Folklore Database · Browse
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 |
|---|---|
| B211.4.1 | Speaking ant. French-Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B211.23). |
| B211.4.2 | Speaking bee. German: Grimm No. 107. |
| B211.5 | Speaking fish. *Type 303. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "poisson"; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Missouri-French: Carrière; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen VI 92. |
| B211.6 | Speaking reptile. |
| B211.6.1 | Speaking snake (serpent). Loomis White Magic 63; Tobler Epiphanie der Seele 55. Cf. Satan in the Garden of Eden.—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri-French: Carrière (B211.14). |
| B211.7 | Speaking amphibia. |
| B211.7.1 | Speaking frog. Cf. Type 440; BP I 1 (Gr. No. 1); Fb "frø"; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 171; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B211.7.2 | Speaking toad. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "crapaud"; Missouri-French: Carrière (B211.13). |
| B212 | Animal understands human speech. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B212.0.1 | All kinds of animals understand the language of heaven. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B212.0.2 | First animals knew human language. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B212.1 | Fox understands human speech. Nouvelles Récréations No. 29. |
| B214 | Animal whistles (sings, etc.) Chinese: Graham. |
| B214.1 | Singing animal. |
| B214.1.1 | Singing cow. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.2 | Singing boar. Irish myth: Cross (B211.5.1). |
| B214.1.3 | Singing cat. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.4 | Singing dog. Africa (Zulu): Callaway 363. |
| B214.1.5 | Singing lion. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.6 | Singing fox. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.7 | Singing frog. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.8 | Singing crab. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B214.1.8.1 | Crab sings about his captivity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B214.1.9 | Singing mouse. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B214.1.10 | Singing snake. |
| B214.1.11 | Singing hippopotamus. Africa (Nyang): Ittman 49. |
| B214.1.12 | Singing elephant. Africa (Nyang): Ittman 49. |
| B214.2 | Whistling animals. |
| B214.2.1 | Whistling toad. Chinese: Graham. |
| B214.3 | Laughing animal. |
| B214.3.1 | Laughing toad. Chinese: Graham. |
| B214.4 | Weeping animal. |
| B214.4.1 | Weeping toad. Chinese: Graham. |
| 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. |
| B215.0.1 | Animals taught one another's language. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B215.1 | Bird language. *Types 517, 671, 781; *BP I 322; Cox 497 n. 32; *W. Seelman "Die Vogelsprachen (Vogelparlamente) der mittelalterlichen Literatur" Jahrh. d. Vereins f. niederdeutsche Sprachforschung XIV 102f; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 86 n. 2 (Melampus); Icel.: Völsungasaga p. 45, cf. von Sydow Fеvne; Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 90a; Jewish: Neuman; Hindu: Penzer *II 107, IV 145; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B215.2 | Dog language. *Type 671.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chien". |
| B215.2.1 | Dog language understood by fox. Nouvelles Récréations No. 29. |
| B215.3 | Fox language. Nouvelles Récréations No. 29. |
| B215.4 | Frog language. *Type 671. |
| B215.5 | Serpent language. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B215.5.1 | Lizard's language. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B215.6 | Insects' language. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B215.6.1 | Ant language. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B216 | Knowledge of animal languages. Person understands them.—*Types 517, 670, 671; *Toldo Studien zur vgl. Littgsch. VIII 18; *BP I 321; Köhler-Bolte I 145, II 340; *Grunwald Hessische Blätter f. Vksk. LXI 316; Icel.: Boberg; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "language"; Hindu: Penzer I 107 n. 1, VII 3 n. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; Korean: Zong in-Sob 101 No. 55; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 68, 153, 412; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 16 No. 8; Buriat: Holmberg Siberian 427.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 227 No. 34. |
| 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. |
| B217.1 | Animal languages learned from eating animal. Irish myth: Cross, *MacCulloch Celtic 166. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| B217.3 | Animal languages learned from ghosts (spirits). Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 99. |
| B217.4 | Animal languages learned from carrying churchyard mould in hat. Fb. "kirkegеrdsmuld". |
