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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.
Anecdotes and Jokes 1200–1999
| ATU | Title | Summary ▲ | Arne Thompson | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1626 | Dream Bread | The most wonderful dream. Three pilgrims agree that the one who has the most wonderful dream shall eat the last loaf. One eats it. He declares he dreamed the others were dead and would not need it. [K444]. | 1626 | K444. |
| 1696 | What Should I Have Said? | The mother teaches the boy (the man his wife) what he should say (do) in this or that circumstance. He uses the words in the most impossible cases and is always punished. [J2461]. Cf. Types 1681A, 1681B. | , 1696 | J2461., J2461.2. |
| 1416 | The mouse in the silver jug. The new Eve | The New Eve. A poor woman laments at Eve's curiosity and says women are no longer so. The king lets them enjoy themselves in castle, but they must not open a certain silver jug [C324]. The woman can not let it alone. There is a mouse in the jug.… | , 1416 | C324., H1554.1. |
| 1541 | For the long winter | The numskull has been told to keep the sausage »for the long winter». When the trickster hears this, he claims to be Long Winter and receives the sausage. [K362.1, cf. also J2355, K1821.1]. | , 1541 | J2460.1., K362.1. |
| 1335 | The Eaten Moon | The numskull sees a cow drink from a pool where the moon is reflected. The moon goes under a cloud. He thinks the cow has eaten the moon and slaughters her to recover it. [J1791.1]. | 1335, 1335*, 1335A | J1791.1., J1791.2., J1806. |
| 1200 | The Sowing of Salt | The numskull sows it like grain and expects it to produce salt [J1932.3], or plants a cow's tail to produce calves [J1932.4.1]. | , 1200 | J1932.1., J1932.2., J1932.3., J1932.4. |
| 1476 | The Prayer for a Husband | The old maid prays in church that she may get a husband [X761]. The (supposed) advice of God (the church janitor) [K1971.9]. She must raise her foot to her neck (or other disgraceful act). Cf. Type 1462. | 1476, 1476A, 1476B | G303.12.5., K1971.9., NA |
| 1920 | Contest in lying | The one says, - and yet lies [X905.4]. The great catch of fish [X1150.1]. Cf. Type 1960C. | , 1920, 1920A, 1920B, 1920D, 1920E*, 1920F*, 1920H, 1920H* | NA, X1215.8., X904.1., X904.2., X905., X905.4., X908. |
| 1842 | The Testament of the Dog | The owner of a dog has him given Christian burial. The bishop thereupon pretends that the dog has left the church a large legacy. [J1607]. | ||
| 1841 | Grace before meat | The parson asks the boy: »what does your father say when you begin to eat?» »You young devil, etc.» [X435.2]. | ||
| 1776 | The sexton falls into the brewing-vat | The parson has illicit relations with the maid. The sexton falls from his hiding place into the brewing-vat. The parson and maid think it is the devil and flee [K1271.1.4]. The sexton gets the beer [K335]. Cf. Type 1360. | ||
| 1735 | 'Who gives his own goods shall receive it back tenfold' | The parson preaches from this text, and a peasant tests it by giving the parson a cow, which brings all the parson's cows back home with her [K366.1.1]. A quarrelarises over the cows and it is agreed that the man who can say »good morning» to the… | ||
| 1827 | You shall see me a little while longer | The parson takes a drink of liquor during the sermon. [X445.1]. Cf. Type 1698M. | ||
| 1833 | Other anecdotes of sermons | The parson: - »He stayed to hold the oxen.» [X435.2]. | ||
| 1675 | The ox (ass) as mayor | The peasant has his ox study. The man who is to teach the ox [K491] slaughters it and tells the peasant that it has gone to the city and become a merchant (mayor). The peasant goes to visit him, meets a man who is named Peter Ox (or the like) and… | , 1675 | J1882.2., K491. |
