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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 |
|---|---|
| F384.3 | Iron powerful against fairies. Hartland Science 163f.; Penzer II 166; Irish myth: Cross, Baughman; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 59 No. 504; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F384.4 | Wearing flowers on one's ears protects from fairies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F385 | Means of averting fairy spells. |
| F385.1 | Fairy spell averted by turning coat. This is supposed to reverse the spell. *Kittredge Witchcraft 215, 523 n. 21. |
| F386 | Fairy punished. |
| F386.1 | Fairy imprisoned in tree. (Cf. F386.5.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F386.1.1 | Fairy harper enclosed in yew-tree. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 73. |
| F386.2 | Fairy punished for marrying a mortal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F386.3 | Troublesome bonga (fairy) pegged to ground and placed under stone. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F386.4 | Fairy transformed as punishment. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F386.5 | Fairy imprisoned as punishment. (Cf. F386.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F387 | Fairy captured. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F388 | Fairies depart. |
| F388.1 | Fairies depart to heaven. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 333. |
| F388.2 | Fairies depart to floating island. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 330. |
| F389 | Fairies otherwise defeated. |
| F389.1 | Fairies driven off with fire. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F389.2 | Abduction of Christianized fairy woman by fairies prevented by saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F389.3 | Fairy wounded by mortal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F389.4 | Fairy killed by mortal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F389.5 | Fairy defeated by druid's magic. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F390 | Fairies—miscellaneous motifs. |
| F391 | Fairies borrow from mortals. *Fb "ellefolk" I 241b. |
| F391.1 | Animals borrowed by fairies. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux". |
| F391.1.1 | Ox lent fairies must not be worked after sunset. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "boeuf". |
| F391.2 | Fairies borrow food from mortals. Scotland, Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F391.3 | Fairies borrow tools to make coffin. Ireland: Baughman. |
| F392 | Fairy transforms self to fly, allows self to be swallowed by woman and reborn as fairy. Malone PMLA XLIII 417. |
| F393 | Fairy visits among mortals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F393.0.1 | Fairy dissatisfied with fairyland leaves to live among mortals. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F393.1 | Fairy minstrel lives among mortals to learn of their heroic deeds. (Cf. F262.3.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F393.2 | Fairy appears to mortal each Hallowe'en. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F393.3 | Impoverished fairy seeks fortune among mortals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F393.4 | Otherworld woman appears to mortal in sleep. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F394 | Mortals help fairies. |
| F394.1 | Mortal advises fairy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F394.1.1 | Druid directs fairies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F394.2 | Mortals aid fairies in war. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F395 | Fairy has power to prevent mortal's approach. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F396 | Mortals place selves under protection of fairies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F397 | Fairy woman exhibits her figure to warriors. Is most beautiful of women. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F398 | Hair burned to summon fairies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F399 | Other fairy motifs. |
| F399.1 | Fairies bear dead warrior to fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F399.2 | Fairies protect selves by means of smoke. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F399.3 | Fairies hate clerics. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F399.4 | Playful or troublesome fairies. England: *Baughman. |
