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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.

7,165 motifs

Page 5 of 29 · 250 per page
Thompson reference ▲ Description
D476.3.1 Meat takes on taste of any dainty desired. Jewish: Neuman.
D476.3.2 Bacon changed to iron. Irish myth: Cross (D479.5).
D476.3.2.1 Bacon changed to different foods. Loomis White Magic 79; Irish myth: *Cross (D479.5.1).
D476.3.3 Transformation: horse meat to mutton. Irish myth: Cross (D479.6).
D476.3.4 Meat miraculously turned into fish on a feast day, and vice versa. *Loomis White Magic 79.
D476.4 Bread becomes cake. German: Grimm No. 64.
D477 Transformation: object becomes wine (or vice versa). Irish myth: *Cross.
D477.0.1 Wine miraculously changed into other object. *Loomis White Magic 78.
D477.0.1.1 Wine becomes blood (Cf. D471.4.1).—*Loomis White Magic 78.
D477.0.1.2 Wine becomes honey. *Loomis White Magic 78.
D477.0.1.3 Spiced wine becomes bitter. Jewish: Neuman.
D477.1 Transformation: water becomes wine. Fb "vand" III 1000a.; St. John 2:9; Grimm Deutsche Mythologie I 486; Hartland Science 69; Farnell Cults of the Greek States V 156; Wuttke Volksaberglaube (Berlin 1900) 66ff.; *Toldo VI 310ff.; *Saintyves Essais 206ff.; Günter 246 s.v. "Wein"; *Loomis White Magic 78; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
D477.1.1 Devil takes man waiting for water to turn to wine at midnight on Old Christmas Eve. U. S.: Baughman.
D477.1.2 Woman loses eye when she goes to well at midnight on Old Christmas Eve when the water turns to wine. England: Baughman.
D477.2 Transformation: brine becomes wine. Irish myth: Cross.
D477.3 Beer becomes wine. German: Grimm No. 64.
D478 Water changed to other substance (or vice versa).
D478.1 Transformation: water to milk. Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4); Sébillot France II 213.
D478.2 Transformation: water to ale. Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4.1).
D478.3 Transformation: water to fire. Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4.2); Jewish: Neuman.
D478.4 Transformation: water to marvelous drink. Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4.3).
D478.5 Transformation: water to honey. *Loomis White Magic 78; Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4.4).
D478.6 Transformation: water to mead. Irish myth: *Cross (D479.4.5).
D478.7 Transformation: water changed into oil. *Loomis White Magic 78.
D478.8 Water changed into balsam. *Loomis White Magic 78.
D478.9 Water in river transformed to copper by magician. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
D478.10 Salty water turned into fresh liquid. *Loomis White Magic 78; Jewish: Neuman.
D478.11 Transformation: water to butter and cream. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 460.
D478.12 Transformation: water to rocks. Jewish: Neuman.
D478.13 Transformation: water to brimstone. Jewish: Neuman.
D478.14 Boiling pitch reduced to cold water. *Loomis White Magic 81.
D479 Transformation: miscellaneous objects change material.
D479.1 Transformation: bog to flowery mead (through power of saint). Irish myth: Cross (D479.6).
D479.2 Transformation: iron tools to earth. India: Thompson-Balys.
D479.3 Transformation: magic charm makes root bitter. India: Thompson-Balys.
D479.4 Transformation: goose egg becomes hen's egg. Irish myth: Cross (D479.17).
D479.5 Transformation: basket of things to iron. India: Thompson-Balys.
D479.6 Wax turned into earth. *Loomis White Magic 81.
D479.7 Evil smells transformed into sweet fragrances, and vice versa. *Loomis White Magic 81.
D479.8 Hut transformed into golden palace. India: Thompson-Balys.
D480 Size of object transformed. Irish myth: Cross.
D480.0.1 Things miraculously stretched or shortened if needed by a saint. *Loomis White Magic 89.
D482 Stretching objects.
D482.1 Transformation: stretching tree. A tree magically shoots upward. —India: Thompson-Balys; Batak: Warneck Religion der Batak 50; Melanesian: Codrington 165.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 332 n. 199; S. A. Indian (Mataco): Métraux MAFLS XL 35; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 188, 306.
D482.2 Stretching lily plant. Miraculously quick growing. India: Thompson-Balys.
D482.3 Magic stretching lance (Cf. D1086). Jewish: Neuman.
