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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 |
|---|---|
| H940 | Assignment of tasks—miscellaneous. |
| H941 | Cumulative tasks: second assigned so that first can be done. *Cosquin Contes indiens 474ff.; Chauvin VI 109 No. 274 n. 3; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 109 n. 4; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H942 | Tasks assigned as payment of gambling loss. (Cf. H1219.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H945 | Tasks voluntarily undertaken. |
| H945.1 | Warriors go towards strong enemy as consequence of own boast. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H945.2 | Hero goes north to fight with trolls. (Cf. F455.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H946 | Task assigned from misunderstanding. |
| H946.1 | Task assigned from misunderstanding: search for prince named Sabr ("wait"). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H950 | Task evaded by subterfuge. |
| H951 | Countertasks. When a task is assigned, the hero agrees to perform it as soon as the assigner performs a certain other task. (Cf. H691.2.1, H1021.1.1, H1021.3, H1021.6.1, H1021.6.2, H1022.2.1, H1022.3, H1022.9, H1023.1.1, H1023.1.2, H1023.2.2.1, H1023.9.1, H1023.10.1, H1142.3, H1146.) *Types 531, 875; *BP I 221, II 367, 369, III 18ff.; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff., 145ff., 150ff., 154, 232ff., 241f., 249; *Chauvin VIII 61 No. 26; Zachariae Kleine Schriften 98; *Child V 497 s.v. "tasks"; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H952 | Reductio ad absurdum of task. When an impossible task is given, the hero responds with a countertask so absurd as to show the manifest absurdity of the original task. (Cf. H1023.3.1, H1024.1.1.1.) *Type 821B; BP II 368 n. 1; Child I 10f., 13; De Vries FFC LXXIII 265, 269 n. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 237; Chinese: Graham. |
| H960 | Tasks performed through cleverness or intelligence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H961 | Tasks performed by cleverness. *M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII x; S. A. Indian (Quiché): Alexander Lat. Am. 174. |
| H962 | Tasks performed by close observation. Type 577; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H962.1 | Task: sitting on eggs without breaking them; hero perceives trick. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H963 | Tasks performed by means of secrets overheard from tree. *Type 613; *Christiansen FFC XXIV 96ff.; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H970 | Help in performing tasks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H971 | Task performed with help of old person. Tonga: Gifford 159f. |
| H971.1 | Tasks performed with help of old woman. Types 306, 510, 566, 567; Irish myth: *Cross; Scotch: Macdougall and Calder 160; German: Grimm Nos. 9, 14, 29, 122, 125, 133, 181, 186; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H971.2 | Task performed with help of little old men. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H972 | Tasks accomplished with help of grateful dead. *Type 507A; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H972.1 | Tasks performed by captive spirits of the dead. Africa (Fang): Einstein 70ff.; Trilles 190ff. No. 11. |
| H973 | Tasks performed by helpful forest spirits. Maori: Dixon 61. |
| H973.1 | Task performed by fairy. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H973.2 | Tasks performed with help of four demons in ring. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H973.3 | Task performed by dwarfs. (Cf. F451.5.1.) German: Grimm Nos. 13, 55, 64, 91, 113. |
| H974 | Task performed with help of supernatural wife. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Grote I 219; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Anesaki 357, Ikeda. |
| H974.1 | Task performed with help of mistress. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H975 | Tasks performed by deity. Greek: Grote I 108. |
| H975.0.1 | Task performed by deity in answer to prayer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H975.1 | Tasks performed by aid of goddess. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H976 | Task performed by mysterious stranger. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H981 | Tasks performed with help of brother. Chinese: Graham. |
| H982 | Animals help man perform task. *Types 300, 329, 531, 550, 552, 554, 665. |
| H982.1 | Pigeons cover the sun's rays with their outstretched wings and lengthen night to six months so that hero's task can be completed in one night. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H983 | Task performed with help of angel. (Cf. N810.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H984 | Tasks performed with help of saint. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 69 No. 515. |
| H984.1 | Tasks performed with help of Brahmadaitya. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H985 | Task performed with help of druid. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H986 | Help in performance of tasks: invisible hands. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H987 | Task performed with aid of magic object. German: Grimm Nos. 28, 91, 122, 133, 165, 181. |
| H990 | Performance of tasks—miscellaneous. |
| H991 | Unpromising hero last to try task (rescue from animal). 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. |
| H1020 | Tasks contrary to laws of nature. |