| F399.4.1 | Fairies sport with mortal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F400 | Spirits and demons (general). *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Demons and Spirits"; Roscher s.v. "Daimon" I 938; Pauly-Wissowa s.v. "Daimon" IV 2010; Wehrhan Die Sage 59f.; *Runeberg Witches, Demons and Fertility Magic (Helsinki, 1947); *Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Dämonen".—Irish myth: *Cross; Dutch: *Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 52ff.; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 37ff. Nos. 1—39; Slovenian: *L. Kretzenbacher Germanische Mythen in der epischen Volksdichtung der Slowenen (Graz, 1941); Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 316, IV passim, Neuman; Chinese: Werner 402; Africa (Yoruba): Ellis 244. |
| F400.1 | Geniti (geilti) glinne, bánánaig, bocánaig, and other supernatural beings associated with confusion or strife. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401 | Appearance of spirits. |
| F401.1 | Spirits dressed in antique clothes. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 309 No. 19. See Irving's Rip Van Winkle. |
| F401.2 | Luminous spirits. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 306 No. 13. |
| F401.3 | Spirit in animal form. West Indies: Flowers 433. |
| F401.3.0.1 | Demons on animal feet. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 307 No. 33. |
| F401.3.1 | Spirit in form of horse. Demon horse. *Howey 35ff. |
| F401.3.2 | Ox demon. Chinese: Werner 362. |
| F401.3.3 | Spirit as black dog. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 25. |
| F401.3.3.1 | Waumpaus: monster with huge dog tracks. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 687. |
| F401.3.4 | Spirit as fly going into bottle. Fb "lille" II 428. |
| F401.3.4.1 | Demon in form of wasp. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F401.3.4.2 | Spirit in ant form. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 75. |
| F401.3.5 | Spirits with goose (chicken) feet. Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 225. |
| F401.3.6 | Demon in form of hare. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F401.3.7 | Spirit in form of a bird. |
| F401.3.7.1 | Demon in form of crow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F401.3.7.2 | Demons in form of black birds. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.3.8 | Spirits in form of snake. Mono-Alu: Wheeler 15, 54. |
| F401.4 | Spirits without heads (or with heads under arms). *Grunwald Hessische Blätter f. Vksk. XXX—XXXI 317 (cf. F511.0.1., F531.2.1); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.4.1 | Spirit has half head. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.5 | Spirits appear horrible. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.5.1 | Spirit in form of horrible head. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F401.6 | Spirit in human form. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.7 | Fire-breathing spirit. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F401.8 | Gigantic spirit. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F401.9 | Spirit with feet turned wrong way. (Cf. F451.2.2.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402 | Evil spirits. Demons. See whole chapter "G" for witches and ogres. —Greek: Grote I 66. |
| F402.1 | Deeds of evil spirits. |
| F402.1.1 | Spirit leads person astray. *Kittredge Witchcraft 215, 523 nn. 19, 20.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 83; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.1.2 | Spirit blocks person's road. Irish myth: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 99, Beal XXI 331; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 298 No. 12. |
| F402.1.3 | Spirits tangle up peasant's cows. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 323 No. 121. |
| F402.1.4 | Demons assume human forms in order to deceive. Kittredge Witchcraft 223f., 530 nn. 98—101.—Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Mono-Alu: Wheeler 4, 6f., 18f., 32, 39, 41f., 46, 49, 51f., 60f., 61, 188. |
| F402.1.4.1 | Demon takes on form of God to deceive faithful. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| F402.1.5 | Demon causes disease. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F402.1.5.1 | Demons seek to carry off king's soul. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F402.1.6 | Spirit causes weakness. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F402.1.7 | Demon of gluttony devours man's food in his throat. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.8 | Spirits put corpse into river. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.9 | Spirit delivers false message. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.10 | Spirit pursues person. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.11 | Spirit causes death. |
