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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| J1872.0.1 | Creaking wagon dies. When the wagon stops its creaking, fool decides it has died; he cremates it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1141.1.3 | Creditor: "The destroyed bond was a cubit in size." Debtor: "That is a lie; it was only a span." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2349.3 | Credulous king reads about ocean of milk and its properties. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2173.6 | Crocodile goes after the second child. He finds two children bathing in the river and carries one to his hole. He tells the child to wait while he goes for the other child. Both children escape. Africa (Benga): Nassau 82 No. 2. |
| J2137.4 | Crocodile swallows water-snake, which kills him. Herbert III 44; Hervieux IV 192 No. 18. |
| J2102.7 | Crop burned to rid it of insects. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1565.3 | Crop division between parrot and cat: they try to cheat each other by inviting to a dinner in turns every day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.11 | Crow alighting on falling tree thinks his weight made it fall. Penzer III 70 n. 1; Bloomfield Am Journ. Philol. XL 1. |
| J101 | Crow drops pebbles into water jug so as to be able to drink. Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 272), 106 (ST 186, 246); Jacobs Aesop 213 No. 55. |
| J171.3.1 | Crow flying away says, "A wise man remains not in the place of calamity; but a fool stays there, and sups fear and sorrow." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J136 | Crow inspects the three worlds in search of happiness. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J953.7 | Crow thinks harvesters are stealing his grain. *Type 243. |
| J512.6 | Crow tries to imitate partridge's walk. Only spoils his own. Chauvin II 106 No. 70; Bødker Exempler 303 No. 73; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J951.3 | Crow tries to prophesy like raven: detected by his voice. Wienert FFC LVI 73, (ET 387), 92 (ST 42); Halm Aesop No. 212. |
| J2342.2.2 | Cuckolded "as per instructions." Woman tells husband that she has become pregnant during his absence according to his own instructions. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2031.3 | Culture hero throws coconuts to various islands, but forgets one he stands on: hence none now on that island. Cook Islands: Beckwith Myth 104, cf. 270. |
| J1772.4 | Culture hero's pubic hair thought to be bear hair. N. A. Indian (Peoria, Kickapoo, Potawatomi): Michelson JAFL XXX 494. |
| J555.1 | Cum grano salis. Instructions of mother followed literally by one daughter when she marries. All goes wrong. Second daughter follows them in conformity with her father's explanations and all is well. *Type 915. |
| J1062 | Cure yourself before doctoring others. |
| J2375 | Curiosity satisfied: riding the ox's horns. As his ox, who has enormous horns, is asleep, the fool gets on the horns. The ox wakes and throws him off. When he comes to his senses, the fool says, "I had a hard time, but my curiosity is satisfied." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 231 No. 82; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1462 | Customary suits. Man who wears a red cap after his father's death says, "I can grieve just as much in red as in black." *Wesselski Bebel I 125 No. 16. |
| J2465.8 | Cutting at the plow. Literal fool told to cut at plow if it sticks on roots cuts at bullock's legs. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1442.4.1 | Cynic asks that his body be exposed to the elements. When told that the beasts and the birds will prey on him he says: "Put a stick at my side so that I may chase them away." Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1392.3 | Cynic helps robber steal his money so he and robber can get sleep. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1442.12 | Cynic is asked if widower should remarry. "One who has just escaped from drowning should not return to sea." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1442.1.1 | Cynic praises power of reason. Tells Alexander that the power of reason makes even a poor man as great as a king. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J152.1 | Cynical philosopher lives in tub. Chauvin IX 35 No. 27; Scala Celi No. 103; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1370 | Cynical retorts concerning honesty. |
| J1179.1 | Damages for the field devastated by a flock. David says pay money damages. Solomon says let laborers have flock till milk and wool have paid the damages. *Chauvin VIII 99 No. 71; Irish myth: Cross. |