D482.4 Transformation: stretching cliff. A cliff magically shoots up into the air. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "precipice".—Hawaii: Dixon 90; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 76.
D482.5 Stretching sepulchre. Magically becomes longer. Irish myth: Cross (D484).
D482.5.1 Grave equals five times length of any person's foot. Irish myth: Cross (D484.1).
D482.5.2 Tomb gate magically enlarged. Jewish: Neuman.
D483 Sea formed from giant's spittle. (Cf. D1001.)—Indonesian: DeVries Volksverhalen II 285.
D483.1 River expands and becomes sea. S. A. Indian (Apapocuvú-Guaraní): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 138.
D485 Transformation: stretching fingers to make ladder. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule.
D486 Person becomes larger.
D486.1 Demon becomes larger. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z—G. 13/420).
D487 Animal becomes larger.
D487.1 Snake grows to 300 leagues length. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 859.
D487.2 Monkey becomes 100,000 feet high. Chinese: Werner 361.
D487.3 Ox-demon becomes 10,000 feet long. Chinese: Werner 361.
D488 Houses magically made larger. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 219.
D489 Objects made larger—miscellaneous.
D489.1 Small leaves become larger. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1205.
D489.2 Amulet enlarged to become cloak. Jewish: Neuman.
D490 Miscellaneous forms of transformation.
D491 Compressible objects. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 336 n. 210a.
D491.1 Compressible magic animals.
D491.1.1 Herd of cattle put into magic cup. (Cf. B182.)—Greek: Fox 86.
D491.1.2 Magic folding mule. Folds up like a sheet of paper. (Cf. B184.1.) —Chinese: Werner 294.
D491.1.3 Magic dog shrinks in size. Irish myth: Cross.
D491.2 Compressible magic objects.
D491.2.1 Compressible magic box.
D491.2.1.1 Compressible magic box containing many people and objects. East Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IV 134ff. No. 13.
D491.2.2 Compressible table. Irish myth: *Cross.
D491.3 Saint confined a large quantity of water in a small ditch. *Loomis White Magic 41.
D491.4 Iceflake made small by magic. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 270.
D491.5 Castle magically made smaller. German: Grimm No. 163.
D491.6 Twelve stones unite to make one. Jewish: Neuman.
D491.7 Ship becomes small boat. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T—G 3/900).
D492 Color of object changed.
D492.1 Cock's comb becomes white. Jewish: Neuman.
D492.2 Blood turns black. Jewish: Neuman.
D492.3 Color of hair suddenly changed. Jewish: Neuman.
D493 Spirit changes to animal. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T—G 3/1001, z-G. 3/1353).
D494 Transformation: person to monster. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 154.
D500 Means of transformation—general.
D502 Inability to transform self in presence of others. Chinese: Graham.
D510 Transformation by breaking tabu. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 468; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 154.
D511 Transformation by breaking name tabu. (Cf. C430.)
D511.1 Man calls wife "my swallow"; she becomes swallow. (Cf. A1917.)—Dh III 414.
D512 Transformation by expressing astonishment at marvel. India: Thompson-Balys.
D512.1 Transformation when one expresses astonishment at smith drawing water in an egg-shell. (Cf. C491.)—*Köhler-Bolte I 220.
D513 Transformation by violation of looking tabu. (Cf. C300.)
D513.1 Man looks at copulating snakes: transformed to woman. (Cf. D12.)—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 364 n. 1.
D515 Transformation by plucking flowers in enchanted garden. Type 451.
D516 Transformation through excessive grief. Greek: Roscher s.v. "Itys"; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Thompson): Alexander N. Am. 137.
D517 Transformation because of disobedience. India: Thompson-Balys.
D518 Woman transformed for nourishing an animal. Eskimo (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 176, (Greenland): Rink 413, Rasmussen III 81, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 638.
D520 Transformation through power of the word.
D521 Transformation through wish. Type 451; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 398 No. 70, 409 No. 73, (Shasta): Farrand-Frachtenberg JAFL XXVIII 216 No. 6; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 172.
D521.1 Transformation through thoughtless wish of parent. BP I 430 (Grimm Nos. 9, 27, 49).
D522 Transformation through magic word (charm). (Cf. D1273.)—Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys, Penzer I 136, II 20, VI 8, 59.—Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/203); Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 271 No. 84.
D523 Transformation through song. (Cf. D1275.)—Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 273 No. 87.
