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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| C14 | "Adversity" summoned: king says he has heard people speak of adversity but has never seen it; genius of adversity appears. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C21 | "Ah me!": ogre's name uttered. He appears. Köhler-Bolte I 557; Köhler Zs. f. Vksk. VI 68; *Cosquin études Folkloriques 532ff. |
| C25 | "Bear's food." To urge on his horses a man threatens them with the bear, calling them "bear's food." The bear hears and comes for them.—*Type 154; **Krohn Mann und Fuchs 11. |
| C490.1.1 | "Save it for the beggar" (substitute for "save it for tomorrow". You may be dead by tomorrow.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C929.1 | "Shame and disgrace" threatened for refusing love of forthputting woman. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C762.5 | "Take, but only twice." Man to take money from cursed chest only twice. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 36, 130. |
| C495.2.1 | "We three"—"For gold"—"That is right" devil's bargain. Three brothers have agreed to say only these things. They incriminate themselves. —*Type 360; BP II 561; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C495.2.2 | "We three"—"For gold"—"That is right": phrases of foreign language. Three travelers know each one phrase of a foreign language. They incriminate themselves. *Type 1697; BP II 561; Nouvelles Récréations No. 20; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C495.2 | "We three"—"For gold"—"That is right". These expressions are the sole conversation of three men. |
| C495.2.2.1 | "Yes"—"No"—"Very well".—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C830 | 1 Unclassified tabus. |
| C986 | Abduction by animal for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| C499 | Additional speaking tabus. |
| C899 | Additional unclassified tabus. |
| C495.3 | All questions to be answered "Thanks". Youth is so advised by old woman helper. Type 593. |
| C495.1 | All questions to be answered, "I don't know". A youth is so advised by his horse. *Type 532. |
| C915.2 | Animals escape when forbidden baskets opened. Origin of animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C915.2.1 | Animals escape when forbidden calabash is opened. African (Yoruba): Frobenius Atlantis X 232f. No. 16. |
| C916.2 | Animals produced when forbidden drum is beaten. Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 90, No. 16. |
| C946.2 | Arm shortened for breaking tabu. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 488. |
| C322.1 | Bag of winds. Wind is confined in a bag. Man breaks prohibition against looking into bag and releases winds.—Greek: Fox 137, 266, Frazer Apollodorus II 285 n. 2; Estonian: FFC XXV 140 No. 9; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 81 No. 13.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 292 n. 72.—Oceanian: Dixon 55 (Samoan, coconut filled with winds; Chatham Islands, basket); Australian: ibid. 296f. (bag of waters.)—Cf. H. C. Andersen "Paradisets Have." |
| C949.2 | Baldness from breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Tahiti: Henry 143. |
| C955 | Banishment from heaven for breaking tabu. German: Grimm No. 3; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C55.3 | Bee-master puts consecrated host into beehive. Has success with his bees. (Cf. B259.4.)—When he dies, his spirit haunts the place. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 624—627. |
| C929.3 | Beheading for breaking tabu. Cyprus: Hadjioannou Kypriako, Mythoi (Leukosia, 1948) No. 22; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C949.4 | Bleeding from breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 164. |
| C913.1 | Bloody egg as sign of disobedience. German: Grimm No. 46. |
| C913 | Bloody key as sign of disobedience. (Cf. C611, C813.)—*Types 311, 312: BP I 404ff. |
| C167.1 | Boy who plays marriage-game finds he has actually been married to a spirit (invisible during ceremony). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C931 | Building falls because of breaking of tabu. (Cf. C771.1.)—Hartland Science 221; Gaster Exempla 229 No. 239; Jewish: *Neuman; English: Wells 42 (Arthour and Merlin); Swedish: Wessman 71 No. 605; India: Thompson-Balys. —Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 245, (West Hudson Bay); Boas BAM XV 234. |
| C927.3 | Burning and drowning as punishment for breaking tabu. |
| C927 | Burning as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 264; S. Am. Indian (Chamacoco): Métraux MAFLS XL 48; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 441, Rasmussen III 51, Holm 72. |
| C152.3.2 | Certain foods tabu one (two) months before childbirth. S. Am. Indian (Brazil): Oberg 110. |
| C615.5 | Certain pool to be approached only when properly attired. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 288. |