| J981.1 | Dante beats a mule driver who chants the Divine Comedy. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1261.2.5 | Dante is accused of not kneeling before sacrament. Says that he had his mind on God and did not remember what his body did. If those who criticized him had had their minds on God they would not have noticed it. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1805.2.1 | Daughter says "Sobur" (wait) to her father when he asks what to bring from the journey. Father finds Prince Sobur. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2413.3 | Daw tries to carry off lamb like eagle. Is caught in the lamb's fleece. Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 297), 93 (ST 65); Halm Aesop No. 8. |
| J976 | Day after Feast Day disputes importance with Feast Day. Former reprimanded. Wienert FFC LVI 43 (ET 10), 92 (ST 52); Halm Aesop No. 133. |
| J1493 | Daydreamer has lost his chance for profit. He has broken his master's pots while dreaming of future profits. He has therefore lost more than the master and excuses himself of blame. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1937.1 | Dead man identified by his cough. Numskull asked to identify corpse tries to do so by his cough. Clouston Noodles 15. |
| J1769.2 | Dead man is thought to be alive. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| J1769.2.1 | Dead mistaken for the living. Man with abhorrence for corpse sleeps with one thinking it alive. (Cf. H1410.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J829 | Dealing with the great—miscellaneous. |
| J2185 | Dearly bought disgrace. A foolish priest is pushed into the water. "I wish I had drowned; then you would all have been disgraced." *Wesselski Bebel I 181 No. 27; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J486 | Death preferred above God and Justice. *Type 332; BP I 381ff.; *Fb "Vorherre" III 1087b. |
| J227.1 | Death preferred to captivity. Irish myth: Cross (J229.13). |
| J227.2 | Death preferred to dishonor. Irish myth: Cross (J229.9). |
| J227 | Death preferred to other evils. |
| J2137 | Death through lack of foresight. |
| J1051 | Death's three messengers. Warns man by loss of appetite, loss of desire for drink, and sickness. Man does not recognize the messengers. *Type 335; *BP III 293; Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 267, 268. |
| J461.1.3 | Debate of tongue and other bodily members. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J2495.2 | Debtors do not forgive. "The Lord's Prayer has little power. I forgive my debtors but my debtors do not forgive me." *Wesselski Bebel I 140 No. 50. |
| J1577 | Deceptive invitation to feast. |
| J1176 | Decisions based on experimental tests. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J1040 | Decisiveness of conduct. |
| J1661.1.5.1 | Deduction: animal has been brought up on dog's milk. Can not get enough to eat. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1661.1.3 | Deduction: bread made by a sick woman. It falls apart; therefore it was kneaded by a weak person. *Chauvin VII 159 No. 438. |
| J1661.1.5 | Deduction: horse has been brought up on ass's milk. Has drooping ears. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1661.1.6 | Deduction: insect inside precious stone. The jewel is warm. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1661.1.2.1 | Deduction: magistrate is a bastard. Korean: Zong in-Sob 102ff. No. 55. |
| J1661.1.4 | Deduction: mare has she-buffalo as mother. Told by shape of hoofs. Chauvin VII 162 No. 439. |
| J1661.1.8 | Deduction: one-eyed, long-bearded thief is named Kale Khan. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1661.1.7 | Deduction: prince plays with children because he has been denied a normal youth. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1661.1.1.1 | Deduction: the camel ridden by a pregnant woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1661.1.2 | Deduction: the king is a bastard. After dinner the king begins to dance. He is therefore called illegitimate. His mother acknowledges an intrigue with a dancer. *Type 655; *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 198ff.; *Gaster Exempla 195 No. 51; Herrmann Saxo II 265ff.; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1661.1.1 | Deduction: the one-eyed camel. A she-camel has passed, blind in one eye; on the one side she carries wine and on the other vinegar; two men lead her, one a heathen and the other a Jew. Solution: She is recognized as a she-camel by the footprints; she is blind because she feeds on only one side of the road; the wine dropping down has soaked into the earth; the vinegar makes bubbles; the heathen is not so careful in his manners as is the Jew. **Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 198ff.; Gaster Exempla 195 No. 51; *Penzer VI 287; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 101 No. 55. |
| J1661.1 | Deductions from observation. |
| J1904.2.2 | Deer belled and enclosed like goats jump fence and escape. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1534 | Deer captured in bird-net: water flows upstream. One partner claims a deer he has captured in his bird-net. The other pretends to be watching water flow upstream. Coster-Wijsman 32 No. 8. |