D523.1 Transformation by playing musical instrument.
D523.1.1 Transformation by playing flute. Chinese: Graham.
D525 Transformation through curse. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys, Penzer VI 16, VIII 140ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg.
D525.1 Despondent mother curses herself and children into trees. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *425D.
D526 Transformation through greeting: first creature to be greeted will be transformed. (Cf. A1371.3.)—*Dh II 191ff.
D527 Transformation by scolding. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 468.
D529 Transformation through power of the word—miscellaneous.
D529.1 Petrification when woman's voice is heard. India: Thompson-Balys.
D530 Transformation by putting on skin, clothing, etc.
D531 Transformation by putting on skin. By putting on the skin, feathers, etc. of an animal, a person is transformed to that animal.—Fb "and"; Icel.: Völsunga saga ch. 8; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Child II 494, III 518, IV 495a, V495 s.v. "seals"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 132; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 364, II 13, III 75, 143, 262, Rink 146, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 181, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 617, (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 468, (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 95; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 271 No. 84; North Carolina Negro: Parsons JAFL XXX 187; Surinam: Alexander Lat. Am. 274.—See also all references under D361.1. (Swan Maiden).
D532 Transformation by putting on claw, feather, etc. of helpful animal. Types 552A, 553; *BP III 434; Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XXII 13.
D533 Transformation to fish by catching in fish-trap. India: Thompson-Balys.
D535 Transformation to horse (ass. etc.) by putting on bridle (halter). *Fb "hest" I 598b, "grime" I 484, "bidsel" IV 37b; Köhler-Bolte I 220, 586.—Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 130 No. 71; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 45 No. 71; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3656; India: Thompson-Balys, Penzer VI 56 n. 2, *59.
D535.1 Transformation to horse by being horse-shod. Köhler-Bolte I 220, 586.
D536 Transformation by removing chains from neck.
D536.1 Transformation to swans by taking chains off neck. (Cf. D161.)—**O. Rank Die Lohengrinsage (1911) 65f.; *Wehrhan 50; *Wesselski Märchen 255 No. 64; *Chauvin VIII 206 No. 248; *G. Huet Romania XXXIV (1905) 206ff.; H. A. Todd MLN VI 2.—Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 263; English Romance: Wells 97 (Chevalere Assigne).
D537 Transformation by changing clothes. Icelandic: Arnason (Powell and Magnusson tr.) II 246, Boberg.—N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand Nos. 5, 16, 17. (Caughnawaga): Harrington JAFL XIX 127f., cf. (Yana): Curtin Creation Myths of Primitive America (Boston 1898) 312ff.—Cf. Fb. "klæder" II 200a.
D537.1 Transformation by donning hood. (Cf. D1067.3.) Irish myth: *Cross.
D537.2 Transformation by donning cloak. Irish myth: Cross.
D537.2.1 Giantess's cloak makes man grow. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 430.
D537.3 Transformation by putting on moustache. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule.
D537.4 Transformation by donning wig. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule.
D550 Transformation by eating or drinking. *MacCulloch Childhood 158.—Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 132a.
D551 Transformation by eating. *MacCulloch Childhood 158; *Penzer VI 56.
D551.1 Transformation by eating fruit. (Cf. D981.) Cf. Type 566. India: Thompson-Balys.
D551.1.1 Transformation by eating apple. *Fb "æble" III 1136a; Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "Apfel" n. 11.—Icelandic: Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "pomme"; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 62 No. 449. Cf. Type 566.
D551.1.2 Transformation by eating apricot. Chinese: Werner 203.
D551.1.3 Transformation by eating pear. Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "Birnbaum".
D551.2 Transformation by eating vegetable. (Cf. D983.)—Type 567; *BP III 6; *Aarne MSFO XXV 143ff. (Cf. D132.1.)
D551.2.1 Transformation by eating cabbage. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 48 No. 327*D.
D551.2.2 Transformation by eating cicuta. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 63 No. 453.
D551.2.3 Transformation through eating magic seeds. (Cf. D971).—Hindu: Penzer VI 56 n. 1, 62f.
D551.2.4 Transformation by eating flower. India: Thompson-Balys.
D551.2.5 Transformation by eating onions. Korean: Zong in-Sob 21.
D551.2.6 Transformation by eating garlic. Korean: Zong in-Sob 3.
D551.2.7 Transformation by eating manioc. Africa (Dahomé): Einstein 27.
