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Stith Thompson Motif Index

About this index and how to read it

Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature classifies recurring narrative elements in folktales, myths, legends, ballads and related traditional narratives. Each entry below gives Thompson's motif reference and the description recorded in the index.

The index is large, so this browser displays 250 entries per page. You can search by motif reference or by words in the description, restrict the results to one of Thompson's main letter categories, and click motif references mentioned inside descriptions to follow cross-references. Individual motif pages also show any ATU tale types whose concordance explicitly cites that Thompson reference.

2,671 motifs

Page 1 of 11 · 250 per page
Thompson reference Description ▲
B211.3.4 -Speaking parrot. India: *Thompson-Balys.
B57 "Finngálkn", bird with a man's head. Icel.: *Boberg.
B335.6 A small animal (hare, bitch) gives timely warnings to the hero about the trap prepared by his enemy. Animal warning about trap killed.—Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. *452f.
B549.3 Abandoned child rescued by dog. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
B535.0.5 Abandoned prince grows up in eagle's nest. India: Thompson-Balys.
B316 Abused and pampered horses. Hero is ordered by ogre to feed and care for certain horse and to neglect other horse. Hero disobeys and feeds neglected horse. Latter is enchanted prince and helps hero. (Cf. B181.)—*Type 314, 502; BP III 18 n. 3.—French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Missouri-French: Carrière.
B310 Acquisition of helpful animal. *Hartland Perseus III 191ff.
B841.2 Ages of animals (birds, fish) compared with age of human beings. Irish myth: Cross.
B45 Air-going elephant. Hindu: Tawney I 328, II 540; India: *Thompson-Balys.
B552.1 Alexander carried by two birds with meat held in front of them. Jewish: Neuman; Gaster Exempla 186 No. 5.
B212.0.1 All kinds of animals understand the language of heaven. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman.
B267.4 Alliance of cock and seafowl. Jewish: Neuman.
B267.1 Alliance of dog and wolf. Jewish: Neuman.
B267.3 Alliance of raven and crow. Jewish: Neuman.
B267.2 Alliance of sheep and dog. Jewish: Neuman.
B126 Amphibian with magic knowledge.
B41.2.1 Angel horse. Horse draws angels' chariot.—*Howey Horse in Magic and Myth 17ff.
B1.1 Angels of animals. Each kind of animal has its angel in heaven. Jewish: Neuman.
B781 Animal "drinks apart" mixed liquids. Separates the parts while drinking.—*M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII xviii—xix.
B773.2 Animal (lion) pines away with grief upon his friend's grave. *Loomis White Magic 59.
B579.1 Animal accompanies man on journey. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.
B562.2 Animal advises about investment. Chinese: Werner 381 (fox).
B267 Animal allies. (Cf. A2493.)
B598 Animal as confederate of adulterous wife.
B575 Animal as constant attendant of man. *Pauli (ed Bolte) No. 649; Type 74*; Fb ("orne" II 760, "ravn") III 23a (boar, raven); *Zingerle Sagen aus Tirol 588 (ravens).—Irish myth: Cross; Scotch: Campbell II 279—289; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 298 No. 13; English: Wells 20 (William of Palerne), 118f. (Octovian); Jewish: Neuman (steer); Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 921 (owl), Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 37 (birds); Maori: Clark 54 (birds); Africa (Angola): Chatelain 53 No. 2.
B292.2 Animal as domestic servant. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 263.
B292.9 Animal as farm laborer.
B576.1 Animal as guard of person or house. Rösch FFC LXXVII 107 (Type 516); *Fb "bjørn" IV 42a, "løve" II 518; Chauvin VI 6 No. 182; *Loomis White Magic 63; Dickson Valentine and Orson 198; Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; English: Wells 60 (Syre Gawene and the Carle of Carelyle).—Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 704 (elephant); Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 24 (bird), 129 (shark), 84, 349 (dog).—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 308 n. 113c.—Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 273 No. 86; Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 55 No 28.
B576.5 Animal as guard of shop. Azov JPASB II 403.
