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Aarne–Thompson–Uther index

About this index and how to read it

The ATU index classifies international folktales by type. Each row gives the type number, its title and summary, followed by the references it inherits: Arne Thompson is the earlier Aarne–Thompson type number, and Thompson lists the motif references from Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature associated with that type.

Cross-references inside a summary open the relevant tale-type or motif record. Thompson motif references in the final column are linked directly to the corresponding entry in the Stith Thompson Motif Index when that reference exists in the database. Any column heading can be clicked to sort by it, and clicking again reverses the order. Following a type number opens that type on its own page.

Animal Tales 1–299

153 tale types

Sorted by summary, ascending

Showing 1–50 of 153 · Page 1 of 4

ATU Title Summary ▲ Arne Thompson Thompson
68 The Jackal Trapped in the Animal Hide
  • I. Entering the Elephant. (a) An elephant lets his friend the jackal enter his body to drink water. The jackal eats the internal organs and the elephant dies. The jackal is trapped in the carcass. (b) A jackal eats its way into a carcass which it finds and is trapped inside when the skin dries.
  • II. Jackal and the God. (a) A god passes and the jackal challenges him to a rain-making contest. The god sends rain, the carcass swells, and the jackal escapes. (b) The jackal pretends to be a god and frightens people into bringing sacrifice and pouring water over the carcass.
    		•  , 68, 68*, 68A J2131.5.7., J655.2., K1022.1.1., K565.2.
    223 The Bird and the Jackal
  • I. The jackal asks the bird to obtain food. The bird flies near men carrying baskets of food. They drop them to pursue bird and jackal eats food. See Type 1*.
  • II. The jackal asks the bird to make him laugh. The bird alights on the men's heads so that they strike one another. III. The jackal asks the bird to make him cry. The bird leads men or dogs to his hiding place. IV. The jackal asks the bird to save its life. The bird entices the jackal into power of the crocodile, then strikes crocodile so that jackal escapes.
    		•
    241 The Officious Bird and the Monkey A bird, sitting in its nest during a cold rain, asks shivering monkey why it doesn't build a house since it has hands like a man. The enraged monkey destroys the bird's nest.
    101 The old dog rescues the child A farmer plans to kill a faithful old dog. The wolf makes a plan to save the dog. The latter is to rescue the farmer's child from the wolf. The plan succeeds. The wolf in return wants to steal the farmer's sheep. The dog objects and loses the wolf's friendship. 101 K231.1.3.
    212 The Lying Goat A father sends his sons one after the other to pasture the goat. The goat always declares he has had nothing to eat. The father angrily sends his sons from home and learns, when he himself tries to pasture the goat, that he has been deceived. Cf.… 212 K1151.
    231 The Heron (Crane) Transports the Fish A heron (crane) tells the fish in a lake that is drying up that it will transport them one by one to another lake, but eats them instead. A crab sees through the deception, seizes the heron by the throat and kills it. 231  J657.3.
    180 The rebounding bow A hunter kills several animals but is in turn bitten by a snake. A jackal comes by, nibbles at the hunter's bow, and is killed when the bow rebounds.
    237 The Parrot That Talked Too Much A magpie is punished by his master, who throws him into a mud puddle. The magpie sees a muddy sow. He says, "You also must have had a quarrel with your master." 237 J2211.2.
    217 The Cat and the Candle A man has a cat trained to hold up lighted candles on its head. The king has a mouse let loose. The cat drops the candle and chases the mouse. (Often used as a method of cheating in a game [N7].)
    150 The Bird's Three Precepts A man releases a fox (bird) if the latter will give him three counsels: "When you have a fox, don't let him loose." , 150 J21.12., J21.13., J21.14., K604.
    155 Ingratitude Is the World's Reward A man rescues a serpent (or a bear), who in return seeks to kill the rescuer. Fox, as judge, advises the man to put the serpent back into captivity. 155 J1172.3.
    248 The Dog and the Sparrow A man runs over the dog, friend of the sparrow. The sparrow takes vengeance. The man loses his horse, his property, and finally his life. 248 N261.
    278 Rat and Frog Tie Paws Together A rat and a frog get their paws entangled and get c arried off by a falcon. 278, 278A*, Frog J652.1., J681.1., J752.1.
    57 Raven with a Cheese A raven/crow has some cheese/meat in his mouth. The fox flatters the raven into singing. He drops his food and the fox gets it. 57 K334.1.
    131 Tiger as False Friend to the Cow A tiger and a cow become friends and both bear offspring. The tiger drinks water downstream from the cow, decides her flesh would be sweet, and kills and devours her. The calf has been forewarned (lifetoken: cup of milk). The cub, ashamed of its… 131 J427.
    224 Wedding of the Turkey and the Peacock All birds are invited to the wedding except the eagle. This omission starts a great conflict.
