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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| K1953 | Sham brave man. |
| K548.3 | Sham calling to helpers frightens robbers away. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1961 | Sham churchman. |
| K1965 | Sham crystal-gazer. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1871.2 | Sham cure by pretended extracting of object from patient's body. *Kittredge Witchcraft 455 n. 77. |
| K911.4 | Sham dead king jumps up and kills the nearest slave. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K311.1.1 | Sham dead man brought in sack by confederate. Is killed by his intended victim. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K911.1 | Sham death to wound enemies. Trickster lets himself be buried alive and stabs his enemies from the grave when they come to defile his body. *Type 1539; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 198 No. 391; Chauvin VII 151ff. No. 430. |
| K1969.4 | Sham deity. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K824 | Sham doctor kills his patients. Bødker Exempler 289 No. 42; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 220 No. 98; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 352 n. 271a; Africa (Wute): Sieber ZsES XII 171f.; West Indies: Flowers 529; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 256 No. 38. |
| K824.1 | Sham doctor kills ogre (giant). *BP III 375; **Hackman Polyphemsage; Icelandic: *Boberg; Melanesia, Indonesia: Dixon 188f. nn. 6—8; S. A. Indian (Quiche): Alexander Lat. Am. 169. |
| K2368.3 | Sham doctor prescribes medicine for king's army; they fall ill; invading army, seeing multitudes being carried away in litters, flee, thinking there is a plague. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1771.8 | Sham dream prophesying shipwreck makes people leave ship so that there is room enough for man who wants to go. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1791 | Sham duel in order to bring about recognition. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1656 | Sham dumb man wins suit. The trickster meets a man in a narrow place in the road and calls out to him to make room. The man refuses and the trickster turns over the cart. In court the trickster plays dumb. The plaintiff says, "He is not dumb; he called out to me several times to get out of the way." Damages are assessed against the plaintiff for negligence. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 210 No. 425. |
| K1961.1.5 | Sham holy man. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1963.4 | Sham magician belches fire to frighten dupes. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1574.1 | Sham magician has paramour fall in a trap. Has trained bird to cling to him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1963.6 | Sham magician makes wife believe that he (she) can be transported by demons. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1963.2 | Sham magician promises to induce love by magic. Dupe is frightened (to death, robbed, or otherwise discomfited) by magician or confederate. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1963 | Sham magician. Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 329 n. 189. |
| K1975.3 | Sham miracle: may the food turn raw. Lazy wife takes uncooked food to husband in field. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1975 | Sham miracle: may the grass grow up! Tricksters who have done no mowing say to their master when he angers them, "May the grass grow up again!" He finds it is full height. *Type 1736; Fb "[ö]nske" III 1178b. |
| K1975.2 | Sham miracle: rupees turn to ashes. Cheat tells man rupees carried by horse in sack will turn to ashes if man's tired wife rides on its back. Man promises to pay him back if that should happen. Ashes fall from under saddle when woman does and cheat collects. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1975.1 | Sham miracle: wallet (bee-hive) changes to wasps. Tricksters put a wasp nest in the wallet (bee-hive). When the master claims it they give it to him with the curse, "May it turn to wasps!" It does. *Type 1736; Fb "bi" IV 36b. |
| K1972.2 | Sham miracle. Priest makes congregation believe the painting of the Virgin weeps real tears. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1970 | Sham miracles. |
| K522.7 | Sham murder: trickster attacked by angry mother causes her to spear ox guts and believe she has murdered him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K931 | Sham nurse kills enemy's children. *Type 37; *Dh IV 247; Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs (JSFO VI) 93ff.; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1144; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 19ff.; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 23; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 300 n. 97; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 179; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 44 No. 5, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 388 No. 14, (Zulu): Callaway 24, (Kaffir): Theal 111, (Benga): Nassau 125 No. 12; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 344 No. 60. |
| K1961.1 | Sham parson (priest). *Fb "smedepræst"; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1961.1.2 | Sham parson repeats same expression over and over or says a few words of Latin. *Type 1825B; *BP III 116. |
| K1961.1.3 | Sham parson: the sawed pulpit. He has sawed the pulpit almost through. He predicts a miracle. The pulpit falls down. *Type 1825C; *BP II 413. |
| K1955.1 | Sham physician cures people by threatening them with death. *Bédier Fabliaux 476; *Basset 1001 Contes I 382; *Crane Vitry 241 No. 254; Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XXVI 89 n. 1; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1955.8 | Sham physician gives relative a medical degree. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1955.9.1 | Sham physician hands out prescriptions haphazard. Pierre Faifeu No. 20. |