| H1021 | Task: construction from impossible kind of material. |
| H1021.1 | Task: making a rope of sand. *Type 1174; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 154, 155 n. 1; BP III 16; *Fb "reb" III 25b; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 431b n. 45; Chauvin VI 40 No. 207 n. 2.—Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1021.1.1 | Task: making a rope of sand; countertask: first showing the pattern. (Cf. H951.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 154. |
| H1021.2 | Task: making a rope of chaff. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "corde"; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H1021.3 | Task: making ship of stone. De Vries FFC LXXIII 150ff.; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 235. |
| H1021.4 | Task: making a knot of spilled brandy. *Type 1173. |
| H1021.5 | Task: making an invisible knot with an egg. Finnish: Kalevala rune 8. |
| H1021.6 | Task: weaving a silk shirt from hair. (Cf. H1022.2.2.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 233. |
| H1021.6.1 | Task: weaving a silk shirt from hair; countertask: making a loom from shavings. (Cf. H951.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 234. |
| H1021.7 | Task: taking a stick from the body. (Fingernail.) Type 1181. |
| H1021.8 | Task: spinning gold. Type 500; BP I 490ff., *495 n. 1. |
| H1021.9 | Task: sewing a shirt of stone. Fb "sten" III 554a. |
| H1021.9.1 | Task: sewing a shirt from flower petals. German: Grimm No. 49. |
| H1021.10 | Task: brewing ale from sweet milk. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1021.11 | Task: making a peacock of silk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1022 | Task: construction from impossible amount of material. |
| H1022.1 | Task: weaving cloth from two threads. Type 875; *BP II 349ff., 368; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 232. |
| H1022.2 | Task: making many shirts (clothing an army) from one hank of flax (wool). Köhler-Bolte I 459, 566; *Hdwb. d. Märchens II 151a nn. 503—521. |
| H1022.2.1 | Task: clothing an army from one hank of flax; countertask: making horseshoes for cavalry from one needle. (Cf. H951.) Köhler-Bolte I 459. |
| H1022.2.2 | Task: weaving a shirt from a piece of thread; countertask: making a loom from a rod. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1022.3 | Task: making sails for ship from one bundle of linen; countertask: making spindle and loom from one stick of wood. (Cf. H951.) Köhler-Bolte I 459. |
| H1022.4 | Task: making shirt from piece of linen three inches square. Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 64; Herbert Catalogue III 206. |
| H1022.4.1 | Task: making shirt derived from a single flax-seed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1022.4.2 | Task: weaving mantle from wool of a single sheep. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1022.4.3 | Task: making shawl-cloth one hundred cubits in length out of one cocoon of silk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1022.5 | Task: feeding army from one measure of meal. Köhler-Bolte I 566. |
| H1022.5.1 | Task: making broth for army. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1022.6 | Task: making many kinds of food from one small bird. Fansler MAFLS XII 62. |
| H1022.6.1 | Task: making ale derived from a single grain of corn. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1022.7 | Task: making boat from splinters of a spindle and shuttle. Finnish: Kalevala rune 8. |
| H1022.8 | Task: brewing impossible amount of ale from one grain of corn. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1022.9 | Task: bringing quantity of mosquito bones within month; countertask: furnishing scales with wind as beams and heat as pans. (Cf. H951.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023 | Tasks contrary to the nature of objects. |
| H1023.1 | Task: hatching boiled eggs. *Type 875; BP II 349ff.; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 241. |
| H1023.1.1 | Task: hatching boiled eggs; countertask: sowing cooked seeds and harvesting the crop. (Cf. H951, H952.) *Types 821B, 875; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 242; *BP II 368 n. 1. |
| H1023.1.2 | Task: hatching eggs immediately; countertask: sowing seeds and bringing in crop next morning. (Cf. H951, H952.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 242; Köhler-Bolte I 459. |
| H1023.2 | Task: carrying water in a sieve. *Types 480, 1180, Roberts 138, 165; *BP I 5, 215, III 16, 477 n. 1; *Fb "sеld" III 750a; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 354; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; S. A. Indian (Ackawoi): Alexander Lat. Am. 269. |
| H1023.2.0.1 | Task: carrying water in sieve; sieve filled with moss. *BP I 5, 215, III 477 n. 1; England: Baughman; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 107 No. 22. |
| H1023.2.0.2 | Task: carrying water in sieve; pious child able to do so. BP III 477 n. 1. |
| H1023.2.1 | Task: carrying water in leaky vessel. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "cruche"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 32 No. 4; (Zulu): Callaway 16, (Basuto): Jacottet 15 No. 10, 202 No. 30, (Kaffir): Theal 15, (Angola): Chatelain 163, 171, 179 No. 21. |
| H1023.2.1.1 | Task: carrying water in leaky vessel; vessel repaired with clay or gum. Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 32 No. 4, (Basuto): Jacottet 15 No. 10. |
