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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.
All
A
Mythological Motifs
B
Animal Motifs
C
Motifs of Tabu
D
Magic
E
The Dead
F
Marvels
G
Ogres
H
Tests
J
The Wise and the Foolish
K
Deceptions
L
Reversals of Fortune
M
Ordaining the Future
N
Chance and Fate
P
Society
Q
Rewards and Punishments
R
Captives and Fugitives
S
Unnatural Cruelty
T
Sex
U
The Nature of Life
V
Religion
W
Traits of Character
X
Humor
Z
Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs
| Thompson reference ▲ | Description |
|---|---|
| B147.3.1.1 | Crickets as good omens. Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 1167. |
| B147.3.1.2 | Bees (ants) leave honey on lips of infant to show future greatness. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| B147.3.2 | Other animals furnish bad omens. |
| B147.3.2.1 | Crickets as bad omens. Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 1166. |
| B150 | Oracular animals. *Hopf (L.) Tierorakel und Orakeltiere in alter und neuer Zeit (Stuttgart, 1888).—Krappe JAFL LV 228ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B151 | Animal determines road to be taken. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B151.1 | Beast determines road to be taken. |
| B151.1.1 | Horses determine road to be taken. They are left to pick out the road themselves and to stop at the destination.—*DeCock Studien en Essays 200ff.; Wesselski Theorie 30.—Chinese: Graham. |
| B151.1.1.0.1 | Horses travel between clerics without guidance. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B151.1.1.0.2 | Horse stops where murder has occurred. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 39 No. 4**. |
| B151.1.1.0.3 | Horse allowed to go as it pleases, finds unknown person. Chinese: Graham. |
| B151.1.1.1 | Mare with foal left behind finds road home. The foal is left so that the force of nature in the mare will discover the unknown road home.—Hdwb. d. deutschen Märchens s.v. "Ariadnefaden" n. 15. |
| B151.1.1.2 | Ass determines road to be taken. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B151.1.1.2.1 | Ass carries usurer's body to the gallows instead of to the church. He has been denied burial in the church.—Alphabet of Tales No. 705. |
| B151.1.1.2.2 | Baalam's ass. Advises master that angel is barring the way. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B151.1.2 | Bull determines road to be taken. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B151.1.2.1 | Cow determines road to be taken. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B151.1.3 | Fox determines road to be taken. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B151.1.4 | Elephant determines road to be taken. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 603. |
| B151.1.5 | Camel determines road to be taken. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B151.1.6 | Dog indicates road to be taken. Icel.: Boberg; Wesselski Theorie 30. |
| B151.2 | Bird determines road to be taken. |
| B151.2.0.1 | Bird shows way by dropping feathers every seven steps. —Hdwb. d. deutschen Märchens s.v. "Ariadnefaden" n. 14. |
| B151.2.0.2 | Birds show way to otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B151.2.0.3 | Bird shows way by singing. South Africa: Bourhill and Drake Fairy Tales from South Africa 237ff. No. 20. |
| B152 | Animal selects unknown person. |
| B152.1 | Dog indicates pregnant woman, adulteress, etc. (Cf. B121.1, B134, B153.)—English: Child I 270 n. |
| B152.2 | Fly indicates successful suitor. Girl to marry man on whom specially marked fly lights.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B152.3 | Hawk lighting on man points out criminal. Korean: Zong-in-Sob 123 No. 59. |
| B153 | Dog indicates hidden treasure. *Norlind Skattsägner 47 n. 1.—India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Mitford 180. |
| B153.1 | Dog indicates other hidden objects. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B154 | Animal as soothsayer. |
| B154.1 | Ox as soothsayer. All judgments referred to it. (Cf. B182.2.)—Persian: Carnoy 335. |
| B154.2 | Ant as soothsayer. Ila of Rhodesia: Smith and Dale 396. |
| B154.3 | Fish-eagle as soothsayer. Ila of Rhodesia: Smith and Dale 354. |
| B155 | Location determined by halting of an animal.—Irish myth: Cross. (Cf. B153.) |
| B155.1 | Building site determined by halting of animal. Where the animal stops the building is erected.—Fb "kvie" II 338a, "kirke" IV 258a; Sébillot France IV 114, 127; Günter Christliche Legende des Abendlandes 81; Dickson Valentine and Orson 54 n. 66; *Pease Classical Philology XII (1917) 8ff.; Norden on Vergil Aeneid VI, lines 136ff.; Stemplinger Neue Jahrb. XLVII (1920) 41.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 70 no. 598; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 125, 145, Aarne FFC XXXIII 46 No. 82; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 133 No. 82; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 167ff., (1931) 117ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Eng., Wales: Baughman. |