| B217.5 | Bird language learned by having ears magically cleansed. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 363 n. 2 (Athena and Tiresius). |
| B217.6 | Animal languages learned by exchanging tongues with helpful dragon. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B217.7 | Stone deity (image of) confers upon man powers of understanding animal language. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B217.8 | Language of animals learned by Adam from Eve. Jewish: Neuman. |
| 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. |
| B221.1 | Kingdom of monkeys. Chauvin VII 40 No. 153; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B221.2 | Kingdom of rats. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B221.2.1 | Procurator of rats. Serpent has the office.—Fb "lindorm" II 433a. |
| B221.3 | Land of lions. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B221.4 | Land of elephants. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B221.5 | Land of mice. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B221.6 | Land of tigers. |
| B221.6.1 | Village of wer-tigers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B222 | Kingdom (land) of birds. Arabian: Burton Nights VIII 91; Japanese: Anesaki 324, Ikeda. |
| B222.1 | Land of pigeons. India: Thompson-Balys |
| B222.2 | Land of peacocks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B222.3 | Land of parakeets. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B222.4 | Land of parrots. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B223 | Kingdom of fishes. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Hartland Science 174, Ikeda.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 342 n. 236. |
| B223.1 | Kingdom of sharks. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 140. |
| B224 | Kingdom of insects. |
| B224.1 | Kingdom of ants. Chauvin VII 40 No. 153 n. 3; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B225 | Kingdom of reptiles. |
| B225.1 | Kingdom of serpents. Icel.: Boberg; Chauvin V 256f. No. 152; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 388. |
| B225.1.1 | Snake kingdom under the sea.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B226 | Kingdom of amphibia. |
| B226.1 | Community of toads. German: Grimm Nos. 63, 127. |
| B226.2 | Community of frogs. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B230 | Parliament of animals. E. Voigt "Odo de Ciringtonis und seine Quellen" Zs. f. d. Alterthum XXIII (N.F. XI) 283; Africa: Stanley 222, (Fang): Trilles 176, Tessman 54, (Wute): Sieber 205, (Duala): Ebding 142, (Wakweli): Bender 62; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B232 | Parliament of birds. (Cf. B236.1, B238.)—Type 220; *BP III 278ff. —*Robinson Complete Works of Chaucer 900ff.; T. Wright The Owl and the Nightingale (Percy Society, 1834); Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oiseaux"; Hindu: *Penzer V 100 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys;—Seneca (Indians): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 695 No. 133. |
| B232.1 | St. Valentine's Day for bird assembly. Sartori Sitte u. Brauch III 88; M. Höfler Das Jahr im oberbayerischen Volksleben (München 1899) 11; G. L. Gomme (ed) Mother Bunch's Closet Newly Broke Open (Leipzig 1839) II (1) 357f.; E. Schröder Korrespondenzblatt des Vereins f. niederdeutsche Sprachforschung XXXVI (1917—1918) 77; *Seelman (cf. B215 above); Sächs "Das Regiment der anderthalbhundert Vögel" (Stuttgart Verein CV) 278ff. |
| B233 | Parliament of fishes. (Cf. B236.2.)—*BP III 284 (Gr. No. 172); *Dh IV 192 ff. |
| B233.1 | Council of fishes decide to get rid of men (who eat fish). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B234 | School of animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B235 | Secrets discussed in animal meeting. *Type 613; *BP II 481 (Gr. Nos. 6, 55, 88, 125, 119a); **Christiansen FFC XXIV; Fb "bjørn" IV 43a; Bloomfield Am. Journ. of Philology XLI 309ff.; Bloomfield in Penzer VII viii;—Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| B236.1 | Election of king of birds. (Cf. B232.)—*Type 221; *BP III 278 (Gr. No. 171); Penzer V 100ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 304; Bødker Exempler 293 No. 53; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B236.2 | Election of king of fishes. (Cf. B233, B243.)—*BP III 284 (Gr. No. 172); *Dh IV 192ff. |
| B237 | Drinking-bout assembly of animals. Dh II 298ff.; Riegler Wörter und Sachen VI (1914—15) 194f. |
| B238 | Animal council assigns place and work to all. |
| B238.1 | Bird council assigns place and work to all. Eagle as judge. (Cf. B232).—Type 220. Cf. Chaucer "Parlement of Foules". |
| B238.2 | Bird council assigns coats to different birds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B239 | Parliament of animals—miscellaneous. |
| B239.1 | Election of fox as mediator to appease angry lion. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B240 | King of animals. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "roi", "bêtes", Fb "konge" II 265a; Jataka Index s.v. "king"; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B240.1 | Bear as king of animals. *Fb "bjørn" IV 42b. |