| C966 | Change of language for breaking tabu. Frazer Golden Bough XII 341 s.v. "Language".—Jewish: Neuman. |
| C25.1 | Child threatened with ogre. Latter takes child off.—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 321 No. 72, 323 No. 131; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| C550 | Class tabu. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| C841.0.1 | Clerics' voyage unsuccessful because they sailed in boats of skin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C564.4 | Cloth from certain bark tabu to all except chiefs. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 144. |
| C681 | Compulsion to answer cry. Hero is magically compelled to do so. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C663 | Compulsion to bathe in certain waters daily. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C684.1 | Compulsion to catch blackbird alive yearly. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C675 | Compulsion to give food to everyone met on journey. African (Jaunde): Nekes 251. |
| C666 | Compulsion to go to certain place at certain time (or once each year). Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C684.4 | Compulsion to hold festival at certain intervals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C682 | Compulsion to invite singer to feast. Until that is done, the beer will not stop foaming. (Cf. C671.)—Finnish: Kalevala rune 20. |
| C684.2 | Compulsion to kill one of certain hogs yearly. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C684.3 | Compulsion to leap yearly over stone one's size held in palm of hand. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C684 | Compulsion to perform certain task yearly. |
| C681.1 | Compulsion to regard hunting cry and follow hounds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C672 | Compulsion to tell stories. |
| C652 | Compulsion: taking back talisman which opened treasure mountain. Hero takes treasure and forgets the talisman.—*Krappe Balor 109ff. |
| C752.2.2 | Conjurer must leave before sunrise. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 173. |
| C915 | Contents of forbidden receptacle are released. |
| C949.5 | Continued thirst from breaking tabu. (Cf. C924.)—Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 636. |
| C916 | Continuous action started by breaking tabu. |
| C987 | Curse as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C672.1 | Curse laid upon man by stories he fails to tell: they creep out of his belly when he is asleep and talk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C650.1 | Customs connected with unique compulsion. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C518.1 | Cutting elder tree fatal to man. (See C920.)—England: Baughman. |
| C518.2 | Cutting white thorn tree fatal to man who cuts it. (Cf. C920.) Ireland: Baughman; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn I No. 311, Fb "hvidtjørn" I 703 a. |
| C433.2 | Dangerous animals not to be named. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 134, III 70. |
| C173 | Daughter-in-law tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C940.2 | Daughters' sickness because of father's breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C929.5 | Death by being swallowed for breaking tabu. Rarotonga: Beckwith Myth 262. |
| C922.1 | Death by choking for breaking tabu. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 146. |
| C923 | Death by drowning for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 135 (Ajax the less), Grote I 284; Jewish: Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 118; Samoa: ibid. 25, 512; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (t-G 2/44, z-G 13/441); Marquesas: Handy 134; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 115, III 124. |
| C922 | Death by smothering for breaking tabu. Man given secret box conveying the power of making women love him. He disobeys warning and opens it. The women smother him to death. (Cf. C321.)—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 376 n. 19a. |
| C929.4 | Death by stoning for breaking tabu. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C924 | Death by thirst for breaking tabu. (Cf. C949.4.)—African (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 67. |
| C929 | Death for breaking tabu—miscellaneous. |
| C920 | Death for breaking tabu. Type 311; BP I 398ff (Grimm No. 46).—— Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 68, 118, 134, 138, 371, 508; Marquesas: Handy 60, 67, 138; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (t-G 3/912, z-G 13/127, 317, z-G 3/1174); Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 341, Rasmussen II 341, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 51, 58, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 600; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 101; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 47; African (Angola): Chatelain 219 No. 39, (Ekoi): Talbot 178, (Kaffir): Kidd 237 No. 6, (Wakweli): Bender 43. |