| J2173.4 | Deer lost through premature celebration. A fool in celebration of the capture of a deer puts his clothes on the bound deer. He throws a knife to cut the deer's throat but the knife cuts the snare and the deer runs away with the clothes. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 261. |
| J1762.4 | Deer thought to be man with basket on head. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 698. |
| J461.4 | Deer, opossum, and snake each render indispensable aid to man. Foolishly debate their usefulness. Africa (Vai): Ellis 230 No. 39. |
| J673 | Defence when one needs it most. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J672 | Defences by strengthening one's own weakest spots. |
| J674 | Defences in and out of season. |
| J157.0.1 | Deity appears in dream and gives instructions or advice. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1955 | Demand that murderer restore life to victim. |
| J1791.3.2.1 | Demon tries to recover object from river by drinking it dry. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1477 | Demonstrate here. A man boasts of his jump on Rhodes and says that if he were in Rhodes he could prove his boast. Reply: "No need to go to Rhodes. Show us your jump here." Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 480), 100 (ST 135); Halm Aesop No. 203. |
| J2213.7 | Dentist duped to pull out two teeth for one because of the expensiveness. Christensen DF XLVII 205. |
| J135 | Departing animal gives man counsels. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J702.1 | Dervish who stops work. Sees bird feed its young and decides that God takes care of everyone without work. He is shown his mistake. Chauvin II 115 No. 89. |
| J621 | Destruction of enemy's weapons. |
| J1149.3 | Detection by disrobing in a dance. A man masking as a maiden has committed adultery with the queen. A clever girl by challenging him to disrobe in a dance exposes the imposture. *Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7; Nouvelles de Sens No. 8; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1146.1 | Detection by pitch-trap. Pitch is spread so that footprints are left in it, or that shoe is left behind as clue. *Type 510; Cox 1-80, 87-104 passim. |
| J1146 | Detection by strewing ashes (sand). Trespasser (lover, mistress, ghost, fairy, etc.) leaves footprints in the ashes. *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt I 117ff., 221ff.; *Gaster Germania XXV 290f.; Fb "mel" II 570; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 510 No. 109, 526 No. 111, 810 n. 410. |
| J1149.5 | Detection of guilt by smile. Buried money is stolen from blind man. Latter has boy watch and notify him when passerby smiles at him. The smiler is the thief. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1141.5 | Detection of theft by finding bag-repairer. Two men are in a lawsuit and before witnesses seal the documents in a bag to await arrival of the king. One of the men cuts the bag open, changes the documents, and has a repairer sew it up again. On the king's arrival the change is discovered. By having a fine carpet repaired the expert repairer is discovered. Confession follows. *Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 70. |
| J1145 | Detection through aid of animal. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J1147 | Detection through feigned dream. |
| J1141.11 | Detection through ruse. Husbands ask suspected priest to talk to wives on tithing, and thus obtain sufficient evidence to convict him. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 32. |
| J829.2 | Devil decides to leave of own accord. It is decided to drive the devil out of a man who is possessed. Devil sees the inevitable and flees so that they cannot say that he has been driven off. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 159. |
| J2495.3 | Did not want to be Christ. An actor representing Christ in a Passion Play is beaten by Jews. He throws the cross down: "The devil may be God; I won't." *Wesselski Bebel II 109 No. 34. |
| J1815 | Did the calf eat the man? A fool, liking the shoes on the feet of a man hanged on a gallows, cuts off the swollen feet in order to carry off the shoes. In the room in which he sleeps that night is a newborn calf. The next morning the man takes the shoes but leaves the feet. Peasants agree that the calf has eaten the man all but the feet. They burn the house to destroy the calf. Type 1281; *Wesselski Bebel I 231 No. 144; Danish: Christensen DF L 65, Nyrop Dania I (1890) 283ff., cf. II 68ff.; U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2211 | Differences in animal nature overlooked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J226 | Difficult choice between relatives. |
| J94 | Difficulty of thinking of God when occupied with worldly affairs. Shown by test: holy man made to carry milk without spilling. So occupied he forgets to think of God. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2276.1 | Dinner time comes soon in mountains because of rare atmosphere. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2214.9 | Dipping into cold water to cure fever, since hot iron is so cooled. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2516 | Directions followed literally to the sorrow of the giver. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1551.4 | Directions for getting pay given in return for directions for healing. *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 211. |
