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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 101–150 of 153 · Page 3 of 4

ATU Title Summary ▲ Arne Thompson Thompson
1 The theft of fish The fox plays dead; a man throws him on his wagon of fish. The fox throws the fish off and carries them away. The wolf imitates and is caught. 1, 1* K371.1., NA
50 Curing a Sick Lion The fox pretends to seek a remedy for the lion; advises him to skin the wolf . , 50, 50A, 50C J644.1., K961., W121.2.1.,           ,            
4 Carrying the Sham-Sick Trickster The fox shams sickness and is carried by the wolf. 4 K1241.
170 The fox eats his fellow-lodger The fox spends the night with a cock in a house. He eats the cock but in the morning he accuses the sheep of having eaten it. In the next inn likewise the ox has eaten the sheep, etc. In compensation he demands a larger animal each time. .… 170, 171 K443.7., NA
5 Biting the foot The fox to the bear, who is biting his foot: »You are biting the tree root.» The bear lets loose. 5 K543.
62 Peace Among the Animals – The Fox and the Cock The fox tries to beguile the cock by reporting a new law establishing peace among the animals. Dogs appear and the fox flees saying that the dogs have not yet heard of the new law. 62 J1421.
157 Learning to Fear Men The fox undertakes to persuade the wolf of the frightfulness of men. They see an old man. The fox says this was a man but is no longer one. Likewise a boy (will be a man). Next a man with a gun. The wolf approaches and is shot. He tells the fox he could have defeated the man but for the man's spitting fire. [J17]. 157, 157A J17., J22.1.
124 The Three Little Pigs The goose builds a house of feathers; the hog one of stone. The wolf blows the goose's house in and eats her. Cannot blow down the hog's house. Finally he is allowed to enter. He is tricked into the chimney (or churn) where he is burned up. 124 Z81.
70 More cowardly than the hare The hare finds a (sheep, fish, frog, etc.) who is afraid of him and laughs till his lip splits. 70 J881.1.
71 Contest of Frost and the Hare The hare lies on the frozen snow and says, »Oh, how warm!» 71 H1541.1.
92 The Lion in the Water The hare, sent to be the lion's dinner, says he has been detained by a more powerful enemy and shows the lion his own reflection in a well. The lion leaps in and is drowned. Cf. Types 34, 34A, 1168A, 1336, 1383. , 92 K1715.1.,              
182 The helpful animal and the snake The helpful animal sees a snake bite his master. He catches the crow, who is the snake's confederate, and forces the snake to revive his master by sucking out the poison.
137 The Filthy Hog and the Clean Fish The hog: "People will spit when they eat you, whereas in my case all will lick their fingers." 137 NA
118 The Lion Frightened by the Horse The horse strikes sparks with his hooves. The wolf (bear) boasts of having eaten horses. The lion thereupon picks up the wolf to show him the horse and squeezes him to death.
115 The Hungry Fox Waits in Vain for the Horse's Lips (Scrotum) to Fall Off The hungry fox waits in vain for the horse's lips (scrotum) to fall off .
58 The Crocodile Carries the Jackal The jackal, who wants to eat fruit or carrion on the other bank, persuades a crocodile to carry him across the river by saying he will find a bride for the crocodile. He makes a dummy and, safe back on shore, sends the crocodile to that.
275 The Race of the Fox and the Crayfish The latter hangs on to the fox's tail and wins. Cf. Types 250, 1074. (The Keen Sight of the Dove and the Keen Hearing of the Frog. See Type 238.) 275, 275A, 275A* K11., K11.1., K11.3.
253 The Fish in the Net The little fish slip through the meshes; the big ones are caught. 253 L331.
153 The Gelding of the Bear and the Fetching of Salve The man tells the bear that the horse is strong because he is gelded. The bear has the man geld him to make him strong. He is to geld the man the next day. The man substitutes his wife and sends her with salve; the bear in disgust throws the salve into the tree. Cf. Type 1133. 153 K1012.1.
110 Belling the Cat The mice buy a bell for the cat but no one dares tie it on her. 110 J671.1.
75 The Help of the Weak The mouse gnaws the net and liberates the captured bear (fox, lion). 75 B371.1.
111 The Cat and the Mouse Converse The mouse tells the cat a tale. The cat answers, »Even so, I eat you up.» 111, 111A, 111A* K561.1.1., NA, U31.
85 The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage The mouse, the bird, and the sausage keep house together each with appropriate duties. When they exchange roles, all goes ill. 85 J512.7.
90 The Needle, the Glove, and the Squirrel The needle at first has little success; receives blows from the others. Finally it slips into an elk's stomach andkills the elk.
