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Stith Thompson Motif Index
About this index and how to read it
Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature classifies recurring narrative elements in folktales, myths, legends, ballads and related traditional narratives. Each entry below gives Thompson's motif reference and the description recorded in the index.
The index is large, so this browser displays 250 entries per page. You can search by motif reference or by words in the description, restrict the results to one of Thompson's main letter categories, and click motif references mentioned inside descriptions to follow cross-references. Individual motif pages also show any ATU tale types whose concordance explicitly cites that Thompson reference.
All
A
Mythological Motifs
B
Animal Motifs
C
Motifs of Tabu
D
Magic
E
The Dead
F
Marvels
G
Ogres
H
Tests
J
The Wise and the Foolish
K
Deceptions
L
Reversals of Fortune
M
Ordaining the Future
N
Chance and Fate
P
Society
Q
Rewards and Punishments
R
Captives and Fugitives
S
Unnatural Cruelty
T
Sex
U
The Nature of Life
V
Religion
W
Traits of Character
X
Humor
Z
Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs
| Thompson reference | Description ▲ |
|---|---|
| F456.3.1 | "Cutty" cuts cords by which miners pull tubs full of coal. England: *Baughman. |
| F177 | "Heavenly Academy" in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F166.1.1 | "Silver Bowl" (Grail) in otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F405.7.1 | "Tell to mill-mouse that the field-mouse is dead." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F244.1 | "The Four Jewels of the Tuatha Dé Danann" (fairies?). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F162.0.1.2 | (Luminous) precious stones in otherworld (dwelling). (Cf. A661.0.7.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F781.2.1 | 540 rooms in Bilskilnir. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale 1 75, Boberg. |
| F771.4.3 | Abandoned castle. Has no inhabitants when hero enters. *Fb "slot" III 377a; Type 425; *Tegethoff 168; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 134 (Sir Degare); Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F322.4 | Abducted bride hidden in fairyland. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F389.2 | Abduction of Christianized fairy woman by fairies prevented by saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F169.8 | Abundance in otherworld. Greek: Grote I 62; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 46. |
| F166.11 | Abundant food in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F348.7.1 | Abuse of fairy gifts brings about their loss. Wales: Baughman. |
| F90 | Access to lower world. **Hilda R. Ellis, The Road to Hell (London, 1943) 170ff. |
| F150 | Access to otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F59 | Access to upper world—miscellaneous. |
| F50 | Access to upper world. |
| F102 | Accidental arrival in lower world. |
| F481.0.1 | Acquiring a cobold. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3466. |
| F403.2.1 | Acquisition of familiar spirit. |
| F456.1.2 | Actions of knockers. |
| F471.1.1 | Actions of nightmares (alps). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3690. |
| F559.7.2 | Adder grows in heart of man. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F699 | Additional marvelous powers. |
| F1099 | Additional marvels. |
| F199 | Additional otherworld motifs. |
| F535.1.1 | Adventures of thumbling. See Type 700 for detailed adventures. |
| F942.2.1 | Adversary pushed into ground. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F975.2 | After persecuted queen has been driven away from palace, trees do not bear fruits, flowers cease to bloom, and birds do not sing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.6.4 | Age of giants. |
| F166.0.1 | All furniture and objects in otherworld of gold. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F565.1.2 | All male children killed by Amazons. Greek: Fox 85; S. A. Indian (Aspinayé, Carajá, Taulipang, Tupinamba): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (1) 516. |
| F900.2 | All miracles created by God at creation. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F577.5 | All people in certain place identical in appearance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F834.4 | All-conquering spear. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 395. |
| F911.6 | All-swallowing monster. Has whole towns of people and buildings, etc. inside. Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 8 (fish); Africa: Werner African 198, (Zulu): Callaway 55, 78ff., 85ff., 192, 325, 332, (Kaffir): Theal 84, 139f., 176, (Mpongwe): Nassau 34, 46 Nos. 4, 6, (Basuto): Jacottet 70 No. 11, 76 No. 12, 122 No. 17, 214 No. 31, (Ibo Nigeria): Thomas 115, 203 No. 1. |