| J2465 | Disastrous following of instructions. |
| J2460.1 | Disastrous following of misunderstood instructions. (To burn land, then sow seed. Opposite done.) Chinese: Graham. |
| J2183 | Disastrous hesitation. |
| J2146 | Disastrous jump to retrieve lost object. |
| J21.52.1 | Disciple who stays in a city where everything is sold at one price finds justice is not even there. (Cf. F769.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J217.2 | Discontented ass longs for death but changes mind when he sees skins of dead asses at a fair. Scala Celi 53b No. 299. |
| J953.5 | Disdain of the wolf for the dog. Is fleeing from dog's master not from him. Wienert FFC LVI *55 (ET 150), 91 (ST 33); Halm Aesop No. 230. |
| J1112.1.1 | Disguised real wife orders motley wear for her husband when he goes to fetch new bride-to-be: prospective father-in-law takes him for a fool and real wife reveals herself to husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.6 | Dispute of hammer and anvil. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J646 | Disregard advice of your enemy. |
| J2120 | Disregard of danger to objects (or animals). |
| J2129 | Disregard of danger to objects or animals—miscellaneous. |
| J1261.2 | Disrespect for the sacrament. (Cf. J1269.5.) |
| J814.5 | Dissenting minister to king: "Let the king do as seems good in his eyes". Jewish: Neuman. |
| J628 | Dissuasion from suicide. Man dissuades simpleton from hanging himself by telling him that hell is a place of pain and torments. Spanish: Childers. |
| J2063 | Distress over imagined troubles of unborn child. (Clever Else.) Girl sent to cellar to get wine to serve the suitor begins weeping over the troubles of the child which she might have if she married the suitor. Her parents join her. Meanwhile the suitor leaves. *Type 1450; *BP I 335; *Clouston Noodles 191; Christensen DF L 35; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 55, 277; India: Thompson-Balys; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 285 No. 125. |
| J1261.2.2 | Distrusts God when he can be brought by a man. Priest offers to help peasant with "the body of the Lord". — "If God can be brought by a man, he is too weak to help me." Frey (ed. Bolte) *219 No. 10. |
| J1905.3 | Divided ownership of cow. The brother who owns the front end tries to drive the cow and will not let the owner of the rear end milk her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2469.3 | Dividing all they have. So advised, they cut their beds, houses, etc. in two. (Cf. M241.) Penzer V 114 n. 1. |
| J1242 | Dividing by scripture quoting. |
| J1249.1 | Dividing five eggs equally between two men and one woman. Three to the woman and one each to the men. Men already have two (testicles). *Fischer-Bolte 207. J1250—J1499. |
| J1241.2 | Dividing four coins among three persons. Two coins apiece given to two; other is to wait till two more coins are found. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 181 No. 339. |
| J1241.5 | Dividing the eggs: one man's hand in the pot at a time. Trickster alternates hands so fast that the other man never gets to put his hand in. He finally puts his foot in the pan. Spanish: Childers. |
| J1241.3 | Dividing three fish among two men. Fools submit problem to trickster who solves problem by taking third fish himself. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 259. |
| J1241.1 | Dividing two sheep and a ram: trickster to divide with two friends. You two take one sheep; the ram and I will take the other. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 202 No. 399. |
| J1791.3 | Diving for cheese. Man (animal) sees moon reflected in water and, thinking it a cheese, dives for it. *Type 34; *Dh IV 230f.; *Fb "øst"; *Clouston Noodles 44; *Field Pent Cuckoo 18; Köhler-Bolte I 107; Christensen DF XLVII 217—18 no. 78; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 206f.; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 295 n. 81; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 357 (cf. J1791.4). |
| J1791.5 | Diving for reflected enemy. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 352 n. 270a. |
| J1791.11 | Diving for reflected fruit. Meantime rascal steals the fruit itself. Spanish: Espinosa III 206f.; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 37 No. 25. |
| J1791.6 | Diving for reflection of beautiful woman. Indonesian, Melanesian: Dixon 227 n. 34; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 352 n. 270b. |
| J1241.4 | Division of the fat and lean fowls. Two fat fowls and one lean one at meal. Hero is lean, his two hosts fat. He is to divide. One lean fowl for the two fat people; two fat fowls for the one lean man. *Wesselski Märchen 229 No. 40. |
| J311.2 | Do not ask: "Why were the former days better than the present ones?" Jewish: Neuman. |