B576 Animal as guard. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Tonga: Gifford 77 (shark), 84; Fiji: Beckwith Myth 131 (hawk, prawn).
B511 Animal as healer.
B576.3 Animal as herdsman.
B593 Animal as house-spirit.
B274 Animal as judge. Africa: Milligan 98. (See all references to J1172.3. and J1130. Cleverness in law court.)
B191 Animal as magician. (Cf. B154.)—India: Thompson-Balys.
B291 Animal as messenger. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Koch-Grünberg Indianermärchen aus N. A. No. 33.—African: de Clerq Anthropos IV 451, (Fjort) Dennett 123.
B108 Animal as patron of wealth.
B256 Animal as servant of saint. (Cf. B292.)—*Loomis White Magic 63; Irish myth: Cross; Irish: Plummer cxliiff.
B292 Animal as servant to man. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 263; Japanese: Ikeda.
B292.1 Animal as shepherd for man.
B154 Animal as soothsayer.
B762.1 Animal attacks by throwing pebbles. Irish myth: Cross.
B857 Animal avenges injury. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 18 No. 9; Africa (Fang): Tessman 117f.
B591 Animal avenges murder. Jewish: Neuman.
B105 Animal bearing precious ornaments.
B713 Animal born from animal carcass. Jewish: *Neuman.
B717 Animal born from earth. Jewish: Neuman.
B716 Animal born from human or animal bones. Jewish: Neuman.
B713.2 Animal born from putrification. Jewish: Neuman.
B742 Animal breathes fire. Gaster Oldest Stories 69.
B325 Animal bribed for help. English: Child I 57ff., II 144—154, 359, IV 389f., 416; Sicilian: Gonzenbach: I 99 No. 15.
B325.1 Animal bribed with food. (Sop to Cerberus.)—Types 531, 551; BP III 18ff.; *Chauvin VI 6 No. 182; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 76 No. 632; Icel.: *Boberg. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 61 No. 445B, Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 308 n. 113c.—Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 273 No. 86.
B581 Animal brings wealth to man. *Type 545; BP I 325, *331; Fb "hjort" I 625a, "kat" IV 225b.—Breton: Hartland Science 174; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman: India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda, Mitford 270 ff.
B755 Animal calls the dawn. The sun rises as a result of the animal's call.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 204 No. 32, (Ekoi): Talbot 384.
B551 Animal carries man across water. India: Thompson-Balys.
B542 Animal carries man through air to safety.
B754.1 Animal changes sex periodically.
B299.10 Animal christening. German Grimm No. 74.
B252 Animal churchmen.
B579.3 Animal corrects examination paper for his rescuer. Chinese: Graham.
B238 Animal council assigns place and work to all.
B256.0.1 Animal deluded by saint. Irish myth: Cross.
B155.3 Animal determines burial place of saint. Günter Christliche Legende des Abendlandes 55; Sloet De Dieren in het Germanische Volksgeloof in Volksgebruik 153f.; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman.
B151 Animal determines road to be taken. Jewish: Neuman.
B295 Animal drives carriage. *Type 2021; *BP II 146 (Gr. No. 80); Fb "kok" II 248b.
B579.7 Animal earns money for master. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 166.
B1 Animal elders. Mythical ancestors of the present animals.—Irish myth: Cross.—N. A. Indian: *Alexander N. Am. 292 No. 40, ibid. 69 (Cherokee), 81 (Pawnee), 156 (Navaho).
B275.1 Animal executed for crime. *Frazer Old Testament III 415—445; *Wesselski Märchen 231; **Evans The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals (New York, 1906); Grimm Rechtsaltertümer II 235; Sébillot France III 27; Wilken Verspreide Geschriften IV 181ff.; Jewish: Neuman.
B870.1 Animal extraordinarily heavy for size. Irish myth: Cross.
B299.5.2 Animal fasts to express sympathy. India: Thompson-Balys.
B773.1 Animal feels agitation at sight of native land. Irish myth: Cross.
B514 Animal fetches remedy for man. Missouri-French: Carrière.
B543.2 Animal finds stolen goods. India: Thompson-Balys.