| K1955.3 | Sham physician predicts the sex of the unborn child. "From one side it looks like a boy, from the other a girl." The woman bears twins and the husband pays the doctor. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 663; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1955.2 | Sham physician pretends to diagnose entirely from urinalysis. Really from observation and inference from trifles. *Chauvin VIII 106 No. 81; Pierre Faifeu No. 20; Nouvelles Récréations No. 59; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles Nos. 20, 21. |
| K1955.7 | Sham physician refuses to take his own medicine: unmasked. Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 482), 118 (ST 285). |
| K1955.5 | Sham physician: making the girl grow up. A king wants his daughter to grow up quickly. The physician says that he must send away for the medicine; meantime she must be shut up. After several years they show her to the king. She has grown. Clouston Noodles 102; *Penzer V 91 n. 1. |
| K1955.4 | Sham physician: using the flea powder. Catch the flea, open its mouth, and place the powder inside. Pierre Faifeu No. 18; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 133 No. 1550A*; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1955 | Sham physician. Chauvin II 93 No. 39; BP III 369ff.; B[ö]dker Exempler 289 No. 42; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 126; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 352 n. 271a; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 17. |
| K1961.1.4 | Sham priest dupes man into believing he can discover treasure. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1952 | Sham prince (nobleman). Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1968 | Sham prowess in hunting (fishing). |
| K1969 | Sham prowess—miscellaneous. |
| K1950 | Sham prowess. |
| K1954 | Sham rich man. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1958 | Sham teacher. Pretends to read a document brought him as a letter. It is a tax receipt. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 282 No. 332. |
| K1771.7 | Sham threat of war holds ships back so that there suddenly are enough men to man defending ship. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1771.1 | Sham threat: "In earnest or in jest?" A man asks another who has brushed against him: "Did you do that in earnest or in jest?"—"In earnest."—"I am glad, for I don't like that kind of jesting." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 219 No. 450. |
| K1771.2 | Sham threat: either .... or. "Either you give me the road or I (will give it to you, or the like)." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 21ff. No. 450; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1564*. |
| K1771.5 | Sham threat: if I were not a philosopher I should break your head for you. Nouvelles Récréations No. 68. |
| K1771.3 | Sham threat: something he has never done before. Beggar says, "If you do not give me alms I shall have to do something I have never done before." The alms are given and he is asked what he would have had to do. "Work." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 217 No. 450. |
| K1771.4 | Sham threat: the faked duel. Two who had challenged each other agree to hold a sham duel. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1969.1 | Sham traveler. Boasts falsely of voyage and receives canoes which he appropriates. Marquesas: Handy 119. |
| K1951 | Sham warrior. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.6 | Sham wise man (girl's confederate) interprets pretended dream for girl. Insists she be allowed to marry man of her own choice. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1956.9 | Sham wise man accidentally predicts weather correctly. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.8 | Sham wise man burns house where he pretends to keep his marvelous books, and is free from being called again. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.1.1 | Sham wise man claims to find stolen goods by incantation. He has really forced thieves to show them to him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.3 | Sham wise man declares who committed the theft: robbers. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 134 No. 1550B*, Espinosa II No. 55; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K1956.4 | Sham wise man does not know where his own house is. Unmasked. Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 484), 137 (ST 427); Halm Aesop No. 286. |
| K1956.1 | Sham wise man gives a purgative and helps find a lost horse. His pills get the credit. *Type 1641; BP II 401ff.; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 791; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 79; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.2 | Sham wise man hides something and is rewarded for finding it. *Type 1641; BP II 401ff., 413; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 302; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 284 No. 117. |
| K1956.7 | Sham wise man pretends knowledge from dream: really overheard conversation. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.2.1 | Sham wise man sees jewel hidden and is rewarded for finding it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.5 | Sham wise man stays alone feigning study. Is really killing flies. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 167. |
| K1956 | Sham wise man. *Type 1641; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 29ff., 40 Nos. 6, 7, 31. |
| K607.3.2 | Sham-dead deceived into moving by absurd action. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K607.3 | Sham-dead man deceived into making gesture. Obeys suggestion as to how dead man should act and betrays himself. U.S.: Baughman; India: *Thompson-Balys; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 53 No. 11; West Indies: Flowers 517—9. |