| B155.1.0.1 | Building site determined by other action of animal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B155.2 | City founded on spot where cow lies down. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 315 n. 1, II 38 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B155.2.1 | Village founded on spot when cock crows, dog barks, and mithian bellows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B155.2.2 | Location of settlement at place a cow stops and where milk flows by itself. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B155.2.3 | Birds indicate the place where a town (castle) is to be built. Krappe Revue de l'histoire des Religions CXIV (1936) 236—246. |
| B155.2.4 | Pursued animal indicates where city is to be built. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| 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. |
| B155.4 | Neighing of horse indicates important spot. Korean: Zong in-Sob IV No. 2. |
| B157 | Animal leads searchers. |
| B157.1 | Whistling of bird leads searcher. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 68. |
| B159 | Miscellaneous oracular animals. |
| B159.1 | Birds drop quill when man requires pen. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B159.2 | Horse lies down when grain of wheat falls from load. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B159.3 | Cleric goes with saint whom his cow follows. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B159.4 | Vulture's chicks will not eat dead hero's leg, since they know he has been treacherously murdered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B160 | Wisdom-giving animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B161 | Wisdom from serpent. *Cox 496 n. 32; Fb "hugormekonge" IV 225a; *Scott Thumb 173.—Irish myth: Cross.—Armenian: Ananikian 74; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B161.1 | Power of soothsaying from serpents' licking ears. (Cf. B165.1.1., B176.) Frazer Apollodorus II 48 n. 2. |
| B161.2 | Fortune learned from serpent. Fb "orm" II 759b. |
| B161.3 | Wisdom from eating serpent. (Cf. B176.)—*Scott Thumb 173; Fb "hugormekonge"; Chauvin V 255ff. No. 152.—Scotch: Campbell II 377.—Cf. Diegueсo: Du Bois AA n.s. VII 628. |
| B161.4 | Power of seeing whether the dead go to heaven or hell is gained from serpent. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B162 | Wisdom from fish. (Cf. B175.) |
| B162.1 | Supernatural knowledge from eating magic fish. (Cf. B175.)—*Nutt FLR IV 1ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: *Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B163 | Wisdom from other animal. |
| B163.1 | Wisdom from fox. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B163.1.1 | Wisdom from eating fox's heart. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B165 | Animal languages learned from animal. |
| 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. |
| B165.1.1 | Animal languages learned by having ears licked by serpent. (Cf. B161.1.)—*Penzer VII 3 n. 2; *BP I 133. |
| B165.1.2 | Animal languages from stolen serpent's crown. (Cf. B176.) —*Type 672A; cf. BP II 464. |
| B165.1.3 | Cobra writes letters on prince's tongue: "Having heard all kinds of creatures talk, you will understand them."—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B165.2 | Animal languages learned from frog. *Type 670B*; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B170 | Magic birds, fish, reptiles, etc. |
| B171 | Magic chicken (hen, cock). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B171.1 | Demi-coq. A cock is cut in two and is made magic. Carries robbers, foxes, and stream of water under wings.—*Type 715; *BP I 258.—Missouri French: Carrière. |
| B171.1.0.1 | Magic cock carries great loads in his ear (load of grain, fox, tiger, bees, wasps, etc., also fire and water).—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B171.1.1 | Demi-coq crows in king's body, when the king eats him.—Type 715. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B171.2 | Magic fighting cock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B172 | Magic bird. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 203. (Cf. B101—B103 passim, B113, B115.2, B122, B131, B141, B143, B147.2, B151.2, B155.2.3, B157.1, B159.1, B159.4, B171.) |
| B172.1 | Magic bird petrifies those who approach. Chauvin VI 8 No. 273 n. 1. |
| B172.2 | Magic bird's song. Brings joy and oblivion for many years. Wakes the dead.—*Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 562; Hartland Science 188f., *Krappe Bull. Hispanique XXXIX 29.—Irish myth: Cross, Plummer clxxxvi; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 104. |