| F402.1.11.1 | Spirit (devil) sent by druids cause death of Christian king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.11.2 | Evil spirit kills and eats person. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 88. |
| F402.1.11.3 | Evil spirit harpoons sleepers. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 68. |
| F402.1.11.4 | Evil spirit's kiss fatal. Korean: Zong in-Sob 18. |
| F402.1.12 | Spirit fights against person. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F402.1.13 | Ship held back by otherworld women. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.1.14 | Spirit and horses. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| F402.1.15 | Demon suitors of girl. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.1.15.1 | Demon seduces princess as she bathes at seashore. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.2 | Government of demons. |
| F402.2.1 | King of demons (Asmodeus). Jewish: *Ginzberg Jewish Encyclopaedia s.v. "Asmodeus", bin Gorion Born Judas I 230, *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.2.2 | Queen of demons. Jewish: Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas II 177, 351. |
| F402.2.3 | Child of demon king marries mortal. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 234ff., 243ff., 249, 376f. |
| F402.3 | City of demons. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 229. |
| F402.4 | Demons eat ravenously. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F402.5 | Creation of demons. |
| F402.5.1 | Demon formed from charmed apples. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F402.6 | Dwelling of demons. |
| F402.6.1 | Demon lives in tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.6.1.1 | Demon lives at root of tree. Cook Island: Beckwith Myth 252. |
| F402.6.2 | Demons live in waste mound. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.6.3 | Demons live in well. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.6.4 | Demons live in white cliff with hole in it. (Cf. F460) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F402.6.4.1 | Spirits live in caves. Mono-Alu: Wheeler 6f, 18f, 32, 34, 39, 41f., 46, 49, 51f, 60f, 188. |
| F402.7 | Family of demons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F403 | Good spirits. Greek: Grote I 66. |
| F403.1 | Spirits give money to mortal. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 319 No. 24. |
| F403.2 | Spirits help mortal. Familiar spirits. **Feilberg Nissens Historie; *Polívka Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 226 n. 8, XXVIII 41 n. 2; Dickson 121 n. 64, 213 n. 143; Kittredge Witchcraft 613 s.v. "familiars".—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 97, 267, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 91; West Indies: Flowers 433. |
| F403.2.1 | Acquisition of familiar spirit. |
| F403.2.1.1 | Familiar spirit acquired by carrying egg under left arm-pit. *Polívka Zs. f. Vksk. XXVIII 41ff. |
| F403.2.2 | Form of familiar spirit. |
| F403.2.2.1 | Familiar spirit in animal form. *Kittredge Witchcraft 613 s.v. "familiars"; Tobler 37; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 61. |
| F403.2.2.2 | Angels as familiar spirits. Act as servants about the house of saints and serve them otherwise. Irish: Plummer clxxxi, *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F403.2.2.3 | Familiar spirit equivalent to man's soul. Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 10f. |
| F403.2.2.4 | Spirit in bottle (bag) as helper. Norlind Skattsägner 47ff. |
| F403.2.2.5 | Demon as familiar spirit. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F403.2.2.6 | Spirit as small black man. German: Grimm No. 116. |
| F403.2.3 | Deeds of familiar spirits. |
| F403.2.3.1 | Spirit in hornet form guards a treasure. Tobler 37. |
| F403.2.3.2 | Spirit gives warning. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 22; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 225, Rink 120. |
| F403.2.3.3 | Spirits teach boy how to sing. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 26. |
| F403.2.3.4 | Familiar spirit brings news with magic speed. Kittredge Witchcraft 216f., 524 n. 36. |
| F403.2.3.5 | Familiar spirit reveals infidelity of man's wife. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F403.2.3.6 | Spirit gives counsel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F403.2.3.7 | Army of spirits and ghosts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F404 | Means of summoning spirits. |