| J731 | Do not discard clothing till cold weather is over. |
| J1284 | Do not leave it to your successor. A widow stops a ruler on his way to war. He may be killed and he should not leave the act of justice as a credit to his successor. *Chauvin VIII 204 No. 246; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J215.1.3 | Do not pluck off the well-fed leeches. Wolf told not to do so lest hungrier ones take their places as he swims. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1648 | Do not start here. Man asks directions to a certain place. Native attempts to give directions, then in disgust says, "If I wanted to go to ——, I wouldn't start from here." U.S.: Baughman. |
| J766 | Do not work yourself out of employment. |
| J756.1 | Doctor gives advice after patient dies. Scorned for lack of foresight. Wienert FFC LVI *84 (ET 509), 108 (ST 204); Halm Aesop No. 169. |
| J551.3 | Doctor loses a horse for the sake of the truth. Overlord asks two doctors whether he is entitled to all the possessions of his retainers. One doctor unrighteously answers yes and receives a horse. The other who tells the truth receives nothing. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 123. |
| J1062.2 | Doctor unable to cure himself scorned. Chauvin II 227 No. 8; Wienert FFC LVI 73, (ET 384), 136, 138 (ST 424, 432); Halm Aesop No. 312; Babrius No. 2. |
| J1803.2 | Doctor's expressions misunderstood. Christensen DF XLVII 208 No. 62. |
| J2171.2.1 | Does not need roof when it is fair; cannot put it on when it rains. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 599; Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 269), 134 (ST 402); Halm Aesop No. 222; Japanese: Ikeda. Cf. Russian: Andrejev No. 72. |
| J243.1 | Dog and hog dispute over their children: worth lies not in speed. Wienert FFC LVI 44 (ET 19), 142 (ST 478); Halm Aesop No. 409. |
| J821.1 | Dog asks raven why he sacrifices to Athene, since she hates raven because of his powers of augury. "The more reason to sacrifice. She will keep on good terms with me." Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 231), 143 (ST 490); Halm Aesop No. 213. |
| J874 | Dog driven out of dining room claims to be drunk. Says that he has drunk so much that he does not know how he got out of the house. Wienert FFC LVI 68 (ET 322), 125 (ST 338); Halm Aesop No. 62. |
| J1791.4 | Dog drops his meat for the reflection. Crossing a stream with meat in his mouth he sees his reflection; thinking it another dog with meat he dives for it and loses his meat. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 426; *Chauvin II 85; B[ö]dker Exempler 275 No. 13; Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 270), *105 (ST 178); Halm Aesop No. 233; *Crane Vitry 140 No. 18; Scala Celi 19a No. 111; Jacobs Aesop 199 No. 3.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 357 (cf. J1791.3). |
| J952.3 | Dog follows lion. Flees at lion's roar. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 184), 91 (ST 35); Halm Aesop No. 226. |
| J2066.6.1 | Dog follows washerwoman with bundle hoping for meat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1023 | Dog leader fears defeat because his forces are of different breeds. Wolves are all of one kind. Wienert FFC LVI 47 (ET 57), *48 (ET 68), 112 (ST 230); Halm Aesop No. 267; BP III 545f.; Dh IV 104f., 290; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 107*. |
| J1772.2 | Dog mistakes mussel for an egg. Cuts his mouth. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 268), 107 (ST 199); Halm Aesop No. 223. |
| J953.1 | Dog proud of his clog. Thinks that the clog on his neck is a decoration. Wienert FFC LVI 57 (ET 183), 91 (ST 34); Halm Aesop No. 224. |
| J2066.6 | Dog waits to be hit with meat. A butcher has threatened to hit him with a piece of meat. Chauvin III 57 No. 16. |
| J1791.3.2 | Dogs by river try to get food in river by drinking the river dry. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 246), 119 (ST 287); Halm Aesop No. 218. |
| J2137.2 | Dogs of wolf color join the wolves. As soon as they have killed the other dogs the wolves then turn on the wolf-colored dogs which they have persuaded to join them. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 431. |
| J411.6 | Dolphin and whale scorn crab as peacemaker. Wienert FFC LVI 48 (ET 69), 92 (ST 45); Halm Aesop No. 116. |
| J215.1 | Don't drive away the flies. Wounded animal (man) refuses to have the flies driven away since they are now sated and their places will be taken by fierce and hungry flies. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 186; Wienert FFC LVI 60 (ET 228), 115 (ST 255); Halm Aesop No. 36; Jacobs Aesop 215 No. 64; Scala Celi 21a No. 132; Alphabet No. 97; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 51; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 32; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J322 | Don't injure yourself to insure your family's future. |
| J652.4.2 | Don't play tricks on Gascons. Heptameron No. 28. |