| H1023.2.1.2 | Task: carrying water in leaky vessel; frog sits in hole. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.2.2 | Hero sets wife to task of filling water-bottle with spout turned downward. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 417. |
| H1023.2.3 | Impossible task: filling a grain-bin through the hole in the bottom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.2.4 | Task: filling a bottomless water tube. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.2.5 | Task: filling pots having subterranean outlets. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.3 | Task: bringing berries (fruit, roses) in winter. *Type 403B, 480, *Roberts 134; BP I 99ff., II 232; *Saintyves Perrault 20; De Vries FFC LXXIII 269 n. 2; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 159; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 126c. |
| H1023.3.1 | Task: bringing berries in winter. Reductio ad absurdum: father is sick from snake-bite (impossible in winter). (Cf. H952.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 269 n. 2. |
| H1023.3.1.1 | Task: procuring cuckoo to sing in winter. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1023.3.2 | Task: making withered flowers green. Jewish: Moreno Esdras. |
| H1023.4 | Task: straightening a curly hair. Type 1175; BP III 15; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 636; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 314 No. 113, 329 No. 45; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.4.1 | Task: making a dog's tail straight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.5 | Task: pumping out a leaky ship. Type 1179; BP III 16. |
| H1023.6 | Task: washing black wool (cloth, cattle) white. Type 480; *Roberts 165; *Fb "fеr" I 406b, "hvid" I 700b, "skjorte" III 268a, "sort" III 467b; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 314 No. 113, 328 No. 10. |
| H1023.6.1 | Task: washing large heavy quilt covered with ghi and oil without aid of soap or anything. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.7 | Task: sewing together a broken mill-stone. De Vries FFC LXXIII 152; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1023.7.1 | Task: sewing together a broken egg. German: Grimm No. 129. |
| H1023.7.2 | Task: sewing together a broken ship. German: Grimm No. 129. |
| H1023.8 | Task: fixing the two pieces of a broken sword together. Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 202. |
| H1023.9 | Task: mending a broken jug. De Vries FFC LXXIII 249; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1023.9.1 | Task: mending a broken jug; countertask: turning it wrong side out as one does a shoe. (Cf. H951.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 249. |
| H1023.10 | Task: skinning a stone. De Vries FFC LXXIII 145 ff. |
| H1023.10.1 | Task: skinning a stone; countertask: first let the stone bleed. De Vries FFC LXXIII 145ff. |
| H1023.11 | Task: putting a large squash whole into a narrow-necked jar. Filipino: Fansler MAFLS XII 62f. |
| H1023.12 | Task: catching a noise. Type 1177*. |
| H1023.13 | Task: catching a man's broken wind. Type 1176; BP III 16. |
| H1023.14 | Task: splitting a hair with a blunt knife. Finnish: Kalevala rune 8; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.15 | Task: turning fruit into gold. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 5. |
| H1023.16 | Task: making sun and moon shine in the north. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1023.17 | Task: sowing rye and bringing crop next morning. (Cf. H1023.1.2.) Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1023.18 | Task: putting peaches back on tree. Chinese: Graham. |
| H1023.19 | Task: bringing bundle of faggots without rope to tie them. Helpful snake coils himself about them. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.20 | Task: fetching water from the well in a bucket without the use of rope to draw it with. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.21 | Task: gathering a necklace of rubies from the sea. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.22 | Task: catching a sunbeam. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.23 | Task: tying the sun with a stone chain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.24 | Suitor asked to bathe in great cauldron of boiling water without making water lukewarm. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.25 | Task: bringing a well (pond, lake) to king. Hero asks for another lake to tie to it and overawes king. Types 1045, 1650; Zachariae Kleine Schriften 93; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1023.25.1 | Task: bringing well to king; countertask: sending his own well to accompany it. (Cf. H951.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1024 | Tasks contrary to the nature of animals. |
| H1024.1 | Task: milking a bull. De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff.; Fansler MAFLS XII 63; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1024.1.1 | Task: making a bull bear a calf. De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff., 265. |
| H1024.1.1.1 | Task: making a bull bear a calf. Reductio ad absurdum: have a man prepare for childbirth. (Cf. H952.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 265; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1024.2 | Task: placing frogs in a tree. *BP III 16. |
| H1024.3 | Task: chasing a hare into every trap in a high tree. *Type 1171; BP III 16. |
| H1024.4 | Task: teaching an ass to read. Anderson FFC XLII 357 n. 1; cf. Type 1675. |
