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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 ▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1829 | Living Person Acts as Image of Saint | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 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]. | ||
| 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… | ||
| 1832 | Boy answers the priest | A boy rides with a rich man. Goes into church and leaves his coat lying in the sled. Hears the parson preach about the rich man who went to hell. The boy calls out, »Then he took my coat along» [X435.5]. | ||
| 1833 | Other anecdotes of sermons | The parson: - »He stayed to hold the oxen.» [X435.2]. | ||
| 1834 | The clergyman with the fine voice | When officiating he sees an old woman weeping and believes her to be touched by his singing. Feeling flattered, he asks her why she weeps, but she answers that she had been reminded of her old goat that had been taken by the wolf [X436]. (Variant:… | ||
| 1835 | Not to turn round | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1837 | The Parson to Let a Dove Fly in the Church | It dies in his pocket (or has other accident). [X418]. | ||
| 1838 | The hog in church | The hog has been locked by mistake in the church all week. When the congregation comes the hog runs between the parson's legs and carries him out. [X415]. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 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]. | ||
| 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]. | ||
| 1843 | Parson visits the dying | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1844 | The Parson Visits the Sick | |||
| 1845 | The student as healer | 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]. | ||
| 1876 | The Geese on the Line | The hawk flies away with them on it. The geese have been bound together as protection from the hawk. [X1267.1]. | ||
| 1886 | Man Drinks from own Skull | The skull falls into the water and a duck makes a nest in it. | ||
| 1892 | The Trained Horse Rolls in the Field | Oats grow in his flanks. The man ties a club to the horse's tail and thus kills many moor-hens. [X1241.2.2]. | ||
| 1913 | The Side-hill Beast | Animal with two short legs on one side for convenience in living on hillsides. It can walk around the hill in only one direction. [X1381]. | ||
| 1917 | The Stretching and Shrinking Harness | A man driving a team with a wagon in the rain finds on arrival at the top of the hill that the tugs of rawhide have stretched and that the loaded wagon is still at the bottom. He unhitches the horses and throws the harness across a stump. Later when… | ||
| 1925 | Wishing contests | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1931 | The woman who asked for news from home | Gets many impossible answers, which she believes. »The cock has become sexton.» - »That is why he sang so well in the morning» [J2349.4]. Cf. Type 1920A. | ||
| 1935 | Topsy-Turvy Land | Land where all is opposite from the usual. [X1505]. | ||
| 1948 | Too much talk | Three men vowed to silence go to a glen away from the world. At the end of seven years one speaks: I heard a cow lowing. Others are angry but silent. At the end of seven years more, second one says: 'Twas not a cow but a bull! The third is very angry… | ||
| 1961 | The big wedding | Giant with sixty daughters. | ||
| 1387 | A Woman Draws Beer in the Cellar | While she chases the dog the beer runs into the cellar; she scatters meal over it. Cf. Types 1408, The Man who Does his Wife's Work; 1450, Clever Elsie; 1653A, Guarding the Door. [J2176, J2176.1]. | , 1387, 1387A | , J2176., J2176.1. |
| 1705 | Talking Horse and Dog | A person is frightened by animals successively replying to his remarks. Example: The man riding the horse and followed by the dog tells the horse to jump over a hole. Horse says, »I will not.» Man turns to dog and says, »Isn't that strange, a… | 1705 | B210.1. |
| 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. |
| 1697 | "We Three; For Money" | Three travelers in a foreign land know only three expressions in the foreign language. By the use of these they get themselves accused of murder. [C495.2.2] Cf. Type 360. | 1697 | C495.2.2. |
| 1687 | The forgotten word | No examples in the Database yet | 1687 | D2004.5. |