| B240.2 | Rabbit as king of animals. Chuh (Indians of Guatemala): Kunst JAFL XXVIII 353 No. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B240.3 | Wild man as king of animals. Chinese: Werner 392. |
| B240.4 | Lion as king of animals. (Cf. K961, K962, K1632.)—Wienert FFC LVI 47; Benfey Panchatantra I 91, 230; Bødker Exempler 277 No. 17, 303 No. 74; Jewish: Neuman; Graf FFC XXXVII passim; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B240.4.1 | Minister of lion-king a crane. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B240.5 | Tortoise as king of animals. Africa (Mbundu): Bell JAFL XXXV 135ff. No. 15. |
| B240.6 | Gazelle as king of animals. Africa (Luba): De Clerq Zs. f. Kolonialspr. IV 195f. No. 8. |
| B240.7 | Buffalo as king of animals. Africa (Luba): De Clerq Zs. f. Kolonialspr. IV 198ff. No. 10. |
| B240.8 | Fox as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B240.9 | Dog as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B240.10 | Wolf as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B240.11 | Camel as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B240.12 | Monkey as king of animals. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B240.13 | Tiger as king of animals. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B240.14 | Elephant as king of animals. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Fang): Trilles 175, (Cameroon): Mansfield passim. |
| B240.15 | Crocodile as king of animals. Africa (Fang): Trilles 158. |
| B241 | King of beasts (quadrupeds). |
| B241.1 | Various beasts as king of beasts. |
| B241.2 | King of the various kinds of beasts. |
| B241.2.1 | King of lions. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "roi"; Malone PMLA XLIII 409. |
| B241.2.2 | King of monkeys. Cowell Jataka III 225 No. 407; Penzer V 127ff.; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 287; Chinese: Eberhard 40 No. 27, 411 s.v. "Affenkönig". |
| B241.2.3 | King of cats. Fb "kattekonge".—English: Jacobs More Eng. 237; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B241.2.4 | King of rats. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "rats"; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 28 No. 12. |
| B241.2.5 | King of mice. English: Jacobs English 82 No. 17; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B241.2.6 | King of hares. Penzer V 101f.; Bødker Exempler 294 No. 54. |
| B241.2.7 | King of dogs. Fb "hund" IV 227b. |
| B241.2.8 | King of tigers. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair West African Folk-Tales 105ff. No. 19.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B241.2.8.1 | Newly-born divine twins cared for by mother-of-tigers. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 161. |
| B241.2.9 | King of jackals. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B241.2.10 | King of deer. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 69. |
| B241.2.11 | King of elephants. Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 275, 308; Wienert FFC LVI 47; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 415, 483, 921. |
| B241.2.12 | King of the boars. Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 986, II 819f. |
| B241.2.13 | King of antelopes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B241.2.14 | King of mongooses. Africa (Ganda): Rowling Tales of Sir Apolo 44ff. |
| B241.3 | Man transformed to beast becomes leader of herd. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B242 | King of birds. *Type 221; *BP III 278 (Gr. No. 171).—Irish myth: Cross; Bødker Exempler 293, No. 52.; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oiseaux"; Missouri-French: Carrière; English: Jacobs English 82 No. 17; Hindu: Tawney I 183, II 65 n.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 40, 437. |
| B242.1 | Various birds as king of birds. |
| B242.1.1 | Eagle king of birds. BP III 279; Icel.: Boberg. |
| B242.1.2 | Wren king of birds. Wins contest for kingship. (Cf. B236.1.) —*Type 221; *BP III 278 (Gr. No. 171); Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| B242.1.2.1 | Wren as "druid of the birds" (drui én). Irish myth: Cross. |
| B242.1.3 | Hornbill king of birds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.1.4 | Pelican as king of birds. Africa (Duala): Gehr Zs. f. Kolonialspr. VII 25ff. |
| B242.1.5 | Shrike as king of birds. Madagascar (Merina): Renel Contes de Madagascar II 160ff. No. 100. |
| B242.1.6 | Jackdaw king of birds. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B242.1.7 | Peacock king of birds. Wienert FFC LVI 47. |
| B242.1.8 | Owl as king of birds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.1.9 | Swan as king of birds. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 8. |
| B242.1.10 | Ziz as king of birds. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B242.2 | King of the various kinds of birds. |