B543 Animal finds stolen person. Scotch: Campbell I 1ff. (dog, hawk, otter). —India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 232 No. 34.
B257 Animal funeral. *Type 2021; *BP II 146 (Gr. No. 80).
B501.3 Animal gives jewel for summoning him when in need of help. India: Thompson-Balys.
B584 Animal gives man other gifts. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 29.
B501 Animal gives part of body as talisman for summoning its aid. *Types 531, 552, 553; BP III 18ff., 424ff.; Malone PMLA XLIII 407; *Fb "fjer" I 301, "hеr" I 771b.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v "talisman"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Persian: Carnoy 290, 331.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 85, (Swahili): Steere 199; N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII 102.
B583 Animal gives treasure to man. India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Yoruba): Frobenius Atlantis X 222ff., No. 14, (Swahili): Stigand Black Tales for White Children 97ff. No. 15.
B103.3 Animal giving treasure as milk.
B391 Animal grateful for food. *Types 300, 531, 550, 554; Warnke Quellen des Esope der Marie de France 221ff.; *BP II 21f., 463; Halm Aesop No. 173; Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 347), 127 (ST 358); Ward III 208; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 141 (Cf. B335.1.)—Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 387.—Danish: Fb "kalv"; Missouri-French: Carrière—India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Mitford 185f., 270, Anesaki 313, Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 29.—Africa (Benga): Nassau No. 33.
B364 Animal grateful for other rescue.
B366 Animal grateful for ransom from captivity. BP II 451 (Gr. No. 104a), *454 n. 1.; Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 337), 127 (ST 354, 489); Halm Aesop No. 6.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.
B365.3 Animal grateful for release of relative. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 65.
B380 Animal grateful for relief from pain. Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys.
B382 Animal grateful for removal of bone lodged in its throat. India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 685.
B362 Animal grateful for rescue from drowning. Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 201), 127 (ST 356), Halm Aesop No. 296 (dove rescues ant).—India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; Korea: Ikeda.
B364.2 Animal grateful for rescue from fire. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
B364.5 Animal grateful for rescue from mud. India: Thompson-Balys.
B363 Animal grateful for rescue from net. *Type 75; Crane Vitry 194 No. 145.—India: Thompson-Balys—Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman: 81 No. 6.
B364.1 Animal grateful for rescue from trap. Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 336; India: Thompson-Balys—Africa (Lamba): Doke XXXII No. 15.
B365.1 Animal grateful for rescue of its mate. India: Thompson-Balys.
B365 Animal grateful for rescue of its young. *Hartland Perseus III 194; Köhler-Bolte I 440, 545, 560, *561.—Japanese: Mitford 261, Ikeda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri-French: Carrière.
B370 Animal grateful to captor for release.
B365.2 Animal grateful to hero for preventing destruction of nest.
B576.4 Animal guards master's dead body. Jewish: Neuman.
B294.2 Animal handles money.
B315 Animal helpful after being conquered. *Type 590; BP III 1.—Icel.: *Boberg.
B589 Animal helps man to wealth and greatness—miscellaneous.
B580 Animal helps men to wealth and greatness. *Type 671; BP I 322; *Ward Catalogue of Romances III 208, Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 141, *Warnke Quellen des Esope der Marie de France 221ff.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 189; Papua: Ker XLI 147.
B543.0.1 Animal helps on quest for vanished wife. India: Thompson-Balys.
B599.2 Animal helps person pass test. India: Thompson-Balys.
B582 Animal helps person to success in love.
B596 Animal helps saint by setting fire to neglected church. Irish myth: Cross.
B600.2 Animal husband provides characteristic animal food. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 52, (Greenland): Thalbitzer 6.
B754.6.1.1 Animal impregnated through mouth (ears). Jewish: Neuman.
B296.1 Animal journeys to Rome. Cock, geese, or dog go to Rome to become Pope.—Fb "hund" I 678b, "gеs" I 528b, "Rom", "mus" II 634b.
B276 Animal jury. Africa (Baukon): Ittman 89f.
