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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| H702.1 | How many stars in the heavens? As many as the grains of sand; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. *Anderson FFC XLII 166. |
| H702.2.1 | How many stars in the heavens? As many as the hairs in the goatskin (on a donkey). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H702.2 | How many stars in the heavens? As many as the hairs in the head; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. *Anderson FFC XLII 167. |
| H702.3 | How many stars in the heavens? As many as the points on paper; if you don't believe it, count them yourself. *Anderson FFC XLII 167. |
| H711.1 | How much am I (the king) worth? Twenty-nine pieces of silver, for Christ was sold for thirty. (Cf. H716.) *Type 922;* Anderson FFC XLII 194; *BP III 232; *Fb "værd". |
| H691.1.1 | How much does the moon weigh? A pound, for it has four quarters. *Type 922; BP III 232; *Anderson FFC XLII 173; Köhler-Bolte I 458. |
| H691.1.2 | How much does the moon weigh? So and so much, and if you don't believe it go and weigh it yourself. Anderson FFC XLII 174. |
| H715.1 | How much does the sun earn for his daily work? A day's wages. Anderson FFC XLII 226. |
| H713.1 | How much is a golden plow (throne, crown, palace) worth? A rain in May. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 161ff.; *Anderson FFC XLII 186. |
| H712.2 | How much is king's beard worth? A May rain (three rains in summer). De Vries FFC LXXIII 161; Köhler-Bolte I 456. |
| H712.1 | How much is king's beard worth? The months July, August, and September. Köhler-Bolte I 456. |
| H696.1.3 | How much water is in the sea? A tub-full if the tub is large enough. Anderson FFC XLII 134. |
| H696.1.2 | How much water is in the sea? So and so much, and if you don't believe it, go measure it yourself. Anderson FFC XLII 136. |
| H696.1.1 | How much water is in the sea? Stop all the rivers and I will measure it. Anderson FFC XLII 134; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H682.2.1 | How wide is heaven? So and so wide, and if you do not believe it, go measure it yourself. Anderson FFC XLII 227. |
| H1592 | Hunting contest. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H931.1.1 | Husband assigns tasks for king who has stolen his wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H151.8 | Husband attracted by wife's power of healing: recognition follows. *Type 712. |
| H492.3 | Husband castrates himself to test wife's faithfulness. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H492.2 | Husband has a friend woo his wife: she is seduced. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H492.2.2 | Husband has friend woo his wife: seduction narrowly averted by frightened husband's intervention. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H492.2.1 | Husband has friend woo his wife: wife is generous to certain point only. Husband makes her wear dress symbolic of her generosity—blouse of coarse cloth; dress of gold brocade. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H492.1 | Husband refuses to murder his wife for high honors; wife agrees to murder husband. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 90, 303, Neuman. |
| H476 | Husband tests false wife by sleeping on her hair. Had always done so with true bride. Chinese: Graham. |
| H1556.4.5 | Husband's (wife's) willingness to die for mate disappears when Death seems to arrive. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1355*. |
| H105.6 | Identification between lovers by matching claw and leg of dragon. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H75 | Identification by a hair. |
| H96 | Identification by amulet. (Cf. D1070.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| H131 | Identification by axe. Recognition by axe which man bears. Fb "økse" III 1171b. |
| H101 | Identification by broken weapon. Point of weapon broken off. Later found to match rest of weapon. English: Wells 80 (Sir Tristrem); Icelandic: Ragnarssaga Loрbrуkar 118, Boberg; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18f.; Indonesia: cf. De Vries's list No. 163. |
| H119 | Identification by cloth or clothing—miscellaneous. |
| H110 | Identification by cloth or clothing. |
| H126 | Identification by coat of arms. English: Wells 117 (Sir Torrent of Portyngale). |
| H121 | Identification by cup. English: Wells 158 (Amis and Amiloun); Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H117 | Identification by cut garment. Garment is cut and fragment taken as token. *Types 304, 851; *BP I 197, II 505; *Hartland Perseus 208ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H111.2 | Identification by feather cloak. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 420, 479. |
| H78.2 | Identification by feather taken from hero when he was transformed to bird. *Type 665. |
| H102.1 | Identification by fitting together two pieces of parchment. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H111 | Identification by garment. *Types 301, 510B, 451; English: Wells 116 (Sir Eglamour of Artois), 126 (Lai le Freine); Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Africa (Benga): Nassau 229 No. 34. |