| J21.40 | Don't require honor from a strange country": counsel proved wise by experience. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J215.1.1 | Don't set a hungry guard over food. Parrot set to guard figs eats his fill. When replaced he calls attention to the fact that he is now full and therefore safer than another hungry parrot. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J16 | Dove disregards experience and loses brood. Rebuilds her nest in the place where she has lost former brood. Chauvin II 83 No. 6; Bødker Exempler 274 No. 7, 306 No. 82; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1792.1 | Dove sees painted cups of water and dashes into them. Wienert FFC LVI 64 (ET 276), 107 (ST 196); Halm Aesop No. 357. |
| J869.1 | Doves in net console themselves because they think trapper's tears are from pity for them. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J157.3 | Dream advises against the popularizing of science. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1527 | Dream answered by dream. Priests misinterpret raja's dream and get his horses. Trickster advises raja to announce dream demanding cauterization of the priests. They return horses. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2326.2 | Dream explained as a dead father's demand for horses. Dupe gives them to trickster. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1762.6 | Dressed up monkey thought to be a nobleman. Christensen DF XLVII 197, 231 No. 23. |
| J2176.2 | Drinking gruel by making hole in pot. Gruel runs out. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1791.1 | Drinking the moon. The numskull sees a cow drink from a pool where the moon is reflected. The moon goes under a cloud. He thinks the cow has eaten the moon and slaughters her to recover it. Type 1335; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 241 No. 124; *Köhler-Bolte I 90, 498; Christensen DF XLVII 181. |
| J581.4 | Drones dispute possession of honey. Ordered to make honey. Dispossessed. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 140), 100 (ST 138). |
| J1782.2 | Dropping dough thought to be a ghost. It drops on the floor and the man thinks the place is haunted. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 137 No. 101; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 47 No. 101. |
| J67 | Drops of water make hollow in stone: thus repeated impressions penetrate mind. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J1063.2 | Drunk man makes sport of another man for being drunk. Wesselski Bebel I 184 No. 38. |
| J1161.9 | Drunk philosopher wagers that he can drink the ocean dry. Agrees to do so if the other will hold back streams emptying into the ocean. Agreed to drink only the ocean. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1623 | Drunkard cured of seeing double. When he claims to see two roast chickens, his wife takes the one chicken away and he falls into the fire trying to find the other. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 140. |
| J343.1 | Drunkard refuses cure of fever if it is to take away his thirst. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 236. |
| J2311.10 | Drunken man insists that he be beheaded. Is struck with the flat of his sword. He thinks he is dead. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 6; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J2322 | Drunken man made to believe that he has been to heaven and hell. He is dressed up as a rich lord and given rich food and drink. When put back into his own clothes he thinks that he has been to heaven. *Type 1531; Köhler-Bolte I 68; Wesselski Archiv Orientální I (1929) 80 f.; Shakespeare Induction to Taming of the Shrew; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J2121 | Drying snow on the stove. Type 1272*. |
| J1947 | Drying snow to make salt. Wesselski Bebel II 89. |
| J64 | Ducklings take to water from instinct. Bridegroom thus brought to understand bride's expertness in lovemaking. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J1751 | Dungbeetle thought to be bee. "I know you well enough, you have put on a blue coat." Type 1317*. |
| J2349.1 | Dupe is made to believe horse will fly. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| J2348 | Dupe is persuaded that money will grow if he buries it. England: *Baughman. |
| J2351.3 | Dupe loses booty through singing. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 59. |
| J2171.1.3 | Dupe makes boat of mud. It melts. (Cf. J2186.) Japanese: Ikeda; American Negro: Harris Friends 69ff. No. 9. |
| J2337 | Dupe persuaded that he is invisible. Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 3 (Lee 254); Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2131.3.2 | Dupe persuaded to cut off part of his own body. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2066.7 | Dupe waits for rear wheels of wagon to overtake front wheels. Is told that money is thus made. England, U.S.: Baughman; American Negro: Harris Friends 122 No. 16. |