| F404.1 | Spirit must speak as soon as addressed. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 323 No. 125. |
| F404.2 | Conjuring spirits. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 301 No. 22, 304 No. 24, 313 No. 98, 319 No. 31; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 78. |
| F405 | Means of combating spirits. |
| F405.1 | Priest bans spirit with sword. (Cf. D1081.) Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 309 No. 17. |
| F405.2 | Spirits driven off by knife-thrusts and pistol shots. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 313 No. 97. |
| F405.3 | Spirits deceived by drum-beats and hoodwinkings. Chinese: Werner 163. |
| F405.4 | Spirit (demon) baffled by scolding and getting last word. English: Child I 20—22, 485a, II 496b, 509a, III 496a, IV 440a. |
| F405.5 | Cat, dog, and mouse ward off evil spirit. Man takes these animals along with him as protection. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 297 No. 28. |
| F405.5.1 | Dogs protect house from spirits. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 61. |
| F405.6 | Grain scattered as a means of dispersing spirits. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 329 No. 50. |
| F405.7 | Spirit leaves when report is made of the death of one of his kind. *Taylor Washington University Studies X (Humanistic Series) 23—60; **Boberg Sagnet om den Store Pans Død (København, 1934).—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 45 No. 374; Scandinavian: Hartmann Die Trollvorstellungen (Stuttgart, 1936) 73; Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 58 No. 101. |
| F405.7.1 | "Tell to mill-mouse that the field-mouse is dead." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F405.8 | Spirits leave when report is made of fire at their home. Denied readmittance. *Taylor Washington University Studies X (Humanistic Series) 77—79 n. 181. |
| F405.9 | Spirit overcome by driving stake through body it inhabits. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F405.10 | Demons flee stone (when saint steps upon it). Irish myth: *Cross |
| F405.11 | House spirit leaves when gift of clothing is left for it. (Cf. F348.11.) England: *Baughman. |
| F405.12 | Demons flee from fire. Chinese: Graham. |
| F405.13 | Man captures spirit by hiding his stick and leg-wrappers of copper. When spirit gets them back by trickery he disappears. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F405.14 | Evil spirit laid after it is tormented by exorciser. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F406 | Spirits propitiated. |
| F406.1 | Doors left open to let night creatures pass to and fro. *Zingerle Sagen aus Tirol 590. |
| F406.2 | Food left out for spirits at night. *Fb "offre" II 735a. |
| F406.3 | Spirits allow people with faces to ground to pass. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F406.4 | Demon of gluttony coaxed from man's throat with bits of food. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F407 | Departure of spirits. |
| F407.1 | Spirit vanishes in smoke. *Kittredge Witchcraft 215f., 524 n. 26. |
| F407.1.1 | Spirits ascend to heaven by building fire. New Hebrides: Codrington 379. |
| F407.2 | Spirit fades into air. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F408 | Habitation of spirit. |
| F408.1 | Demon occupies (speaks from) lance (sword). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F408.2 | Spirit in heart of man (fairy). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F411 | How spirits travel. |
| F411.0.1 | Spirit travels with extraordinary speed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F411.1 | Demon travels in whirlwind. *Taylor FFC LXX 24 n. 1; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 190—197. |
| F411.2 | Spirit floats in air. (Cf. F418.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F411.3 | Demon ship sails against the wind. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F412 | Visibility of spirits. |
| F412.1 | Invisible spirit speaks. Tobler 93. |
| F412.1.1 | Spirits visible to only one person. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 172. |
| F412.2 | Spirit made visible by standing on another's foot. Irish: Beal XXI 336; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 297 No. 1, 298 No. 7. |
| F413 | Origin of spirits. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F414 | Spirit carries people. |