| H116 | Identification by girdle. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H114 | Identification by glove. English: Wells 134 (Sir Degare); Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H75.2 | Identification by hair dropped by bird. *Type 531; *BP III 31 n. 1, 33; **Golther ibid. |
| H75.1 | Identification by hair found floating on water. *Type 531; *BP III 31 n. 1. 33; **Golther "Die Jungfrau mit den goldenen Haaren" Studien zur Literaturgeschichte M. Bernays gewidmet (Leipzig, 1893).—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 355 n. 281. |
| H113 | Identification by handkerchief. *Types 300, 301; *Hartland Perseus III 206ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "mouchoir"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H102 | Identification by indenture. Each of two persons keeps his half of a contract which has been torn in two. Fitting of the halves brings about recognition. English: Child II 499b. |
| H93 | Identification by jewel. French: Cosquin Lorraine I 220 n.; Hindu: Tawney I 170. |
| H145 | Identification by magic hand. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H100 | Identification by matching parts of divided token. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H101.1 | Identification by matching weapon with wound. Africa (Chaga): Stamberg ZsES XXI 296ff., Gutmann 82f. No. 41, (Ganda): Baskerville 1ff. |
| H92 | Identification by necklace. *Types 450, 870, 870A; *BP I 79ff., III 443ff., 445; *Fb "guldkjæde" IV 192a; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 514. |
| H183 | Identification by nurse. Long-missing person identified by his childhood nurse. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H90 | Identification by ornaments. *Type 870A; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H91.3 | Identification by producing three golden apples. German: Grimm No. 136. |
| H94.2 | Identification by ring baked in bread. *Type 510; *Fb "ring" III 60a; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bague". |
| H94.1 | Identification by ring baked in cake. *Type 400. |
| H94.4 | Identification by ring dropped in glass (cup) of wine. *Types 400, 506, 510; *Fb "guldring" I 514b, "ring" III 60a; *BP II 348; Wesselski Mönchslatein 111 No. 95; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 53, Beal XXI 320; English: Wells 9 (King Horn), Child V 493 s.v. "ring. |
| H94.3 | Identification by ring dropped in pitcher of wine. Penzer II 76 n. 1. |
| H94 | Identification by ring. *Types 301, 304, 882; *BP II 348; Thien Motive 33; *Fb "ring" III 60a; *Hartland Perseus III 207ff.; Liungman Tvе Folkeminnes. 25 n. 1; Saintyves Perrault 204ff.; Irish myth: *Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 26; English: Wells 9ff. (Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild), 73 (Sir Percyvelle of Galles), 80 (Sir Tristrem); Icelandic: *Boberg; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 181; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 3; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Penzer II 76f., Tawney I 142 n., II 620; Chinese: Graham. |
| H111.1 | Identification by royal garments. Burton Nights S VII 108; English: Wells 126 (Lai la Freine). |
| H112 | Identification by scarf. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "foulard". |
| H106.1 | Identification by severed hand. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H106 | Identification by severed limbs. (Cf. also H105.) |
| H118 | Identification by shred of garment of rescued princess used as bandage for wound. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H125.2 | Identification by spear. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 416. |
| H125.1 | Identification by sword. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 100 (Theseus). |
| H120 | Identification by tokens—miscellaneous. |
| H80 | Identification by tokens. Types 300, 301, 304, 306, 873; English: Child V 499 s.v. "tokens"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18; Greek: Fox 71; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H115 | Identification by veil. *Hartland Perseus III 206. |
| H125.3 | Identification by war-club. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 508. |
| H125 | Identification by weapons. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H75.5 | Identification by wolf's hair. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H79.2 | Identification of man by his little toe. Chinese: Werner 337. |
| H79.5 | Identification of man by his skull. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H94.5 | Identification through broken ring. (Cf. H100.) The two parts of the ring fit together. Type 361, BP II 428; *Fb "guldring" I 514b, "ring" III No. 95; Heptameron No. 24; Köhler-Bolte I 585; Wesselski Mönchslatein 111 No. 95; Icelandic: Boberg; English: Child V 493 "ring"; Filipino: Fansler MAFLS XII 210. |