| K607.3.1 | Sham-dead tiger betrayed by his live penis. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1951.3.1 | Sham-warrior boasts and is employed at palace. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1951.3 | Sham-warrior intimidates soldiers with his boasting. *Type 1640; *BP I 148ff. |
| K2369.7 | Shammed discussing of peace while getting reinforcements. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1818.3.3 | Sharp man pretends to be stupid so as to be included in plans and conversation of plotters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1911.1.6 | She-bear as false bride. Compels true bride to exchange places. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1178 | Sheep makes fox believe that the hunter is a priest, the dog his servant, etc. Lithuanian: Balys Index 140*. |
| K561.2 | Sheep persuade the wolf to sing. Dogs are summoned. *Type 122C; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. IX 87; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K439.5 | Sheep thief pretends to buy wethers from the ram, names the price himself. Owner overhears, takes the ram to the thief to collect. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K547.8 | Shepherd threatened by tiger says he will report matter to ass: tiger flees. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1831.1 | Shipwrecked men call themselves by false names. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1783 | Shoemaker offers to trim the peasant's feet to fit the shoes. The peasant prefers to accept the ill-fitting shoes. *Bolte Frey 217. |
| K341.6 | Shoes dropped to distract owner's attention. The thief drops two shoes in different places and steals a ram while the shepherd goes after the shoes. *Type 1525D; *BP III 390 n. 2; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 160 No. 22; Andros Islands, Bahamas: Parsons MAFLS XIII 11 No. 9; Antigua, British West Indies: Johnson JAFL XXXIV 74 No. 33; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 86 No. 28. |
| K31.3 | Shooting contest won by deception: bird substituted for arrows. N. A. Indian: *Boas RBAE XXXI 721, 944. |
| K31 | Shooting contest won by deception. Philippine: Fansler MAFLS VII 137; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 314 n. 142. |
| K863 | Shooting game: blind man's arrow aimed. It kills his friend. (Balder's death.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K31.2 | Shooting test won by deception: proof of good sight. A man puts a dead hare under a tree and shows it to his dog. He tells people to look at the hare under the tree. At the distance no one can see it. He tells them that he will shoot it. He shoots and has his dog bring the hare. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 207 No. 417. |
| K2129.2 | Sick crew accused of being magicians so that nobody wants to have anything to do with them. Icelandic: Flateyjarbуk III 435. |
| K231.3.5 | Sick man offers deity 100 bulls for recovery. When reminded that he does not own so many bulls he explains that he doesn't expect the deity to come to enforce payment. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K774.2 | Sight of unclothed women calms rage of youthful hero. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K774.1 | Sight of women's breasts used to appease enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K358 | Signal for theft given in foreign language. Nouvelles Récréations No. 84. |
| K2128 | Slander: prince is bastard. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2115.2 | Slander: woman has given birth to objects. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2125 | Slander: woman said to be possessed of demons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2155.2 | Slanderers kill a woman and put her body near Buddha's cell. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 1216. |
| K2129 | Slanders—miscellaneous. |
| K2110 | Slanders. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K927 | Slaughter of animals by stampede. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K871.2 | Slaughter of drunken enemies in banquet hall. (Cf. K811.1.) Greek: Grote I 150. |
| K1917.8 | Slave poses as treasurer's son and carries letter purporting to ask for hand of merchant's daughter in marriage. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 486. |
| K831.1 | Slave washing mistress's back in stream pushes her into crocodile hole. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 333. |
| K1883.4 | Slayers magically made to believe stone their enemy. They behead it. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K914.3 | Slaying under cover of darkness. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K911.3 | Sleep feigned to kill enemy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K635 | Sleeping enemies' hair tied to an object prevents pursuit. Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Hupa): Goddard U Cal I 154ff. |
| K515.3 | Sleeping persons covered with oxhide and so saved. Icelandic: Ketils saga Haengs 118, Boberg. |
| K675 | Sleeping potion given to man who is to pass the night with a girl. (Sometimes magic pillow or magic sleeping card.) *Schoepperle I 257 n. 1; *Wesselski Märchen 254 No. 61; Child I 393, III 506b, IV 459b; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 54 No. 400B*; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1852 | Sleeping potion substituted for poison. (Cf. K2111.1.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K331.1 | Sleeping with open eyes. The man claims to sleep thus and beguiles the ogre into sleeping, so as to rob him. Type 1140*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1140. |