| 1501 | Aristoteles and Phyllis | The philosopher warns the king against luxoriousness. In revenge the queen beguiles the philosopher into letting her ride him on all-fours. The king comes and sees. [K1215]. | ||
| 1940 | The Extraordinary Names | The place where animals and things have extraordinary names. | 1940 | X1506. |
| 1263 | The Porridge Eaten in Different Rooms | The porridge in one, the milk in another [J2167]. | 1263 | J2167. |
| 1781 | Sexton's Own Wife Brings her Offering | The priest grants to the sexton the offerings brought by all women whom the priest has loved. The priest always calls out »Take» when these women offer. The sexton's own wife comes. The priest calls out »Take!» (Cf. Q384.) [K1541]. | ||
| 1745 | Three words at the grave | The priest made sick of his bargain. A poor man in return for a steer gets permission from the priest to speak three words at the burial of his enemy, the rich man. Priest: »From the earth are you come.» Man: »Now the steer is dead.» Priest: »In… | ||
| 1840 | At the blessing of the grave the parson's ox breaks loose | The priest steals a ham but promises to pray for the man he has stolen it from. Priest: O God curse the man who lost the ham and bless him who stole it. | ||
| 1891 | The Great Rabbit-Catch | The rabbits freeze their feet fast to the ice at night [X1115.1]. | 1891B*, 1893A* | NA, X1114.1. |
| 1544 | The man who got a night's lodging | The rascal feigns deafness and eats the best food. He accepts the hospitality before it is offered [K1981.1]. He takes the man's horse out of the stable and puts his own in. He is to pay for his lodging with a goat skin; he takes one of the man's own… | , 1544, 1544A* | K1572., K1981.1., K258., K942., NA |
| 1740 | Candles on the Crayfish | The rascal puts burning candles on the backs of the crayfish. The parson and sexton think them the souls of the dead. He robs them meanwhile. [K335.0.5.1]. | ||
| 1530 | Holding up the Rock | The rascal puts his shoulder under a great rock and pretends to hold it up. He persuades a man to take his place and then runs away with the dupe's goods. [K125.1]. Cf. Types 9A, 1731. | 1530 | K1251. |
| 1531 | The Man Thinks he has Been in Heaven | The rich lord puts fine clothes on a drunken peasant and gives him good food and drink. [J2322]. Cf. Types 1313A*, 1526. | ||
| 1526 | The Old Beggar and the Robbers | The robbers dress an old beggar up in fine clothes. They take him in front of the shopkeeper's house. Get many goods on the credit of the fine gentleman. Disappear with the goods and leave the old man behind. [K455.3]. Cf. Types 1531, l920E. | , 1526A | K455.1., K455.2. |
| 1382 | The Peasant Woman at Market | The sale of the cow. The woman made drunk or is to give a pawn; cf. Type 1385. Doesn't know herself any more; cf. Type 1383. The husband fishes in the street and thus discovers the buyer of the cow. [J1149.2]. | ||
| 1456 | The blind fiancée | The search for the needle. The girl mistakes the dish for a cat. The blindness is thus discovered. [K1984.5]. | , 1456 | K1225., K1984.5. |
| 1741 | Trickster Wives and Maids | The servant who has eaten the chickens tells the guest to flee because the priest is going to cut off his ears, and he tells the priest the guest has stolen two chickens [K2137]. The priest runs after him crying, »Give me at least one of them.» | ||
| 1831 | The Parson and Sexton at Mass | The Sexton has been sent to steal the lamb. At mass the priest and sexton discuss the theft in antiphony: »Did you get the lamb-a-a-a-a?» »I didn't get it; I got a hell of a beating a-a-a-a.» [X441]. (In Catholic stories the antiphonies are made… | ||
| 1285 | Pulling on the shirt | The shirt is sewed together at the neck. The man's head is cut off so that the shirt can be put on him. [J2161.2]. | ||
| 1886 | Man Drinks from own Skull | The skull falls into the water and a duck makes a nest in it. | ||