B236.0.1 Animal king chosen as result of a contest. Type 221; *BP III 278; Dh IV 169ff.—India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 155 No. 30.
B220 Animal kingdom (or community). Wienert FFC LVI 47 (classic fables). —Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "ville".—India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 348 n. 253a.
B221 Animal kingdom—quadrupeds.
B217 Animal language learned. *Types 517, 670, 671, 672, 673, 670B*, 671*, BP I 132; **Aarne FFC XV; *Frazer "The Language of Animals" Archeological Review I (1888) 166 ff.; *Chauvin VIII 49 No. 17; Cox 496 n. 32.—Wesselski Morlini 314 No. 71; Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352; Wesselski Märchen 221 No. 35; Icel.: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.
B165.1.2 Animal languages from stolen serpent's crown. (Cf. B176.) —*Type 672A; cf. BP II 464.
B217.6 Animal languages learned by exchanging tongues with helpful dragon. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
B165.1.1 Animal languages learned by having ears licked by serpent. (Cf. B161.1.)—*Penzer VII 3 n. 2; *BP I 133.
B165 Animal languages learned from animal.
B217.4 Animal languages learned from carrying churchyard mould in hat. Fb. "kirkegеrdsmuld".
B217.1 Animal languages learned from eating animal. Irish myth: Cross, *MacCulloch Celtic 166.
B217.1.2 Animal languages learned from eating dragon's heart. Smith Evolution of the Dragon 82; *BP I 131; *von Sydow Fеvne 35ff.; **Scott Thumb.
B217.2 Animal languages learned from eating plant. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "herbe"; *Cox 496 n. 32.
B217.1.1 Animal languages learned from eating serpent. (Cf. B176.) —*Type 673; *BP I 131 (Gr. No. 17); *Cox 496 n. 32; *Norlind Skattsägner 37ff.; **Scott Thumb; Philostratres Life of Apollonius (Loeb ed.) 57; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 17 No. 8; Icel.: Boberg.
B165.2 Animal languages learned from frog. *Type 670B*; Jewish: Neuman.
B217.3 Animal languages learned from ghosts (spirits). Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 99.
B165.1 Animal languages learned from serpent (not eaten). (Cf. B176.) —*Type 670; Aarne FFC XV 28ff.—Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 86 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys.
B215 Animal languages. The various animals have languages of their own. (Cf. B251.1.2.)—*Type 517, 670, 671; *BP I 131, 322, 323 n. 1; **Aarne FFC XV; *Chauvin V 180, 296.
B103.5 Animal laying treasure in water.
B563.4 Animal leads cleric to holy place. Irish myth: Cross (B549.7).
B563.4.1 Animal leads lost man home. Irish myth: Cross (B549.7).
B157 Animal leads searchers.
B784 Animal lives in person's stomach.
B106 Animal lying on treasure. Serpent with gold under him.—Fb "lindorm" II 433b.
B251.7 Animal makes religious oath.
B252.1 Animal monks. Irish: Plummer Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae cxli.; Irish myth: Cross.
B631.1 Animal mother of man helps him. Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese 274.
B299.5.1 Animal mutilates self to express sympathy. India: Thompson-Balys.
B751.5 Animal neglects its young. Jewish: Neuman (raven, jackal, ostrich).
B535 Animal nurse. Animal nourishes abandoned child.—*Frazer Fasti II 369ff., especially 369 n. 3, 375; Dickson Valentine and Orson 36, 103, 107, 112, 169; *Liebrecht Zur Volkskunde 17ff.; *Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; Penzer II 294; *Fb "ulv" III 971 a (Wolf); *BP II 317, III 60ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 22 (doe), 56 (bear), 118, 155 (goat, crow, sow), 280, Frazer Apollodorus I 397, II 47 n. 2, Roscher s.v. "Achilleus"; Roman: Fox 307 (Romulus and Remus) (wolf); Persian: Carnoy 330; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chien" (dog); Missouri-French: Carrière; McCartney Papers of Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters IV (1924) 15—42; Wesselski Theorie 19; Icel.: Þiðriks saga I 302—03 (hind), Boberg; English: Wells 118 (Octovian) (lion); Chinese: Ferguson 41.—N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 387 (Mt. 707), Thompson Tales 316 n. 146b; S. A. Indian (Brazil): Ehrenreich International Congress of Americanists XIV 662.—Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I Nos. 22, 89; India: *Thompson-Balys;—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 104 No. 15, 190 No. 28, (Wakweli): Bender 49f.