| H94.9 | Identification through ring concealed in garland. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H82 | Identifying tokens sent with messenger. English: Child V 499 s.v. "tokens"; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H79.8 | Identity established because one of man's teeth is blue. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H15 | Identity tested by account of common experiences. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H15.1 | Identity tested by demanding that person say again what he said on former occasion. (Impostor fails.) *Types 425, 870; Tegethoff 21; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H0 | Identity tests. Recognition. Elaborate means are employed in folk-literature for the recognition of persons even though they have been separated a very short time. The various means used are detailed in the following discussion. |
| H252.3 | If oath is false, fruit will fall. (Cf. H251.3.10.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H413.6 | If princess is chaste her weight will be only that of five flowers; if not, normal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1371 | Impossible quests. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 126b. |
| H919.4 | Impossible task assigned by plaintiff as proof. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1129.10.1 | Impossible task: assembling huge quantity of many-colored fleas. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1023.2.3 | Impossible task: filling a grain-bin through the hole in the bottom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1010 | Impossible tasks. *Type 428; *Child V 498 s.v. "tasks"; Burton Nights VI 204ff., S VI 4ff.; Hdwb. d. Märchens I s.v. "Aufgaben, schwierige"; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 168; Chinese: Graham. |
| H38.2 | Impostor of low origin recognized by habitual speech. |
| H152.2 | Impoverished husband in service of wife recognized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H491.1 | In large family father unwilling but mother willing to sell children. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 87, 303, Neuman. |
| H245.1 | Incantation which when recited over certain "lots" causes them to distinguish between guilt and innocence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H216 | Indications of innocence. |
| H215.4 | Ineradicable handprint as indication of innocence. (Cf. D1654.3.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| H481.1 | Infant indicates his unknown father by handing him an apple. *Fb "æble" III 1135b, "guldæble" I 516a; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 93b. |
| H481 | Infant picks out his unknown father. *Type 675; BP I 485; *Fb "barn" IV 27b; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 3; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries's list No. 208; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 336 n. 212; S. A. Indian (Yunca): Alexander Lat. Am. 228. |
| H482 | Infant picks out his unknown mother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H594 | Inhospitality reproved enigmatically. |
| H86 | Inscribed name on article as token of ownership. (Cf. H94.10.) German: Grimm Nos. 60, 101, 111. |
| H562 | Inscription on home of riddle-solver "I have no care." Anderson FFC XLII 244. |
| H162.1 | Insect points out deity by settling where he is. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 18. |
| H311 | Inspection test for suitors. Suitors for princess's hand must present themselves for public inspection. (Cf. H362, T55.7.) Types 314, 502; BP III 111; Krappe Revue Hispanique LXXXI 5ff.; Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 104, *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H607.4 | Is town too full of anchorites? Saint entering holy town is sent cup full to brim of milk by its worldly-minded fakirs that he may know the town can hold no more anchorites. Saint floats a flower on milk and returns cup. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1256 | Journey to other world to obtain a wife. (Cf. H1381.3.1.2.) Chinese: Graham. |
| H1254 | Journey to otherworld for magic objects. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H218.1 | Judicial combat interrupted by friends of loser. *Dickson 79 n. 40. |
| H1522 | Killing trees threaten hero. India: *Thompson-Balys; Tahiti: Dixon 64; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 322 n. 160. |
| H921 | King (father) assigns tasks to his unknown son. *Type 920; De Vries FFC LXXIII 40ff., 323ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Tupinamba): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 132. |
| H561.2 | King and abbot. King propounds three riddles to abbot to answer on pain of death. Herdsman disguises as abbot and answers questions. *Type 922; **Anderson FFC XLII; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 55; Fb "hyrde" I 719; India: Thompson-Balys; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H561.5 | King and clever minister. King propounds riddles and questions to his clever minister. **De Vries FFC LXXIII 365ff.; *Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "Ahiqar"; *Marc Studien zur vgl. Littgesch. II 393f., III 52; **Meissner Das Märchen vom weisen Achikar (Leipzig, 1917); Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H561.4 | King and clever youth. King asks questions; youth returns riddling answers. *Type 921; **De Vries FFC LXXIII 111ff., 308ff.; Anderson FFC XLII 356 n. 2; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H561.6 | King and peasant vie in riddling questions and answers. |