| F162.1.3.1 | All-yielding tree in otherworld. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F471.1.1.1 | Alp rides horse sweaty at night. *Fb "mare" II 551b, 552a; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 44 No. 60; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 127 No. 60; Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. 3683f. |
| F471.1.1.2 | Alps dance. *Fb "danse" IV 93a. |
| F962.12.2 | Altar cloths descend from heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1083.0.1.1 | Altar floats in air. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F166.5 | Altar in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F1009.3 | Altar shakes when unworthy man is elected. (Cf. D1169.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F565.1.1 | Amazons cut off left breast of daughters so that they can handle bow. Greek: Fox 85. |
| F565.1 | Amazons. Women warriors. **Klein Die Antiken Amazonensagen in der deutschen Literatur (Leipzig, 1919); *Chauvin VIII 55 No. 22; *Gaster Exempla 186f. No. 5A.—Irish myth: *Cross; MacCulloch Celtic 144; English: Wells 105 (The Prose Alexander) Malory Morte Darthur X 39; Icelandic: Olrik Sakses Oldhistorie I (1892) 52ff., *Boberg; Greek: Fox 85, *Frazer Apollodorus I 98 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys, Tawney II 589 n.; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 411 s.v. "Amazonen"; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 68; N. A. Indian: Hatt Asiatic Influences 70ff.; S. A. Indian: *Chamberlain JAFL XXIV 16, Alexander Lat. Am. 19 n. 5, 281f., (Tropical Forests): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 55. |
| F826.2 | Ambergris made from bitumen eaten by fish. *Chauvin VII 25 No. 373F n. 1. |
| F460.3 | Amusements of mountain-folk. |
| F285 | Anchor falls on fairies. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "ancre". |
| F1047 | Anchor floats on water. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "ancre." |
| F944.2 | Ancient homeland sinks beneath the waves. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 75. |
| F130.3 | Ancient Ireland as location of otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F1097.1 | Angel forbids armies to approach each other. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F403.2.2.2 | Angels as familiar spirits. Act as servants about the house of saints and serve them otherwise. Irish: Plummer clxxxi, *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F167.13 | Angels in otherworld. (Cf. V230.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F1041.16.6.5 | Angry warrior becomes red and purple. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1041.16.6.8 | Angry warrior's breath makes adversary's armour so hot that he must surrender. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F989.11 | Animal as mighty drinker. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F981.1.1 | Animal bursts from anger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F987 | Animal controls sex of offspring. |
| F981.6 | Animal dies of broken heart. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F989.13 | Animal dives into lake and disappears. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F1088.4 | Animal escapes by slipping out of skin. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F551.1 | Animal foot on human being. |
| F949.1 | Animal sinks into earth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F911.3 | Animal swallows man (not fatally). *Types 123, 333, 700; Fb "kat" II 108b; Saintyves Perrault 227ff.; Persian: Carnoy 302; Hindu: Penzer IX 49. |
| F911.3.3 | Animal with men in its belly playing cards, etc. Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 447 n. 81. |
| F981.6.1 | Animal's broken heart disgorged. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F601.7 | Animals as extraordinary companions. Type 715; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 74ff. No. 16. |
| F391.1 | Animals borrowed by fairies. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux". |
| F455.5.4.1 | Animals can see trolls. (Cf. B733.) Hartmann 74. |
| F982 | Animals carry extraordinary burden. |
| F985 | Animals change color. |
| F989.10 | Animals distribute parts of man's body in accordance with prophecy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F989.22 | Animals eat extraordinary food. |
| F243.3.1 | Animals eaten by fairies become whole again. England, Ireland, U.S.: Baughman; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux". |
| F171.5 | Animals in otherworld pass in and out of church and become human beings. Type 471. |
| F167.1 | Animals in otherworld. Siuts 107ff.; Patch Other World 373 s.v. "animals"; Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 55, Beal XXI 321. |
| F981.3 | Animals killed by trickster's breaking wind. Koryak: *Jochelson JE VI 381 No. 68. |