| B172.2.1 | Magic bird's song brings sleep. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.3 | Magic bird collects seeds. Sees that they are properly placed. Also carries off people's enemies.—Persian: Carnoy 289. |
| B172.4 | Bird with magic bones and feathers. Persian: Carnoy 290. |
| B172.5 | Magic falcon gets water of life for hero. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B172.6 | Magic birds lure hunters to certain places. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.7 | Magic birds chained in couples. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.8 | Magic osprey (transformed man) produces lightning. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.9 | Magic birds cause hosts to sleep by shaking wings. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.10 | Black birds. |
| B172.10.1 | Innumerable birds (black birds) fly into and out of tower (steeple) of fire. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B172.11 | Bird steals island. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B175 | Magic fish. (Cf. B107.1, B124, B144.) Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 82; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B175.1 | Magic salmon carries hero over water. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 189; Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B175.2 | Magic tunny (grateful); carries out hero's wish. Later he saves him from drowning and restores his sanity.—Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B176 | Magic reptile. |
| B176.1 | Magic serpent. (Cf. B108, B112, B123, B161—165.)—Type 516; BP I 42f. (Gr. No. 6); *Liljeblad Tobiasgeschichte 184f.; Norlind Skattsägner 41ff.; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B176.1.1 | Serpent as deceiver in paradise. Hebrew: Genesis 3:1; Jewish: Neuman; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller.—Indo-Chinese: Scott Indo-Chinese 269. |
| B176.1.2 | Magic snake can compress himself to minute size and expand to giant size. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B177 | Magic amphibia. |
| B177.1 | Magic toad. |
| B177.1.1 | Magic toad under king's bed causes sickness. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX. Cf. Christiansen FFC XXIV 83. |
| B177.2 | Magic frog. Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 124 s.v. "Frosch"; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B177.3 | Magic sea-turtle sucks men to the bottom. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B178 | Magic crustacean. |
| B178.1 | Magic crab. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 222. |
| B180 | Magic quadrupeds. |
| B181 | Magic quadrupeds—felidae. |
| B181.1 | Magic cat. (Cf. B211.8, B422.)—BP 146f.; Norlind Skattsägner 47 n. 1; Irish myth: Cross. See also references to B422. |
| B181.1.1 | Cat with remarkable powers of sight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B181.3 | Magic tiger. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 160. |
| B182 | Magic quadrupeds—canidae. |
| B182.1 | Magic dog. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B182.1.0.1 | Toy (lap) dogs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.0.1.1 | Magic lap-dog. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.0.2 | Magic dog transformed person. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.0.3 | Magic dog transformed supernatural being. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.1 | Magic dog vomits any liquor required of him. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.2 | Magic hostile bitches issue from elf-mound. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.3 | Dog sight of which renders game helpless. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.3.1 | Magic whelp kills hound by springing down its throat. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.4 | Dog that is hound by night and sheep by day. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.5 | Dog that is hound by day and flame of fire by night. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.6 | Magic dog fragrant. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.7 | Magic bitches (in human form) enchanted by fairy music. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B182.1.8 | Magic brazen dog. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B182.2 | Magic bear. Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. *163, *482; Russian: Andrejev No. *160 I, 480*C. |
| B183 | Magic quadrupeds—rodentia. |
| B183.1 | Magic mouse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B183.1.1 | Magic mouse to be flayed. Mouse orders hero to flay him and to use skin for magic purposes. Later the skin is returned to the mouse.—Africa (Zulu): Calaway 97. |
| B183.1.2 | Magic mouse causes disease. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184 | Magic quadrupeds—ungulata. |
