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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.

5,365 motifs

Page 12 of 22 · 250 per page
Thompson reference ▲ Description
F531.3.13 Giant (giantess) carries prodigious burden. Icelandic: Hálfdanar saga Br. 577, Boberg.
F531.3.13.1 Giant carries prodigious hunting-prey (whales, bear). Danish: Grundtvig DgF No. 18; Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 223, *Boberg.
F531.3.13.2 Giant allows others to cling to him while he swims with them safely across the rivers. India: Thompson-Balys.
F531.3.14 Beam breaks at giant's glance. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 221. Boberg.
F531.3.15 Giants' awful amusements, playing with men's lives. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.4 Gigantic possessions of giant.
F531.4.1 Giant with mill-wheel as shield. Malone PMLA XLIII 401.
F531.4.2 Giant with gigantic chain as belt. Elephant can go through each link. Malone PMLA XLIII 401.
F531.4.3 Knights drink from a huge nine-gallon cup. English: Wells 60 (Syre Gawene and the Earle of Carelyle).
F531.4.4 Giant with club as large as wheelshaft of mill. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.4.5 Giant's enormous weapons.
F531.4.5.1 Giant with iron club as weapon. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.4.5.2 Giant with iron bar as weapon. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.4.5.3 Giant has stone club. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 282, Snorra Edda Skaldsk. XVII, Boberg.
F531.4.5.4 Giant has stone shield. Icelandic: Boberg.
F531.4.5.5 Giant has enormous spear. India: Thompson-Balys.
F531.4.6 Giant wears enormous jewel. India: Thompson-Balys.
F531.4.7 Giant's clothes.
F531.4.7.1 Giants dressed in skin. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 80ff., *Boberg.
F531.4.7.1.1 Giants wear skins with flesh still on. Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 210.
F531.4.7.1.2 Giantess in obscenely shriveled skin skirt. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.4.7.2 Giants wear long coats with lamps under them. Eskimo (Central): Boas RBAE VI 634.
F531.4.7.3 Giantess in red dress. Icelandic: Boberg.
F531.4.8 Giant has stone as boat. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.4.9 Giant's huge kettle. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 220, MacCulloch Eddic 86, *Boberg.
F531.4.10 Giant's enormous bed. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman.
F531.4.11 Giant's enormous animals.
F531.4.11.1 Giants have wolf and bears as dogs. Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 122—24, Boberg.
F531.4.11.2 Foxes as giant's lice. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 150.
F531.4.12 Giant's net can hem in whole forest. Africa (Fang): Trilles 202.
F531.5 Giants and men. Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.5.1 Giant friendly to man. Broderius § 24.—Irish myth: *Cross; U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 148, *Boberg; Norse: Feilberg Jul II 56; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) Nos. 40. 172, 183, 186, 199, 200, 220.
F531.5.1.1 Giant carries man in his pocket (glove, bosom). (Cf. F531.5.3.) German: Grimm No. 193; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "géant"; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 358 n. 287 I, (Ojibwa): Jones-Michelson PAES VII (2) 171ff.
F531.5.1.1.1 Giant carries man in sack. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 39.
F531.5.1.1.2 Giant carries man on his back. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 245.
F531.5.1.1.3 Giant carries man on brim of his hat. German: Grimm No. 193.
F531.5.1.1.4 Giant carries man under his belt. Icelandic: Boberg.
F531.5.1.2 Giants and men fraternize at Christmas. Liestøl Festskrift til Feilberg 195ff.
F531.5.2 Man mistakes giant's glove for house. *Von Sydow Danske Studier (1910) 154; Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.3 Giant's toy. A young giantess picks up a man plowing. Wants him as a toy. Her mother says, "Take him back. He will drive us away." (Cf. F531.5.1.) **V. Höttges Die Sage vom Riesenspielzeug (Jena, 1931); Höttges FFC CXXII 172; Broderius § 29; Type 701*; *Fb "kjæmpe" II 149a; "plove" II 848; *Tegethoff Schweiz. Archiv f. Vksk. XXIV 139 n. 14.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 67 No. 575; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 47 No. 73; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3712; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 73 No. 225; Flemish: Meyer FFC XXXVII No. 701*; Missouri French: Carrière.
F531.5.4 Giant thinks hammer-blow on head is a nut falling. Man strikes with all his might. *Von Sydow Danske Studier (1910) 159; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 92; N. A. Indian (Seneca): CurtinHewitt RBAE XXXII 213 No. 41; Africa (Fang): Einstein 47.