| C928 | Death from insanity as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C929.2.1 | Death from paralysis for breaking tabu. African (Luba): De Clerq Zs. f. KS. IV 219. |
| C925 | Death from rattlesnake bite because of breaking tabu. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 100. |
| C929.2 | Death from specific disease for breaking tabu. |
| C920.1 | Death of children for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C920.2 | Death of wife for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C12.1 | Devil called on for help. When the devil appears man excuses himself.—Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 23; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 123 No. 47; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 41 No. 47; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 42 No. 25; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| C12 | Devil invoked: appears unexpectedly. |
| C12.5 | Devil's name used in curse. Appears. Alphabet No. 246.—Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 120 No. 32; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 40 No. 32. |
| C52.1 | Direct communication with god fatal to all except special devotees. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C984 | Disaster because of broken tabu. |
| C984.5 | Disastrous lightning for breaking tabu. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 188 No. 129. |
| C968 | Disenchantment for breaking tabu. German: Grimm No. 57. |
| C930.1 | Dishonor to children because of breaking tabu. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C10.1 | Druidism forbidden. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C944 | Dumbness as punishment for breaking tabu. (Cf. C311.1.4.)—Type 710; Fb "stum"; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C905.1 | Dwarf punishes for breach of tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 322. |
| C766 | Eating after one is satisfied. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 182. |
| C221.1.2.3 | Eating dove. (Cf. C549.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| C229.5 | Eating meat with milk. (Cf. C271).—Jewish: *Neuman. |
| C221.1.1.3 | Eating seal meat. Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV200. |
| C152.3 | Eating tabus for pregnant woman. |
| C221.2 | Eating totem animal (or animal namesake). Frazer Golden Bough VIII 25ff.—Irish myth: Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 156; India: Thompson-Balys. —Hupa: Goddard UCal I 154; Iroquois. Smith RBAE II 85; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 52; African: *Werner African 276ff.; Tshi: Ellis Tshi-Speaking Peoples 211.—Australian: Parker 40ff.; Bougainville: Wheeler 58. |
| C231.5 | Eight handfuls of food only to be eaten during ceremony. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C934.3 | Elves set country afire because of broken tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C948.7 | Face chilled because of broken tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C927.2 | Falling to ashes as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C441.1 | Family dares not discuss tigers, fearing that son in form of tiger will return. Chinese.: Graham. |
| C43.3 | Felled tree restored for failure to make proper offerings to tree-spirit. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 267. |
| C939.3 | Felled trees (cut weeds) return to their places because of broken tabu. Maori: Clark 95; Tonga: Gifford 22. |
| C984.3 | Flood because of broken tabu. Chatham Island: Beckwith Myth 19, notes 10—12; Marquesas: Handy 114; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 29. |
| C934 | Food supply fails because of broken tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 200; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 111; Samoa: ibid. 450. |
| C154.1 | Food tabus following childbirth. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 295, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 312. |
| C617.1 | Forbidden (perilous) ford. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C624 | Forbidden barrel. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C615 | Forbidden body of water. Mono-Alu: Wheeler 69. |
| C611 | Forbidden chamber. Person allowed to enter all chambers of house except one.—Types 311, 312, 313, 314, 480, 502, 516, 710; *BP I 21; *Cox Cinderella 484; Roberts* (Type 480) 174.—*MacCulloch Childhood 306; *Chauvin V 302 No. 117; **Hartland FLJ III 193; Fb "kammer" II 83, "menneske" II 577b; Penzer II 223 n. 1, 252f., VII 21 n. 3, VIII 57 n. 1; Rösch FFC LXXVII 98; Clouston Tales I 198ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 129, 312.—Irish myth: Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 101; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chambre"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 23; Missouri French: Carrière; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 304 No. 30; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Spanish Exempla: Keller.—Seneca: Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 135 No. 21; Tonga: Gifford 189. |