| F989.22.4 | Animals live on pearls. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F911.2 | Animals swallow animals. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 371, (Mpongwe): Nassau 34 No. 4. |
| F826.1 | Animals with jeweled ornaments. Malone PMLA XLIII 401, 413. |
| F531.6.11 | Antipathies of giants. |
| F988.3 | Apertures of animals' bodies closed up in certain land. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F482.1 | Appearance of brownie. |
| F451.2 | Appearance of dwarf. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 271, *Boberg. |
| F239 | Appearance of fairies—miscellaneous. |
| F230 | Appearance of fairies. |
| F531.1 | Appearance of giant. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F460.1 | Appearance of mountain men. |
| F401 | Appearance of spirits. |
| F455.2 | Appearance of trolls. (Cf. G304.1.) |
| F971.5.2 | Apples at Christmas. Tree bears apples only at Christmas. Blossoms at midnight and is full of apples by morning. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 559. |
| F661.4.2 | Archer shoots and marks egg in nest without breaking it or disturbing other eggs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F661.4.1 | Archer shoots eggs through middle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F512.2.2 | Argos. Has eyes all over body. Krappe Balor 19 n. 69; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 130 n. 3, Fox 29, 193. |
| F1083.0.1.2 | Ark suspended in air. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F1095 | Arm grows longer from giving alms. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1097 | Armies miraculously separated (kept from coming to battle, etc.). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F516.1.1 | Armless people have legs growing from their shoulders. Use toes in place of fingers. Chinese: Werner 388. |
| F516.1 | Armless people. Chinese: Werner 388. |
| F403.2.3.7 | Army of spirits and ghosts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F628.2.4 | Army of strong men. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F711.5 | Aroma of sea as of wine. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F831.4 | Arrow shot at bull returns against shooter. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F638.2 | Arrow shot down years after the shot. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F638.1 | Arrow shot thirty miles high. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1066 | Arrow shot to heaven returns bloody. Hdwb. d. Märch. I 102a; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F831.2 | Arrows of fire. Chauvin VI 106 No. 270; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F793 | Artificial heavenly bodies. |
| F792 | Artificial heavens. Placed on pillars of iron. Seven heavens. (1) glass, sun, moon, stars, (2) iron with lake in it, (3) tin with precious stones rolling about (thunder), (4) lead, (5) copper, (6) silver, (7) gold. Gaster Exempla 186 No. 4; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F705 | Artificial paradise and hell to punish and reward. Wesselski Archiv Orientálni II 432. |
| F451.9.4 | As dwarfs emigrate each deposits coin into kettle for mortals. German: Sieber 62. |
| F101.6 | Ascent from lower world on animal. (Cf. F98.). |
| F75 | Ascent to heaven by holding on to elephant's tail. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F61.2.1 | Ascent to sky by sticking to magic feather. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118a (a large proportion of the references given). |
| F61.1 | Ascent to sky on cloud. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 271 n. 2 (Hercules); Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Werner 282. |
| F61.2.2 | Ascent to sky on eagle-down rope. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 66. |
| F61.2 | Ascent to sky on feather. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 311 n. 118a. |
| F63.4 | Ascent to upper world by holding on to morning star. Papua: Ker 7. |
| F68 | Ascent to upper world by magic. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Maori: Beckwith Myth 250; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Star Husband 120f.; Africa: Werner African 136. |
| F61.3.1 | Ascent to upper world in smoke. India: Thompson-Balys; Caroline Islands: H. Damm Zentralcarolinen (Hamburg, 1938) II 88; New Hebrides: C. B. Humphreys The Southern New Hebrides (Cambridge (Eng.), 1926) 98; Yap: W. Müller Yap (Hamburg, 1918) II 666, 685, 695. |
| F53 | Ascent to upper world on arrow chain. Hero shoots arrows which join one another in the air to form a chain. *Pettazzoni The Chain of Arrows, the Diffusion of a Mythical Motive (FL XXXV 151);—Indonesia. Voorhoeve 142; Oceanic (Australia, New Hebrides, Aurora, Whitsuntide, Torres Is., New Guinea): Dixon 139 n. 19, 293f.; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 333 n. 203, Hatt Asiatic Influences 40ff.; S. A. Indian: *Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 55, *Ehrenreich Mythen u. Legend der südamerikanischen Urvölker 50, (Guarayú): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 438, RMLP XXXIII 147, (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 156, 164, BBAE CXLIII (3) 484, (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132, (Jibaros, Ecuador): Karsten Myths of the Jibaros (cited from Boas JAFL XXXII 446). |