F531.5.4.1 Giant thinks shower of stones is snowfall. Wales: Baughman.
F531.5.4.2 Giant's head gnawed by foxes: thinks soot is falling on him. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 150.
F531.5.5 Giants repay loan with large interest. Cask of gold for ale, etc. Icelandic: Feilberg Jul II 56; Swedish: Runa IV (1843) 29, 30, 38, 45.
F531.5.6 Giants' gifts to men.
F531.5.6.1 Giants' magic gifts return to original form in hands of men. (Cf. F451.5.1.4. and cross-references.) Broderius § 33; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 148; German: Jahn Nos. 29, 217.
F531.5.6.2 Giant's present: magic loaf producing inexhaustible harvest. India: Thompson-Balys.
F531.5.6.3 Giant's presents cease when source is disclosed. (Cf. F348.5.) Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 235.
F531.5.7 Giants marry human beings. (Cf. F420.6.1, F460.4, and cross references.) Broderius § 30.—Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 135, MacCulloch Eddic 278, 175, *Boberg; Norse: Norsk Folkminnelag I 63; Swedish: Runa IV (1843) 41 No. 72.
F531.5.7.0.1 Giant wooes mortal woman. Jewish: Neuman.
F531.5.7.0.2 Giant demands girl, but is killed in duel about her. (Cf. F610.3.4.2.1.) Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.7.0.3 Giantesses pursue men in order to marry them. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.7.1 Mortal son of giant. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.7.1.1 Mortal son of man and giantess. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk I 23, Boberg.
F531.5.7.1.2 Giantess daughter of giant and abducted maiden (therefore helps hero). Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.8 Giants and Christians.
F531.5.8.1 Giants hostile to Christianity. Broderius § 25.
F531.5.8.2 Giants exorcised by clergy. Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 138; West Indies: Flowers 435.
F531.5.8.3 Giants Christianized. Broderius § 25; Irish myth: *Cross; Norwegian: Norske Sagn (Christiania, 1902) 119; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1905) No. 137.
F531.5.9 The giant on the ark. Noah saves a giant on the ark. Cannot enter but stays in the rigging. Noah sends him food through a hole. Dh I 283; Jewish: *Neuman.
F531.5.10 Giant as servant to man. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.10.1 Giant driven by girl. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.5.10.2 Giant maidens grind gold, peace, soldiers, salt, etc., on large stone mill. BP II 438ff.; Type 565; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 140ff.; MacCulloch Eddic 282—83, Boberg.
F531.5.11 Giant in contest with man. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.5.11.1 Giant wins walking contest against man. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.5.11.2 Footrace between giant and mortal. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.5.12 Giant insults hero by shaving his head and smearing it with cow dung. Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.5.13 Giants like butter more than anything else. Get trough of butter in return for help. Icelandic: Egils saga einhenda 79, Boberg.
F531.5.14 Man kills giant's baby. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 83, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 539.
F531.5.15 Giants cause men to sin. Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6 Other giant motifs.
F531.6.1 Origin of giants. (Cf. F531.5.7.1.2.) Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 275.
F531.6.1.1 Sons of God and Daughters of men. Before the flood angels have relations with human women: origin of giants. Dh I 294; Krappe Studi e Materiali di Storia delle Religioni IX (1933) 157—172.
F531.6.1.2 Giant is transformed man. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.1.3 Giant son of black cat. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk I 529, Boberg.
F531.6.1.4 Gigantic son of king and mermaid. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga I 73, Boberg.
F531.6.1.5 Giants as personifications. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 580, MacCulloch Eddic 281.
F531.6.1.6 Giant made of the venom from Elivagar. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 326, Boberg.
F531.6.1.7 Giants as sons of Ymir or Aurgelmir. (See A642, A831.2.)
F531.6.1.8 Giants as reincarnated animals. Korean: Zong in-Sob 64.
F531.6.1.9 Giants as descendants of Cain. (Cf. F535.0.1.) Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6.2 Haunts of giants.
F531.6.2.0.1 Giants in "Risaland" or "Jotunheimar" without nearer definition. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.2.1 Giants live in mountains or caves. Broderius § 11.—Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg, Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) 135; Finnish-Swedish: Wessmann 67 No. 572; Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6.2.2 Giants live under water.
