361.1.2.1 | Fairy takes revenge for mortal's failure to bring food and drink to fairy son's wedding. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F361.2 | Fairy takes revenge for theft. Hartland Science 141, 143; Jacobs's list s.v. "Red Cap"; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 52. |
| F361.2.1 | Fairy recovers stolen cup by posing as a beggar. Hartland Science 141. |
| F361.2.2 | Fairies cause man to lose his senses after he steals flower while visiting them. Wales: Baughman. |
| F361.2.3 | Fairies bind man fast to ground after he has attempted to capture fairy prince and princess. England: Baughman. |
| F361.2.4 | Fairy gifts stop when man steals fairy knife. England: Baughman. |
| F361.3 | Fairies take revenge on person who spies on them. Spy uses magic salve on one eye. Fairies tear out the eye. Hartland Science 66ff.; Jacob's list s.v. "Fairy salve".—Irish: Cross, E. Andrews Ulster Folklore (New York, 1919) 66f.; Welsh: Rhys Celtic Folklore I 63, 98f., 198, 213, 220—228, 241f., 292; English: FLJ II 154; Icelandic: Rittershaus 303; Färoe: Jiriczek Zs. f. Vksk. II 13 No. 14; Danish: Thiele DF II 202f.; German: Meyer Germanen 182; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3276f.; Legends Nos. 429, 431, 433, 438ff., 442, 444, 447; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 47 No. 388; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 No. 2; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F361.3.1 | Fairies leave work unfinished when overseen. (Cf. F271.2.1, F271.5.) Irish myth: *Cross; England: Baughman. |
| F361.3.2 | Fairies chase person who watches them dance. England: Baughman (F261.4.) |
| F361.4 | Fairies take revenge on trespassers on ground they claim as theirs. *Fb "stald" III 534ab; Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 191; Scotland, Ireland, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F361.5 | Fairies punish girl who pours hot water into their spring. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 47 No. 392. |
| F361.6 | Fairies slay wooer (or his kin) of fairy maiden. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F361.7 | Fairies take revenge on mortals who hold their king captive. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F361.8 | Fairy takes revenge for slaying of his relatives. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F361.9 | Fairies take revenge for being dishonored. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F361.10 | Fairies take revenge for being teased. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3693. |
| F361.11 | Fairies threaten watcher of sheep. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3696. |
| F361.12 | Fairies take revenge on mortals who destroy their homes. Irish myth: *Cross; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F361.13 | Fairies take revenge for cheating. England: Baughman. |
| F361.14 | Fairy punishes servant girl who fails to leave food for him. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| F361.15 | Fairies punish mortals who refuse to eat fairy food given them. England, Ireland: *Baughman. |
| F361.16 | Fairies punish person who needs punishing because of his treatment of other mortals. (Cf. F311.1.) England, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| F361.17 | Other punishments by fairies. |
| F361.17.1 | Fairies lame miller who throws sod into his kiln where fairies are cooking oatmeal; the oatmeal scalds them. England: *Baughman. |
| F361.17.2 | Fairies take revenge on smith who disturbs them in the smithy when he returns after dark to get medicine. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F361.17.3 | Fairies pinch plowboy who breaks their wooden oven as he plows. England: Baughman. |
| F361.17.4 | Fairy breaks leg of servant girl who tells lies about him. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F361.17.5 | Fairies bathe children in churn when housewife forgets to leave a supply of clear water for the fairies. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F361.17.6 | Fairy kills dog that refuses to let fairy sleep in stack. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F361.17.7 | Fairy kills man who refuses his hospitality. Man refuses to visit fairy after being invited. (Cf. F361.15.) England: Baughman. |
| F361.17.8 | Fairies chase man who dares them to come chase him. He barely gets home ahead of them; they drive iron javelin through iron-covered door. (Cf. C20.) England: *Baughman. |
| F361.17.9 | Fairy mistress strikes her disobedient human lover on the face and predicts death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F362 | Fairies cause disease. Kittredge Witchcraft 33, 147, cf. 218; Irish myth: *Cross; Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 225; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F362.1 | Fairies cause blindness. Hartland Science 66ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F362.2 | Fairies cause insanity. *Fb "ellepige" I 242a, "ellefolk" I 241b, "sær" III 723b; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F362.3 | Fairies cause weakness. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F362.4 | Fairy causes mutilation (injury). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F363 | Fairies cause death. (Cf. F364.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F363.1 | Fairies, directed by druid, bring about death of king by causing fish-bone to stick in his throat. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F363.2 | Brownie (Redcap, Redcomb, Bloody Cap) murders travelers, catches their blood in his cap. England: Baughman. |
| F363.3 | Sight of fairies fatal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F363.4 | Fairy's look burns mortal to ashes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F363.5 | Fairy calls her victim only once or twice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F363.6 | Fairies tickle mortals to death. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F364 | War between fairies and mortals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F364.1 | Fairy warriors sit upon mortals and thus kill them. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F364.2 | Fairies wrestle with mortals. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F364.3 | War between fairies and giants. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F365 | Fairies steal. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b, "stjæle" III 576a; Irish myth: *Cross; England, Scotland, Ireland: *Baughman. |