| C617 | Forbidden country. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C614.1 | Forbidden direction of travel. Person free to go in any other. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.4 | Forbidden direction: east. |
| C614.1.1 | Forbidden direction: north. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.0.3 | Forbidden direction: not to step outside a certain line. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.2 | Forbidden direction: south. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C614.1.3 | Forbidden direction: west. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C611.1 | Forbidden door. All doors may be entered except one. *Kirby FLJ V 112; *Chauvin V 203 No. 117; India: Thompson-Balys; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 275 No. 86; Seneca: Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 75 No. 1. |
| C622 | Forbidden drinking horn. One may drink from anything else. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C612 | Forbidden forest. (Cf. C614.1.0.2.)—Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 142; African (Pahouini): Largeau 195, (Bondei): Woodward FL XXXVI 367ff. No. 12. |
| C619.3 | Forbidden horse fair. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C619.1 | Forbidden hostel. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C611.3 | Forbidden ladder. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C615.1 | Forbidden lake (pool). |
| C614 | Forbidden road. All roads may be taken except one. India: *Thompson-Balys; African (Zulu): Callaway 96, (Kaffir): Theal 86. |
| C611.2 | Forbidden stables. Person allowed to enter everywhere but into three stables. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| C621 | Forbidden tree. Fruit of all trees may be eaten, except one. *Frazer Testament I 45ff.; *Dh I 208ff.—Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 381ff.; Burmese, Indo-Chinese: Scott Indo-Chinese 265, 289.—N. A. Indian (Biloxi): Dorsey and Swanton RBAE XLVII 32; (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 171; S. Am. Indian (Yuracare): ibid. 315. |
| C623 | Forbidden well. (One may not go there unless accompanied by cup-bearers.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| C713 | Forsaken merman. Tabu: association of fairy's (merman's, etc.) human wife (husband) with human relatives. |
| C985.3 | Foul breath from breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C984.6 | General conflagration for breaking tabu. S. Am. Indian (Witoto): Métraux MAFLS XL 36. |
| C963.4 | Giants return to life if tabu is broken. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| C12.5.3 | Girl fond of dancing uses devil's name. (See Q386.1.) Canada, England: Baughman.* |
| C661 | Girl from elfland must eat earthly food in order to remain. *Fb "spise" III 495b. |
| C937 | God's favor lost for breaking tabu. (Cf. C621.)—Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Tahiti: Henry 85; New Hebrides: Codrington 387; African (Ekoi): Talbot 129. |
| C311.1.8.1 | Gods flee at approach of dawn. (Cf. E452.) Tonga: Gifford 140. |
| C939.4 | Golden Age ends as result of broken tabu. (Cf. A1101.1.) S. Am. Indian (Lengua): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369. |
| C713.4 | Golden apple thrown to remind merman's wife not to forget to return to him. Child I 364f. |
| C911 | Golden finger as sign of opening forbidden chamber. (Cf. C611.) —*Type 710; BP I 21 (Grimm Nos 3, 136).—Missouri French: Carrière. |
| C181.7 | Grave (of man) upon which no women can look without foolish laugh or "sine crepitu ventris eius." Irish myth: Cross. |
| C984.1 | Great wind because of broken tabu. (Cf. C58.)—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 308 Nos. 37, 38. |
| C144 | Ground defiled by menstrual blood. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C432.1 | Guessing name of supernatural creature gives power over him. (Tom-Tit-Tot).—*Type 500; BP I 495; *Clodd Tom-Tit-Tot; Köhler-Bolte I 109; *Fb "gjætte" I 452; Henne-am Rhyn No. 618.—Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (Powell tr.) I 49, *Boberg. |
| C912 | Hair turns to gold as punishment in forbidden chamber. (Cf. C611.) —*Types 314, 480; Fb "hеr" I 771b; German: Grimm No. 136; Roberts Type 480 p. 174. |
| C948.6 | Hand cut off for broken tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C541.2 | Head of slain man must not be moved. Fb "hoved" I 655a. |