| B184.1 | Magic horse.—Types 314, 502, 550; BP II 274, *III 111, 113 n. 4; *Fb "føl", "hest" IV 211b; Penzer VI 72 n. 1; Meyer Germanische Mythologie (1891) 105; *Jones PMLA XXIII 569; Norlind Skattsägner 46 n. 4.—Irish myth: Cross; Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. *530A, *530B, *531, *533A, *651; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "cheval"; Missouri French: Carrière; Arabian: Burton V 1ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Cape Verde Is.: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 277 No. 91, 281 No. 92. Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 68 No. 15; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 624. |
| B184.1.1 | Horse (mule) with magic speed. *Chauvin V 259 No. 154 n. 1; *Fb "hest" I 598v.—Greek: Fox 119; Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 294. |
| B184.1.1.1 | Horse so fast fly cannot light on him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.1.1.2 | Horse as swift as a bird. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B184.1.1.3 | Swiftest horse on earth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.1.2 | Magic horse goes underground. Fb "øg" III 1161b. |
| B184.1.3 | Magic horse from water world. *Chauvin VII 7; Icel.: Boberg Irish myth: Cross.—Armenian: Chalatiank Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 152; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B184.1.4 | Magic horse travels on sea or land. Fb "hest" I 598b; Malten (J.) Jahrbuch des kl. deutschen arch. Inst. XXIX 189; Type 516; Rösch FFC LXXVII 108; Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Iliad Book 20 line 273. |
| B184.1.5 | Breath of magic horse blows off or sucks in those he pursues. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 190; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.1.6 | Flight on magic horse. *Type 314; BP III 94ff. (Gr. No. 136). Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| B184.1.6.1 | Flight on invisible horse. Cox Cinderella 476 n. 6. |
| B184.1.7 | Magic horse avenges hero's death. Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B184.1.8 | Immortal horse. Greek: Grote I 173. |
| B184.1.9 | Magic horse mysteriously recognized by everyone. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 1 (and n. 3). |
| B184.1.10 | Magic horse makes prodigious jump. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.1.11 | Magic invulnerable horse. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.1.12 | Magic horse goes through fire. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B184.2 | Magic cow (ox, bull). Krappe Balor 1; Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.2.0.1 | Magic white cow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.2.0.1.1 | Magic white cows with red ears. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.2.1 | Magic cow. |
| B184.2.1.1 | Magic cow gives extraordinary milk. |
| B184.2.1.1.1 | Magic cow gives red milk. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 305 No. 2. |
| B184.2.1.1.2 | Magic cow gives impossible quantity of milk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.2.1.2 | Magic soldier-producing cow. Hindu: Keith 145f. |
| B184.2.1.3 | Cow grants all desires. Penzer II 45 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys (B109.4). |
| B184.2.2 | Magic ox. (Cf. B154.)—Types 510, 511; cf. Wesselski Märchen before Grimm, introd.—French Canadian: Barbeau JAF XXXIX 16.—Icel.: Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 169, (Basuto): Jacottet 240 No. 35.—Cf. also the giant blue ox of Paul Bunyan (B871.1.1.). |
| B184.2.2.1 | Magic ox from unusual sexual union of animals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.2.2.2 | Magic cow (ox, bull) from water world. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.2.3 | Magic bull. Arabian: Burton VIII 120 n., 121, XVII 366f.; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B184.2.3.1 | Magic bull to be flayed. The bull orders the hero (heroine) to flay him and to use his skin for magic purposes. (Cf. B192, B335, B411.1.)—Cox Cinderella 365 (Swedish).—Wyandot: Thompson CColl II 412. |
| B184.2.3.2 | Magic bull can be milked. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.2.3.3 | Indra sends down buffalo whose milk is offered to the saints. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.2.4 | Magic ox. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B184.2.5 | Magic calf. Jewish Neuman. |
| B184.3 | Magic swine. |
| B184.3.0.1 | Magic swine issue from elf-mound. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.0.2 | Magic swine disappear underground. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.0.3 | Magic red swine. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.0.4 | Magic swine transformed person. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.0.5 | Herd of magic swine that cannot be counted twice with the same result. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.1 | Magic boar. Meyer Germanische Mythologie (1891) 102; Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Boberg. |