| K683 | Small animal in mouth of larger causes captor to spit him out. (Defecates.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K182.1 | Small niche in house brings large price. House sold reserving niche. This becomes such a nuisance that buyer pays heavily for it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1911.3.6 | Snake adopts true bride thrown into well. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1613.5 | Snake killed by incantation he has taught clever woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K897.1 | Snake killed by putting knives in animal he is swallowing. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K815.6 | Snake promises to do no harm to frog. Kills him. Panchatantra III 13, (tr. Ryder) 368; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 127. |
| K736 | Snapping door. Traps victims. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 307 n. 113. |
| K1501.1 | Solomon as cuckold. *Wesselski Märchen 197. |
| K649.4 | Son mentioned as daughter in order to save him from enemy's pursuit. Icelandic: Ans saga Bogsv. 359, Boberg. |
| K1921.1 | Son of the king and of the smith exchanged. *Type 920; *DeVries FFC LXXIII 40ff., 320ff. |
| K1613.4 | Son who intends to poison father drinks the poison by mistake. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K344.3 | Son-in-law steals father-in-law's pants by making latter believe he has dirtied them. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1628 | Sons have servant impersonate dead father and falsify his will. Servant deceives them by favoring himself. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K335.1.11 | Sons of thief frightened by threatening to bring the three strongest men to punish them. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| K649.6 | Sons warned by talk to oaks to hide. Icelandic: FSS 13, Boberg. |
| K2368.1 | Sound of artillery is simulated to overawe enemy. |
| K2368.2.1 | Sounds of battle in playhouse scare away attacking soldiers. England: Baughman. |
| K2368.2 | Sounds of mock battle scare away attacking force. |
| K1121.2 | Sow kicks wolf into stream when he comes close to baptize her pigs. Thus she saves them from him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K1428 | Sowing grain: does so in unplowed field. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.1 | Sparrows of Cirencester. Fire is attached to birds who fly in and set fire to a besieged city. **Krappe MPh XXIII 7ff.; **DeVries Arkiv för Nordisk Filologi XLVII 66ff.; Stender-Petersen Edda Nordisk Tidsskrift f. Litteraturforskning 1929, 145—64; Herrmann Saxo II 93; *Liebrecht 109f.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K366.5 | Speaking goat swallows gold coins in temple and voids for master. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K815.2 | Spider invites wasp (fly) to rest on her "white curtain". Eats her. Herbert III 40ff.; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2363 | Spies' false report of enemies' weakness brings on premature attack. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 394. |
| K1715.4.1 | Spirits frightened away by making them think they will be eaten. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 443. |
| K344.2 | Spoiling the rice-field with dung. Dupe persuaded that the dung has spoiled the field. He gives the field to the trickster. Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 25 No. 2. |
| K2111.2 | Spurned woman accuses man of theft. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1663 | Spying parent jolted in basket. A lover is let down into a girl's room at night in a basket. The spying parent stumbles into the basket and is jolted about by the lover's confederate. The parent thinks the devil has got him and leaves the lovers in peace. von der Hagen III 36 No. 55; English: Child No. 281. |
| K813 | Stag killed by lion into whose den the fox puts him. Wienert FFC LVI 49 (ET 85), 97 (ST 106, 192); Halm Aesop No. 243; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1972.1 | Statue made to raise its arm. Woman wishing to go on pilgrimage (to meet lover) makes believe that statue of saint has raised its arm in answer to her prayer. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K661.2 | Statue mourned and buried in order to account for murdered person. *Chauvin VI 15 No. 188. |
| K188 | Stealing only a small amount. A man promises in confession to steal only a small amount. He steals a rope with a mare on the end of it. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 146 No. 1800A; West Indies: Flowers 498. |
| K362.3.1 | Stealing the platter for the intended gift. Thief asks for silver platter saying that it is needed for an intended gift of confections. Servant carrying platter is told to wait until it is filled. Thief disappears with it. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2129.3 | Stepsisters scatter sugar in girl's litter so that flies congregate; would-be bridegroom disgusted and tells bearers to abandon her in jungle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K406 | Stolen animal disguised as person so that thief may escape detection. |
| K406.3 | Stolen animal magically transformed so that thief may escape detection. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K423.0.1 | Stolen animal returns to owner. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K419.4 | Stolen bacon offered to the owner. Making off with bacon, thief accidentally enters farmer's living-room. Boldly says: "Master, the devil from hell sends you bacon." The farmer: "Take yourself off to hell with the bacon." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1627B*. |
| K300.1 | Stolen cows cause a war. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K401.3 | Stolen goods left in suitor's room. Impoverished lover falsely accused so as to be rid of him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K401.2 | Stolen goods taken to dupe's house so that he is accused. Icelandic: Boberg; Bødker Exempler 303 No. 74; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 178 n. 1 (Palamedes); Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 100. |
| K423 | Stolen object magically returns to owner. Irish myth: *Cross. See all references to D1602 and its subdivisions. |
| K258 | Stolen property sold to its owner. *Type 1544. |