| B242.2.1 | King of crows. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "corbeaux"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.2 | King of doves. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.3 | King of kites. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.4 | King of pigeons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.5 | King of peacocks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.6 | King of quails. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.7 | King of sparrows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B242.2.8 | King of parrots. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 572. |
| B242.2.9 | King of geese. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 948, II 581. |
| B242.2.10 | King of swans. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 98, 210, 242, 447. |
| B242.2.11 | King of vultures. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 269. |
| B242.2.12 | King of larks. Crane Vitry I No. 4. |
| B243 | King of fishes. (Cf. B236.2.) *Type 303; *BP I 528, III 284 (Gr. No. 172); *Dh IV 192ff.; Hartland Science 174.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "poisson"; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 65 No. 3; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 6, 52. |
| B243.1 | Various fishes as king of fishes. |
| B243.1.1 | Herring as king of fishes. *BP III 284, 285 n. I (Gr. No. 172). |
| B243.1.2 | Eel as king of fishes. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 6. |
| B243.1.3 | Shark as king of fishes. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth. |
| B243.2 | King of various kinds of fishes. |
| B243.2.1 | King of salmon. Japanese: Hartland Science 174. |
| B243.2.2 | King of eels. Fb "еl" III 1190b. |
| B244 | King of reptiles. |
| B244.1 | King of serpents (snakes). *Type 672; BP II 463f.; *Fb "snogekonge" III 437b, "lindorm" II 433 b, "hugormekonge" I 667.—Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 213ff., (1928) 139ff.—Hindu: Keith 154; Penzer VI 29; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 27, 64, 230, 1149, II 529, 556; Chinese: Eberhard 17 No. 8; Zanzibar: Bateman 202 No. 10. |
| B244.1.1 | Queen of watersnakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B244.1.2 | Serpent king resides in lake. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 981. |
| B244.1.3 | Gigantic hood of serpent king. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 796. |
| B244.1.4 | Four royal families of snakes. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 231. |
| B244.2 | Naga-king. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 694. |
| B244.3 | King of lizards. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 657. |
| B245 | King of amphibians. |
| B245.1 | King of frogs. Type 440, Grimm No. 1; BP I 1ff.; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 369; Bødker Exempler 297 No. 61; Cosquin études 530; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "roi", "grenouille".—English: Jacobs English 237; Hindu: Keith 147; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard 76 No. 43. |
| B245.2 | Turtle king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B246 | King of insects. |
| B246.1 | King of ants. Fb "myre". |
| B246.2 | King (sultan) of flies. Africa (Swahili): Baker FL XXXVIII 183ff., No. 1. |
| B246.3 | King of bees. Chinese: Eberhard 102 No. 59. |
| B248 | King of dragons. Chinese: Graham. |
| B250 | Religious animals. Günter Christliche Legende des Abendlandes 80ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 334; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251 | Animals praise or worship. |
| B251.1 | Animals rejoice at Christ's birth. Irish myth: Cross; English: Child V 485 s.v. "joy". |
| B251.1.1 | Animals worship infant Jesus. *Dh II 12ff.—Alphabet No. 554.—Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| B251.1.2 | Animals speak to one another at Christmas. DeCock Volkskunde XXI 52ff.; Luzel Légendes Chretiennes de la Basse Bretagne II 333; Tille Die Geschichte der deutschen Weinacht 66f.; Wossidlo Mecklenbürgische Volksüberlieferung II (1) 59, 369; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *748; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 47 No. 237; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 637. |
| B251.1.2.1 | Cock crows, "Christus natus est." English: Child I 240ff., 505f., II 501, IV 451f. |
| B251.1.2.2 | Cows speak to one another on Christmas. (Cf. B215.)—Fb "ko" II 240b. |
| B251.1.2.3 | Cows kneel in stable at midnight of Eve of Old Christmas. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| B251.2 | Animals honor saint (cleric). Irish myth: Cross (B251.13). |