F531.6.2.2.1 Giants live under sea. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.2.2.2 Giant lives under lake. Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.6.2.2.3 Giant's home beneath waterfall in lake. Icelandic: *Boberg. Cf. Beowulf.
F531.6.2.3 Giants' live in the east. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 81, *Boberg.
F531.6.2.4 Giants live in the utmost northwest. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.2.5 Giants live at the world's end. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.2.6 Giants in a region of darkness and cold. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 321, Herrmann Saxo II 583ff., 601.
F531.6.2.7 Giants in wild forests. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 280.
F531.6.3 Homes of giants. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 586ff., 595, MacCulloch Eddic 276, Boberg.
F531.6.3.0.1 Men not to disclose giant's home. (Cf. C420.) Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 231.
F531.6.3.1 Giants live in castles (raths, duns) (ruins of which may still be seen). Broderius § 11; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 59 (The Turke and Gowin); Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 319, 282; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1905) Nos. 16, 20.
F531.6.3.2 Giant lives in fairyland. Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.6.4 Age of giants.
F531.6.4.1 Giants have great age. Calculated by age of wood. Broderius § 35; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 276, Boberg; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) Nos. 173, 187, 190; Jewish: *Neuman.
F531.6.4.2 Giants live to be eighteen thousand years old. Chinese: Werner 387.
F531.6.4.3 Giant immortal. Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6.5 Giants as magicians. Broderius § 33; *Höttges FFC CXXII 145; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 122, 131, 148, *Boberg; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1907) No. 318.4.
F531.6.5.1 Giants can make selves invisible. (Cf. F531.6.12.1.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; Norwegian: Norsk Folkminnelag XIII 23; Finnish-Swedish: Landtmann Finlands Svenska Folkdiktning VIII 538.
F531.6.5.2 Giants large or small at will. Broderius § 17; Icelandic: Saxo ed. Elton 26, MacCulloch Eddic 277, *Boberg; German: Henne-Am Rhyn Nos. 441, 562, 225, 365, 444.
F531.6.5.3 Giant has wound-healing balm. Dickson 187 nn. 61—62; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 230, *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière.
F531.6.5.4 Giants as controllers of the elements. *Höttges FFC CXXII 72f., 256; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 75ff., 276, *Boberg.
F531.6.6 Giants as builders of great structures. Broderius § 2; Wünsche Teufel 19; **Höttges FFC CXXII 49ff., 218ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 80 (Sir Tristrem); Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 49, MacCulloch Eddic 276, 278, 286, Boberg; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 25ff., (1931) 15ff. (churches); Fb "kirke" II 124a; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 67 No. 580, 68 No. 582, 69f. Nos. 593—97; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3714.
F531.6.6.1 Giants by night move buildings built by men in day. Broderius § 3.—Norwegian: Norsk Folkminnelag II 28; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1892) 174ff., (1931) 127ff. (churches); Fb "kirke" II 124a; Finnish-Swedish: Landtman Finlands Svenska Folkdiktning VII (Helsingfors 1919) 553.
F531.6.6.2 Giant builds hill for his home. England: Baughman.
F531.6.6.3 Giant digs trench for course of Severn River. England: Baughman.
F531.6.6.4 Giant makes cleft in rock when he misses another giant with spade blow. England: Baughman.
F531.6.6.5 Giant and his wife build Roman road in a trice. Giant paves; wife brings stones. England: Baughman.
F531.6.7 Giant's treasure. (Cf. F531.6.8.3.1.) *Höttges FFC CXXII 143; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 583ff., MacCulloch Eddic 277 (Sutting's poetic mead, runes), Snorra Edda Gylf. IV and XV (Mimir's well), Snorra Edda Skald. XXXII (gold); Estonian: Veckenstedt Sagen der Zamaiten (Heidelberg, 1883) II 141 No. 4, 200 No. 24; Hesse-Nassau: Zaunert 61.
F531.6.7.1 Giant possesses treasure. Broderius § 13.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 279 (Alvaldi's gold), 84 (magic objects); Norwegian: Norske Folkminnelag XIII 29; Faröe: Zs. f. Vksk. II 6 No. 6; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 92 No. 117; Styria: Henne-Am Rhyn No. 225.
F531.6.7.1.1 Giants have animals (dogs, etc.) Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 591, 593, 595; MacCulloch Eddic 66, 85, 88, 111, 230, 276—77, *Boberg.