| K406.2 | Stolen sheep dressed as baby in cradle, so that thief may escape detection. (Mak.) Whiting Speculum VII 552; Fb "lam" II 370a, "hundehvalp" IV 228b; *Baugh MPh XV 729; *Smyser JAFL XLVII 378; *Stroup JAFL XLVII 380, Southern Folklore Q. III 5f.; *Cosbey Speculum X 310ff.; Middle English: Second Shepherd's Play; Irish myth: Cross (K521.1.3); Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 144 No. 1735B*. |
| K406.1 | Stolen sheep dressed as person sitting at helm of boat. Type 1525H*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1525H*. |
| K404.3 | Stolen sheep's tails severed and put in tree. Owner made to believe that they have escaped through the air. *Type 1004. |
| K1035 | Stone (hard fruit) thrown into greedy dupe's mouth. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Anesaki 330; Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 10 No. 4, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 387 No. 13. |
| K2115.2.1 | Stone substituted for newly-born babies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K341.16 | Stone thrown to attract attention of shark guardians. Man then slips in cave and steals lobsters. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 443. |
| K762 | Stranger asks woman for fire: abducts her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2351.8 | Strategy to get into enemy city: huge rat makes a burrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K187 | Strokes shared. The boy promises the soldier what the king has promised to give him. The soldier receives a beating in place of the boy. *Type 1610; **Reinhard JAFL XXXVI 380; *BP I 62; *Basset 1001 Contes I 321; Köhler-Bolte I 495; *Chauvin V 282 No. 166; *Wesselski Märchen 202 No. 13; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 614; Hibbard 80 n. 3; Wesselski Mönchslatein 161 No. 122.—English: Wells 161 (Sir Cleges); Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1594 | Student extends his course so as to enjoy the professor's wife. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1844.2 | Substitute bridegroom to save husband from poison maiden. *Type 507C; Huet 56; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K841 | Substitute for execution obtained by trickery. *Type 1538; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 172—4, 193, 196; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Wachaga): Gutmann 191. |
| K841.1 | Substitute for execution obtained by trickery. Report that man executed just then will be king in heaven. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1848 | Substitute for task. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1845 | Substitute in battle. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 65 (Cuchulainn), *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; N. A. Indian (Mandan): Will JAFL XXIX 402; West Indies: Flowers 547. |
| K3 | Substitute in contest. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 234 No. 46. |
| K528 | Substitute in ordeal. An ordeal (usually dangerous) is escaped by deceptively providing a substitute. English: Hibbard 71, Wells 158 (Amis and Amiloun); Icelandic: Göngu Hrуlfs saga 274ff.; N. A. Indian (Arapaho): Dorsey and Kroeber FM V 74 No. 37; West Indies: Flowers 512. |
| K1848.3 | Substitute on quest. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1853 | Substitute sacrifice. |
| K528.1 | Substitute smoker. The hero is compelled to smoke a fatal pipe, but the helpful insect which he carries on his head smokes the pipe for him. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 330 n. 191c. |
| K1858 | Substitute specimen for laboratory test. |
| K1858.2 | Substitute specimen in blood test. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1858.1 | Substitute specimen in urinalysis. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1617 | Substituted arrows. Hero given arrows with soft points and sent after dangerous enemies. The deception discovered and the enemy discomfited. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 312 n. 121. |
| K1611 | Substituted caps cause ogre to kill his own children. The hero and heroine change places in bed with the ogre's children and put on them their caps so that the ogre is deceived. *Types 327, 1119; *BP I 124 n. 1; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 22; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 358ff.; (Northern Paiute [Paviotso]): Lowie JAFL XXXVII 226 No. 10; Cape Verde Islands: *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 73 n. 3; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 267 No. 77. |
| K1920 | Substituted children. |
| K1851 | Substituted letter. A letter is changed on the way to its destination so as to falsify the message. See references to all the cross-references given below. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K525.1 | Substituted object left in bed while intended victim escapes. *Type 1115; *BP I 148ff., 164; U.S.: Baughman; Icelandic: FSS 38, Boberg; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges (K437.1.1.); French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 22; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 116 No. 970; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 4, Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 207; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 444; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3115); Australia: Dixon 279; Tahiti: ibid. 63; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 125, (Ekoi): Talbot 249; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 3 No. 1. |
| K1611.1 | Substituted string causes ogre to be killed. Intended victim of cannibal is marked by thread around ankle. Changed in night to host. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1847.1 | Substitution of children to gain inheritance. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1911.3.1 | Substitution of false bride revealed by animal. *Type 707; Köhler-Bolte I 277; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 67 No. 510, Espinosa II No. 113; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1911.3.1.1 | Substitution of false bride revealed by true bride in her animal form. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1218.2 | Suitor locked in pigsty. Type 1730*; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 31f. |