| H1024.5 | Task: sowing dragon's teeth. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 109 n. 4. |
| H1024.6 | Task: procuring bird out of season. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1024.7 | Task: teaching animal to speak. |
| H1024.7.1 | Task: teaching horse to speak. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1024.8 | Task: spinning wool still on goat's back. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H1025 | Task: obtaining fat (bacon) from swine that never was farrowed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1026 | Task: changing the course of time. |
| H1026.1 | Task: naming those things which have not yet happened. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (H1011). |
| H1026.2 | Task: bringing past time to present. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (H1023.17). |
| H1030 | Other impossible tasks. |
| H1033 | Task: showing picture of a voice. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (H1013). |
| H1035 | Task: eating the moon. Gascon: Bladé I 8 No. 1. |
| H1036 | Task: building castle suspended between heaven and earth. *Chauvin VI 38 No. 207 n. 3. |
| H1038 | Task: getting fruit from top of tall tree without cutting tree. (Cuts roots of tree.) Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 32 No. 4. |
| H1041 | Task: bringing a plantain leaf from the garden without tearing it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1042 | Task: recalling a dream someone else has had. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1045 | Task: filling a sack full of lies (truths). *Type 570; *BP III 273; *Fb "sandhed", "pose"; Russian: Andrejev No. 1630*. |
| H1045.1 | Task: going to get nothing and bringing it back. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1046 | Task: carrying woman across river without wetting feet. Hero fails. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1046.1 | Task: dipping water without wetting dipper. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1046.2 | Task: cutting and bringing leaves from thorn thicket without tearing them at all. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1046.3 | Task: drinking beer without touching pot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1047 | Task: bringing melon 12 cubits long with seed 13 cubits long. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1049 | Other impossible tasks—miscellaneous. |
| H1049.1 | Task: bringing the foam of the ocean in a large piece of cloth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1049.2 | Task: growing oil seed on stony ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1049.3 | Task: setting back sun. (Cf. D2146.1.1.) Samoa: Beckwith Myth 439. |
| H1049.4 | Task: stopping the rain. (Cf. D2141.1.) Samoa: Beckwith Myth 439. |
| H1050 | Paradoxical tasks. *Type 875; *BP II 362; *Gruffydd Math vab Mathonwy (U. of Wales Press, 1928) 307ff. |
| H1051 | Task: coming neither on nor off the road. (Comes in the rut or the ditch at side of the road.) *Type 875; BP II 349ff.; De Vries FFC LXXIII 195f. |
| H1052 | Task: standing neither inside nor outside of gate. (Forefeet of horse inside, hind feet outside.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 198; BP II 362. |
| H1053 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot (riding nor walking). *Type 875; *BP II 362; Köhler-Bolte I 446ff.; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 186ff.; Fb "kjöre", "ridende"; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 423; Filipino: Fansler MAFLS XII 63. |
| H1053.1 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Comes on another animal.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 187; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H1053.2 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Comes sitting on animal but with feet reaching ground.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 188; Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1053.3 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Comes with one leg on animal's back, one on ground.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 188. |
| H1053.4 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Coming drawn by an animal on net, trough, or sledge.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 189. |
| H1053.5 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Walks on a stick horse.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 190. |
| H1053.6 | Task: coming neither on horse nor on foot. (Crawls on all fours.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 190. |
| H1054 | Task: coming neither naked nor clad. *Type 875; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 181; BP II 349ff.; Fb "klæder"; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1054.1 | Task: coming neither naked nor clad. (Comes wrapped in net or the like.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 182; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H1054.2 | Task: coming neither naked nor clad. (Comes clothed in own hair.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 181. |
| H1054.3 | Task: coming neither naked nor clad. (Comes with part of body clothed.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 181. |
| H1054.4 | Task: coming "neither in softness nor in hardness." (Comes clad in garments of mountain down.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1055 | Task: coming neither barefoot nor shod. (Comes with one shoe on, one off; or in soleless shoes.) Type 875; *BP II 362; De Vries FFC LXXIII 200. |