F531.6.7.1.2 Giants' ship (Naglfar). Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 340.
F531.6.7.2 Giant obtains treasure from man. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.7.2.1 Giant steals from man (fish, sheep, sword). Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8 Mutual relations of giants.
F531.6.8.1 Giant in love with giantess. Broderius § 30; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Norse: Norsk Folkminnelag XIII 29; Danish: Thiele Danmarks Folkesagn (København, 1843) II 47; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1907) No. 319.
F531.6.8.2 Giants pursue giant women. Broderius § 30; Irish myth: *Cross; Swedish: Runa IV (1843) 27 No. 10; German: Grimm Deutsche Sagen (1907) No. 318.4; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) 176—180.
F531.6.8.3 Enmity (competition) between giants. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.3.1 Giants and giantesses fight about treasures. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.3.2 Giant steals from giant. Icelandic: Boberg.
F531.6.8.3.3 Giants wrestle with each other. India: Thompson-Balys.
F531.6.8.4 Giants' festivities. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.4.1 One giant invites another to a feast (wedding). Latter must be satisfied that food is plentiful. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3713.
F531.6.8.5 Giants' social relations.
F531.6.8.5.1 Giants have king, queen. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.5.2 Giants have parliament. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.6 Giants have children. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.8.7 Giants meet successively larger giants. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 261.
F531.6.8.8 Giant does not grow until another giant causes him to do so. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 8.
F531.6.9 Giants as warriors (in army). Broderius § 32; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Bohemian: Jungbauer Böhmerwald Sagen (Jena, 1924).
F531.6.10 Other occupations of giants.
F531.6.10.1 Giant as smith. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 282, *Boberg.
F531.6.11 Antipathies of giants.
F531.6.11.1 Giants fear lightning. Broderius § 27; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 278, 285; Swedish: Henne-Am Rhyn No. 609; German: Zaunert Westfäliche 1.
F531.6.12 Disappearance or death of giants. **Höttges FFC CXXII 75; Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.6.12.1 Disappearance of giants. Broderius § 28.
F531.6.12.1.1 Giant disappears in mist. (Cf. F531.6.5.1.) Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.12.1.2 Giant cursed. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.12.2 Sunlight turns giant or troll to stone. Broderius § 7; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 277, 282, 285, Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 154, Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 124, Boberg.
F531.6.12.3 Slain giant turns to salt stone. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.12.4 Giants killed by lightning or thunder (personified in the thunder-god). (Cf. F531.6.11.1.) Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 592, MacCulloch Eddic 69ff., Boberg.
F531.6.12.5 Giant killed by earthquake. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga I 80, Boberg.
F531.6.12.6 Giant slain by man. (Cf. F531.6.9, F628.2.3, G500.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 374f.; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 83, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 315, 537f.
F531.6.12.6.1 Giant destroyed by army. Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6.12.7 Giants driven away by men. Icelandic: Boberg.
F531.6.12.8 Giant drowned.
F531.6.12.8.1 Giants drowned (in Ymir's blood). Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 324, Snorra Edda skaldsk. ch. II, Boberg.
F531.6.12.8.2 Giant drowned in Deluge. (Cf. A1010.) Jewish: Neuman.
F531.6.13 Graves of giants. Broderius § 12; **Höttges FFC CXXII 75ff., 256f.; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Arnason Legends of Iceland (London, 1864) I 40, 51, 53, 148; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 13ff., (1931) 8ff., VI 74; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 67 No. 577; Faröe: Zs. f. Vksk. II 18.
F531.6.13.1 Giants enchanted in caverns. Broderius § 34; Swedish: Runa (1847) 34 No. 9; Tirol: Henne-Am Rhyn 2 No. 628.
F531.6.13.2 Giant enchanted in car. Icelandic: Hálfdanar saga Br. 574, Boberg.
F531.6.14 Ghost of giant. Broderius § 17; *Höttges FFC CXXII 133; Westphalia: Zaunert Westfälische 5; Ditmarsch: Zs. f. Vksk. VIII 210; Tirol: Zingerle (1891) Nos. 41, 206, 357.
F531.6.15 Giants and supernatural beings.
F531.6.15.1 Giants and gods in fight. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 151, MacCulloch Eddic 83—84, 91, 179, 275 ff.