| F65.1 | Ascent to upper world on arrow. (Cf. F53.) New Hebrides: Beckwith Myth 487. |
| F51.2.1 | Ascent to upper world on seat attached to cord. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 110. |
| F1034.2.1 | Ascetic carries woman in his hair, but she has two lovers in her cloak and outwits him. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F971.4.1 | Ash (alder, willow, etc.) tree bears apples ("fair fruit"). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F981.5 | Ashes thrown into stream dissolve animals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F382.6 | Asking grace at fairy banquet causes fairies and banquet to disappear. (Cf. G271.2.3.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F933.3 | At certain time sheep thrown into well become crimson. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.6.16 | Attendants of the giants. |
| F152.1.8 | Aurora as bridge to otherworld. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153. |
| F451.5.10.9 | Ausgelohnt. When dwarfs are paid in full for their work they cease helping mortals. *Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Ausgelohnt"; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 96ff., (1928) 70ff.; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 40 No. 326; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3490. |
| F183.1 | Automatic service in otherworld: any sort of food desired furnished. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.2.14 | Baby giants four months old "two feet broad in the chest and twelve feet high." Irish myth: Cross. |
| F611.3.2.2 | Baby tied to a mill-stone by strap so he would not wander about; drags stone after him. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 31. |
| F839.5 | Ball made of human brains as weapon. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F813.6.1 | Banana large as tooth of elephant. Africa (Baholoholo): Einstein 217. |
| F455.9 | Banning trolls. |
| F832.1 | Barbed lance. Causes one wound on entering and nine on retiring. Welsh, Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 200; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F1051.1 | Barrel filled miraculously with penitent's tears. Ward II 664; Herbert III *341, 475; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F1041.17.1 | Barrenness as result of fright. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.7 | Bath of balsam. (Cf. F162.2.5.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| F872.3.1 | Bath of blood of dragons, lions, adders, etc. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.3 | Bath of blood. (Cf. F955.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F872.2 | Bath of boiling oil. Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bain"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F872.5.1 | Bath of fire. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F872.4 | Bath of marrow. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.1 | Bath of milk. Type 507A; Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bain". |
| F872.5 | Bath of molten lead (iron). Irish myth: Cross. |
| F872.6 | Bath which makes one insensible for three days. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F535.5.1.1 | Battle between giants and dwarfs; dwarfs win. (Cf. F531.) Africa (Fang): Einstein 71. |
| F277 | Battle of fairies and gods. Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Campbell Tales II 85. |
| F748 | Battle of islands. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 389. |
| F873.0.1 | Battle rage. Makes army unconquerable. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F531.3.14 | Beam breaks at giant's glance. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 221. Boberg. |
| F1025.1 | Bean, straw, and coal go journeying. Coal burns straw in two and falls into the water. Bean laughs until it splits. *Type 295; BP I 135; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F545.1.3 | Beard grows through table. (Usually told of king asleep in mountain.) Hartland Science 217; *BP III 460; Fb "sten" III 554a. |
| F545.1.2 | Beard projected over beams of great hall. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 190. |
| F545.1.4 | Beard shelters fifty men from rain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F545.1.6 | Beard travels detached from owners. Africa (Dzalamo): Meinhof ZsES XI 284. |