D551.3 Transformation by eating flesh. Icelandic: Boberg.—Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 162; Japanese: Ikeda; American Indian (Creek): Swanton BBAE LXXXVII 32f., (Ladino): Conzemius BBAE CVI 130f.; Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 23.
D551.4 Transformation by eating bread. India: Thompson-Balys.
D551.5 Transformation by eating leaf from a tree. Falcon is returned to form of girl. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
D551.6 Transformation by eating—miscellaneous.
D551.6.1 Transformation by placing pill in mouth. (Cf. D1243.)—Hindu: Penzer VII 42 n. 1, 222; India: Thompson-Balys.
D551.6.2 Transformation by eating rice mixed with perspiration. Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 85.
D551.6.2.1 Transformation by eating sticky rice. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 60.
D551.6.3 Transformation by eating snake eggs. India: Thompson-Balys.
D555 Transformation by drinking. *Type 450; BP I 86ff.; MacCulloch Childhood 159. See also references to D550.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 287 n. 2; India: Thompson-Balys.
D555.1 Transformation by drinking from animal's track. (Cf. D578.)—*Type 450; *Sartori Zs. f. Vksk. IV 41ff.
D555.2 Transformation by drinking wine. Korean: Zong in-Sob 27.
D560 Transformation by various means.
D561 Transformation by jumping over. The person, animal, or object jumped over is transformed. American Indian (Zuсi): Parsons JAFL XXXI 243 No. 16, (Canadian Dakota): Wallis JAFL XXXVI 97 No. 26, (Cheyenne): Campbell JAFL XXIX 407 No. 1.
D561.1 Transformation by rolling. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 81.
D561.2 Transformation by somersault. Chinese: Graham; Argentina: Jijena Sanchez 31, 38, 59.
D561.3 Transformation by jumping three times. Korean: Zong in-Sob 58.
D562 Transformation by bathing. *Chauvin V 4 No. 2, VIII 43f. No. 11; English: Child V 499 s.v. "transformations"; Irish myth: *Cross.—Indonesian: Dixon 216; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 87.
D562.1 Transformation by application of water. India: *Thompson-Balys.
D562.2 Transformation by urine. (Cf. D441.5, D441.6, D564.4, D1006.) —India: Thompson-Balys.
D562.2.1 God's urine makes chilly fiery. India: Thompson-Balys.
D562.2.2 Human urine softens rock. India: Thompson-Balys.
D563 Transformation by encircling object thrice. Fb "rundt" III 96a.—N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Parsons JAFL XXXI 243 No. 16 (four times).
D564 Transformation by smelling. India: Thompson-Balys.
D564.1 Self-transformation by smelling stick. India: Thompson-Balys.
D564.2 Transformation by smelling flower. India: Thompson-Balys.
D564.3 Transformation by smelling powders. India: Thompson-Balys.
D564.4 Transformation by smelling wine. (Cf. D562.2.)—Korean: Zong in-Sob 56.
D565 Transformation by touching. India: Thompson-Balys.
D565.0.1 Transformation by touching ground on return from fairyland. Irish myth: Cross.
D565.1 Midas' golden touch. Everything touched turns to gold. Greek: Roscher s.v. "Midas"; India: Thompson-Balys.
D565.2 Transformation by touching with rod. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 70 n. 1, II 287 n. 2; Jewish: Neuman.
D565.3 Transformation by licking. Irish myth: *Cross.
D565.4 Transformation by seizing ears. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 86 No. 754C*.
D565.4.1 Transformation by twisting one's own ear. India: Thompson-Balys.
D565.5 Transformation by kiss. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 56 No. 408A*; Irish myth: Cross; English: Child V 499 s.v. "transformations."
D565.5.1 Transformation by sexual intercourse. Irish myth: *Cross.
D565.6 Transformation by touching water. Irish myth: Cross.
D565.7 Transformation at touch of magic dogskin. Irish myth: Cross.
D565.8 Transformation by touching with flower. India: Thompson-Balys.
D565.8.1 Transformation by pinching flower (life token). German: Grimm No. 9.
D565.9 Bag of stones becomes auks on touching ground. Eskimo (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 172.
D565.10 Transformation by scratching. Brazil: Jijena Sanchez 37.
D566 Transformation by striking. Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 90 No. 80.
D566.1 Transformation by striking wolf-skin glove. Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 50.