| F414.1 | Lover transported to girl's apartments in fortress by spirit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F414.2 | Spirit transports miser to treasure-wood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F415 | Demon occupies oracular artificial head and gives responses to questions. Dickson 193 n. 75, 201 n. 95. |
| F416 | Spirits set fire to mill. Meet on Christmas (Easter) night. Cease to meet after mortal spies upon them. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 46 No. 379. |
| F416.1 | Spirits keep mill from working. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F417 | Spirits receive their share of everything made at certain specified times. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 46 No. 380. |
| F417.1 | Spirits borrow from mortals at weddings, return goods later. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F418 | Spirits (demons) hover in air shrieking over battle. (Cf. F411.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F418.1 | Spirits answer war cry. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F419 | Spirits and demons—miscellaneous. |
| F419.1 | Demons hold horse-race. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F419.2 | Thieving spirit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F419.3 | Special spirit for each species of animal to act as its protector. S.A. Indian (Caviсa, Tumupasa): Métraux RBAE CXLIII (3) 448. |
| F420 | Water-spirits.1 *Wehrhan Die Sage 74; *Meyer 101f.; W. Gregor Guardian Spirits of Wells and Locks (FL III 67—73); Roberts 121; Irish myth: *Cross; Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 210; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 142ff., (1928) 100ff., FochF XI 37; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 45f. Nos. 55—65; Finnish: *Holmberg Finno-Ugric 191ff.; Finnish-Swedish: *Wessman 52ff.; Swedish: Hartmann 27; Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 52; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 40ff. Nos. 23—32; Slavic: Máchal 270ff.; Jewish: Neuman; Persian: Carnoy 298; India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff RBAE CXLIII (3) 880, (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 50. See also F200—F399 (fairies and elves), F451 (dwarfs) and F460 (mountain-spirits) for many common motifs. |
| F420.1 | Form and appearance of water-spirits. See F420.5.2.7. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 280—81. |
| F420.1.1 | Water-spirit as man. Takelau (New Zealand): Beckwith Myth 150. |
| F420.1.1.1 | Water-spirit appears as handsome man. German: Ebermann Elbsagen 93 (No. 55); French: Sébillot France II 409; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 57 No. 487. |
| F420.1.1.2 | Water-spirit appears as black man. German: Knoop 89 (No. 145), Sommert 108. |
| F420.1.1.3 | Water-spirit as small gray man. Has green eyes and gray hair. Tobler 99. |
| F420.1.1.4 | Water-spirit as man clothed in white and accompanied by a dozen attendants. Chinese: Werner 182. |
| F420.1.1.5 | Water-spirits have one eye. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| F420.1.2 | Water-spirit as woman (water-nymph, water-nix). (Cf. F423.1.) *Type 316; *BP III 322; *Fb "nøkke" II 725ab.—England, Ireland, Wales: Baughman, Ireland: Beal VII 11; Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 261; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 55 Nos. 468—469; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 58; Germanic: Meyer Germanen 199ff., 202ff., De la Saussaye 323; Slavic: Máchal 254f., 271f.; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 126 No. 58; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 42 No. 30; Armenian: Ananikian 84; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F420.1.2.1 | Water-maidens are of unusual beauty. German: Ebermann Elbsagen 115 (No. 66), Meier I 67 (No. 1); French: Sébillot France II 196, 345; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F420.1.2.2 | Water-maidens mute. *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXV 107ff. |
| F420.1.3 | Water-spirits in animal form. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 53 No. 445; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F420.1.3.1 | Water-spirit as toad. German: Künzig Schwarzwald. 170, Kühnau 38 (No. 55). |
| F420.1.3.2 | Water-spirit as fish. Tobler 97; Icelandic: Boberg, German: Henne-Am Rhyn 113 (No. 216), Ebermann Elbsagen 74 (No. 39); French: Sébillot France II 196. |
| F420.1.3.2.1 | Water-spirit as one-eyed fish. (Cf. F420.1.1.5.) Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 53. |
| F420.1.3.3 | Water-spirit as horse. England, Scotland, Ireland: Baughman; Icelandic: Boberg; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn (1893) 163ff., (1928) 112ff.; Norwegian: Solheim Register 17; Swedish: Hartmann 27; German: Künzig Badische 31 (No. 87), Karstens Sagen 79. |