| B184.3.1.1 | Magic boar drowns houndpack. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.2 | Magic pig. |
| B184.3.2.1 | Magic invisible pig. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.2.2 | Magic pig turns water into wine for nine days. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.3.2.3 | Skin of magic pig heals wounds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.4 | Magic deer. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.5 | Magic goat. |
| B184.5.1 | Magic fighting goat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B184.6 | Magic sheep. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B184.6.1 | Wethers leap from well; payment for saint's baptism. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B190 | Magic animals: miscellaneous motifs. |
| B191 | Animal as magician. (Cf. B154.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.1 | Weasel as conjurer. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 321 No. 74. |
| B191.2 | Ox-demon as magician. Chinese: Werner 361. |
| B191.3 | Tiger as magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.4 | Rat gives magic medicine. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.5 | Hedgehog builds castle. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B191.6 | Bird as magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.7 | Serpent as magician. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B192 | Magic animal killed. Irish myth: Cross; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 161 No. 27. |
| B192.0.1 | Magic birds die when owner is killed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B192.1 | Magic pig burned to prevent resuscitation. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B192.2 | Rain-withholding deer killed: rain released. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B192.3 | Treasure-producing bird killed to please a paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B193 | Otter carries flaming wood in mouth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B195 | Magic animal used by hero in contest grows bigger with every round. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B200 | Animals with human traits. See in general the literature dealing with fables, with the Romance of Reynard, with the bear-fox cycle of Europe, with the rabbit fox cycle of America, etc.—Irish myth: Cross Fables: Wienert FFC LVI; Hervieux Les Fabulistes latins; Jacobs The Fables of Aesop; Jewish: Neuman; Reynard the Fox: Graf FFC XXXVIII; Bear-fox cycle: Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs JSFO VI; Dh IV; Rabbit-fox cycle: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) notes; Beckwith MAFLS XVII notes. See also Panchatantra.—Marquesas: Handy 79; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 146, (Chiriguano): ibid. 161, 179. |
| B210 | Speaking animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B210.1 | Person frightened by animals successively replying to his remarks. Example: Man riding horse and followed by dog tells horse to jump over a hole. Horse says, "I will not." Man turns to dog and says, "Isn't that strange—a horse talking!" The dog says, "Yes, isn't it." Often the man runs, meeting other animals which answer him, until he falls exhausted.—U.S.: *Baughman. |
| B210.2 | Talking animal or object refuses to talk on demand. Discoverer is unable to prove his claims: is beaten.—U.S. Negro: Baughman. |
| B210.3 | Formerly animals and man spoke the same language. God took the power of speech from the animals because men refused to kill speaking beasts.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| 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. |
| B211.0.1 | Animals speak, praising God, on the night of Christ's Nativity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B211.1 | Speaking beasts—domestic. |
| B211.1.1 | Speaking sheep. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "mouton"; Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| B211.1.1.1 | Speaking ram. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Grote I 117; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "belier". |
| B211.1.1.1.1 | Ram stung by hornet on Sabbath says, "Damn!" Pious owner resolves to sell it next day.—U.S.: Baughman. |
| B211.1.2 | Speaking goat. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chèvre"; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 55 No. 2. |
