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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| K581.4.1 | Birds caught in net fly away with it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K711.0.1 | Birds enticed into bag. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 296 n. 82a. |
| K687 | Birds escape death by flying away with net. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1065. |
| K2351.5.1 | Birds frighten enemy's horses so that they throw their riders down. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K730.5 | Birds led into trap by promise of a feast. Africa (Cameroon): Lederbogen 74. |
| K1826.5.1 | Bishop disguised as priest. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1015.1 | Biting on stone given as remedy for toothache. Teeth injured. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K543 | Biting the foot. Fox to bear, who is biting his foot: "You are biting the tree root." Bear lets loose. *Type 5; *BP II 117 n. 2; Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs (JSFO VI) 62ff.; *Fb "bjørn" IV 43b; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia, Malay Peninsula: *Dixon 190 n. 11, *DeVries's list No. 1; S. A. Indian (Brazil): Hartt Amazonian Tortoise Myths (Rio de Janeiro, 1875) 29; Africa: Werner African 296, 299, (Kaffir): Theal 187, (Mpongwe): Nassau 17 No. 1, 45 No. 6, (Zulu): Callaway 6, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 395 No. 18, (Nakami): FL X 386; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 58 No. 12; West Indies: Flowers 514; Bahama: Parsons MAFLS XIII 103. |
| K481.1 | Blackbird to avenge capture of his wife carries rope, club, cat, ants and river in ears. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1565 | Blades (broken glass) to wound and detect wife's lover. (Often on window.) Type 432; *Krappe Balor 35ff.; *Schoepperle I 218ff.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| K401 | Blame for theft fastened on dupe. *Penzer IV 191f. n. 1; Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 6 (Lee 257); Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 129. |
| K419.10 | Blame for theft fastened on fairies. Maori: Clark 196. |
| K419.9 | Blame for theft fastened on inanimate objects. Japanese: Ikeda (K402). |
| K333.4 | Blind beggar overheard telling that his money is kept in a stick. Thief exchanges sticks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K333.1 | Blind Dupe. A blind man's arrow is aimed for him by his mother (or wife) who deceives him into thinking that he has missed his aim. She eats the slain game herself. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 78, 202; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 278. |
| K1984.5 | Blind fiancée betrays self. Mistakes one object for another. *Type 1456; BP III 237; *Fb "bejler" IV 31b. |
| K1667.1.2 | Blind man asks thief to invest a larger sum for him. The greedy thief puts back the stolen money hoping to get more. The blind man recovers his money. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1667.1 | Blind man gets back his stolen treasure by making thief expect a larger one. |
| K306.4 | Blind man steals from neighbor who in turn steals from him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1081.1 | Blind men duped into fighting: money to be divided. Trickster says that he is giving one of them money to be divided with the others. Gives it to none. They quarrel and fight. (Cf. K1883.6.) *Wesselski Gonnella 126 No. 21; *Bédier Fabliaux 447; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1577*; Russian: Andrejev No 1577I*; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1081.2 | Blind men duped into fighting: stolen meat. The trickster steals one piece of meat. The blind accuse each other and fight. Italian Novella: Rotunda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 298 n. 89; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 82, 124. |
| K1081.3 | Blind men duped into fighting: strings leading to water removed. Fb "snor"; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 298 n. 89. |
| K1081 | Blind men duped into fighting. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K436 | Blind thief trying to steal dates from withered tree killed by slipping of rope. Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XX 53. |
| K2273.1 | Blind villain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1465 | Blinded slave's revenge. Threatens to jump from tower with lord's children unless lord blinds himself. Lord does so but slave jumps with children nevertheless. Wesselski Theorie 16; *Krappe Archiv f. d. Studium d. neueren Sprachen CLX 162ff. |
| K961.0.1 | Blood of certain animal said to be sweet. Its death thus brought about. *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 57 No. 20; American Negro: Harris Friends 45ff. No. 6. |
| K2155.1 | Blood smeared on innocent person brings accusation of murder. *Types 652, 712; *BF I 18 n. 1; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 89, India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 369 No. 20. See also all references to K2116.1.1. West Indies: Flowers 536. |
| K828 | Bloodthirsty animal by trickery admitted to fold: kills peaceful animal. Type 123; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2155.1.1 | Bloody knife left in innocent person's bed brings accusation of murder. See references to K2155.1. Dickson 74, 225; Hibbard 25 n. 5. |
| K26 | Blowing contest won by deception. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 194a n. 17. |