| H561.6.1 | King and peasant: the plucked fowl. The king gives riddling questions to a peasant, who always interprets them right. The king says that he will send the peasant a fowl which he shall pluck. The king gives the same questions to his courtiers, who cannot interpret them. They pay the peasant good money for the answers. Peasant tells king that he has plucked the fowl. Anderson FFC XLII 342; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H548.1 | King and rabbi exchange riddles. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1182.2 | King asks favorite minister to show him a trick that he has never seen before. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1574.3 | King chosen by test. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H507.1.0.2 | King defeated in repartee by boy, who thus wins girl. Boy: "Who would give a man a bath, feed him his rice, and then bring him the tamal-pan to chew?" King: "No one but a wife." Boy claims minister's daughter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H157 | King finds note with children in casket floated down river identifying them as his. (Cf. S141.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 526. |
| H587 | King gives enigmatic order to minister. |
| H1385.12 | King in quest of his prime minister who has left him in anger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1218 | King possessing one marvelous object sends hero on quest for another like it. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H508.1 | King propounds questions to his sons to determine successor. England: Child I 13 n., Baughman. |
| H540.3 | King propounds riddles. |
| H41.9 | King recognized by unique ability to occupy certain seat (Siege perilous). Irish myth: *Cross; *Nutt Studies in the Legend of the Holy Grail (London, 1888) 81f., 88. |
| H1311.1 | King seeks one richer (more magnificent) than himself. (Cf. H1395.) English: Child I 275—283 passim, III 17n., 503f.; Pélerinage de Charlemagne; Huet 146; Thien Motive 7; Russian: Andrejev No. 650b*; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Chavannes 500 Contes I 374 No. 107. |
| H171.1 | King selected by elephant's bowing to him. *Penzer V 175ff.; *Hartland Ritual and Belief (1914) 290ff.; *Christiansen FFC XXIV 124; Paris Zs. f. Vksk. XIII 6 n. 8.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H162.2 | King selected by having a cricket light on his head. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1252.4 | King sends hero to otherworld to carry message to king's dead father. *Cosquin Contes indiens 405ff. |
| H561.3.1 | King Solomon as master riddle-solver. (Cf. H540.2.1, H540.4.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1557.6 | King tests gardener's obedience by playing thief. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.1.1 | King: Are you alone at home? Youth: Not now; I see the half of two quadrupeds. (Two legs of the king and the forefeet of his horse.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87. |
| H587.1 | King: Show me a ruby eight for a pice, nectar eight for a pice, and a faithless creature worth one-eighth of a pice. Minister: The lamp sells at eight for a pice and gives more light than any ruby; the water is the real nectar; and the dog is worthless and faithless lover because he follows anyone who feeds him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.6 | King: What are you doing? Youth: I boil those which come and go. (Beans which keep rising and falling in water.) *Types 875, 921; De Vries FFC LXXIII 115. |
| H583.4.5 | King: What are your mother and father doing? Girl: Mother is separating earth (being a midwife), and father is mixing earth (at a funeral). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.1 | King: What do you see? Youth: One and a half men and a horse's head. (Himself, the legs of the king on horseback in the door, and the horse's head.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87, 151ff.; *Basset 1001 Contes II 41. |
| H583.3 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He hunts; he throws away what he catches and what he does not catch he carries with him. (Hunts for lice on his body.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 120 No. 102; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H583.3.1 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He runs back and forth. (Plows.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff. |
| H583.3.2 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He sits between heaven and earth. (In a tree.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff. |
| H583.2.4 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Cuts wood which was burnt last year. (To pay old debts.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.5 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: He fences thorns with thorns. (Eggplant garden fenced with thorns.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.2 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: He is in the vineyard and is doing good and bad. (He prunes vines and sometimes cuts good and sometimes lets bad ones stay.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87. |