| C948.8 | Head shattered for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C935 | Helpful animal disappears when tabu is broken. *Fb "spise" III 495e; Hartland Science 142; Irish: Beal XXI 329, 337; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 245. |
| C615.2 | Hero not to swim in certain lake. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C921 | Immediate death for breaking tabu. (Cf. C52, C51.3, C453, C533.) —Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 46 (Semele), 199 (Anchises).—Jewish; *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 294; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 375; African (Ekoi): Talbot, 18, 99, (A'Kikuyu): Barrett 41, (Yoruba): Parkinson 104, (Pangwe): Tessman 370f., (Fang): Tessman. |
| C952 | Immediate return to other world because of broken tabu. (Cf. C31, C31.4, C327.)—Type 710 (Gr. No. 3); Greek: Fox 229 (Persephone), 122 (Thetis); India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Congo): Weeks 206 No. 3; (Fjort): Dennett 41 No 5. |
| C937.1 | Immortality lost because of breach of tabu. African (Congo): Weeks 217. |
| C665 | Injunction: protect certain stone from molestation. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C683 | Injunction: sleep where night overtakes you. Otherwise misfortune will come.—Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 213 No. 73. |
| C664.0.1 | Injunction: to cohabit with first woman met after battle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C686 | Injunction: to forsake woman who arouses love. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C685 | Injunction: to give sample of food to dog before eating. Misfortune follows failure to do so.—Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 63 No. 453. |
| C664 | Injunction: to marry first woman met. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C687 | Injunction: to perform certain act daily. |
| C687.1 | Injunction: to visit saint daily. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C949.1 | Insanity for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Icel.: Boberg. |
| C984.8 | Island split apart for broken tabu. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 468. |
| C841.10.1 | Killing albatross causes misfortune to follow killer. England: Baughman. |
| C901.4.1 | King breaks his own tabu and meets with the punishment he has set for violation of it. (His nose is cut off). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C615.3 | Lake forbidden at certain time. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C934.2 | Land made sterile because of broken tabu. Jewish: Neuman. |
| C460 | Laughing tabu. Type 451; BP I 71.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| C941.1 | Leprosy from breaking tabu. Gaster Exempla 187 No. 10.—Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C946.1 | Limb broken for stepping on grave. (Cf. C520.)—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C946 | Limbs affected by breaking tabu. |
| C315.2.1 | Looking at moon when shooting game. Bushman: Bleek and Lloyd 67. |
| C300 | Looking tabu. *Fb "se" III 172b.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "vue"; Greek: Fox 67 (Pandrosus), Odyssey VII line 20.—Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Javanese: Dixon 209; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 338 n. 217; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 385; S. Am. Indian (Cherentes, Amazonian): Alexander Lat. Am. 308, (Mataco): Métraux MAFLS XL 35. |
| C934.1 | Loss of crops because of broken tabu. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| C939 | Loss of fortune for breaking tabu—miscellaneous. |
| C930 | Loss of fortune for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 322, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 234; African (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109. |
| C942.1 | Loss of magic strength by smoking. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C943.2 | Loss of one eye for breaking tabu. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 39. |
| C943 | Loss of sight for breaking tabu. (Cf. C51.2.)—See C312.1.1, C312.1.2. for references.—*Fb "öje" III 1166b; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Tahiti: Henry 143; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 241. |
| C942 | Loss of strength from broken tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Danish: Fb "klæder" II 200a. |
| C932 | Loss of wife (husband) for breaking tabu. Aarne-Thompson Types 400, 425; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys; Maori: Beckwith Myth: 249; African (Loango): Bechuël-Loesche 109. |
| C12.5.4 | Lost parson says he would rather have devil for guide than clerk who is with him. Devil appears, causes death of both. England, U.S.: Baughman.* |
| C933.2 | Luck in fishing lost for breaking tabu. Tonga: Gifford 601; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 363; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (t-G 3/600). |