B535.2 Animal nurses fight with real parent for children. India: Thompson-Balys.
B102 Animal of precious metal (jewels).
B632 Animal offspring from marriage to animal. *Fb "kvinde" II 339b, "menneske" II 577b; *MacCulloch Childhood 263ff.; Cox 487.—Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 413, 465, Holm 56, 82, Rasmussen I 363, III 200, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 167, 226, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 637, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 80.—N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin Hewitt RBAE XXXII No. 9; cf. Thompson Tales 347 n. 247, 248.—Africa (Zulu): Callaway 79, 349.
B524 Animal overcomes man's adversary. India: *Thompson-Balys.
B610 Animal paramour.
B236 Animal parliament elects king. *Type 221; *Dh IV 192ff.; *BP III 278, 284 (Gr. Nos. 171, 172); Wienert FFC LVI 47 (ET 59—63); Penzer V100 n. 1.—Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 280, (Angola): Chatelain 211 Nos. 32, 33.
B299.6 Animal physician. Africa (Cameroon): Rosenhuber 69, Meinhof 33, 36.
B298 Animal plays game.
B297.1 Animal plays musical instrument. Africa (tribes of Western Sudan): Tauxier Le Noir du Yatenga 457 No. 56.
B103.7 Animal producing treasure at death.
B103.6 Animal producing treasure by bite.
B275 Animal punished. Wesselski Nasreddin I 208 No. 11, II 186 No. 356.—*Von Amira Tierstrafen und Tierprozesse (Innsbruck, 1891); Jewish: Neuman.
B594 Animal rejuvenates person.
B540 Animal rescuer or retriever. Rescue person or retrieve lost object. —Japanese: Anesaki 320.
B549 Animal rescuer—miscellaneous.
B544 Animal rescues captive. *Fb "höj" I 741 b (fox); Missouri-French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 17 No. 8.—Africa (Zulu): Callaway 147, 241 (dog, frog), (Cameroon): Meinhof 88, 102.
B549.4 Animal rescues from cave. Chinese: Eberhart FFC CXX 180.
B545 Animal rescues from trap (net). *Type 75. See references to B363.—Penzer V 79 n. 2 (mouse); Japanese: Ikeda.
B547 Animal rescues man from dangerous place.
B541 Animal rescues man from sea. Type 506; BP III 494ff.; Liljeblad Tobiasgeschichte 94; Missouri-French: Carrière.
B547.1 Animal rescues man from well. India: *Thompson-Balys.
B548 Animal retrieves lost object.
B526 Animal saves man from death by burning.
B527 Animal saves man from death by drowning. Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlvi (sea birds); Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 747.
B522 Animal saves man from death sentence. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman.
B523 Animal saves man from pursuer. Missouri-French: Carrière.
B529 Animal saves person's life—miscellaneous.
B546 Animal searches for dead man. Breton: Sébillot s.v. "mort" (dog).
B152 Animal selects unknown person.
B736 Animal sheds tears.
B562.1 Animal shows man treasure. Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Boberg; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 78 No. 651.—India: *Thompson-Balys; *Norlind Skattsägner 37ff., 41ff.; Chauvin II 109 No. 73, *117 No. 97.—Chinese: Graham, Werner 380; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Swahili): Steere 13ff.
B268 Animal soldiers. India: *Thompson-Balys.
B525 Animal spares man he is about to devour. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 851.—See all references to B381.
B103.4 Animal spitting (vomiting) treasure.
B620 Animal suitor. Missouri-French: Carrière.
B299.1 Animal takes revenge on man. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.
B771.2 Animal tamed by holiness of saint. Saint's legend: Plummer cxlvi; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Icel.: Boberg.