| H583.2.1 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes an evil greater. (Closes up a path; this causes another to be opened.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.3 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes better from good. (Hedges his field.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.2 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes many out of few. (Sows grain.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.4.6 | King: What is your mother doing? Girl: She has gone to turn one into two (to split peas). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.4.3 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She cuts off the heads of the well to cure the sick. (Kills chickens to feed her sick mother.) Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She does for another what the latter cannot do for her. (Lays out a corpse.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff. |
| H583.4.4 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She drives away the hungry and compels the filled to eat. (Drives away the hungry hens and stuffs the geese.) Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4.2 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She is baking the bread we ate last week. (To pay back borrowed bread.) (Cf. H583.2.4.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4.1 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She shows the light of the world to one who has not yet seen it. (Assists at a birth.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff. |
| H583.5 | King: What is your sister doing? Youth: She is mourning last year's laughter. (Nurses child, the fruit of last year's love affair.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 133ff. |
| H583.7 | King: Where shall I tie my horse? Maiden: Between summer and winter. (Between wagon and sleigh.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 254. |
| H585.2 | King: Why did you not do it (marry so that sons could help you)? Peasant: I did, but it was not God's will (I married three times but it was not God's will to give me sons). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1584.2 | Land measured according to amount encompassed during certain hours. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1584.1 | Land measured according to amount within person's view. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1231 | Large boot-supply for journey. Quest is to be so long that many boots are to be worn out. Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 4; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 358 n. 287k. |
| H1484.1 | Large fire and water for washing eyes as device of expectant lover. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H135 | Leaf (chip) sent down stream as a warning to one below. (Cf. H35.4.) Child I 40b, 487a; *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt 301ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H607.2.1 | Learned professor from one university examines by signs a professor at another university (actually shoemaker or miller or the like). England, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| H222.1 | Legitimacy of children tested by dipping them in river. English: Child I 271 n. |
| H1318 | Liar escapes from devil: quest for greater liar. (Cf. G303.16.19.3, K210, X905.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| H432.2 | Lily as chastity index. Penzer I 165. |
| H507.6 | Literary contest won by deception: he who will be first silenced is the loser. When the false teacher answers in nonsense syllables, the true scholar is speechless and so loses contest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1588.1 | Litter of puppies tested by throwing them one by one at hanging hide of wild beast, and keeping the one that grips hide. Puppy grows up to be great hunting dog. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1573.1.2 | Loathly deed performed as evidence of Christian virtue. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H317 | Long term of service imposed on suitor. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H331.5.0.1 | Loser in bride-race must die. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 160 n. 2. |
| H432.3 | Lotus flower as chastity index. (Cf. D975.1.) Penzer I 42, 156. |
| H333.1 | Lover has head cut off at girl's desire. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1556.4.1 | Lover's fidelity tested by going to bed with mistress and only kissing. Heptameron No. 18. |
| H1556.4.2 | Lover's fidelity tested by making love to maid. Heptameron No. 18. |
| H1556.4.3 | Lover's fidelity tested by substituting maid in mistress's bed at assignation. He must refuse her. Heptameron No. 18. |
| H71.6.1 | Luminous face as sign of royalty. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 29, *Cross. |