| B211.1.3 | Speaking horse. *Types 531, 532; BP II 274f., III 18; Penzer II 57; Fb "hest" I 598b; *Loomis White Magic 61; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Malten Jahrb. d. Kaiserl. deutschen archäologischen Inst. XXIX (1914) 203f.—Russian: v. Löwis of Menar Russische Märchen 313 No. 53, Rambaud La Russie épique 79; Lithuanian: Leskien-Brugmann Nos. 5, 9; Modern Greek: Hahn Griechische und alban. Märchen Nos. 6, 37; Bulgarian: Strauss Bulgarische Volksdichtungen 212, 309; Turkish: Giese Türkische Märchen 37; Hungarian: Ipolyi Zs. f. deutsche Mythologie II 270; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.3.1 | Speaking ass. Type 534*.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "âne"; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.1.3.2 | Speaking mule. Africa (Kordofan): Frobenius Atlantis IV 53ff. No. 6. |
| B211.1.4 | Speaking hog. Irish myth: Cross; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Benga): Nassau 81 No. 1. |
| B211.1.4.1 | Boar sings song. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B211.1.5 | Speaking cow. French-Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B211.19); Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. *543, 481; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.5.1 | Speaking ox. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 812. |
| B211.1.5.2 | Speaking buffalo. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.5.3 | Speaking bullock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.5.4 | Speaking yak. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.5.5 | Speaking calf. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.1.6 | Speaking camel. Loomis White Magic 61; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.1.7 | Speaking dog. Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chien"; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa: Stanley 105. |
| B211.1.7.1 | Dog sings song. Africa (Zulu): Callaway 363. |
| B211.1.8 | Speaking cat. *Type 545; BP I 329, III 487 (Gr. No. 214).—Danish: Fb "kat" II 108b; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chats"; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Mitford 253, Ikeda; German: Grimm No. 4. |
| B211.2 | Speaking beast—wild. |
| B211.2.1 | Speaking stag. Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "cerf" |
| B211.2.2 | Speaking lion. *Loomis White Magic 59; German: Grimm No. 60, 67, 88; French-Canadian: Gautier, Sister Marie Ursule (B211.20); Moreno: Esdras (B211.15). |
| B211.2.2.1 | Speaking tiger. French-Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B211.21); India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham, Eberhard FFC CXX 41; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 155, 166. |
| B211.2.2.2 | Speaking jaguar. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 155. |
| B211.2.3 | Speaking bear. German: Grimm Nos. 60, 114, 161; French-Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B211.22). |
| B211.2.4 | Speaking wolf. Irish myth: Cross (B211.25); German: Grimm Nos. 8, 26, 37, 60; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.2.5 | Speaking fox. German: Grimm Nos. 8, 57, 60, 191; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.2.6 | Speaking hare (rabbit). Irish myth: Cross; German: Grimm Nos. 8, 60, 66. |
| B211.2.7 | Speaking sea-beast. Irish myth: Cross (B211.17). |
| B211.2.7.1 | Speaking seal. Irish myth: Cross (B211.17.1). |
| B211.2.8 | Speaking mouse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.2.9 | Speaking rat. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.2.10 | Speaking monkey. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 42. |
| B211.3 | Speaking bird. Type 516; *Cox 527—9; Penzer I 48; Dickson Valentine and Orson 51 n. 60; Tobler Epiphanie der Seele 53; *Fb "fugl"; Krappe Hispanic Review I (1933) 67ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oiseau".—Arabian: Burton III 126n, 129ff., SV 300; Bloomfield On Talking Birds in Hindu Fiction (Festschrift für Ernst Windisch) 349ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Missouri-French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; Africa: Bouveignes 109, (Upoto): Einstein 137, (Duala): Lederbogen V 139.—Cf. Type 720 (BP I 412). |
| B211.3.1 | Speaking turkey. Zuсi: Cushing Zuсi Folk Tales 54ff. |
| B211.3.2 | Speaking cock. Fb "kok" II 248b.; Missouri-French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.3.2.1 | Speaking chicken. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.3.3 | Speaking goose. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.3.4 | -Speaking parrot. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.3.5 | Speaking dove. Greek: Grote I 355; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 181; Africa (Ba Ronga): Einstein 25. |
| B211.3.6 | Speaking raven. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.3.7 | Speaking sparrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.3.8 | Speaking vulture. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B211.3.9 | Speaking crow. French-Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B211.10.1); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.4 | Speaking insects. |
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