| H1056 | Task: coming neither with nor without a present (game). (Lets bird fly as the reaches it toward king.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 205. |
| H1057 | Task: coming neither by day nor by night. (Comes at twilight.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 202; *BP II 362; Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1058 | Task: standing between summer and winter. (Stands between wagon and sleigh.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 213. |
| H1061 | Task: coming neither with nor without a companion. (Comes with an animal.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; De Vries FFC LXXIII 212. |
| H1062 | Task: coming neither washed nor unwashed. (Comes partly washed.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 211. |
| H1063 | Task: coming neither hungry nor satiated. (Eats a thin soup, a leaf, a single grain, or the like.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 210; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H1064 | Task: coming laughing and crying at once. (Rubs eyes with a twig to simulate crying.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 212. |
| H1065 | Task: bringing best friend, worst enemy, best servant, greatest pleasure-giver. (Brings dog, wife, ass, little son respectively.) Köhler-Bolte I 415, 455; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 423; Herbert III 201; Ward II 231; Oesterley No. 124; *Chauvin VIII 199 No. 244; *BP II 365; cf. Type 875; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 220ff.; *Anderson FFC XLII 357 and n. 2; *Wesselski Märchen 237 No. 48; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| H1066 | Task: sweep the floor and do not sweep it. *Köhler in Gonzenbach II 215. |
| H1067 | Task: light fire but do not light it. *Köhler in Gonzenbach II 215. |
| H1068 | Task: making bed but do not make it. *Köhler in Gonzenbach II 215. |
| H1071 | Task: eat bread but bring it back whole. (Center of loaf eaten.) Köhler-Bolte I 437. |
| H1072 | Task: give sheep good care but do not let it fatten. (Sheep fed but kept near wolf where it is afraid and does not fatten.) *Chauvin VIII 181 No. 213; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1073 | Task: filling glasses with water that has neither fallen from heaven nor sprung from the earth. (Uses horse's sweat.) Dh I 329. |
| H1074 | Task: furnish beef which is neither male nor female. Countertask: send for it when it is neither night nor day. American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 118 No. 15. |
| H1075 | Task: bringing something ever-increasing (ambition); something ever-decreasing (life); something which neither increases nor decreases (one's fated lot); and something which both increases and decreases (universe). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1077 | Task: building house neither on ground nor in sky. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1090 | Tasks requiring miraculous speed. Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1091 | Task: sorting a large amount of grain (beads, beans, peas) in one night. *Types 313, 554; *BP II 28, 517; *Köhler-Bolte I 397; *Fb "fugl", "gryn"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 322 No. 87; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "pois"; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 68 No. 513; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Dixon 226; Chinese: Graham; N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Teit JE VIII 392 No. 100. |
| H1091.1 | Task: sorting grains: performed by helpful ants. Clouston Tales I 238f.; Köhler-Bolte I 397; French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 130; Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 4; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Dixon 217; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 17. |
| H1091.2 | Task: sorting grains; performed by helpful birds. *Fb "fugl"; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H1091.3 | Suitor test: scattering mountain of mustard seed in one watch gathering it together in another, pressing its oil out in another. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1092 | Task: spinning impossible amount in one night. (Cf. H1022.2.) *Types 500, 501, 708; BP I 109ff., 490ff.; *Fb "spinde" III 492a; Hoffmann-Krayer Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 120 nn. 7, 8; Köhler-Bolte ibid. VI 71; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 4; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H1092.0.1 | Task: spinning and weaving large amount by specified time. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1092.1 | Helpful animal performs spinning task. (Cf. B571.) Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 71; Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. 453*, 481*. |
| H1093 | Task: embroidering blanket in one day. (Help from animals.) (Cf. B571.) N. A. Indian (Crow): Lowie PaAM XXV 121, Simms FM II 309, (Blackfoot): Wissler and Duvall PaAM II 130ff. |
| H1094 | Task: unraveling in short time. |
| H1094.1 | Task: unraveling a net in a short time. Type 1178*. |
| H1095 | Task: felling a forest in one night. (Cf. H1115.) *Type 313; Fb "skov" III 300a; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg (H322.5); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "forêt"; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7. |