| H411.10 | Magic bed and pillows as chastity test. Speak and reveal unchastity. (Cf. D1154.1.) Liungman Tvе Folkminnesundersökningar 1ff.; English: Child I 64—70 passim. |
| H411.8 | Magic bridge as chastity test. Cannot be crossed by unchaste. (Cf. D1258.) *Bolte Montanus 631; Chauvin VII 168; Child I 267, 269. |
| H411.6 | Magic chair as chastity test. Unchaste woman cannot sit in it till bidden. (Cf. D1151.2.) Chauvin VII 168; English: Child I 72f., 75. |
| H411.4.2 | Magic cup as chastity test: sticks to hands of adulterer. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H251.3.13 | Magic cup as test of truth and falsehood. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H411.4 | Magic drinking horn (cup) as chastity test. (Cf. D1171.6.) Unchaste woman cannot drink from cup. *Chauvin VII 167; Bédier Fabliaux 465; Child I 262—273 passim; Penzer I 165; Cross MPh X 289; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H411.12 | Magic harp as chastity test. Plays out of tune at approach of unchaste girl. (Cf. D1231.) English: Child I 269. |
| H411.9.1 | Magic idol as chastity test. Turns black in presence of unchaste woman. Lights up in presence of chaste woman. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H411.13 | Magic lamp as chastity test. Only virgin can light it. (Cf. D1162.1.) *Oesterley No. 278; Herbert III 210. |
| H215 | Magic manifestation at execution proves innocence. Types 451, 710; Irish: Beal XXI 316; German: Grimm Nos. 3, 6, 120; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1573.2.1 | Magic manifestation required as proof in test of saintliness. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H411.15 | Magic mirror as chastity index. (Cf. D1163.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H251.3.7 | Magic object cast on water sinks if person is guilty. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H251.3.8 | Magic object clings to hand of guilty person. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H411 | Magic object points out unchaste woman. |
| H411.5 | Magic pin as chastity test. If it floats, woman is chaste. (Cf. D1182.) Chauvin VII 168; RTP XIV 598. |
| H411.3 | Magic plant as chastity test. (Cf. D965.) Chauvin VII 168; Penzer I 168. |
| H411.11 | Magic spring as chastity test. Wells up if girl is not a virgin. (Cf. D927.) Irish myth: Cross; English: Floris and Blanchefleur line 618. |
| H251.3.9.1 | Magic spring detects parricide and idolatry. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H251.3.9 | Magic spring detects perjury: disfigures perjurer. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H411.9 | Magic statue as chastity test. Moves eyes in presence of unchaste woman. (Cf. D1268.) *Chauvin VII 169; Puymaigre Folklore (Paris, 1885) 37. |
| H411.1 | Magic stone as chastity test. At foot of bed: cannot be stepped on by unchaste woman. (Cf. D931.) *Type 870A; Fb "sten" III 554b; English: Child I 269 n. |
| H251.2.2 | Magic stone detects perjury: sheds water. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H411.2 | Magic tree as chastity test. Cannot be climbed by unchaste woman. (Cf. D950.) Dunlop-Liebrecht 416. |
| H583.9 | Maiden (to king): Shall I feed you with loss or gain. (A slaughtered hen or milk.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 254; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1465*; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 877*. |
| H583.8 | Maiden (to king): The house has neither eyes nor ears. (No child at window nor dog in yard to announce king's approach: he therefore finds her not dressed to receive him.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 252. |
| H346.1 | Maiden queen promises herself to the man who heals her husband and kills his bewitcher. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H933.2 | Maiden queen sets hero three dangerous tasks in order to disenchant her sisters. (Cf. F565.3.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H916.1.1 | Malicious wife reports that her husband is a famous doctor: he is commanded to cure the princess. *Crane Vitry 231f. No. 237; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XXVI 89 n. 1; Herbert III 19; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H1588.2 | Man and king compete by letting their domestic animals fight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H599.4 | Man asked to kill thousands, press hundreds beneath his arm, etc. (To shave his head, put some hairs under his arm, etc.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H171.4.1 | Man before whom oxen stop chosen king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H171.4 | Man before whom riderless car stops chosen king. *Penzer V 175ff. |
| H1573.1.4 | Man commanded by saint to leap into fiery furnace: unharmed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H591.3 | Man cuts hooks for the revenge of his father (Hamlet). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H586.1 | Man helps traveler and makes riddling remarks. Gives him food, shares his coat in rain, and carries him over stream. Reproaches him with traveling without mother, house, or bridge (nourishment, shelter, or horse). *Köhler-Bolte I 197f.; Nouvelles de Sens No. 3. |