| C933 | Luck in hunting (fishing) lost for breaking tabu. |
| C933.1 | Luck in hunting lost for breaking tabu. (Cf. C229.2.)—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 409; Marquesas: Handy 64. |
| C945 | Magic forgetfulness for breaking tabu. *Fb "spise" III 495a; German: Grimm Nos. 113, 127, 186, 193; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C946.3 | Magic growth of members for breaking tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 83. |
| C942.2 | Magic horse becomes powerless because of broken tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C916.3 | Magic porridge-pot keeps cooking. Against command, mother of owner bids pot to cook. It fills house with porridge and will not stop until ordered by mistress.—*Type 565; BP II 438ff.; *Aarne JSFO XXVII 67, 80; *Christensen Molboerne 177. |
| C947 | Magic power lost by breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C420.1 | Man (woman) persuaded to reveal fatal secret. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| C926 | Man (woman) vanishes on breaking of tabu. Calif Indian: Gayton and Newman 100; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 147. |
| C12.5.5 | Man calls on devil to descend chimney when angry at wife. The devil comes, makes pudding black. U.S.: Baughman. |
| C12.4 | Man commends wife to devil. Devil takes the charge seriously and guards woman's chastity during husband's absence.—*Type 1352; *Wesseiski Märchen 193. |
| C12.5.2 | Man curses and devil fulfills his wish: takes the stone away. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 497ff. |
| C742.1 | Man must be killed with first blow: others will not harm him. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C943.1 | Man receives fork in eye for breaking tabu. (Cf. C331.)—Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 295 No. 13. |
| C929.6 | Man sacrificed to the gods for breaking tabu. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 511. |
| C12.5.6 | Man swears he will chastise devil for poaching. The devil appears; the man runs; the devil takes man's wife. England: Baughman. |
| C12.5.8 | Man vows he will cross water "in spite of devil." Devil takes him. Origin of place name: En Spuyten Duyvil. U.S.: Baughman. |
| C12.1.1 | Man wishing to be conjurer fears helper he has called. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452. |
| C948.4 | Man's liver snatched away because of broken tabu. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 118; African (Pangwe): Tessman 370, (Fang): Tessman 161. |
| C948.5 | Man's lungs cut out because of broken tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 89. |
| C918 | Mare from water world disappears when she is scolded and her halter used for common purposes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C181.11 | Mare not to be yoked to cart drawing corpse. McKay, Beal III 141. |
| C215 | Married man not to eat in country of his parents. Fjort: Dennett 43 No. 6. |
| C918.1 | Marvelous cow offended disappears. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C833.9 | Men sent on mission prohibited from fishing and quarreling. Africa (Bushongo): Torday Notes 247. |
| C146.1 | Menstruating women must wear amulet of leaves when approaching certain valley. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 212. |
| C280 | Miscellaneous eating and drinking tabus. |
| C980 | Miscellaneous punishments for breaking tabu. |
| C119 | Miscellaneous tabus concerning sexual intercourse. |
| C700 | Miscellaneous tabus. |
| C758.1 | Monster born because of hasty (inconsiderate) wish of parents. **Tegethoff 24; *Types 425, 430, 433B, 441; BP II 235ff, *483, III 534; Wesselski Mönchslatein 15 No. 11; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C905.2 | Moon punishes for breach of tabu. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 90—95. |
| C12.4.1 | Mother wishes lazy daughter may marry devil. Devil appears and marries her.—Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 51 No. 340. |
| C171 | Mother-in-law tabu. Mother-in-law and son-in-law must not have anything to do with each other.—*Frazer Golden Bough XII 378 s.v. "mother-in-law"; *Andree Ethnographische Parallelen (1878) 159.—Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Zulu): Calaway 164, (Upoto): Einstein 129. |
| C948.1 | Mouth expanded because of broken tabu. Irish myth: Cross. |
| C915.1.1 | Music-box continues playing when it is touched contrary to tabu.—Köhler's notes to Gonzenbach Sicilianische Märchen No. 15. |