| K1218.4 | Suitors as corpse, angel, and devil. First induced to lie in coffin, second to sit up with the "corpse", and the third to carry a firebrand. "Corpse" thinks others are angel and devil. All come to blows. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 220; Boccaccio Decameron IX No. 1 (Lee 271); Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1218.3 | Suitors one by one enticed into graveyard and left together. They later get revenge. Type 940; Sébillot RTP IX 344, Literature orale de la Haute-Bretagne 142. |
| K1227.2 | Suitors put off till web is woven. Unwoven each night. (Penelope.) *W. Crooke FL IX 97; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus II 299 n. 2. |
| K2035 | Supernatural personages seen in dreams advise opposing kings how each can overcome the other. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K3.2.1 | Supernatural substitute in tournament for pious warrior. Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 36. |
| K839.6 | Supernaturals tricked into (fatal) exposure to daylight. Marquesas: Beckwith Myth 257. |
| K455.2 | Supper won by disguising as an invited guest. Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 234. |
| K455.1 | Supper won by trick: the mutual friend. A parasite makes the host believe him to be a friend of a certain guest and the guest to think him a friend of the host. *Chauvin VI 132 No. 285. |
| K401.2.3 | Surreptitious transfer of stolen object to innocent person's possession brings condemnation. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 349, 892. |
| K1675 | Swindlers allowed to hide money: proves to be basket of stones. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K345 | Sympathetic helper robbed. |
| K345.1 | Sympathetic helper sent for remedy and robbed. Africa (Benga): Nassau 86 No. 4, (Thonga): Junod 221, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 386 No. 12. |
| K1683 | Tables turned on procuress by chaste wife. The old woman is enticed into the wife's room, beaten, and driven forth naked. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 408. |
| K1021.1 | Tail buried (hair tied). Dupe bound fast and then attacked. Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 199—201, 204; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 35, 88; N. A. Indian (Hupa): Goddard U Cal I 154ff., Kroeber JAFL XXI 224; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 6, 358, (Kaffir): Theal 110, 183, (Basuto): Jacottet 20 No. 2, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 385f., (Hottentot): Bleek I No. 1, (Thonga): Junod 217; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 339 No. 59; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII *241 No. 14, 233f.; West Indies: Flowers 533. |
| K1686 | Tail sticking from ground betrays killing of calf. So arranged by servant in revenge on his master. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K341.13 | Tailor throws piece of cloth out of the window. The stingy woman has the tailor come to her house to cut cloth. He throws a piece out of the window, "the devil's share". While the woman has gone after it he cuts off a piece for himself. Type 1567***. |
| K404.1 | Tails in ground. Thief steals animals and sticks severed tails into the ground, claiming that animals have escaped underground. *Type 1004; BP III 392 n. 1; *Fb "hale" I 537, "svin" III 676a; Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 1004; Missouri French: Carrière; Louisiana Creole: Fortier MAFLS II 110 No. 2; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 241; Africa (Vai): Ellis 249 No. 41; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 98 No. 20, Nights 230 No. 39, 241 No. 41, (Virginia): Smiley JAFL XXXII 368, (South Carolina): Parsons MAFLS XVI 31f., JAFL XXXIV 8; Bahama: Cleare JAFL XXX 228; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 252 No. 29; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 109 n. 2, 113. |
| K1414 | Take care of the stopper! The son puts the stopper into his pocket, and all the tar (beer) runs out. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1706*. |
| K1810.1.3 | Taking king's place by changing dresses. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 252. |
| K1217 | Tale of the basin. Lover caught on magic basin and left in embarrassing position. *BP II 40 n. 2; *Wesselski Märchen 216 No. 27; *Kittredge Witchcraft 201 nn. 102, 103; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 126—132; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1345 | Tale of the cradle. Two youths pass the night with a family where all sleep in a common room, with a cradle at the foot of one of the beds. The moving of the cradle in the night confuses those walking about so that the strangers sleep with the wife and the daughter. Type 1363; *Robinson Complete Works of Chaucer 790a (Reeves Tale); *Varnhagen "Die Erzählung von der Wiege" Englische Studien IX 240; Bédier Fabliaux 463; von der Hagen III *xix, 37ff.; Boccaccio Decameron IX No. 6 (Lee 281); Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1692 | Teacher instructs pupil in the art of love: cuckolded. Student, ignoring woman's identity, seduces the teacher's wife, and reports success to him. The teacher makes futile attempts to surprise wife with pupil. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1399.5 | Teacher seduces pupil left in his charge. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1038. |
| K1068.2 | Teaching Latin. Cuts off tip of pupil's tongue or orders him to lick cold iron—pupil injures himself. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2444*. |
