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.

2,222 motifs

Page 9 of 9 · 250 per page
Thompson reference Description ▲
E90 Tree of Life. (Cf. D950.) Resuscitation by touching its branches. *MacCulloch Childhood 83; *Wünsche Lebensbaum.—Irish myth: *Cross; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 354; India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Guianas, Chaco, Arawakan Chaná): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 369.
E692.3 Tricky potter reborn as crab. India: Thompson-Balys.
E714.3.1 Troll's life in his brother's forehead. *Fb "hjærte" I 631a.
E431.6 Turf laid on breast of dead to prevent return. Wimberly 256.
E631.0.1 Twining branches grow from graves of lovers. (Cf. E419.6.) *Gaidoz Mélusine IV No. 4; Type 966*; *Fb "rose" III 80a, "lilie" II 427b, "træ" III 867a; Chauvin V 107 No. 37; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 264f.; Japanese: Anesaki 253, 346f.
E467.1 Two dead men struggle over living man. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3548, Balys Ghosts.
E501.4.4 Two ravens follow wild huntsman. *Zingerle Sagen aus Tirol 588.
E422.1.1.1 Two-headed ghost. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 334b s.v. "Geister"; England, Scotland, U.S.: Baughman.
E501.4.2.6 Two-legged horse in wild hunt. Plischke 30.
E501.2.7 Unbaptized children in wild hunt. Plischke 30; *Fb "udøbt" III 960a.
E501.5.4 Unbaptized children pursued in wild hunt. Plischke 65.
E412.2 Unbaptized person cannot rest in grave. *Fb "udøbt" III 960a; Tobler 47; Irish: Beal XXI 315, O'Suilleabhain 41; England: Baughman; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3557.
E412.2.1 Unchristened person cannot rest in grave nor enter heaven. Scotland: Baughman.
E411.0.2.2 Unconfessed person cannot rest in grave. Spanish Exempla: Keller; England: Baughman.
E411.0.2 Unquiet dead sinner taken to priest for absolution. Type 760; Alphabet Nos. 17, 178, 303, 331, 337.
E481.2.1.2 Unstable bridge to land of dead. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99.
E411.4 Usurer cannot rest in grave. Herbert III 83; Alphabet Nos. 704, 784; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
E251.2.3 Vampire brought to life by being fed human food and drink. Africa (Ronga): Junod Les Chants et les Contes des Ba-Ronga de la baie de Delagoa (Lausanne, 1897) 317ff. No. 30.
E251.2.1 Vampire brought to life through endurance of punishment by her victim. *Type 307.
E251.2 Vampire brought to life.
E251.3.2 Vampire milks cows dry. *Kittredge Witchcraft 166, 485 n. 27.
E251.5 Vampire plant. U.S.: Baughman.
E251.3.3 Vampire sucks blood. U.S.: *Baughman.
E251.4.2 Vampire with ass's ears. Penzer VII 163.
E251.4.1 Vampire with elephant face. Penzer VII 163.
E251.4.3 Vampire with eyes of owls. Penzer VII 163.
E251 Vampire. Corpse which comes from grave at night and sucks blood. (Cf. B16.7.1, E268.) *Types 307, 363; *Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 322 (327 bibliography of literary treatments); *v. Negelein ibid. XIV 19; *Jaworskij ibid. VIII 331; *Hock Die Vampyrsagen und ihre Verwertung in der deutschen Literatur (Berlin, 1900); *Penzer VI 136, X 346 s.v. "vampires", 350 s.v. "Vetala"; *Fb "blod" IV 47a, "vampyr" IV 361b; *Kittredge Witchcraft 43, 397 n. 160; *Havecost Die Vampirsage in England (1914); Stetson The Animistic Vampire in New England (AA o.s. IX [1896] 1ff.); *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Vampire"; Summers **The Vampire in Europe (London, 1929), **The Vampire, its Kith and Kin (London, 1928); *Feilberg Am Urquell III 331ff., VI 84; Wehrhan Die Sage 62; *E. Jobbé-Duval Les morts malfaisants (Paris, 1924)—England: Tupper and Ogle, Map 125f.; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "vampirisme"; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3543; Greek: Fox 278 (Stringes); Slavic: Máchal 231f.; Assyrian: Spence 265; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Dixon 231f.; Kai (German New Guinea): ibid. 143; West Indies: Flowers 429; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 357 n. 287e; S. A. Indian (Araucanian): Alexander Lat. Am. 329.