B771.1 Animal tamed by maiden's beauty. Penzer VII 52 n. 2, VIII 111; Herbert III 234; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 115; Dickson Valentine and Orson 198 n. 86.—India: Thompson-Balys.
B771.2.2 Animal tamed by saint's prayer. Irish myth: Cross.
B505.2 Animal tells hero where to find magic object. (Cf. B560.)—French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule.
B2 Animal totems. Irish myth: Cross.
B650.1 Animal transformed to man wants to marry woman. Indonesian: De Vries' list No. 156.
B744 Animal travels extraordinary distance. Irish myth: Cross.
B272.2 Animal tried for crime. *Evans (E.P.) The criminal Prosecution and Capital punishment of Animals (New York 1926), von Amira (K). Tierstrafen und Tierprozesse (Innsbruck, 1891); *Mittheilungen d. Instituts f. öster. Geschichtsforsch. XII (1891) 545; *H. A. Berkenhoff Tierstrafe, Tierbannung und rechtsrituelle Tiertötung im Mittelalter (Strassburg 1937, diss.); Fb "stævne".
B291.0.1 Animal tried out as messenger. Hen (cock) the only one successful.—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 188. No. 27, (Kaffir): Theal 63.
B212 Animal understands human speech. Irish myth: Cross.
B15.1 Animal unusual as to his head.
B15.3 Animal unusual as to his horns.
B15.5 Animal unusual as to his nose (snout).
B15.7.10 Animal unusual as to skin. Irish myth: Cross.
B211 Animal uses human speech. *Chauvin VIII 126 No. 113; *BP I 331.—Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 13; Hindu: Tawney II 599; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 40 No. 28. See also references given under B200.
B15.3.4 Animal usually harmless has horns.
B785 Animal wards off spirits. Irish myth: Cross.
B260 Animal warfare. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 64—68).
B521.2 Animal warns against accident.
B521.1 Animal warns against poison. Fable: Halm Aesop No. 120, Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 338), 127 (ST 353), (eagle).—India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 76 No. 12 (ox).
B521.1.2 Animal warns man against drinking. India: Thompson-Balys.
B521 Animal warns of fatal danger. India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; U.S.: Baughman; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen 75, (Fang): Trilles 138, (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109.
B280 Animal weddings. RTP V 16, VIII 552, JAFL XXXV 392ff.—Japanese: Anesaki 334f.; India: Thompson-Balys.
B214 Animal whistles (sings, etc.) Chinese: Graham.
B571.2 Animal who arrives late performs tasks for man. (Cf. L147.1.) —Cosquin I 49f.; Missouri-French: Carrière.
B587 Animal wins contest for man.
B582.1.2 Animal wins husband for mistress. *Type 545A; *BP I 325ff., III 487.—Indonesian: De Vries' List Nos. 180, 209 (monkey, bird).
B582.1.1 Animal wins wife for his master (Puss in Boots). *Type 545B; BP I 325, III 487; Fb "kat" IV 255b.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Korean: Zong in-Sob 89 No. 48; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 336.
B15.3.2 Animal with a gold (silver) horn.
B14.2 Animal with body of horse, legs of hound. Irish myth: Cross.
B15.7.10.2 Animal with hair of iron pins. Irish myth: Cross.
B15.1.3 Animal with head of bone. Irish myth: Cross.
B115 Animal with horn of plenty. *Cox Cinderella 473 n. 2.—Greek: Fox 93.—India: *Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 169, (Basuto): Jacottet 240 No. 35.
B15.3.5 Animal with horn on his head pointing to the sky. Chinese: Graham.
B15.7.10.1 Animal with horny skin. Irish myth: Cross.
B15.4.4 Animal with human eyes (transformed man). Icel.: *Boberg.
B15.7.11 Animal with one head, two bodies, six legs. Irish myth: Cross. (Cf. B15.6.3.5, B15.7.9.1.)
B15.5.2 Animal with snout of iron. Irish myth: Cross. (Cf. B15.7.13.1.)
B115.3 Animal with tail of plenty. India: Thompson-Balys.