| F545.1.5 | Bearded woman. (Cf. T321.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F545.1.0.1 | Beardless man. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F821.1.3.1 | Bearskin. Man dressed in bear hide. Type 361; Hdwb. d. Märch. I 169a s.v. "Bärenhäuter"; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F526.4 | Beast-like anchorite. Walks on all fours; covered with hair like beast; has horns like beast. (Cf. F521.1.) Williams 17ff., 25. |
| F167.1.1 | Beasts in otherworld. |
| F531.1.0.1.1 | Beautiful giantess. Broderius § 37; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: De la Saussaye 329, *Boberg; Swedish: Nyare Bidrag till Kännedom om de svenska Landsmеlen och svenskt Folklif IX 35 No. 80; Denmark: Thiele Danmarks Folkesagn X 164. |
| F304.3 | Beautiful woman found in bed with man after he has plugged keyholes to keep elves out. Tobler 68; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *423. |
| F531.1.0.1 | Beauty of giant. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F787.4 | Bed made from man's tooth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F166.8 | Beds in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F167.1.3.1 | Bees in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F321.4 | Beggar returns to his mother child stolen by fairies. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 40 No. 21. |
| F260 | Behavior of fairies. |
| F241.1.2 | Behavior of fairies' horses. |
| F1041.14 | Beheaded man swims. (Cf. E783.) North Carolina: Brown Collection I 686. |
| F511.0.6 | Beheaded man's head replaced crooked. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F167.16 | Beings born in otherworld suffer from excessive heat. Buddhist. myth: Malalasekera II 794. |
| F725.6 | Bell brought from monastery under water. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F960.1.4 | Bells ring without human hands when a saint is born. Loomis White Magic 23. |
| F610.3.4.2.1 | Berserk killed in combat about maiden. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F839.6 | Betelnut as weapon to strike off man's head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F531.0.1 | Biblical worthy as giant. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F542.2 | Big ears. One used as mattress and one as a covering, and the like. India: Thompson-Balys; New Guinea: Rutland Journal of the Polynesian Society VI (1897) 213—215. |
| F802.1 | Big rocks grow from little rocks. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F1015.3 | Bill of sale written on man's sandal. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F982.4 | Bird brings flower from foreign land. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F62 | Bird carries person to or from upper world. |
| F987.1 | Bird controls sex and appearance of offspring. Hatches seven eggs—three under each wing and one under breast. The right wing hatches three red males, the left three green females. The egg under the breast shares the characteristics of both sex and color—but dies. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| F62.0.1 | Bird flies to upper world. Chinese: Graham. |
| F1041.21.6.2 | Bird in great grief tears out feathers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F56.2 | Bird pecks hole in sky-roof to give access to upper world. Africa (Fjort): Dennett DFLS XLI 74ff. No. 16. |
| F989.2 | Bird's red eye cooks meat. Looks so intently at it that it heats and cooks. N. A. Indian (Maidu): Dixon BAM XVII 65. |
| F62.2 | Birds carry person from upper world. N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 460 No. 98. |
| F62.1 | Birds carry person to upper world. *Chauvin VII 84 No. 373bis n. 2.—India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 18. |
| F662.1.1 | Birds hatched from broken eggs repaired by skillful tailor have red line around necks. This indicates where eggs were broken. *Type 653; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F989.14 | Birds hover over battlefield. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F167.1.2 | Birds in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F575.1.1 | Birth of daughter so beautiful mother is frightened and abandons her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1041.13 | Biting fingers to see if one is dreaming. Chauvin V 261 No. 154. |
| F610.3.2 | Black berserk. (Cf. F527.5.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F531.1.7.2 | Black giant. BP II 253; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 588, 593, 599, MacCulloch Eddic 276, *Boberg. |
| F527.5 | Black man. (Cf. F548.1, F573.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F985.1 | Black sheep turn white. (Cf. H1023.6.) Types 425, 428, 756C*; Andrejev FFC LIV passim; Boberg Classica et Medievalia I 1938. |