| H1095.1 | Task: collecting firewood quickly, sufficient to last remainder of one's life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1095.2 | Task: stacking wood from felled forest in one day. German: Grimm No. 113, 193. |
| H1096 | Task: washing enormous number of clothes (and other articles) in short time. Sicilian: Gonzenbach I 97ff. No. 15. |
| H1097 | Task: draining sea-covered land in one night. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1097.1 | Task: drying up a lake in one night. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1097.2 | Task: cleaning enormous cistern in one day. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1101 | Task: removing mountain (mound) in one night. *Type 313; Breton: Sébillot Incidents "butte"; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H1102 | Task: cleaning Augean stable. Stable has not been cleaned in years. Must be done in one night. River turned through it. Type 313; Köhler-Bolte I 170; *Fb "stald" III 534a; Greek: Fox 82, Frazer Apollodorus I 195 n. 2; New Zealand: Dixon 71. |
| H1102.1 | Task: cleaning cowshed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1102.2 | Task: emptying in one day a barn filled with manure. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1103 | Task: setting out vineyard in one night. *Type 313. |
| H1103.1 | Task: making garden quickly in unplanted forest. Kabyle: Frobenius Atlantis II 32 No. 4; Africa (Benga): Nassau 215 No. 33. |
| H1103.1.1 | Task: making garden in three days. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1103.2 | Task: plowing enormous amount of land in one day. Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 72, 73; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1103.2.1 | Task: preparing and sowing impossible amount of land overnight. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1103.2.2 | Task: planting and growing crop overnight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1103.3 | Task: covering mango tree grove with fruit in a single night. (Cf. H1023.17.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1104 | Task: building castle in one night. Type 313; Fb "slot" III 377a. |
| H1104.0.1 | Task: building castle in three days. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1104.1 | Task: building a lodge entirely of bird's feathers in one night. S. A. Indian (Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 264. |
| H1104.1.1 | Task: in one day feathering a barn, each feather from different bird. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1104.1.2 | Task: thatching roof with bird feathers; half blow away while other half are sought. (Cf. F171.6.6.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H1104.2 | Task: building entire village in one night. Africa (Fang): Einstein 70ff. (= Trilles 190ff. No. 11.) |
| H1104.3 | Task: building a house of iron in one night. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| H1104.4 | Task: erecting marriage hall in one night. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1104.5 | Task: building granary full of grain overnight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1105 | Task: digging a pond quickly. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "étang"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1106 | Task: shearing flock of sheep in one day. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Boas JAFL XXXV 77 No. 4. |
| H1107 | Task: bringing documents from distant city in one day. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 68 No. 513. |
| H1108 | Task: paving great road in short time. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1109 | Other tasks requiring miraculous speed. |
| H1109.1 | Task: bringing water from distant fountain more quickly than a witch. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 68 No. 513. |
| H1109.2 | Task: hauling enormous number of things from one farm to another in one day. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1109.3 | Task: killing enough birds in one day to cover the mountain, each bird to be of a different species. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1109.4 | Task: exterminating mice infesting city in three days. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1110 | Tedious tasks. |
| H1111 | Task: carrying hundreds of sheep across stream one at a time. *BP II 209; cf. Type 2300; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1112 | Task: herding rabbits. *Type 570; BP III 267ff. (incident C); *Fb "hare". |
| H1112.1 | Task: keeping four dogs in herd. *Fb "hund" I 678a. |
| H1112.2 | Task: pasturing a cow which continues to run all day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1113 | Task: bailing out a pond. Type 313; German: Grimm No. 113; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "étang"; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 369, 377; Africa (Benga): Nassau 216 No. 33. |
| H1113.1 | Bailing out pond with thimble. German: Grimm No. 193. |
| H1114 | Task: climbing glass mountain. *Type 425; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H1114.1 | Task: securing three eggs from top of glass tower. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| H1114.2 | Task: carrying ever-increasing burden up mountain. German: Grimm No. 179. |
| H1115 | Task: chopping down large tree with blunt (fragile) implements. (Cf. H1095.) Type 313; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "arbres"; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 208; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 251 No. 29. |
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