D566.2 Transformation by striking with stone. Irish myth: Cross.
D566.3 Transformation of horse by spurring. India: Thompson-Balys.
D566.4 Transformation by decapitation. India: Thompson-Balys.
D567 Transformation by sunlight. *BP III 89 n. 2.
D568 Transformation by turning magic hood. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 175, *Cross.
D571 Transformation by throwing object or person.
D571.1 Transformation by throwing rice on person. India: Thompson-Balys.
D572 Transformation by magic object. Irish myth: Cross.
D572.1 Transformation by magic stick. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 276, 280.
D572.2 Transformation by ring. Icelandic: Boberg.
D572.3 Transformation by cloth. German: Grimm No. 99.
D572.4 Transformation by wand. German: Grimm No. 56, 60.
D572.5 Transformation by means of magic stone. Icelandic: *Boberg; Africa (Fang): Einstein 53.
D572.6 Transformation by magic powder. Korean: Zong in-Sob 230 No. 99.
D572.7 Transformation by celestial dew. Jewish: Neuman.
D573 Transformation by spell (charm).
D573.1 Transformation by written spell. Korean: Zong in-Sob 85.
D573.2 Petrification by magic written formula. India: Thompson-Balys.
D574 Transformation by crossing water. Scotch: McKay Beal III 139.
D575 Transformation by fumigations. Burning of magic perfume transforms. (Cf. D1245.)—Chauvin V 87 No. 27.
D575.1 Transformation by throwing ashes. Africa: Milligan 141.
D576 Transformation by being burned. (Cf. D1787.)—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 349 n. 256, also most of references in n. 259.—Indonesian: DeVries list 239, DeVries Volksverhalen II 356 No. 100; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 87.
D577 Transformation by braiding hair. Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 395 No. 18.
D578 Transformation by stepping in footprint. (Cf. D555.1.)—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 87.
D579 Transformation by looking in a mirror. Icelandic: *Boberg.
D581 Petrification by glance. Fb "öje" III 1167b.—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 152 n. 3 (Gorgon).
D581.1 Damsel whose voice turns her suitors to stone. India: Thompson-Balys.
D582 Transformation by sticking magic pin into head. (Cf. D765.1.2., D1182.)—Fb "knappenеl" II 211b; *Cosquin Indiens 58ff.; Penzer VI 61.
D582.1 Transformation by sticking nails into feet. India: Thompson-Balys.
D582.2 Transformation by magic needle. India: Thompson-Balys.
D583 Transformation by lousing. Maori: Dixon 55.
D584 Transformation by contemplation. Penzer VI 20f.
D585 Transformation by binding with string around neck. India: *Thompson-Balys, Penzer VI 39f., 56ff., VII 44 n. 1.
D585.1 Transformation by tying charm around person's neck. India: Thompson-Balys.
D586 Transformation to fish by throwing into sea. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 100; Madagascar (Antankarana): Renel I 94ff. No. 14.
D587 Transformation by baptism. Irish myth: Cross.
D588 Transformation by blowing. Irish myth: Cross.
D591 Transformation by immersing in magic well. Irish myth: Cross.
D592 Transformation to likeness of another by sleeping with arms about him under the same mantle. Irish myth: Cross.
D593 Change of sex by exchange with a yaksa (ogre). (Cf. D10.) India: Thompson-Balys.
D594 Transformation by rubbing with ointment. India: Thompson-Balys.
D595 Transformation by application of blood. India: Thompson-Balys.
D596 Transformation by placing something on head. India: Thompson-Balys.
D596.1 Transformation by placing bewitched flower on head. India: Thompson-Balys.
D599 Transformation by various means—miscellaneous.
D600 Miscellaneous transformation incidents.
D601 Offer to make pups born of woman in shape of hound human. Irish myth: Cross.
D610 Repeated transformation. Transformation into one form after another. —Köhler-Bolte I 265; *Type 325; *Norlind 73ff.; *Scott Thumb 124ff.; Cosquin études 516ff; Chauvin II 183, V 199.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; English: Child I 337, *V 499 s.v. "transformations, successive"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 16f.; Missouri French: Carrière; Greek: Fox 87 (Nereus), 92 (Periklymenos), 122 (Thetis), Frazer Apollodorus II 67 n. 6, Roscher s.v. "Acheloos"; Persian: Carnoy 270, 272; Turkish: Radloff IV 81ff.; India: Keith 152, Tawney II 168, 510ff., *Thompson-Balys.—Chinese: Werner 361, Eberhard FFC CXX 48; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesian: DeVries Volksverhalen Nos 63, 69, 132.—Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 213 No. 73; Central Caroline Islands: Dixon 258; American Indian (Aztec): Alexander Lat. Am. 83.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 72 No. 3, (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 3, (general): Frobenius Atlantis II 38ff, III 116ff., Meinhof African. Märchen No. 35.