| 1645 | The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream | A man dreams that if he goes to a distant city he will find treasure on a certain bridge. Finding no treasure, he tells his dream to a man who says that he too has dreamed of treasure at certain place. He describes the place, which is the first man's… | , 1645, 1645A | E721., E730., N531.1., N531.3. |
| 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 |
| 1525 | The robber brothers | The man pretends to show how the horse can be stolen. Really leads it away. [K341.8]. Cf. Types 1540, 1542. | , 1525, 1525A, 1525D, 1525G, 1525H, 1525J*, 1525M, 1525N, 1525Q, 1525Q*, 1525R | H1151., H1151.2., H1151.3., J1516., K301., K301.1., K306., K307.1., K308., K311., K332., K341.20., K341.21., K341.3., K341.6., K341.7., K362.2., K406.2., L142.1., NA |
| 1384 | The husband hunts for three persons as stupid as his wife | Cf. Types 1450, Clever Elsie; 1385, The Foolish Wife's Pawn. The man finds three as foolish [H1312.1]. Cf. Type 1540, The Student from Paradise. This type combines with many others, particularly 1310, 1245, 1265, 1286, 1326, 1371*, 1385, 1386, 1387… | 1384 | H1312.1. |
| 1642 | The Good Bargain | The fool throws money to the frogs. Sells butter to sign-post and meat to the dogs. Makes the princess laugh. I. Money to the Frogs. The numskull throws money to the frogs so that they can count it. II. Selling to Dogs. (a) He sells meat to dogs, (b)… | , 1642 | H341., J1151.2., J1851.1.1., J1852., J1853., J1853.1., K187. |
| 1640 | The Valiant Little Tailor | Seven with one stroke. While fleeing defeats the enemy (the sign-post on his arm). Kills wild boar. Also incidents belonging to the stupid ogre and the clever man | , 1640 | H38.2.1., J1115.4., K1082., K1112., K18.3., K1951.1., K1951.2., K1951.3., K525.1., K61., K62., K63., K71., K72., K771. |
| 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. |
| 1452 | Choosing a Bride by How She Cuts Cheese | Three girls tested. First eats rind and all, second cuts away good cheese, third cuts away just enough. [H381.2]. | 1452 | H381.2. |
| 1453 | Bride test: key in flax reveals laziness | Suitor hides key in flax on spinning wheel. Finds it there next day. [H382.1]. | 1453 | H382.1. |
| 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 |
| 1579 | Carrying Wolf, Goat, and Cabbage across Stream | A man is to set across a stream, in a boat that will hold himself and only one other object, a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage. He must do this so that the wolf doesn't eat the goat, nor the goat the cabbage. Two solutions: (1) (a) take goat over, (b)… | 1579 | H506.3. |
| 1613 | "Playing-Cards are my Calendar and Prayerbook." | A soldier reproved for playing cards during church service answers thus and shows so cleverly the symbolic meanings of each of the cards that he receives a reward. [H603]. | 1613 | H603. |
| 1215 | The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey | Asinus Vulgi. Miller blamed when he follows his son on foot; when he takes the son's place on the ass; when he takes the son behind him; and when he puts the son in front of him. [J1041.2]. | , 1215 | J1041., J1041.2. |
| 1422 | The Parrot and the Adulterous Woman | No examples in the Database yet | 1422 | J1154.1. |
| 1591 | The Three Joint Depositors | Money is left with a banker by three joint depositors. The money is to be delivered only on demand from all three. One of the men steals the money. The others sue the banker for the money. He agrees to deliver it when all three jointly demand it.… | 1591 | J1161.1. |
| 1590 | The Tresspasser's Defence | With earth from his own property in his shoes, the man swears, when he is on his neighbor's land, that he is on his own. [J1161.3, K1917.1]. Cf. Types 859A, 859B, 859C, 859D. | , 1590 | J1161.3., K2310., K475., M105., Q270. |
| 1586 | The Man in Court for Killing a Fly | Cf. 1586, 163A* (a) A fool sees a fly light on his mother's (companion's) head and hits it with an axe, etc., killing his mother [J1833.1, N333.1]. (b) When a grasshopper (fly) lights on a hunter's shoulder, his companion shoots it, killing the… | , 1586 | J1193.1., J1833.1. |
| 1562 | "Think Thrice before you Speak." | The youth obeys literally the precept even when he sees the master's coat on fire. [J2516.1, cf. J571.1]. | 1562, 1562A, 1562B* | J1269.12., J2516.1., NA |
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