| F365.0.1 | Fairy steals on Hallowe'en. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F365.1 | Fairies steal ass. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "âne". |
| F365.2 | Fairies steal anchor. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "ancre". |
| F365.3 | Fairies occupy peasant's house. *Fb "hus" I 687a. |
| F365.4 | Fairy (bonga) steals part of crop. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F365.5 | Fairies steal pieces as mortal plays draughts with fairy woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F365.6 | Fairies steal cattle (pig). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F365.7 | Fairies steal cooking. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F365.8 | Fairies steal wool. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F366 | Fairies abuse livestock. |
| F366.1 | Fairies milk mortal's cows dry. *Kittredge Witchcraft 166, 484 n. 23; Fb "ko" II 240b; England: Baughman. |
| F366.1.1 | Fairies milk mortal's mare. Hartland Science 130. |
| F366.1.2 | Fairies admit calves to cows, depriving children of milk. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F366.1.3 | Fairies ride farmer's calves. England: *Baughman. |
| F366.2 | Fairies ride mortal's horses at night. *Kittredge Witchcraft 219f., 526ff. nn. 65—77; Fb "marelok" II 553; England, U.S.: *Baughman; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 127 No. 60; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 60. |
| F366.2.1 | Fairies plait manes and tails of horses. Canada, England: *Baughman. |
| F366.2.2 | Fairy rides behind man on horse. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F366.3 | Fairies in form of devastating animals kill flocks. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F366.4 | Fairies control prosperity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F366.5 | Fairy hangs on to carriage on road. (Cf. E272.1.) England: Baughman. |
| F367 | Destructive fairy drink. Upon returning to earth mortal pours out drink which had been offered by fairies. It burns up whatever it touches. Hartland Science 144. |
| F368 | Human beings as game in fairy hunt. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F369 | Malevolent fairies—miscellaneous. |
| F369.1 | Fairies set fire to buildings. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.2 | Fairies defile waters Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.3 | Fairy kills mortal's hound (horses). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F369.4 | Fairy tricks mortal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.4.1 | Fairy incites mortals to war. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.5 | Fairies destroy crops. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.5.1 | Fairies snip corn from stalks. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F369.6 | Fairy prevents butter coming. (Cf. D2084.2.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| F369.7 | Fairies lead travelers astray. (Cf. E272.10, F401.3, F491.1.) Canada, England, Ireland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| F369.8 | Elephants become lean from listening too much to fairy music; cannot graze. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F370 | Visit to fairyland. BP II 329.—Irish myth: *Cross; Danish: Feilberg DF V 55ff.; Norwegian: Solheim Register 18f.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F371 | Human being reared in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross; Scotland: Baughman. |
| F372 | Fairies take human nurse to attend fairy child. Irish myth: *Cross; English: *Child I 358 No. 40; England, Scotland: Baughman; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "nourrice". |
| F372.1 | Fairies take human midwife to attend fairy woman. (Cf. F333.) *Hartland Science 37—92; *Fb "jordemoder"; *BP I 367; Wentz Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries (London, 1911) 49f., 54, 131, 140, 175, 182; Tobler 76.—English: Child I 358ff. No. 40, II 505f., III 505f., IV 459a, V 215b, 290b; Scottish: J. G. Campbell Superstitions 147; England, Scotland, Ireland, U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: Göngu Hrуlfs saga 275ff.; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 44 No. 41; Danish: Feilberg DF V 69ff., Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 330ff., (1928) 210ff.; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "sage-femme", "fées"; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F372.2 | Fairies seek human godparent. *BP I 366; Hartland Science 170. |
| F372.2.1 | Old man as godfather to underground folk. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 43 No. 56; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 126 No. 56. |
| F373 | Mortal abandons world to live in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F374 | Longing in fairyland to visit home. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F375 | Mortals as captives in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F376 | Mortal as servant in fairyland. *Hdwb. d. Märch. I 396 s.v. "Dienst bei elbischen Wesen"; Irish myth: *Cross; Danish: Feilberg DF V 84ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 440. |
| F376.1 | Tailor works in fairyland. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 439, Balys Historical. |
| F377 | Supernatural lapse of time in fairyland. Years seem days. *Hartland Science 161—195; Jacobs's list s.v. "Time flies"; *Child I 321 n.; *Burnham PMLA XXIII 394 n. 2; Fb "glemme" IV 181a.—Irish myth: *Cross; England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales: Baughman; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 585; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Anesaki 265, Ikeda; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 280; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 157, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 185, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 177. |