E251.1.1 Vampire's power overcome by endurance and prayer. Hero continues to pray without looking or speaking while vampire punishes him. *Type 307; Japanese: Ikeda.
E251.1 Vampire's power overcome. Penzer VI 138.
E251.3.1 Vampires eat corpses. *Type 363.—Cf. Fb "hud" I 661; India: Thompson-Balys.
E481.8.3 Venus as land of dead. Africa (Fang): Trilles 136.
E385 Vigil of husband at wife's grave calls her forth. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99.
E750.1.1 Virgins condemned to wander at death. Korean: Zong in-Sob 39.
E789 Vital bodily members—miscellaneous. India: Thompson-Balys.
E780 Vital bodily members. They possess life independent of the rest of the body. (Cf. F1096.) India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 346 n. 246b.
E780.1 Vital body: kills attacking enemies. India: Thompson-Balys.
E783.5 Vital head speaks. India: Thompson-Balys.
E783 Vital head. Retains life after being cut off. (Cf. D992, F511.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 432.
E770 Vital objects. Objects that have life in them. (Cf. D1620, D1640.)
E785 Vital skin. Retains life after death of owner. Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 3.
E402.1.1 Vocal sounds of ghost of human being. (Cf. E545.
E324.1 Voice of son answers his mother from the grave only when called by his pet name. India: Thompson-Balys.
E401 Voices of dead heard from graveyard. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 63, Beal XXI 324; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 2 No. 20.
E697 Vulture eats only those who will be reborn as human beings in their next birth. India: Thompson-Balys.
E501.10.3 Wagon accompanies wild hunt. Plischke 36.
E386.4 Walking around a grave twelve times backward will raise the ghost. England: Baughman.
E440 Walking ghost "laid". *Jellinek Zs. f. Vksk. XIV 324; *v. Negelein ibid. XIV 20ff.; Irish: Beal XXI 332; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400A*; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 114 No. 6.
E261 Wandering ghost makes attack. Unprovoked and usually unmotivated. Irish: Jacobs Celtic 200, Kennedy 180, O'Suilleabhain 30, 99, Beal XXI 309, 331; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 246; Icelandic: *Boberg; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3542, Legends No. 712; Russian: Ralston 271, 274, 313; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 27 Nos. 229—240; cf. 2 Nos. 15—17; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 40 No. 11; N. A. Indian (Kathlamet): Boas BBAE XXVI 182, 184 (Tahltan): Teit JAFL XXXII 225.
E261.1 Wandering skull pursues man. *Brown The Wandering Skull (Am. Journ. Philology XI 423ff.); Indonesian: DeVries Volksverhalen I 299; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict 342.
E721.5.1 Wandering soul assumes shape of wolf. (Cf. D113.1.1, E731.) Irish myth: Cross.
E721.5 Wandering soul assumes various shapes. Fb "sjæl" III 214a.
E721.3 Wandering soul cause of sickness. Frazer Golden Bough III 53ff.; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 6; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473f.; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 448—463.
E721.4 Wandering soul detained by ghosts. Frazer Golden Bough III 52ff.
E84 Water of death. India: Thompson-Balys.
E82 Water of life and death. One water kills, the other restores to life. *BP III 31 n. 1; Greek: Fox 281 (blood of life and death); India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 355 n. 279b.