| K1416 | Tearing up the orchard (vineyard). Rascal has been told to cut wood. *Type 1011; Köhler-Bolte I 327; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2111.0.1 | Telling a story to allay a woman's amorous desires. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2378 | Temporary advantage gained by pretending to yield in a combat. *Dickson 175 n. 38. |
| K551.11 | Ten (five) year respite given captive while he undertakes to teach elephant (ass) to speak. Captive explains to friends that in that time the captor, the elephant (ass), or himself is likely to die. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K959.3 | Tent torn down over man, and he is then killed. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1213 | Terrorizing the paramour (importunate lover). |
| K1595 | The "loyal" adulteress. Complacent in all except kissing. Explains that her mouth is the only part of her body which has promised fidelity to her husband. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 48; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K344.1.2 | The "spoiled" anchovies. Servant eats all of master's anchovies. When master asks for some, the servant brings in a covered dish, and tells him that the fish smell very bad. The master tells the servant to throw them away. Spanish: Childers. |
| K1515 | The animal in the chest. The husband has locked the surprised paramour in a chest while he fetches his family as witness of his wife's unfaithfulness. She frees the lover, substitutes an animal, and discountenances the husband. (Cf. K1542, K1555, K1566, K1574.) *Type 1419B; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 187 No. 363; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 61; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K402.3 | The ass without a heart. The ass as toll-gatherer is killed by the lion for asking for toll. The fox eats the ass's heart. When the lion asks for it, the fox replies that the ass could have had no heart since he was such a fool as to ask the lion for toll. **Keidel "Die Eselherz Fabel" Zs. f. vgl. Litgsch. n. ser. VII No. 58; Gaster Exempla 229 No. 244; Penzer V 130 n. 1; *Chauvin II 99 No. 58; Bødker Exempler 299 No. 63; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K153 | The backwards and forwards dance. Dupe persuaded to pay for learning this dance (really moving toward and away from a fire). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1271.1.1 | The bag of lies: threat to tell of queen's adultery. The boy, who is to tell the bag of lies, is stopped and his wishes granted. *Type 570; *BP III 273; Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 570; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2904*; Russian: cf. Andrejev No. 1630*; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 5—8. |
| K444.3 | The bag with the rice for the road. Boy eats rice and throws empty bag on the road. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1047 | The bear bites the seemingly dead horse's tail. Is dragged off by the horse. *Type 47A; *BP III 75; Dh IV 235; Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs (JSFO VI) 70; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 163—7, 172—4; Korean: Zong in-Sob 105 No. 56; N. A. Indian (Chickasaw): Speck JAFL XXVI 292; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 8 No. 2, 208 No. 36. |
| K461.1 | The bear helps the fox's mother get berries: the fox eats them. Type 39. |
| K1728 | The bear trainer and his bear. (Schrätel und Wasserbär.) Ogre is driven out by hero's bear. The next year the ogre asks, "Is the big cat still living?" Hero says that it now has many kittens. Ogre is overawed. *Type 1161; **Taylor MPh XVII 305ff.; **Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII—XXXIV 33ff.; Christiansen "Kjætten paa D[ö]vre" Videnskapsselskapets Skrifter 2 kl. (1922) No. 6; *Fb "hund" I 678b; Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 434ff., (1928) 291—92; Scotland: Baughman. |
| K402.2 | The bird without a tail. Thief maintains that the bird had no tail. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 184. |
| K2021.1 | The bitten cheek. In payment of a debt, a woman permits a man to kiss her; he bites her cheek so that she has a permanent mark. *Chauvin V 98, 295. |
| K1631 | The bribed boy sings the wrong song. The sexton steals the priest's cow. The next day the sexton's son sings, "My father stole the priest's cow." The priest pays the boy to sing the song in church. But the sexton teaches the boy a new song, "The priest has lain with my mother," and this is sung in church. England, U.S.: Baughman; Danish: Kristensen Vore Fædres Kirketjeneste 88ff.; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 144 No. 1735A*; West Indies: Flowers 541f. |
| K2052.1 | The bride's (wife's) false modesty. Wears gloves, etc. to bed. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K241 | The castration bargain: wife sent. The trickster castrates the dupe and is to come the next day and be castrated himself. He sends his wife as substitute. *Types 153, 1133; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 441, (1928) 276—81. |
| K607.1 | The cave call. ("Hello, house!") An animal suspecting the presence of an enemy in his cave (house), calls and receives no answer. He then says, "Don't you know, O cave, that we have agreed that I must call you when I come from abroad and that you in turn must answer me?" The hiding animal answers and the other flees. **M. Bloomfield JAOS XXXVI 58; Louisiana Creole: Fortier MAFLS II 110; Mexican Spanish: Espinosa JAFL XXIV 419ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys, Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) III 15, 361; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 853; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 31; N. A. Indian (Oaxaca, Mexico): Boas JAFL XXV 208; Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman 41; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 142 No. 19; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 247 No. 23; West Indies: Flowers 517. |