    78 Animal Allows himself to be Tied to Another for Safety Animal allows himself to be tied to another for safety. Carried to his death. , 78, 78A K713.1.1., K713.1.2.,               
    106 The Animal's Conversation Animals' conversation (imitation of animal sounds). 106 NA
    292 Ass Tries to Get a Cricket's Voice Asks cricket what they eat to get such a voice. They answer, >>dew.>> He tries it and starves. 292 J512.8.
    289 Bat, Diver, and Thornbush Shipwrecked Bat brought money, bush put on clothes, and diver brought leather. All shipwrecked. Diver is looking for his leather. Bush looks for his clothes and holds fast to all passers-by. Bat is abroad only at night to escape creditors. (Cf. A2471.4,… 289 A2275.5.3.
    222 The Willow-Wren and the Bear Birds win by cleverness. The fox's lifted tail is to be the signal. The gnats stick him under the tail. He drops it and the quadrupeds flee. Cf. Type 104. It often serves as introduction to Type 313. 222, 222A B261., B261.1.
    159 Captured wild animals ransom themselves Bring horses, cows, etc. to the man. 159A, 159B NA, W185.6.
    163 The singing wolf By his singing the wolf compels the old man to surrender his cattle, his children and grandchildren, and finally his wife. The old woman goes into the wolf's service. She returns home bringing butter, etc. [Z33.4.2]. 163 Z33.4.2.
    61 The Fox Persuades the Cock to Crow with Closed Eyes Captures him. Often followed by: the cock persuades the fox to ask a blessing before eating him. 61, 61B K721., K815.15.
    173 Man and animals readjust span of life Cf. 828 AT first, 30 years are given to all animals and to man. For the animals it is too long, for man too short. Man is given a portion of animal's lives. [A1321]. 173 A1321.
    243 The Parrot Pretends to be God Cf. Types 1380, 1422. I. The Tell-tale Parrot. (a) A parrot decides a lawsuit against a woman,or (b) reports a woman's infidelity to her husband. (c) The woman orders the…
    114 Chanticleer Believes that his Crowing Makes the Sun Rise Chanticleer believes that his crowing makes the sun rise. Disappointed when it rises without his aid.
    207 Rebellion of the Work Animals Cock as leader punished. 207, 207A, 207B, 207C B271.3., J2413.1., K1633., NA
    112 Town Mouse and Country Mouse Country mouse visits town mouse. Former prefers poverty with safety. 112 J211.2.
    242 The Frog Enticed out of his Hole Crow (or other bird) swears not to eat him. Breaks his oath. 242 K815.
    293 Debate of the Belly and the Members Debate as to their usefulness. All are mutually useful. 293 J461.1.
    107 Dog Leader Fears Defeat Because his Forces are of Different Breeds. Dog leader fears defeat because his forces are of different breeds. Wolves are all of one kind.
    283 Spider Invites Fly to Rest on her Curtain Eats her. 283 K815.2.
    132 Goat Admires his Horns in the Water Goat admires his horns in the water, and says, "I needn't be afraid of the wolf." Wolf behind him asks him what he was saying. Goat: "One talks such foolishness when one is drinking." 132 K1775.
    214 Ass Tries to caress his Master like a Dog He is driven off. 214, 214A, 214B J2133.1., J2413.1., J951.1.
    151 Music lessons for wild animals He tricks them by catching their claws in a cleft tree. Similarly betrays many other animals. The freed animals try in vain for revenge. 151 K1111.0.1.
    176 The farmer tricks the jackals I. Farmer vs. jackal. (a) A jackal forces a woman carrying food to her husband to give him food. (b) The husband disguises as a woman carrying food and beats the jackal, etc. (c) The jackal threatens to defecate on the man's plow. The man affixes…
    44 The Oath on the Iron In a dispute between the fox, the wolf, and the bear concerning the theft of their winter supplies, the fox denies the guilt and swears by touching iron (a trap). The bear follows his example but hits the iron so hard that his paws are caught. 44 K1115.
    156 Androcles and the Lion In gratitude the lion later rewards the man. 156, 156A B301.8., B381.
    43 The Bear Builds a House of Wood; the Fox, of Ice In summer the fox wants to drive the bear out of his house Cf. Types 81, 1097, 1238. 1097, 43 J741.1.
    9 The unjust partner In the field and in the stable. The bear works: the idle fox cheats the bear. 9, 9B, 9C K1251.1, K171.2., K471.
    225 The Tortoise That Wanted to Fly Lets him fall to the earth 225, 225A J2357., K1041.
    113 Mice Choose Cat as King Mice choose cat as king. 113A, 113B B342., K815.13.
    91 The Heart of a Monkey Monkey when caught for his heart (as remedy) makes his captor believe that he has left his heart home. Is released. 91 K544.
    63 The Fox (or Jackal) and the Fleas No examples in the Database yet 63 K921.
    64 Tailless Fox Tries in Vain to Get Foxes to Cut off Tails No examples in the Database yet
    96 When the hare was married No examples in the Database yet
    171 The Three Bears No examples in the Database yet
    229 The Hawk Frightened at the Snipe's Bill No examples in the Database yet
    234 The Nightingale and the Blindworm No examples in the Database yet 234, 234A* , A2241.5.

    Showing 1–50 of 153 · Page 1 of 4





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