E80 Water of Life. Resuscitation by water. Types 550, 551; *BP I 513, II 400; **Wünsche Lebensbaum; Chauvin VI 73f.; Hertz Abhandlungen 47ff.; *Fb "vand" III 1001b, "livets vand" II 439b, "flaske" I 309a; Dawkins Alexander and the Water of Life (Medium Aevum IX 173—192); Jacobs' list s.v. "Water of Life"; Köhler-Bolte I 186, 562.—Icelandic: Hrуlfssaga Gautrekssonar (ed. Detter) 46, 64; Russian: Ralston Russian Folk-Tales (London 1873) 231ff.; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Babylonian: Spence 130 (Ishtar); India: *Thompson-Balys, Penzer X 210 s.v. "Life, water of"; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 347; Arabian: Burton Nights S VI 213ff., 221; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 494; Indonesian: DeVries Volksverhalen II 359 No. 104; Pelew Islands: Dixon 252; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 74, 121, 153, 264; Fiji: ibid. 76; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 355 n. 279a; (Calif. Indian): Gayton and Newman 64; Africa (Bushman): Bleek and Lloyd 27, 67, 137.
E431.2 Water thrown on corpse to prevent return. *Fb "død" I 228a, "gjenganger" I 444a.
E495 Wedding of the dead. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 23 No. 208.
E581.1 Whirlwind as ghost's vehicle. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 84.
E501.4.2.1 White horse in wild hunt. *Schwartz Zs. f. Vksk. VII 235; Schweda 25.
E489.8 Why living cannot go to land of the dead. Chinese: Graham.
E322.3 Wife in heaven by day, with husband by night. Hindu: Tawney II 577.
E501.1.7.3 Wild Edric as leader of Wild Hunt. England: *Baughman.
E501.11.1.2 Wild hunt abroad until cockcrow. Schweda 16.
E501.12.8 Wild hunt appears at castle. Schweda 14.
E501.11.2 Wild hunt appears at certain seasons.
E501.12.3 Wild hunt appears at crossroads. Schweda 13; Plischke 61.
E501.12.7 Wild hunt appears at desert spot. Schweda 14.
E501.11.1.1 Wild hunt appears at midnight. Schweda 16; Plischke 52.
E501.11.1 Wild hunt appears at night. *Schwartz Zs. f. Vksk. VII 235.
E501.12.10 Wild hunt appears at old mill. Schweda 14.
E501.11.2.2 Wild hunt appears between Christmas and Twelfth Night. Plischke 54.
E501.12.4 Wild hunt appears by body of water. Schweda 13; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 678.
E501.12.5 Wild hunt appears by hill or mountain. Schweda 14; Plischke 57.
E501.11.3.1 Wild hunt appears every seven years. Plischke 64.
E501.12.6 Wild hunt appears in a field. Schweda 14.
E501.12.2 Wild hunt appears in churchyard. Schweda 13.
E501.12.6.1 Wild hunt appears in old battlefield. Plischke 29, 59.
E501.11.2.1 Wild hunt appears in winter. Schweda 16; Plischke 54.
E501.12.1 Wild hunt appears in woods. Schweda 13; Plischke 57.
E501.11.2.3 Wild hunt appears on feast-days. Schweda 16; Plischke 55; Fb "Odins jæger" II 732ab.
E501.11.1.3 Wild hunt appears on St. John's Night. Schweda 16.
E501.11.1.4 Wild hunt appears on stormy nights. Plischke 55.
E501.12.9 Wild hunt appears over city. Schweda 14.
E501.11.3 Wild hunt appears periodically.
E501.11.3.2 Wild hunt appears yearly at same moment. Plischke 74.
E501.20.1 Wild hunt as omen of disaster. RTP XII 186.
E501.20.1.2 Wild hunt as omen of pestilence. Plischke 67.
E501.20.2 Wild hunt as omen of plentiful year. Plischke 68.
E501.20.1.1 Wild hunt as omen of war. Plischke 67; Fb "krig" II 296a; England: Baughman.