B107 Animal with treasure inside it.
B582.1 Animal wooer. India: Thompson-Balys.
B751 Animal's fanciful treatment of their young.
B275.4 Animal's revenge for being criticized by a bird: nest destroyed. —India: Thompson-Balys.
B738 Animal's skin revolves while flesh and bones remain stationary. Irish myth: Cross.
B747 Animal's strong teeth.
B529.1 Animals (sow, bitch, mare) hide boy in their belly to protect him. India: Thompson-Balys.
B537 Animals adopt mysterious housekeeper. India: Thompson-Balys.
B569 Animals advise men—miscellaneous.
B560 Animals advise men. Type 400 and references on the whole section in this work concerned with Helpful Animals (B300—599), since advice is very frequently part of the help.—*BP I 134; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 28.
B733 Animals are spirit-sighted. Scent danger.—Swiss; Jegerlehner Oberwallis 298 No. 9—Irish myth: Cross. Cf. B120. Wise animals.
B572 Animals as carpenter (builder). Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 188, II 819.
B272 Animals as defendants in court. **Jacoby Zs. f. Vksk. XXIII (1913) 184.
B574 Animals as domestic servants. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 798 (elephant).
B271 Animals as plaintiffs.
B767 Animals attracted by music. German: Grimm Nos. 8, 114.
B592 Animals bequeath characteristics to man. Horse gives him the characteristics of youth (fiery), cow of middle age (avaricious), and the dog of old age (fractious).—Fable: Halm Aesop No. 173; BP III 290; Köhler-Bolte I 42ff.; Babrius No. 74; Wienert FFC LVI *70 (ET 347), 127 (ST 358).
B299.8 Animals build bridge.
B572.1 Animals build palace (house) for man. India: Thompson-Balys; Samoa: Beckwith Myth 536 (rats).
B559 Animals carry men—miscellaneous.
B550 Animals carry men.—India: *Thompson-Balys.
B845.2 Animals chained in couples. Irish myth: Cross.
B265 Animals continually rend each other. Irish myth: Cross.
B299.9 Animals cultivate crops. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 179.
B293.0.1 Animals dance for king. Jewish: Neuman.
B293 Animals dance. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Luba): De Clerq Zs. f. Kolonialsprachen IV 193.
B841.1 Animals debate as to which is the elder. **Wesselski Archiv Orientální IV 1ff.; *Baum JAFL XXX 378 ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob XXXIII No. 17; Japanese: Ikeda.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 95, 109 Nos. 5, 10, (Fang): Nassau 239 No. 7.
B563 Animals direct man on journey. Type 400; Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt I 190f.; Dickson Valentine and Orson 54 n. 67; *Günter Christliche Legende des Abendlandes 235 s.v. "Führung"; *DeCock Studien en Essays 200ff.; *Fb "Ravn" III 23a.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Benga): Nassau No. 33, (Basuto): Jacottet 140 No. 20, 202 No. 30, (Ekoi): Talbot 209.
B299.3 Animals discover liquor and get intoxicated. India: Thompson-Balys.
B299.2 Animals dispute.
B275.3 Animals eating corpse of holy man die. Irish myth: Cross.
B251.5 Animals fast. Irish myth: Cross (B251.4).
B571.3 Animals fight together with their master. Icel.: *Boberg.
B266 Animals fight. Irish myth: Cross.
B147 Animals furnish omens. India: Thompson-Balys.
B391.4 Animals given water to drink: grateful. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 150.
B296 Animals go a-journeying. *Types 130, 210; **Aarne FFC XI Die Tiere auf der Wanderschaft; BP I 75, 135, 237; Fb "væder" III 1106b, *"tyr" III 908 ab.—Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesian, Japanese: Dixon *203 n. 41.; Missouri French: Carrière.—Africa (Tonga): Gifford 206.—Cf. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 302 n. 108.
B392.1 Animals grateful for being given appropriate food. Hero finds dog with hay and horse with meat. He changes it about.—Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 63 (to Gonzenbach No. 13.); Missouri-French: Carrière.