F531.6.15.2 Love relations between giants and other supernatural beings. (Cf. F531.6.8.1.) Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 119, cf. O. Lundberg in Arctos Svecica 2, Ups. 1944, 5ff., Herrmann Saxo II 97ff., MacCulloch Eddic 47ff., 82, 91, 110, 158, 181, Boberg.
F531.6.15.3 Giants and dwarfs friendly. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 83, (Central): Boas RBAE VI 635.
F531.6.16 Attendants of the giants.
F531.6.16.1 Giants' watchman (Eggther). Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 276, Boberg.
F531.6.16.2 Giant's animals help him in fight. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.16.3 Man as servant of giant. Icelandic: *Boberg.
F531.6.17 Other acts of giants.
F531.6.17.1 Giants dance. *Fb "danse" I 93a.
F531.6.17.2 Giant inflates self and floats through air. (Cf. F531.6.5.2.) Malone PMLA XLIII 412.
F531.6.17.2.1 Giant flies over water like bird. Irish myth: *Cross.
F531.6.17.3 Eagle carries giant to its nest. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "aigle".
F531.6.17.4 Giant plays musical instrument. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.17.5 Giant herdsman. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.17.6 Giant rolls like wheel. Irish myth: Cross.
F531.6.17.7 Giants are wise. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 277, 127, *Boberg.
F532 Remarkably broad man. Köhler-Bolte I 403; Jewish: Neuman.
F533 Remarkably tall man. (Cf. F531.2.1.) Köhler-Bolte I 403; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Þiðriks saga I 345, Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Marquesas: Handy 126; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 392; Fiji: ibid. 472; Tuamotu: ibid. 471.
F535 Pygmy. Remarkably small man. Also called "dwarf". To be distinguished from the dwarfs who live in the woods and inhabit underground places (F451). *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt I 242 n. 6; *Frazer Pausanias II 107; *Chauvin VII 15 No. 373C n. 1; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Hartland Science 179; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Fox 256; Arabian: Burton Nights V 252 n; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 386; N. A. Indian (Cherokee): Alexander N. Am. 68; African: *Werner African 258ff.
F535.0.1 Pygmies descendants of Cain. (Cf. F531.6.1.9.) Jewish: Neuman.
F535.1 Thumbling. Person the size of a thumb. *Types 327B, 700; *BP I 361, 389; Fb "tomling"; Saintyves Contes de Perrault 245ff., 314ff.; *Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Daumling"; India: *Thompson-Balys.
F535.1.1 Adventures of thumbling. See Type 700 for detailed adventures.
F535.1.1.1 Thumbling drives wagon by sitting in horse's ear. Type 700; BP I 389.
F535.1.1.1.1 Thumbling drives mule. India: Thompson-Balys.
F535.1.1.2 Thumbling carried up chimney by steam of food. *Type 700; BP I 389.
F535.1.1.3 Thumbling lies by sleeping man. Is blown to window by man's breath. BP I 397.
F535.1.1.4 Thumbling in danger of being sucked in by man's breath. BP I 397.
F535.1.1.5 Thumbling lost in animal track. India: Thompson-Balys.
F535.1.1.6 Thumbling has cat as riding-horse. India: Thompson-Balys.
F535.1.1.7 Thumbling swallowed by animals. German: Grimm No. 37, 45.
F535.1.1.8 Thumbling imprisoned in a sausage. German: Grimm No. 45.
F535.1.1.9 Thumbling sold as freak. German: Grimm No. 37.
F535.1.1.10 Thumbling hides in small place.
F535.1.1.10.1 Thumbling hides under thimble in table drawer. German: Grimm No. 45.
F535.1.1.10.2 Thumbling hides in a snail shell, in a mouse hole. German: Grimm No. 37.
F535.1.1.11 Thumbling as accomplice to robbers. German: Grimm No. 37, 45.
F535.1.1.11.1 Thumbling steals by entering keyhole. German: Grimm No. 37, 45.
F535.1.1.12 Thumbling carries needle as sword. German: Grimm No. 45.
F535.1.1.13 Thumbling carried in pocket. German: Grimm No. 90.
F535.1.1.14 Thumbling carried on hat brim. (See F531.5.1.1.3. for a similar motif.) German: Grimm No. 37.
F535.2 Pygmies of various sizes.
F535.2.1 Pygmies nine inches tall. Chinese: Werner 386.
F535.2.2 Man so small he can go through eye of needle. BP I 397.
