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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 title, ascending

Showing 51–100 of 153 · Page 2 of 4

ATU Title ▲ Summary Arne Thompson Thompson
55 The Animals Build a Road (Dig Well) The fox as overseer punishes lazy animals. 55 A2233.1.
280 The Ant Carries a Load as Large as Himself The contest of the raven (or other bird) with the ant. 280, 280A A2251.1., J711.1.
52 The Ass without a Heart The ass as toll-gatherer is killed by the lion for asking for toll. The fox eats the ass's heart. When the lion asks for it, the fox replies that the ass could have had no heart since he was such a fool as to ask the lion for toll. 52 K402.3.
49 The bear and the honey The fox leads the bear to a wasp-nest. 49 K1023.
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.
116 The Bear on the Hay-Wagon The bear on the hay-wagon (or on the horse) is mistaken for the preacher .
39 The Bear Pulls Mountain Ashes apart so that the Fox's Old Mother can Get Berries The fox eats the berries himself.
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.
    		•
    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.
    7 The calling of three tree names The bear and the fox wager as to which can name three trees first. The bear names different varieties of the same tree. The fox wins the wager. 7 N51
    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].)
    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.
    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.
    220 The Council of Birds The eagle as judge assigns each his place and work.
    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.
    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.
    239 The Crow Helps the Deer Escape from the Snare The deer aids the jackal, but when the deer is caught in a snare the jackal refuses to help him. On the advice of the crow the deer feigns death. When the hunter releases him, he bounds away.
    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.
    102 The Dog as Wolf's Shoemaker The dog as wolf 's shoemaker. He demands material for the shoes and then successively eats up the cow, hog, etc. furnished him. 102 K254.1.
    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.
    221 The Election of Bird-King Wren wins by cleverness. 221 B236.1.
    178 The Faithful Animal Rashly Killed See AT 0178A and AT 0178B. 178, 178A B331.2., NA
    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…
    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
    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.
    253 The Fish in the Net The little fish slip through the meshes; the big ones are caught. 253 L331.
    63 The Fox (or Jackal) and the Fleas No examples in the Database yet 63 K921.
    105 The fox and the cat The cat has only one trick and saves herself in a tree. The fox who knows a hundred tricks is captured. 105, 105* J1662., K522.
    60 The Fox and the Crane Invites Each Other The crane (heron) has his food in a deep dish, the fox his on a flat plate. The crane injures his beak. 60 J1565.1.
    37 The fox as shepherd Search for a nursemaid (or mourning-woman). Fox takes service and eats up the young bears. 37, 37* K931.
    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
    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.
    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.
    30 The Fox Tricks the Wolf into Falling into a Pit Race. 30 NA
    242 The Frog Enticed out of his Hole Crow (or other bird) swears not to eat him. Breaks his oath. 242 K815.
    227 The geese's eternal prayer The fox attacks a group of geese. They ask his if they can make one last prayer. The fox agrees. The geese make so much noise that the farmer hears them and saves them. 227 K551.1.
    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.
    226 The Goose Teaches the Fox to Swim Shakes him off in the water.
    229 The Hawk Frightened at the Snipe's Bill No examples in the Database yet
    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.
    232 The Heathcock and the Birds of Passage The former prefers to remain at home amid hardships than to go to foreign lands. 232D* J101.
    75 The Help of the Weak The mouse gnaws the net and liberates the captured bear (fox, lion). 75 B371.1.
    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.
    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.
    211 The hog who was so tired of his daily food Schwarzer Tod im "Stipelloch" gefangen (entkommt später) 211 J1612.
    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 .
    246 The Hunter Bends the Bow One bird escapes; other remains and is shot. (Told also of fish.)
    154 The Jackal and the Farmer The fox helps the man; his reward. He converses with his members. 154 J2351.1.
    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.
    235 The Jay Borrows the Cuckoo's Skin No examples in the Database yet 235 A2241.

    Showing 51–100 of 153 · Page 2 of 4





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