| 1738 | The Dream: All Parsons in Hell | The smith, who is sick, sends for the parson, whoAT first refuses to come on account of bad weather. When he arrives the smith says that he has dreamed that he went to heaven, where St. Peter would not admit him before he saw a priest. There were no… | ||
| 1792 | The stingy parson and the slaughtered pig | The stingy parson does not want to give anyone a part of his pig, which he has just slaughtered. The sexton advises him to hang the pig up in the garden overnight so as to make everyone think it has been stolen. The sexton steals it himself.… | ||
| 1326 | Moving the church | The stolen coat. To see whether the church is moving someone lays down his coat in front of it. It is stolen. They think the church has passed over it. [J2328]. | 1326 | J2328. |
| 1641 | Doctor Know-all | The stolen horse. The stolen money (»That is one of them»). The covered dish (»Ah, poor crab that I am»). Often joined with the story of the sawed pulpit; cf. Types 1810C*, 1825C. I. The Sham-Doctor. A peasant named Crab (Cricket, Rat) buys the… | , 1641, 1641C | K1956., K1956.1., K1956.2., K1961.1.2., K1961.1.3., N611., N688. |
| 1457 | The lisping maiden | The suitor on a visit. The impediment in speech discovered. The girls have been warned against talking but forget and speak out. [K1984.1]. (Sometimes other impediments or deformities.) | ||
| 1612 | The Contest in Swimming | The swimmer takes a knapsack of provisions on his back. His rival is afraid and gives up. [K1761]. | 1612 | K1761. |
| 1451 | A suitor chooses the thrifty girl | The thrifty girl makes herself a dress from the flax the lazy fiancé has thrown on the floor. The young man chooses the thrifty girl. [H381.1]. | 1451 | H381.1. |
| 1226 | The Rabbit Catch | The trap on the stable roof. Cf. Type 1171. | ||
| 1592 | The Iron-eating Mice | The trustee claims that mice have eaten the iron scales confided to him. The host abducts the trustee's son and says that a falcon has carried him off. [J1531.2]. | 1592, 1592B | J1531.2., J1531.3. |
| 1423 | The Enchanted Pear Tree | The wife makes the husband, who has seen her adultery from the tree, believe that the tree is magic (or that he has seen double) [K1518]. | 1423 | K1518. |
| 1386 | Meat as food for cabbage | The wife places pieces of meat on a growing cabbage. [J1856.1]. Cf. Type 1642. | 1386 | J1856.1. |
| 1385 | A Woman Loses Her Husband's Money | The wife sells cows. Gets one of them back as pledge for the unpaid purchase price [J2086]. Cf. Types 1382, 1384. | 1385, 1385* | J2086., na |
| 1405 | The Lazy Spinner | The woman hidden in the bushes calls out to her husband, who is cutting wood: »Whoever cuts wood for a spinning wheel will die; whoever uses the wheel will be destroyed.» The man becomes worried and no longer keeps her at the reel [K1971.4.1]. When… | , 1405 | J2325., K1971.4.1. |
| 1540 | The student from Paradise (Paris) | The woman sends money or clothes to paradise for her deceased husband. The horse is stolen. I. Goods Sent to Paradise. A student tells a woman that he comes from Paris. She understands him to say paradise and gives him money and goods to take to her… | , 1540 | J2326., K341.9.1. |
| 1286 | Jumping into the Breeches | The woman tries to pull on her husband's breeches for him on both legs at once. | 1286 | J2161.1. |
| 1277 | The Boat Gets Tired | The woman tries to tire out her rival's boat so as to win the race, but only tires herself. [J1884]. | ||
| 1381 | The talkative wife and the discovered treasure | The wood-cock in the fish-net and the fish in the bird-trap. The woman under the bath tub (for fear of rumored war). The woman is considered mad and the man can keep his treasure. The husband has foolishly told his talkative wife of discovered… | 1381, 1381B, 1381C, 1381D, 1381E | H472.1., J1151.1.1., J1151.1.3., J2353., NA |
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