| B251.2.1 | Animals sing in honor of a saint. Köhler-Bolte I 148; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.2 | Fish perform races as welcome to saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.3 | Wolves lick saint's shoes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.4 | Fly habitually buzzes when cleric returns from matins. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.5 | Birds beat waters with wings as welcome to saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.6 | Deer lick saint's tomb daily at noon. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.6.1 | Water-monsters lick saint's feet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.6.2 | Cow licks saint's feet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.7 | Wild animals as saint's disciples. *Loomis White Magic 63. |
| B251.2.7.1 | Fish come in great numbers to the bank of a stream in order to hear Anthony of Padua preach. *Loomis White Magic 70. |
| B251.2.8 | Sea-monster honors saint above all others. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.9 | Birds lament saint's departure. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.10 | Cow gives twelve measures of milk for the twelve apostles of Ireland. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.10.1 | Brilliantly white cow comes to be milked for infant saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.2.11 | Lion lies down at feet of saint. Saintyves Saints Successeurs 133. |
| B251.2.12 | Birds take part at saint's funeral. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.3 | Animals sing songs of praise. Jewish: Neuman (cow, cat, lion, mouse, cock, vulture, fish, frog); Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.3.1 | Birds in otherworld sing religious songs. Patch PMLA XXXIII 626 n. 89; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.4 | Animals pray. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.4.1 | Beast invokes saint's protection. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B251.4.1.1 | Wild beast seeks protection of saint against hunters. *Loomis White Magic 61f. |
| B251.5 | Animals fast. Irish myth: Cross (B251.4). |
| B251.6 | Animals keep religious precepts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B251.7 | Animal makes religious oath. |
| B251.7.1 | Wolf swears by God. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.8 | Animals observe sacred revelation. |
| B251.8.1 | Singing of birds ceases at time of revelation. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.9 | Animals make religious responses. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B251.10 | Animals lick Christ-child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B252 | Animal churchmen. |
| B252.1 | Animal monks. Irish: Plummer Vitae Sanctorum Hiberniae cxli.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B252.2 | Birds (in otherworld) call at canonical hours. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B252.3 | Priest of snakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B253 | Animals perform offices of church. |
| B253.1 | Snakes have mass. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 34. |
| B253.2 | Wolves have annual (church) feast. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B253.3 | Fox fasts as penance. (cf. B251.4.)—Irish myth: Cross. |
| B253.4 | Spider performs penance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B253.5 | The deer with a cross carried between their horns. *Loomis White Magic 61. |
| B253.6 | Deer with candles on the tops of their antlers. *Loomis White Magic 61. |
| B255 | Miracle wrought for animal. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B256 | Animal as servant of saint. (Cf. B292.)—*Loomis White Magic 63; Irish myth: Cross; Irish: Plummer cxliiff. |
| B256.0.1 | Animal deluded by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.1 | Birds nest in saint's hand (cowl).—Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlvi.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.1.1 | Birds perch on hands and head of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.2 | St. Anthony's pigs. Pigs dedicated to saint held sacred.—Italian. Novella: Rotunda. |
| B256.3 | Deer makes its horns available as a bookholder to a saint. *Loomis White Magic 61. |
| B256.3.1 | Deer furnish bier and bear saint's corpse to church. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.4 | Domesticated wolves. *Loomis White Magic 60. |
| B256.4.1 | Wolves guard saint's cattle like watchdogs when he is absent. *Loomis White Magic 59. |
| B256.5 | Obedience of the feathered creatures to the commands of saint. *Loomis White Magic 67f. |
| B256.5.1 | Birds protect saint and serve him. *Loomis White Magic 68. |
| B256.6 | Boar serves saint. (Cf. B183.)—Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.6.1 | Boar guards holy man's swine. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.6.2 | Boar makes music for holy man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.6.3 | Boar acts as physician for holy man: licks his wounded feet. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B256.7 | Tiger sweeps temple for saint. India: Thompson-Balys. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.