| F1099.4.1 | Blades of corn grow through hair of saint as reward for guarding cornkiln. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F964.4 | Blazing stick continues to burn even in water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F991.2 | Bleeding bone. Man cuts into dry bone that bleeds. Fb "høle" I 747a; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| F991.3 | Bleeding cake. Bleeds when cut. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F991.1.1 | Bleeding knife. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F991.1 | Bleeding lance. Stream of blood flows from it into silver cup. (Cf. D1086.) *Brown PMLA XXV (1910) 1; *Gaster FL II 57; Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 202. |
| F991.3.1 | Bleeding loaf of bread. German: Grimm No. 205. |
| F991.5 | Bleeding rock. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F809.4 | Bleeding rock. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F811.20 | Bleeding tree. Blood drops when tree is cut. *Loomis White Magic 124. |
| F531.1.1.3 | Blind giant. Broderius § 37; Icelandic: *Boberg; Sweden: Runa III (1843) 41 No. 74, IV 37 No. 53; Hanover: Schambach u. Müller Niedersächsische Sagen (Göttingen, 1854) No. 165.1. |
| F655.1 | Blind man able to recognize real pearls by their smell, diamonds by touch, a good horse by screwing its ears, and raja of noble birth by his generosity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F642.3.3 | Blind man is able to see two unborn rats within mother rat. Korean: Zong in-Sob. |
| F655.2 | Blind tiger recognizes by man's voice that he is a hypocrite. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F952.0.2 | Blinded prince forces goddess to give him back his sight. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F952.5 | Blindness cured by application of chicken dung. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Nyanja): Rattray Some Folk-Lore Stories and Songs in Chinyanja (London, 1907) 149ff. No. 24. |
| F952.6 | Blindness cured by drop of water from side of crucified Saviour. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F952.3.2 | Blindness cured by rubbing eyes with flower. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F952.3 | Blindness cured by rubbing sand on eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F952.3.1.1 | Blindness cured by striking eyes with shell. Africa (Nyanja): Rattray Some Folk-Lore Stories and Songs in Chinyanja (London, 1907) 149ff. No. 24. |
| F952.3.1 | Blindness cured by striking eyes. (Cf. F953.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/931). |
| F952.4 | Blindness cured by striking head violently on tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F952.1 | Blindness cured by tears. *Type 310; BP I 97, 99. |
| F952.2 | Blindness healed by sun's rays. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 32. |
| F952 | Blindness miraculously cured. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "aveugle"; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 25. |
| F1075 | Blood of brother and sister (and smoke from their funeral pyres) refuses to mingle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F955.1 | Blood-bath as cure for leprosy. (Cf. F872.3.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F545.1.1 | Blue beard. *Type 312. |
| F527.3 | Blue man. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 547. |
| F544.3.3 | Blue teeth. Jewish: Neuman; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F544.3.3.1 | Blue, protruding teeth of one and a half elbow-length. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F241.1.1.3 | Blue, red, yellow horses in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F456.2.1 | Bluecap moves coal-tubs for miners. England: *Baughman. |
| F989.18 | Boar hung in spider's web. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F812.7 | Boards of wood from certain forest endure forever. Jewish: Neuman. |
| F841.1.12 | Boat from gourd. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F841.1.10.1 | Boat looks like gold. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F841.1.11 | Boat made of a tree trunk. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F841.1.4 | Boat made of nutshells. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "coques", "noix". |
| F93.0.1 | Boat to lower world. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| F451.2.1 | Body of dwarf. |
| F232 | Body of fairy. Irish: Beal XXI 324. |
| F420.1.4.1 | Body of water-spirit is half human and half fish or snake. Icelandic: *Boberg; German: Künzig Schwarzwald 168, Henninger 72. |
| F686 | Body with marvelous heat. Melts snow thirty feet around and serves as fuel for man's companions. Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 198. |
| F529.7 | Boneless person. Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F933.8 | Bones of bird constantly thrown up from well. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1054 | Bones temporarily removed from body by tree climbers to avoid breaking them. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 126ff. |
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