| J1264.4 | During the silent period. Nun asked why she did not call for help when raped. She says, "It was during the silent period." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 716. |
| J154.1 | Dying saint leaves wise message to followers. Message is cryptic, but is finally made clear. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2213.1 | Each of two persons wants to sleep in the middle. (Sometimes solved by placing an object on one side of the bed.) Type 1289; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 416 No. 15. |
| J497 | Eagle prefers own offspring to changeling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J715.1 | Eagle warns shepherds that wolf is eating sheep. Crow rebukes eagle for thus imperiling his own food supply. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 36 No. 229*. |
| J216.5 | Early death with fame preferred. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1184.2 | Ears not to be cut off a second time. Executioner discovers that the prisoner's ears are of stucco, having been clipped for a previous offense. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J672.1 | Ears stopped with wax to avoid enchanting song. Odysseus and the Sirens. Chauvin VII 98 No. 375 n. 4; Köhler-Bolte I 125; Irish myth: *Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Greek: Fox 137, 263; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J425.1 | Earthen and brazen pots in river. Brazen pot thinks that they should stay together for company. Earthen pot, however, fears approach of brazen pot. Wienert FFC LVI 76 (ET 414), *136 (ST 415); Halm Aesop No. 422; Jacobs Aesop 212 No. 51; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1262.1 | Earthen cups replaced by golden. Emperor: "God is a thief; he threw Adam into a sleep and then stole a rib from him." Emperor's daughter: "Would you call a man a thief who stole two earthen cups from you and replaced them by golden ones?" Jewish: Gaster Exempla 196 No. 55, *Neuman. |
| J1755 | Earthworm thought to be snake (or other monster). Type 1316***. |
| J1144.1 | Eaters of stolen food detected by the giving of an emetic. Italian Novella: Rotunda (J1142.4.); French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 24. |
| J1144 | Eaters of stolen food detected. |
| J1511.3 | Eating cure becomes epidemic. A woman feigns periodic attacks of a sickness that can be cured only by eating a great number of delicacies. The husband feigns the same disease. Type 1372*. |
| J146 | Educated men as choice company. |
| J2212 | Effects of age and size absurdly applied. |
| J1772.14 | Eight-oared ferry-boat mistaken for an animal which must have long legs to wade the stream. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.8 | Elephant and ape debate about superiority. Owl gives them task neither can perform and ends futile debate. India: Thompson-Balys |
| J1882.3 | Elephant educated as drum beater. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1791.12 | Elephant frightened at agitated reflection of moon in water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.7.1 | Elephant, giraffe, snake, and ant try keeping house together: requirements different. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2326.3 | Emperor wants to travel to paradise. Blindfolded and put on an ass. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1289.17 | Emperor: "What people have the biggest bellies?" Jester answers: "The landlords." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J918 | Empress sews and shows she is not too noble to work. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J31 | Encounter with clever children (woman) dissuades man from visit. On way to a city meets children and they are so clever that he turns back home, fearing how clever their parents must be. *Wesselski Gonnella 118 No. 15, *Hodscha Nasreddin II 227 No. 481; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| J26 | Enemies can be won more by kindness than cruelty. Romans learn this by experience. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J218 | Enemies make peace rather than slay each other. |
| J624.3 | Enemy brothers unite to fight a common enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J891 | Enemy horses captured by lion join forces and become friends. Chauvin II 150 No. 9; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J2214.11 | England must be full of widows. So concludes widow's daughter, who makes her living by spinning, when she sees so much warm goods from England. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J484 | Enjoyment preferred to wealth. Penzer IV 198. |
| J1179.10 | Enoch Arden decision. Man believing wife dead becomes a priest. Later finds her alive. Pope's decision: he may remain both a priest and husband but must not consort with any other woman. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 42; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2526 | Equal share in the bed. Wishing to prove their equality twelve fools sleep on the ground and put their feet on the one bed provided for the chief. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1192.2 | Error was in the honey. Trickster takes jar filled with earth but with honey on top as bribe to the judge. He takes the decision in writing. Cheat is discovered and judge sends message that an error has been made. Reply: the decision was right; the error is in the honey. (Cf. J1176.3.) *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 252 No. 170. |