E501.20 Wild hunt as omen.
E501.20.3 Wild hunt as weather omen. Plischke 68.
E501.17.5.2 Wild hunt avoided by getting out of its course. Plischke 76.
E501.17.5.6 Wild hunt avoided by holding bread. (Cf. D1031.1.) Plischke 78.
E501.17.5.7 Wild hunt avoided by holding certain plant. (Cf. D965.) Plischke 78.
E501.17.5.3 Wild hunt avoided by keeping in house with windows closed. (Cf. E501.14.6.) Plischke 76.
E501.17.5.1 Wild hunt avoided by keeping on one's road. Sometimes in middle of road or on right side of road. Schweda 31; Plischke 77.
E501.17.5.5 Wild hunt avoided by staying within circle. (Cf. D1272.) Plischke 76.
E501.17.5.4 Wild hunt avoided by throwing self to earth. Plischke 76.
E501.17.5 Wild hunt avoided.
E501.18.4 Wild hunt carries person off. Plischke 69; England: Baughman.
E501.14.1 Wild hunt chases in air. Plischke 62; Mazeret RTP XXV 313.
E501.14.2 Wild hunt courses in particular direction. Plischke 63.
E501.16.5 Wild hunt disappears during storm. Schweda 21.
E501.16.4 Wild hunt disappears in column of fire. Schweda 21.
E501.16.3 Wild hunt disappears with blast of wind. Schweda 21.
E501.16.1 Wild hunt disappears with loud noise. Schweda 21.
E501.16.2 Wild hunt disappears with movement of tree tops. Schweda 21.
E501.17.8 Wild hunt forced to depart.
E501.17.8.1 Wild hunt frightened away by scolding. Plischke 75.
E501.14.5 Wild hunt goes around the entire earth. Plischke 64.
E501.14.4 Wild hunt goes several times around a hill. Schweda 29.
E501.14.3 Wild hunt goes thrice around pond. Schweda 29.
E501.14.6 Wild hunt goes through houses when front and back doors are on a line. (Cf. E501.17.5.4.) Plischke 64; Fb "port" II 862b, "Odins jæger" II 732b.
E501.18.1 Wild hunt harmful to certain persons.
E501.18.1.1 Wild hunt harmful to mockers. Schweda 31; Plischke 69, 72.
E501.18.1.3 Wild hunt harmful to the curious. Schweda 31.
E501.18.1.2 Wild hunt harmful to thieves. Schweda 31.
E501.13.4 Wild hunt heralded by baying of hounds. Schweda 21.
E501.13.1.3 Wild hunt heralded by clash of swords. Plischke 29.
E501.13.1.1 Wild hunt heralded by detonation. Schweda 21.
E501.13.7 Wild hunt heralded by fire. Schweda 21.
E501.13.2 Wild hunt heralded by music. Plischke 36.
E501.13.3.2 Wild hunt heralded by neighing of horses. Schweda 21.
E501.13.3 Wild hunt heralded by noise of horses.
E501.13.1 Wild hunt heralded by noise. Schweda 20, Plischke 36.
E501.13.1.2 Wild hunt heralded by rattle of chains. Schweda 20; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 250.
E501.13.1.4 Wild hunt heralded by ringing of bells. Schweda 21.
E501.13.5 Wild hunt heralded by shouts of huntsmen. Schweda 21, Tobler 92.
E501.13.3.1 Wild hunt heralded by stamping of horses. Schweda 21.
E501.13.6 Wild hunt heralded by storm. Plischke 37.
E501.14.1.1 Wild hunt in air very close to ground. Plischke 63.
E501.17.1 Wild hunt powerless against certain persons.
E501.17.1.2 Wild hunt powerless against churchmen. Schweda 32.
E501.17.1.1 Wild hunt powerless against herdsmen. Schweda 31.
E501.17.3 Wild hunt powerless at crossroads. Schweda 32; Plischke 32, 37; RTP XX 163.