F535.2.3 Man so small he dances in spider web. BP I 397.
F535.2.4 Man so small he can put his head through a mote in a sunbeam. BP I 397.
F535.2.5 Man so small that he rides on an ant. Ant treads him underfoot. BP I 397.
F535.2.6 Pygmy stands on man's hand. Irish myth: *Cross.
F535.2.7 Person (poet, child) only "fist high." Irish myth: *Cross.
F535.2.8 Little soldiers with officer on rabbit (long needles and knives for weapons). Chinese: Graham.
F535.3 Dress of pygmies.
F535.3.1 Pygmies dressed in copper. Finnish: Kalevala rune 2.
F535.3.2 Pygmies dressed in red. Chinese: Werner 386.
F535.4 Characteristics of pygmies.
F535.4.1 Sexes of pygmies distinguished. A slight beard on men; long tresses on women. Chinese: Werner 386.
F535.4.2 Pygmies with upturned feet. S. A. Indian: Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 712.
F535.4.3 Noseless pygmies. (Cf. F514.1.) Jewish: Neuman.
F535.5 Deeds of pygmies.
F535.5.1 War of pygmies and cranes. Greek: *Frazer Pausanias II 107; *Fb "trane" III 835b.
F535.5.1.1 Battle between giants and dwarfs; dwarfs win. (Cf. F531.) Africa (Fang): Einstein 71.
F535.6 Kingdom of pygmies.
F535.6.1 Underground pygmy kingdom. Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 17.
F540 Remarkable physical organs.
F541 Remarkable eyes. (Cf. F512.) Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys.
F541.1 Flashing eyes. Irish myth: Cross.
F541.1.1 Eyes flash fire. Greek: Fox 9 (Typhon).
F541.1.2 Eyes flash lightning. N. A. Indian (Navaho): Matthews MAFLS V 123.
F541.1.3 Eyes of live coals. Köhler-Bolte I 403.
F541.1.4 Serpent-eye. Eyes so keen that man is supposed to have serpents in them. De Vries Zs. f. deutsche Philologie XIII (1928) 289; Icelandic: Sörlaюáttr (FAS I) 406, Völundarkvida, stanza 16, Ragnars saga Loрbrуkar 136, *Boberg.
F541.2 Eye with picture in the pupil. Witch with picture of cat (dog) in pupil. *Fb "øje" III 1166a, "kattekilling" II 111.
F541.3 Eye with several pupils.
F541.3.1 Eye with two pupils. Fb "øje" III 1166a.—Chinese: Ferguson
F541.3.2 Eye with three pupils. Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.3.3 Eye with four pupils. Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.3.4 Eye with seven pupils. (Cf. A526.5.) Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.4 Eye must be rubbed before it can see. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeil".
F541.5 One of man's (giant's) eyes protrudes, other recedes. (Cf. F1041.16.2.) Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.5.1 Single eye protrudes from forehead. Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.6 Eyes remarkable as to color.
F541.6.1 One eye brown, other blue. Irish myth: Cross.
F541.6.2 Person has red eye. Irish myth: Cross.
F541.7 Eye with remarkably heavy lid. Requires four men to lift it, or the like. (Cf. F511.1, G631.) Irish myth: Cross.
F541.8 Eye recedes into head. Irish myth: *Cross.
F541.9 Eyes shed tears of blood. (Cf. H71.8.) Jewish: Neuman.
F541.10 Eyes impervious to iron lances. Jewish: Neuman.
F541.11 Removable eyes. Jewish: Neuman; Africa: Weeks Jungle 126ff.
F542 Remarkable ears. (Cf. F511.2.) India: Thompson-Balys.
F542.1 Long ears. People must hold them up so as not to impede walking. Liebrecht 90f.; Cosquin Contes indiens 179; Chinese: Werner 389; Indonesian: Kruyt Het Animisme 350; Malay: Gerth van Wijk Tijdschrift voor Indische Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde XXXV 272; Papua: Landtman Nos. 135, 145, 163.
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.
F543 Remarkable nose. (Cf. F514.) India: Thompson-Balys.
F543.1 Remarkably long nose. *Fb "næse" II 716b, "kjælling" II 146b.
F543.1.1 Long nose used as poker. Fb. "næse" II 716b.
F543.1.2 Long nose used as hen roost. Fb "næse" III 716b.
F543.1.3 Remarkably long, hooked nose. Irish myth: Cross.