| F377.1 | Supernatural lapse of time in paradise. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F377.2 | Year seems few hours in otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F378 | Tabus connected with trip to fairyland. (Cf. F348.5, F361.3.) |
| F378.0.1 | Mortal expelled from fairyland for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F378.1 | Tabu: touching ground on return from fairyland. Hartland Science 164f.; Irish myth: *Cross; England: Baughman. |
| F378.2 | Tabu: bathing or touching water in lake in fairyland. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F378.3 | Mortal visiting in fairyland must keep his thought on the fairies. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F378.4 | Tabu: drinking from certain well in fairyland. Person does, finds himself alone on hillside. (Cf. C260.) Wales: *Baughman. |
| F378.5 | Tabu: plucking flowers from bed tended by fairies. England: *Baughman. |
| F378.6 | Tabu: using fairy bath water, soap, or ointment on oneself while bathing fairy child. (Cf. F235.4.) England: Baughman. |
| F379 | Fairy visits: miscellaneous. |
| F379.1 | Return from fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F379.1.1 | No return from fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F379.2 | Objects brought home from fairyland. |
| F379.2.1 | Book (medical) brought back from otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F379.2.2 | Tokens brought back by mortal returning from fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F379.3 | Man lives with fairies seven years. Wales: Baughman. |
| F379.4 | Saint visits king of fairies on invitation of fairy king. Saint sprinkles holy water on fairy king, finds himself alone on hill. Wales: Baughman. |
| F380 | Defeating or ridding oneself of fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F381 | Getting rid of fairies. |
| F381.1 | Fairy leaves when he is named. BP I 366; cf. Type 500. |
| F381.2 | Fairies leaves when mortal strews peas in his path. BP I 365. |
| F381.2.1 | Escape from pursuing fairies by strewing path with bananas. Africa (Ashanti): Rattray 55. |
| F381.3 | Fairy leaves when he is given clothes. BP I 364; England, Scotland, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F381.4 | Fairy escaped by learning and using his secrets. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 56 No. 484. |
| F381.5 | Fairy lured away from house by treasure which he claims. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F381.6 | Fairy leaves when druid utters spell that drowns her voice. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F381.7 | Fairies leave when people do their needs where they live. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F381.8 | Spinning fairies lured away from the house by fire alarm. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3698. |
| F381.9 | Fairies will not approach when dogs are present. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F381.10 | Fairies leave when person watches them at work. (Cf. F348.10.) |
| F381.11 | Fairy leaves when given impossible tasks to do. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F381.12 | Fairies leave when ordered to fight each other. Scotland: Baughman. |
| F381.13 | Fairies leave when thanked for their work. (Cf. F451.5.10.9.) |
| F382 | Exorcising fairies. Fairies disappear when some name or ceremony of the Christian Church is used. Hartland Science 107, 127, 130, 138f., 166; Fb "Kristen" II 300, "døbe" I 227, "messevin" II 582, "trold" III 852a; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; England: Baughman; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 74; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 50 No. 416. |
| F382.1 | Fairies fear the cross. England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, U.S.: Baughman; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F382.2 | Holy water breaks fairy spell. (Cf. G303.16.7.) U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| F382.3 | Use of God's name nullifies fairies' power. (Cf. D1766.7, G303.16.8.) Wales: Baughman. |
| F382.4 | Opening Holy Bible in presence of fairies nullifies their spells. England: Baughman. |
| F382.5 | Chanting song of St. Nicholas drives fairy away. U.S.: Baughman. |
| F382.6 | Asking grace at fairy banquet causes fairies and banquet to disappear. (Cf. G271.2.3.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F383 | Fairy rendered powerless. |
| F383.1 | Fairy unable to pass cross-roads. Hartland Science 142. |
| F383.2 | Fairy unable to cross running stream. Hartland Science 144; England, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F383.3 | Fairy unable to cross plowed ground. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b. |
| F383.4 | Fairy must leave at cockcrow. Type 503; Hartland Science 145; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 229. |
| F383.4.1 | Fairy prince becomes mortal when surprised by daylight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F383.4.2 | Fairies leave at rise of morning star. Cook Islands: Beckwith Myth 336. |
| F383.4.3 | Sunlight fatal to fairies. Maori: Clark 98. |
| F383.5 | Transformed fairy warriors disenchanted when attacked. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F384 | Magic objects powerful against fairies. England: Baughman; Irish: Beal XXI 324. |
| F384.1 | Salt powerful against fairies. |
| F384.1.1 | Salt renders fairy mortal. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "sel". |
| F384.1.2 | Salt sprinkled on fairy food renders it harmless. Hartland Science 128; Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 523f. |
| F384.2 | Steel powerful against fairies. Fb "stеl" III 647a; Wales, U.S.: Baughman. |
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.