| F420.1.3.4 | Water-spirit as bull. England: Baughman; German: Weichert II 176 (No. 166), Pfeil 292; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F420.1.3.5 | Water-spirit as stork. German: Lohre 48 (No. 81). |
| F420.1.3.6 | Water-spirit as cat. Tobler 97. |
| F420.1.3.7 | Water-spirit as goat. Tobler 97; French: Sébillot France II 347ff. |
| F420.1.3.8 | Water-spirit as mouse. Tobler 97. |
| F420.1.3.9 | Water-spirit as snake. Tobler 97; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F420.1.3.10 | Water-spirit as frog. Tobler 97. |
| F420.1.3.11 | Water-spirit as ape-like creature. Tobler 97. |
| F420.1.3.12 | Water-spirit as otter. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F420.1.4 | Water-spirits in abnormal form. |
| F420.1.4.1 | Body of water-spirit is half human and half fish or snake. Icelandic: *Boberg; German: Künzig Schwarzwald 168, Henninger 72. |
| F420.1.4.2 | Water-spirits have body covered with fish scales. German: Mackensen Niedersächs 56 (No. 74), Ebermann Donausagen 113 (No. 70). |
| F420.1.4.3 | Water-spirits as dwarfs. (Cf. F451.) Austrian: Calliano I 141; German: Henninger 74; French: Sébillot France II 202, 347, 417. |
| F420.1.4.4 | Water-spirits have hunchback. (Cf. F451.2.1.4.) German: Plöckinger 87, Ebermann Donausagen 139 (No. 85); French: Sébillot France II 202. |
| F420.1.4.5 | Water-spirits with human body and webbed feet and hands. Tobler 98; German: Henne-Am Rhyn 113, Pröhle Deutsche Sagen 153 (No. 119); French: Sébillot France II 403. |
| F420.1.4.6 | Water-spirits with horse feet. German: Handrick 21, Janosch 6. |
| F420.1.4.7 | Water-spirits with green hair and beard. England, Wales: Baughman; German: Bindewald 95, Siess 1. |
| F420.1.4.8 | Water-spirits with green teeth. England: Baughman; German: Schöppner I 219—223, Schultze-Gallara 23; French: Sébillot France II 343 (green eyes). |
| F420.1.4.9 | Water-giants. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F420.1.4.10 | Water-spirit with extraordinarily long hair. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F420.1.5 | Water-spirits invisible. |
| F420.1.5.1 | Invisible water-spirit claps hands and speaks. Tobler 99. |
| F420.1.5.2 | Mysterious voice—water-spirit—is calling from sea. German: Mackensen Hanseat. 22 (No. 32), Schultze 160; French: Sébillot France II 213, 344. |
| F420.1.5.3 | The seas become heavy without natural cause. (Cf. F420.2.4.) German: Meier 73 (No. 78). |
| F420.1.6 | Dress of water-spirits. |
| F420.1.6.1 | Water-spirits are dressed like people of surroundings. German: Schultze 69, Künzig Schwarzwald 167; French: Sébillot France II 342. |
| F420.1.6.2 | Water-spirits are clad in clothes of gold and silver. German: Gradl 33 No. 69, Schnetzler 266 No. 6. |
| F420.1.6.3 | Water-spirits wear precious adornment. Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 261; German: Förstner Märchenwelt 111, Schnetzler 266 No. 6. |
| F420.1.6.4 | Water-spirits wear wreath of flowers and reed on hair and dress. German: Plöckinger 7, Huber and Zaurel 19. |
| F420.1.6.5 | Water-maidens have long veil. German: Richter III 236 No. 32, Schnetzler 292. |
| F420.1.6.6 | Color of water-spirit's clothes. |
| F420.1.6.6.1 | Water-spirits are clad in red. German: Dümke 51, Lohre 43 No. 73. |
| F420.1.6.6.2 | Water-spirits are clad in gray. (Cf. F236.1.4, F451.2.7.3.) German: Schnetzler 277 No. 10, Ebermann Donausagen 139 No. 85. |
| F420.1.6.6.3 | Water-spirits are dressed in green. (Cf. F451.2.7.2.) Scotland: Baughman; Germanic: Calliano 162, Handrick 30; French: Sébillot France II 346. |
| F420.1.6.6.4 | Water-spirits are dressed in white. England: Baughman; Germanic: Kühne 164, Meier 67 No. 1; French: Sébillot France II 199—200. |
| F420.1.6.6.5 | Water-spirits are dressed in blue. Icelandic: Lagerholm 166, Boberg. |
| F420.1.6.7 | Water-spirits are nude. (Cf. F238.) German: Meier I 74 No. 81, Kern 85 No. 11; Dutch: Sinninghe FFC CXXXII 53; French: Sébillot France II 197. |
| F420.1.7 | Water-spirits appearing like human beings are recognized by traces of water. |
| F420.1.7.1 | Corner of water-spirits' dress is always wet. German: Zinck 12, Kahlo Niedersächsische 63 No. 107. |
| F420.1.7.2 | Coat pockets of water-spirits are dripping with water. Wiener 118; Handrick 30. |
| F420.1.7.3 | Water-spirits leave trace of water when standing or walking. German: Kühnau 39 No. 56, Henne-Am Rhyn 113. |
| F420.2 | Home of water-spirits. (Cf. F420.7.1.) |
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