D610.1 Goddess repeatedly transforms herself. India: Thompson-Balys.
D611 Protean beggar: Person assumes successive forms in order to beg.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 310 n. 117d.
D612 Protean sale: man sells youth in successive transformations.—*Type 325; *BP II 60ff.; *Cosquin études 567ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; *Kittredge Witchcraft 184 n. 98—Missouri French: Carrière.
D612.1 Illusory transformation of animals in order to sell and cheat. (Cf. D2031, K1870.)—Kittredge Witchcraft 184 n. 100.
D615 Transformation combat. Fight between contestants who strive to outdo each other in successive transformations.—*Penzer III 195 n. 1, 203ff., VIII 80 n. 1; Mitra *The Magical Conflict in Santali, Ao Naga Folklore (Man in India IX 173—80); Chauvin V 2 No. 2, 5 No. 443, 199 No. 116, VI 86 No. 252, 110 No. 274; Cosquin études folkloriques 570ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 138, 588.—Egypt: Müller 126 (Horus and Seth); Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 256 n. 3 (Hercules and Achelous); Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 110; Finnish: Kalevala rune 28; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 289; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 361; Hawaii: Dixon 90f; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/1001); N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 117e; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 220, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 319, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 85, (Greenland): Rasmussen II 96; S. A. Indian (Eastern Brazil): Lowie BBAE CXLIII 1 434.
D615.1 Transformation contest between magicians. Finnish: Kalevala rune 27; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 50 No. 89; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 169, 242; Africa: Milligan Jungle 100.
D615.2 Transformation contest between master and pupil. *Type 325; *BP II 68; *Köhler-Bolte I 138, 556; English: Child V 499 s.v. "transformation"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri-French: Carrière.
D615.3 Transformation combat between lover and maid. BP II 68; Child V 499 s.v. "transformations".
D615.4 Men transformed to animals fight. BP III 261 (Grimm No. 163).
D615.4.1 Fairies (gods?) transformed to animals fight. Irish myth: Cross.
D615.5 Transformation combat between saints. Irish myth: Cross.
D616 Repeated transformations to deceive wives. A husband thus makes each of his many wives believe that he is always with her. Hindu: Keith 166.
D620 Periodic transformation. A person or thing is transformed at definite intervals. *Types 432, 652; *BP II 125; R. M. Meyer Zs. f. Vksk. XXI 4.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Völsunga saga ch. 8—9, Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Dixon 219f.; N. A. Indian (Menomini): Skinner and Satterlee PaAM XIII 317; S. A. Indian (Surinam): Alexander Lat. Am. 274, (Guaporé): Lévi-Strauss BBAE CXLIII (3) 379.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 145 No. 15, (Mpongwe): Nassau 68 No. 15.
D621 Daily transformation. German: Grimm No. 49, 123; India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Argentina): Jijena Sanchez 55, 59.
D621.0.1 One shape by day; another by night. Child V 490 s.v. "one".
D621.1 Animal by day; man by night. *Types 425, 552A; *Köhler-Bolte I 315ff.; *Fb "hund" I 678a, "bjørn" IV 43a.—Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 50; Spanish: *Boggs FFC XC 62 No. 451; Bohemian: Hartland Science 246.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 135; Mangaia (Polynesia), Samoa, Union Group, Tahiti: Dixon 55f.; Melanesian, Indonesian: ibid. 56 nn. 75, 76; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 347 nn. 247, 248; S. A. Indian (Arawak): Jijena Sanchez 23.
D621.1.1 Man by day; animal by night. *Taylor MPh XVII 59 n. 8.—Icelandic: Boberg; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 45 No. 71; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 130 No. 71; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 135; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 52.
D621.2 Tree by day; man by night. Fb "træ" III 867b; India: Thompson-Balys.
D621.2.1 Bush by day; woman by night. Italian: Basile I No. 2.
D621.2.2 Flower by day; girl by night. India: *Thompson-Balys.