E501.17.2 Wild hunt powerless beyond certain range. Schweda 32.
E501.18.1.3.1 Wild hunt throws down man's dead child when asked for part of game. England: Baughman.
E501.18.3 Wild hunt throws horses' feet on persons who see it. This cannot be removed. Schweda 32; Plischke 72.
E501.18.2 Wild hunt throws human flesh on persons who see it. This cannot be removed. Schweda 32; Plischke 72.
E501.18.5 Wild hunt throws person to ground. Plischke 70.
E501.17.4 Wild hunt's power evaded.
E501.5.1 Wild hunter pursues a woman. Plischke 65; Fb "Odins jæger" II 732b; Schwartz Zs. f. Vksk. VII 233.
E501.15.6.1 Wild huntsman asks people to hold his dogs. Fb "Odins jæger" II 732a.
E501.15.1 Wild huntsman blows horn. Schwartz Zs. f. Vksk. VII 232.
E501.15.2 Wild huntsman has his horse beaten. *Zingerle 589.
E501.15.8 Wild huntsman lives in room on farm. Fb "Odins jæger" 732b.
E501.15.3 Wild huntsman makes people carry him on their backs. Harou RTP XX 368.
E501.17.6.1 Wild huntsman pacified by sacrifice. *Fb "ofre" II 735a.
E501.17.6.2 Wild huntsman pacified with food. Fb "Odins jæger" II 732b.
E501.17.6 Wild huntsman pacified.
E501.17.7.1 Wild huntsman released from wandering by mould from Christ's grave. Fb "Kristi grav".
E501.17.7 Wild huntsman released from wandering.
E501.15.4 Wild huntsman repays with leaves (shavings) that turn to gold. Plischke 36; Zingerle 589.
E501.15.6.2 Wild huntsman turns his dogs loose on those he meets. Harou RTP XX 368.
E501.3.7 Wild huntsman wanders because he wished to continue hunt after death. Fb "jagt" II 36, "jagen" II 35; RTP XIII 695f.
E501.3.1 Wild huntsman wanders because of cruelty. Schweda 38.
E501.3.3 Wild huntsman wanders because of parricide. Harow RTP XX 369.
E501.3.2 Wild huntsman wanders because of suicide. Schweda 38.
E501.3.4 Wild huntsman wanders because of unshriven death. Schweda 38.
E501.3.8 Wild huntsman wanders for disturbing church service. Plischke 34.
E501.3.5 Wild huntsman wanders for failure to keep fast day. Plischke 29.
E501.3.6 Wild huntsman wanders for hunting on Sunday. *Fb "Søndag" III 741a, "Odins jæger" II 731b.
E501.15.7 Wild huntsman waters his horse. Fb "Odins jæger" II 732a.
E501.8.6 Wild huntsman with black fur cap and white staff. Hartland Science 236.
E501.15.6.5 Wild huntsman's dog cannot be dislodged from house it has entered. Plischke 33.
E501.15.6.7 Wild huntsman's dog when seized becomes stick (black coal). Plischke 32.
E501.15.6.4 Wild huntsman's dogs cannot pass over grave. Must be lifted over. Plischke 33.
E501.15.6.6 Wild huntsman's dogs eat dough, bread, meal, etc. Plischke 33; *Zingerle 590.
E501.4.2 Wild huntsman's horse. *Howie 51.
E501.8.5 Wild huntsmen belted and tied up. Plischke 35.
E501.3.9 Wild huntsmen cannot die until evil in world has been made right and things return as they had been. England: Baughman.
E501.7.4 Wild huntsmen carrying skull under arms. Plischke 29.
E501.8.4 Wild huntsmen dressed in ancient costume. Schweda 29.
E501.8.1 Wild huntsmen dressed in black. Schweda 29.
E501.8.2 Wild huntsmen dressed in red. Schweda 29.
E501.8.3 Wild huntsmen dressed in white. Schweda 29.