| H473.4 | Man leaving home warns wife not to wash face in puddle in dunghill. She does. He cannot understand why; she cannot explain. England: Baughman. |
| H375.2 | Man marries girl bringing his clothes soonest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H552 | Man marries girl who guesses his riddles. Child V 493 s.v. "riddles"; Irish myth: Cross. |
| H591.1 | Man puts on shoes only when he wades river. (He cannot see what he is walking on.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1553.4 | Man shows his patience by accepting blow in face with stool thrown by his superior in monastery. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1569.1.1 | Man tests industry of prospective servant girl. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| H591.2 | Man uses umbrella under trees. (To protect self from falling branches and bird droppings.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1194.1 | Man whose laughter brings rain will not laugh: brought to laughter when people who, unknown to each other, have gone to sleep in same dark room frighten each other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H551.1 | Man wins wife by instructing her how to answer her mother's riddles. Child I 418f. |
| H1239.4 | Man with magic knowledge defeats his competitors in quest by misinforming them about the character of country they will be traveling (for a place where there is no water he makes them bring loads of wood; for a place where water is he makes them bring along loads of water). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H411.7 | Mantle as chastity test. Will not fit unchaste woman. (Cf. D1053.) *Chauvin VII 168; *Cross MPh X 289, XVI 649; *Child I 260ff., 265, V 289a; Bédier Fabliaux 465; BP IV 138; Oesterley No. 69; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H71 | Marks of royalty. (Cf. H41, H171.5.) *Type 533; *BP II 275; Köhler-Bolte I 130; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H82.2 | Marriage tokens identifying lover. English: Child V 499 s.v. "tokens"; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H71.10 | Marvel as sign of royalty. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H62.3 | Marvelous horse identified by prince though in form of miserable worn-out one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1561.10 | Master tests disciple by asking him if he will be willing to plunge with him into the Indus. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H494 | Maternity test: to produce a baby within a year. India: Thompson. |
| H570 | Means of solving riddles. |
| H611.1 | Melons ripe and overripe analogous to girls ready for marriage. Iraq: Ethel Stevens Folk Tales of Iraq (London, 1931) 60. |
| H720 | Metaphorical riddles. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1562.14 | Mighty-of-His-Mouth and Mighty-of-His-Hands decide to live together to test strength. Strength of mind is winner. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H45.2 | Milk gushes forth from cows when they sit under tree inhabited by deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H135.2 | Milk poured into stream as signal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1370 | Miscellaneous quests. |
| H1149 | Miscellaneous superhuman tasks. |
| H1180 | Miscellaneous tasks. |
| H12.1 | Missing female poet discovered through test of poetic ability. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1553.5 | Monk fails in test of patience. He tries to live alone to test it. One day he loses his temper at a cup which overturns and he breaks it. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H105.4.1 | Monster's beard as proof of visit. Type 461; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 602, *Boberg. |
| H71.1.1 | Moon on forehead and stars in palm of hand as sign of royalty. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1216 | Mother sends son to find unknown father. (Cf. H1385.7.) English: Wells 134 (Sir Degare); India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H495.2 | Mother test: milk goes long distance into child's mouth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H495 | Mother test. |
| H56.2 | Mutilation of children's bodies for identification. *Dickson 42 n. 41. |
| H243 | Nature fruitless if false judgment is passed. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.3 | Nectar in poison: mistress who saves her lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H119.2 | Needle left in garment of husband by abducted wife as sign. Chinese: Graham. |
| H251.1.1 | Oath of truth before magic lion. If oath is false perjurer is dismembered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H251.3.5 | Oath taken before image. If oath is false the image turns around (or changes color). Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H252.4 | Oath taken on boy's head: boy to die if false. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H253 | Oaths before gods as test of truth. Chinese: Werner 403. |
| H1557.5 | Obedience of king's subjects tested by willingness to allow spear to be carried crosswise into houses. Way must be hewn. Irish myth: Cross. |
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