| C948 | Mutilation as punishment for breaking tabu. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| C430 | Name tabu: prohibition against uttering the name of a person or thing.—*Types 400, 500; *BP I 495; *Clodd Tom-Tit-Tot, The Magic of Names; Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 809; *Nyrop Navnets Magt; *Chauvin VI 106 No. 270; *Fb "navn" II 675b, 676a; Frazer Golden Bough XII 383 s.v. "names".—Irish: Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 70; Welsh: ibid. 100; English-Scottish: Child V 489 s.v. "naming"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 29; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 17.—Jamaica Negro: Beckwith MAFLS XVII *263 No. 66, *277 No. 89.—Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 101, (Vai): Ellis 257 No. 52, (A'Kikuyu): Barrett 42. |
| C57.1.2 | No man with a wound to be sacrificed to goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C12.5.1 | Noah's curse admits devil to ark. Devil persuades Noah's wife to stay out of ark till Noah shall call devil in. Noah at last loses patience and calls out, "The devil! Come in!" The devil comes in and turns himself into a mouse.—Dh. I 258ff. |
| C948.2 | Nose to be cut off as punishment for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C117 | Nuptial tabu. Man and wife forbidden intercourse for definite time.—*Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt II 298; Crawley Mystic Rose (1902) 343ff.; *De Vries Zs. f. deutsche Philologie LIII 276ff.; Penzer II 248, VIII 25 n. 1.—Irish myth: Cross; Norse: Elton Saxo Grammaticus xxxi, 319, Corpus Poeticum Boreale II 347, Ragnarssage Loрbrуkar 128; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 169 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 335 n. 209; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 99; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 47, Rasmussen III 134. |
| C12.2 | Oath: "May the devil take me if ... " Devil does.—Type 821A; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 807.—Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 105; Irish: Beal XXI 316; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 641. |
| C12.3 | Oath: "May the devil whet my scythe." Devil leaves only the handle. —Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 41 No. 45**. |
| C917 | Object magically appears when tabu is broken. |
| C33 | Offending supernatural child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C662 | One must eat "death vegetable" whenever one sees it. Otherwise god will be angry. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C655 | Only one certain gift must be accepted. |
| C714.1 | Only one present to be asked for at home of spirit son-in-law. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C655.1 | Only peacock on the steeple of the king's golden temple can be accepted as dowry. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C440 | Origin tabu. Prohibition against mention of origin of person or thing. |
| C680 | Other compulsions. |
| C490 | Other speaking tabus. |
| C99 | Other tabus in connection with sacred beings—miscellaneous. |
| C90 | Other tabus in connection with sacred beings. |
| C770.1 | Overweening pride in good fortune forbidden. Man proud that he and his clan have never known unhappiness or want swallowed up by earth. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| C941.5 | Paralysis as punishment for broken tabu. African (Luba): De Clerq Zs. f. KS. IV 220. |
| C941 | Particular disease caused by breaking tabu. |
| C53.1 | People taught by God to work: claim they learned by own efforts. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3057. (Cf. A1403.) |
| C910 | Permanent sign of disobedience for breaking tabu. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 11. |
| C982 | Person beaten by whips for breaking tabu. Roberts Type 480, p. 216; Jewish: Neuman; African (Benga): Nassau 113 No. 11. |
| C954 | Person carried off to other world for breaking tabu. Type 470; Fb "sol" III 458a; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C950 | Person carried to other world for breaking tabu. |
| C996 | Person falls because of broken tabu. Marquesas: Handy 36; Tonga: Gifford 53; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 127. |
| C953 | Person must remain in other world because of broken tabu. Greek myth: Grote 137; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 295 No. 13; Jewish: Neuman; Marquesas: Handy 120, 122; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 371. |
| C983 | Person must remain on mountain because of broken tabu. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| C433.1 | Person obnoxious for his sins spoken of as "the other". Jewish: Neuman.—Krappe "L'autre" The French Review XVII (1944) 145ff. |
| C963.1 | Person returns to original animal form when tabu is broken. Africa (Congo): Weeks 215 No. 11 (fish), (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 403 No. 3 (fish). |
| C963.2 | Person returns to original egg form when tabu is broken. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 108 No. 16. |
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.