| J217.1 | Escaped lamb delivers himself to shepherd rather than to slaughter. Wienert FFC LVI 71 (ET 354), 115 (ST 252); Halm Aesop No. 377. |
| J641 | Escaping before enemy can strike. |
| J1271 | Eunuch visits augurer to see whether he is to be a father. "When I look at the livers, you are to be a father. When I look at you, I see that you are not even a man." Wienert FFC LVI 40; Babrius No. 54. |
| J1254 | Evading a direct answer which may trap one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1741.1 | Evangelium secundum Pergamum. Pergamus, a rival city of Luca, objects to the reading of the Evangelium secundum Lucam, insisting that it be "secundum Pergamum". *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 345. |
| J1279.2 | Even God can overdo it! Returning sailor finds his hovel transformed into a fine house. "Where does all this come from?" Wife: "God's bounty." Illegitimate child greets mother. Same question, same answer. Sailor: "I don't want God to help me so much!" Italian Novella: *Rotunda |
| J2245 | Every fruit tasted. Fool tastes every piece of fruit before giving it to his master. Penzer V 94; Chauvin VII 115. |
| J225.8 | Evil mother has fine funeral, good father poor. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 50. |
| J1943 | Examining the sundial by candle-light. Numskull tries to find the time of night. Clouston Noodles 76; England: Baughman. |
| J1772.9.1 | Excrement thought to be berries. Numskull tries to sell it. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| J1772.9 | Excrements thought to be meat and therefore eaten. Christensen DF XLVII 192 No. 18; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1183 | Execution escaped by invoking laws of hospitality. |
| J1185 | Execution escaped by story-telling. Cf. Browning's "Balaustion's Adventure." |
| J1189.2 | Execution escaped by threatening with malediction. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| J1181 | Execution escaped by use of special permissions granted the condemned. |
| J1181.2 | Execution evaded by having three wishes granted: to be emperor, judge and the emperor's son-in-law during the last week of his life. As judge he frees himself and is in reality freed. Köhler-Bolte II 651—57; Zs. f. Vksk. XV 222; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| J1181.1 | Execution evaded by using three wishes. King ordains that guest who turns his plate shall be executed, but orders that anyone so condemned shall have three wishes granted. One of the wishes: to have all blinded who saw him turn the plate. He is freed. *Wesselski Märchen des Mittelalters 230 No. 40; Herbert III 197; Oesterley No. 194. |
| J1181.0.1 | Execution: man induced to kill self. King may not execute Brahmin, but gets him drunk and brings about his death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2103 | Expensive extermination of rodents. |
| J2102 | Expensive means of being rid of insects. |
| J2094 | Expensive wood burned to make charcoal. Penzer V 67. |
| J2391 | Experiment in gravity. Which has greatest attraction to earth, cup or contents? Father shows great attraction of fool's back and a stick. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1701.1 | Extravagant woman whose husband continually finds fault with her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2521 | Extreme prudery. |
| J1179.14 | Eye of king's foster-son damaged by sting of bee. Boy's friends demand eye of king's son in forfeit; king decrees instead destruction of swarm of bees so that guilty one may perish. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1603 | Eyes treated for the stomach ache. A man who has stomach ache from eating bad bread is treated for his eyes so that he will thereafter be able to tell good bread from bad. Chauvin II 124 No. 121; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2415.4 | Fairies help forgotten child, but strangle child trying to imitate good luck. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3691. |
| J2275.1 | Falling star supposed to have been shot down by astronomer. Christensen DF XLVII No. 55. |
| J2214.12 | False judgment of distance in clear atmosphere of mountain area. Canada: Baughman. |
| J1154.3 | False witnesses cannot describe stolen jewel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1743.2 | Family do not realize that Lent has arrived until it is Palm Sunday. Then they explain that Lent will be short because it has been a short winter. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 89; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
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