| K171.7.1 | The common cow and bull: one gets front of cow and back of bull. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2135 | The complaint about bad breath: trouble for the king's favorite. A steward advises the courtier to hold his head away when serving the king, since the king objects to his bad breath. He then tells the king that the courtier holds his head back to avoid the king's bad breath. Penzer II 113; *Chauvin VIII 144 No. 145 B; *Zs. f. Vksk. IX 188ff., 311ff.; *Oesterley No. 283; Herbert III 198; *Cosquin études 82, 116; *Paris Romania V 454ff.; Hertz Deutsche Sage im Elsass (1872) 283ff.; Dunlop-Wilson II 49; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2151 | The corpse handed around. (The thrice-killed corpse.) Dupes are accused of murder when the corpse is left with them. The trickster is paid to keep silent. *Types 1536C, 1537; *Taylor MPh XV 221ff., 226 n. 1; **Suchier Der Schwank von der viermal getöteten Leiche (Halle a. S., 1922); *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 598; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 214 No. 438; Köhler-Bolte I 190; Bédier Fabliaux 469; BP II 10; Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 73 n. 3.—Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 176, 189, *Espinosa JAFL XLIX 181—193; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K2323 | The cowardly duelers. In the war between the wild and the domestic animals, the cat raises her tail; the wild animals think that it is a gun and flee. *Type 104; *BP I 425; Dh IV 209; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 246—248. |
| K362.3 | The cup to be repaired. A thief poses as a messenger from a husband to his wife asking that a certain silver cup be sent for repairs. *Wesselski Mönchslatein 126 No. 109; Scala Celi 101a No. 543; Mensa Philosophica No. 56; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1512 | The cut-off nose. (Lai of the Tresses.) A woman leaves her husband's bed and has another woman take her place. The husband addresses her, gets no answer and cuts off her nose (hair). In the morning the wife still has her nose (hair). The husband is made to believe that it has grown back by a miracle (or that he was dreaming). *Type 1417; Bédier Fabliaux 228ff.; Chauvin VI 100 No. 267; *Penzer V 47 n. 3, 223ff., VI 271; Mensa Philosophica No. 40; Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 8 (Lee 222); Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 38; Bødker Exempler 280 No. 24; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K341.21 | The dance of the thief. While singing and dancing in the farmer's house, the thief gives hints to his friend in the loft, how to steal the bacon. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1629*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1525 II*. |
| K226 | The debt will be returned to the devil when the pigs walk instead of run home. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1183A*. |
| K485 | The devil gets into the ark. The devil wants to know what Noah is doing when he is building the ark. He forbids Noah's wife to enter the ark until Noah has also invited him. *Type 825; *Dh I 258; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3100, Legends Nos. 192—195. |
| K1555.2 | The devil in the barrel. The naked lover hides himself in a sooty barrel. The husband receives from a curious gentleman a good sum of money for showing him the "devil". Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2900*; Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K2171 | The dog receives the blows. The cat steals a sausage from the table but the dog receives the blows from the mistress. Type 200*. |
| K231.1.3 | The dog refuses to help the wolf. A farmer plans to kill a faithful old dog. The wolf makes a plan to save the dog. The latter is to rescue the farmer's child from the wolf. The plan succeeds and the dog is rewarded. The wolf in return wants to steal the farmer's sheep. The dog refuses his assistance. *Type 101; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K441.1 | The double pension. A husband and wife are jointly under a pension from the king. She reports her husband dead and gets the whole pension. He likewise reports her dead and gets the whole money. Chauvin V 274 No. 155 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K486 | The double-cheating miller. He confesses that he has an oversized measure and agrees to get a smaller one. He measures back the grain in the smaller measure. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 146 No. 1800B*. |
| K441.2 | The doubly-feed lawyer. A lawyer takes a car as fee from a widow and an ox from her adversary. He pleads for the latter saying that the ox draws the car. *Herbert III 375 No. 23; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 125; Scala Celi 20a No. 122; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K1687 | The easier job. Men exchange jobs because each is made to believe that the other's is easier. It is not. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K251.1 | The eaten grain and the cock as damages. A trickster has only a grain of corn; this is eaten by a cock, which he demands and receives as damages. Likewise when a hog eats the cock and the ox eats the hog. *Type 1655; *BP II 201; *DeVries Volksverhalen II 381 No. 145; India: Thompson-Balys; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 176 No. 24; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII *262 No. 63. |
| K445 | The emperor's new clothes. An impostor feigns to make clothes for the emperor and says that they are visible only to those of legitimate birth. The emperor and courtiers are all afraid to admit that they cannot see the clothes. Finally a child seeing the naked emperor reveals the imposture. *Type 1620; **Taylor MPh XXV 17; *Chauvin II 156 No. 32, VIII 130 No. 120; *Wesselski Gonnella 133 No. 33; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
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