161 Peasant Betrays Fox by Pointing The peasant has hidden the fox in a basket, and promised not to tell. When the hunters come, he says, »The fox just went over the hill,« but points to the basket. [K2315]. 161, 161A* K2315., NA
250 Swimming Match of the Fish The perch hangs on to the tail of the salmon and wins. Cf. Types 221, 275. 250A A2231.1.2.
73 Blinding the Guard The rabbit, imprisoned in a hollow tree, induces his guard to look up at him. He spits tobacco juice into the guard's eyes and blinds the guard, and thus effects his escape. 73 K621.
175 The Tarbaby and the Rabbit The rabbit, who has been stealiug fruit from a garden, is captured by means of a tarbaby, an image with tar. The rabbit tries to make the tarbaby talk and finally becomes so angry that he strikes it. He sticks to the tarbaby and is captured. Usually… 175 K741.
160 Grateful Animals ; Ungrateful Man The rescue from the pit. A traveler saves a monkey, a snake, a tiger, and a jeweler from a pit. The monkey gives him fruit; the tiger a necklace of the princess he has killed. The jeweler accuses the rescuer before the king. The serpent saves him by biting the prince and then showing the man the proper remedy. 160 W154.8.
36 The Fox in Disguise Violates the She-Bear The she-bear is caught in a tree cleft or hole in the hedge . To avoid later recognition the fox covers himself with soot and is taken for the pastor. Variant: the hare, the she-fox. 36 K1384.
125 The Wolf Flees from the Wolf-head The sheep have found a sack and wolfhead. They make the wolf believe that they have killed a wolf. He flees in terror.Cf. Type 1149. 125 K1715.3.
158 The wild animals on the sleigh The sleigh comes in two. The animals get satisfactory material for repairs from the forest. [B831]. While the owner goes for good material they eat the horse.
285 The child and the snake The snake drinks from the child's milk-bottle. 285, 285B*, 285D, 285E B391.1., B784.2.1.1., J15., J552.3.
247 Every Mother Thinks Her Child Is the Most Beautiful The snipe asks the sportsman to spare its small ones, easily recognized as being the prettiest in the forest. To be on the safe side the man shoots only the ugliest he can find. They are the young snipes. (Often told of the ape.) 247 T681.
77 The Stag Admires Himself in a Spring The stag admires himself in a spring. He is proud of his horns, ashamed of his legs. In flight his horns are caught and the dogs overtake him. 77 L461.
245 Tame Bird and Wild Bird The tame bird advises the wild bird to look about him. The wild bird is shot. Cf. Type 112.
65 Mrs. Fox's Suitors The widowed she-fox proves her faithfulness by rejecting suitors who do not resemble her deceased husband. 65 N681.
252 The Pike and the Snake Race to Land The winner is to remain on land.
34 The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese The wolf and the fox think the reflection of the moon in the water is a cheese. The fox lowers the wold into the water, the wolf fall into the water and the cheese disappears. 34, 34A J1791.3., J1791.4.
100 The Wolf as the Dog's Guest Sings The wolf as the dog's guest sings. Has drunk too much. Sings in spite of the dog's objections. Is killed. 100 J581.1.
123 The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids The wolf comes in the absence of the mother and eats up the kids . The old goat cuts the wolf open and rescues them . Cf. Type 333. , 122E, 123, 123B F913., K1832., K553.2., K828.1., Q426.
122 The Wolf Loses His Prey The wolf loses his prey. Escape by false plea. 122, 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D, 122F, 122G K550., K551.8., K553., K553.1., K553.5., K561.2., K562.
168 The musician in the wolf-trap There he encounters a wolf already trapped, and saves himself by playing music. [B848.1]. Cf. Types 160A, 1652.
238 The Keen Sight of the Dove and the Keen Hearing of the Frog They boast to each other.
130 Outcast Animals Find a New Home They drive away an intruder. , 130, 130A B296., K1161., K335., NA
200 The Dog's Certificate Through the cat's carelessness it is lost. Since then dogs and cats are enemies. 200, 200A, 200B, 200C* A2232.8., A2275.5.5., A2281.1., A2494.4.4.
81 Too cold for hare to build house in winter Too cold for hare to build house in winter, not necessary in summer: must go without a house. Cf. Types 43, 1238.
120 The First to See the Sunrise Wager between the fox and the hog. In the contest the fox places himself on a hill facing the east; the hog in a lower place facing the high trees to the west. The sun shines on the top of the trees and the hog wins. (Sometimes told with human actors.) 120 K52.
104 The Cowardly Duelers War between the domestic and wild animals. The cat raises her tail; the wild animals think it is a gun and flee. Cf. Type 222.
230 The Rearing of the Large-headed and Large-eyed Bird When the one rearing the owl learns its great age he kills it.

Showing 101–150 of 153 · Page 3 of 4





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