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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1204 | Fool Keeps Repeating his Instructions so as to remember them | He usually forgets them [J2671.2]. Cf. Type 1687. | ||
| 1296 | Fool's Errand | People sent to get imaginary things. (Left-handed monkey wrench and the like.) [J2346]. | 1296 | J2346. |
| 1681 | Foolish man builds aircastles | Foolishly kills his horse, throws his axe into the lake to kill a duck. Undresses to recover axe. Clothes stolen. Goes into barrel of tar to hide. In tar and feathers. [J2661.4]. Cf. Types 1383, 1690*. | , 1681B | K1461., K1462. |
| 1321 | Fools frightened | Cf. Type 1677. | 1321, 1321C | J2600., J2614.1. |
| 1341 | Fools Warn Thief what Not to Steal | Explain where everything is and where the key is kept. [J2091, J2091.1]. Cf. Types 1525P, 1577*. | ||
| 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. |
| 1410 | Four Men's Mistress | A husband disguises as a priest to hear his wife's confession. She says that she has been the mistress of a servant, a knight, a fool, and a priest; i.e., her husband when he was her servant, and later her knight. He had then been a fool for… | 1410 | J1545.2. |
| 1294 | Getting the Calf's Head out of the Pot | A calf gets its head caught in the pot. A fool cuts off the calf's head and then breaks the pot to get it out. [J2113]. | 1294 | J2113. |
| 1718 | God can't take a joke | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 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]. | ||
| 1343 | Hanging Game | Comrade to rescue fool when he whistles. Hangs himself. [N334.2]. | ||
| 1528 | Holding Down the Hat | A rascal stands by the side of a road near his hat under which he has hidden dung. When the dupe arrives he offers to pursue the rascal with the dupe's horse if the latter will guard his hat under which is a beautiful bird. He escapes with the horse.… | 1528 | K1252. |
| 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. |
| 1631 | Horse which will not Go over Trees | A salesman tells the buyer that he is selling the horse because it eats too much and will not climb trees. On the way home the horse bites everyone and refuses to cross a bridge. Seller is literally correct. [K134.1]. | ||
| 1342 | Hot and Cold with the Same Breath | No examples in the Database yet | 1342 | NA |
| 1567 | Hungry Servant Reproaches Stingy Master | Cf. Type 1389*. | , 1567, 1567F, 1567G | J1341.1., J1341.11., J1341.4., J1341.6. |
| 1896 | Hunting the wolves with rod and line | No examples in the Database yet | 1896 | X1132.1. |
| 1229 | If the Wolf's Tail Breaks | Trickster and companion are wolf hunting. The companion goes into the wolf hole. The wolf comes out. The other catches the wolf by the tail and the wolf scratches dust into the companion's eyes. »What a dust.» - »If the wolf's tail breaks, you… | 1229 | X1133.3.2. |
| 1830 | In trial sermon the parson promises the laymen the kind of weather they want | They cannot agree. »Then you may have it as it was before.» [J1041.1]. | ||
| 1573 | Inspecting the daughter | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1951 | Is Wood Split? | A lazy man asks if wood is split before he accepts it as a gift [W111.5.12]. Sometimes, if rice is cooked. | 1951 | W111.5.10. |
| 1810 | Jokes about catechism | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1851 | Jokes about Devout Women | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1855 | Jokes about Jews | She bears a girl. [J2336]. | ||
| 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. |
| 1260 | Jumping into the sea for fish | They put meal into the ice hole and then, one after another, all jump in to taste the porridge. [J1938]. | 1260 | J1938. |
| 1459 | Keeping up appearances | No examples in the Database yet | 1459** | K1984. |
| 1344 | Lighting a Fire from the Sparks from a Box on the Ear | Cf. Type 1372. | ||
| 1347 | Living Crucifix Chosen | Peasants take their old crucifix to an artist for a new one. The artist asks them whether they want a living or dead crucifix. Argument: living God takes less for upkeep and he can be killed later. [J1738.2]. | 1347, 1347* | J1738.2., NA |
| 1829 | Living Person Acts as Image of Saint | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1242 | Loading the wood | A rider takes the meal-sack on his shoulder to relieve the ass of his burden. | 1242, 1242A | J1874.1., J2213.4. |
| 1965 | Lying tales | No examples in the Database yet | 1965 | X1791. |
| 1560 | Make-believe eating; make-believe work | At the table the peasant says, »We will only act as if we were eating.» At work the servant: »We will only act as if we were working.» [J1511.1]. | ||
| 1587 | Man Allowed to pick out Tree to be Hanged on | Cannot find one. [K558]. | ||
| 1886 | Man Drinks from own Skull | The skull falls into the water and a duck makes a nest in it. | ||
| 1240 | Man sitting on branch of tree cuts it off | Een poep wil een klokketouw stelen. Hij klimt erin en snijdt het boven zijn hoofd af [cf. J2133.4]. | 1240 | J2133.4. |
| 1278 | Marking the place on the boat | An object falls into the sea from a boat. Numskulls mark the place on the boat-rail to indicate where it fell. [J1922.1]. | 1278, 1278* | J1922.1., J1922.2. |
| 1475 | Marriage Forbidden Outside the Parish | An order is read in church forbidding the young people to marry girls from other parishes. [X751]. | ||
| 1468 | Marrying a stranger | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1386 | Meat as food for cabbage | The wife places pieces of meat on a growing cabbage. [J1856.1]. Cf. Type 1642. | 1386 | J1856.1. |
| 1555 | Milk in the Cask | Order to put a small vessel of milk into huge container. Of a small shrewd group each by himself pours water thinking this will not be detected if the others pour milk. [K231.6.1.1]. (Sometimes told of wine.) | 1555A, 1555B | K231.6.2.2., K233.4. |
| 1699 | Misunderstanding Because of Ignorance of a Foreign Language | New recruits learn answers to questions in foreign language. Order changed in asking brings confusion. [J1741.3.1]. | , 1699 | J2496.2., X111.7. |
| 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. |
| 1835 | Not to turn round | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1464 | Nothing to cook | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1218 | Numskull Sits on Eggs to Finish Hatching | Cautions people to be quiet and not frighten the eggs. (Sometimes puts on honey and feathers before sitting on the eggs.) [J1902.1]. Cf. Type 1677. | , 1218 | J1902.1., K1253. |
| 1293 | Numskull Stays until he has Finished | As he is making water he hears a brook flowing and mistakes what it is. He waits for a day and a half. [J1814]. | ||
| 1287 | Numskull unable to count their own number | No examples in the Database yet | 1287 | J2031., J2031.1. |
| 1227 | One woman to catch the squirrel; the other to get the cooking pot | One falls from the tree and kills herself; the other breaks the pot. [J2661.3]. | 1227 | J2661.3. |
| 1833 | Other anecdotes of sermons | The parson: - »He stayed to hold the oxen.» [X435.2]. |
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