E501.7.6.1 Wild huntsmen exhale fire. Schweda 28.
E501.7.6.2 Wild huntsmen have fiery eyes. Schweda 29.
E501.7.1 Wild huntsmen headless. *Zingerle 589; Schweda 28.
E501.9 Wild huntsmen invisible. Tobler 92.
E501.7.6.3 Wild huntsmen leave fiery tracks. Schweda 28.
E501.7.6 Wild huntsmen luminous. Zingerle 4 No. 6.
E501.7.6.4 Wild huntsmen surrounded by fire. Schweda 29.
E501.3 Wild huntsmen wander because of sin. Schweda 38.
E501.7.2 Wild huntsmen with deer-heads. Plischke 29.
E501.7.5 Wild huntsmen with entrails stringing from open bodies. Plischke 29.
E501.7.3 Wild huntsmen with heads on backward. Plischke 29.
E501.7.7 Wild huntsmen with long hair. Schweda 29.
E501.3.10 Wild huntswoman wanders because of murder of daughter. England: Baughman.
E501.4.1.7 Winged dogs in wild hunt. RTP XVII 505.
E501.2.3 Witches in wild hunt. (Cf. G200.) Plischke 29.
E501.5.1.3 Witches pursued in wild hunt. Plischke 65.
E155.4.1 Woman alive by day, dead by night. Irish myth: Cross.
E501.1.8 Woman as leader of wild hunt. Favorites are Herodias, Diana, Frau Holle.—Plischke 47; Schwartz Zs. f. Vksk. VII 231.
E432.3 Woman drying hair scares soul returning from the dead. Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452.
E693.2 Woman reborn as bedbug to take revenge on husband. (Cf. E616.5.) India: Thompson-Balys.
E693.3 Woman reborn as scorpion to take revenge on husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
E373.3 Woman's hand rises from grave and gives man performing vigil letter of salvation. India: Thompson-Balys.
E501.5.3 Wood-spirits pursued in wild hunt. Plischke 66.
E545.0.1 Words uttered from the tomb. *Loomis White Magic 53; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys.
E501.10.2 Worn-out broom at head of wild hunt. Plischke 35.
E723.8.1 Wraith appears before mine disaster. England: Baughman.
E723.7.6 Wraith binds grain in field. Scotland: Baughman.
E723.4 Wraith does what person wishes to do but is unable to do in the flesh.
E723.4.5 Wraith gives information of death in family. England: Baughman.
E723.4.6 Wraith investigates welfare of absent person. England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E723.4.3 Wraith of debtor tries to find his creditor at time of death. England: Baughman.
E723.4.4 Wraith of dying woman goes to see children for last time before death. England: Baughman.
E723.4.2 Wraith of murderer tells authorities where to find girl he has murdered. The murderer is in church at the time. Scotland: Baughman.
E723.5 Wraith of sweetheart stays in room where lover has died. It disappears only after her death at far distant point twenty years after death of lover. U.S.: Baughman.
E723.7.3 Wraith opens and closes door. England: Baughman.
E723.4.1 Wraith returns to home and goes to bed while body is at home of friends in deep reverie. Ireland: Baughman.
E723.7.7 Wraith rides horse. (Cf. E922.1.1.3.1.) Scotland: Baughman.
E723.7.2 Wraith rings doorbell. Scotland: Baughman.
E723.7.5 Wraith selects wood for coffin. Scotland: Baughman.
E723.7.4 Wraith slams gate. England: Baughman.
E723.7.1 Wraith speaks. England, Wales: *Baughman.
E723.3 Wraith takes place of person unable to do duty at the necessary time. Scotland: Baughman.
E723.7.8 Wraiths of persons drowning appear in dripping clothes. England: *Baughman.
E723 Wraiths of persons separate from body. England, U.S.: Baughman.
E692.6 Youth reincarnated as root in punishment for incest. India: Thompson-Balys.