| K1765 | Bluff in court: the stone in the purse. A poor man has a stone in his purse to throw at the judge if he is sentenced. The judge thinks that he has money to use as a bribe and acquits him. *Type 1660; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 253 No. 171. |
| K1762 | Bluff: climbing the mast. In a contest in climbing the mast the hero falls into the rigging. "You do the same thing," he challenges. The sailors are persuaded of his expertness. *Type 1611; N. A. Indian (Maliseet): Speck JAFL XXX 482 No. 7; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 190. |
| K1718.4 | Bluff: harrow said to be comb of hero's mother. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1741 | Bluff: hero professes to be able to perform much larger task than that assigned. *BP III 333; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| K1715.8 | Bluff: hero to brother, "You take one and I can manage the rest." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1718.3 | Bluff: huge cauldron of tar said to be kitchen-pot of hero's mother. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1775 | Bluff: insult repeated as harmless remark. The trickster makes an insulting remark, but when called on to repeat what he said he changes it so as to turn aside wrath. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 130; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 12 No. 1, (Benga): Nassau 153ff. No. 19, (Yoruba): Ellis 266, (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 88, 151, (Kaffir): Theal 165, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 384 No. 10, 395 No. 18; West Indies: Flowers 545. Cf. Chaucer Nun's Priest's Tale lines 343ff. |
| K1718.2 | Bluff: millstones said to be pearls of hero's mother. Ogre overawed. Type 1146. |
| K1715.2 | Bluff: only one tiger; you promised ten. Child (or shepherd) calls out to the small hero (ape, hare) and makes the tiger (ogre) think that he is lucky to escape alive. *Type 1149; Aarne FFC XI 154; Dh IV 278; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 322. |
| K1718.5 | Bluff: plow said to be hoe of hero's mother. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1761 | Bluff: provisions for the swimming match. In a swimming match from a ship the hero takes a knapsack of provisions on his back. His rival is afraid and gives up. *Type 1612; N. A. Indian (Maliseet): Speck JAFL XXX 482 No. 7; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 190. |
| K1715.7 | Bluff: small (lame) hero makes demon believe he is a god and threatens to eat him. Demon terrorized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1786 | Bluff: the rare vintages. Host serves many rare vintages and gets a reputation for his wine cellar. But there is only a small jug of each vintage. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 837. |
| K1718.1 | Bluff: thunder said to be the rolling of hero's brother's wagon. Ogre overawed. Type 1147. |
| K1741.1.1 | Bluff: told to bring home a tree, hero prepares to bring home six. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1741.2.1 | Bluff: told to bring home an ox, hero prepares to bring home ten. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1741.3.1 | Bluff: told to bring water in an ox skin, hero prepares to dig a canal. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1782 | Bluff: wealth gained by seeming to be in the king's confidence. Courtier asks the king for a reward that will cost nothing. He gets permission to listen to the king's devotions. He now receives bribes because of his apparent influence. *Penzer V 186 n. 1; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 127 No. 110, Morlini 266 No. 4; Clouston Tales II 360ff.; *Herbert III 421 No. 82; Scala Celi 136b No. 762. |
| K1771 | Bluffing threat. |
| K97.1 | Boar in duel with tiger cakes mud on body: defeats tiger. India* Thompson-Balys. |
| K1776 | Boast where the master cannot hear. The servant boasts that he has scolded his master. Type 2404. |
| K1951.4 | Boastful coward frightened by conspirators. N. A. Indian (Cheyenne): Kroeber JAFL XIII 172. Cf. Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV part I. |
| K1951.1.1 | Boastful elephant killer: killed at one blow. Elephant has been poisoned. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1951.1 | Boastful fly-killer: "seven at a blow". A tailor who has killed seven flies writes on a placard: "Seven at a blow." He is received as a great warrior. *Type 1640; *BP I 148ff.; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 23; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 194f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 73 No. III; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 51; N. A Indian: *Thompson CColl II 430ff. |
| K1837.1 | Boasting coward exposed by wife who masks as highwayman and robs him. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 142 No. 1710. |
| K815.12 | Boat lured to land with kind words and wrecked in order to take vengeance on the men. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2011.1.2 | Bogey imitates mother and kills child. Africa (Kenya): Browne Vanishing Tribes of Kenya (London, 1926) 211ff. |
| K1626.3 | Boiling water meant for cooking hero used for man who has prepared it. S. Am. Indian (Amuesha): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 150. |
| K2116.1.1.1.1 | Bones of puppies as false evidence of wife's having eaten her new-born child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2282.1 | Boniface VIII, when cardinal, impersonates angel and dupes Clement V into abdicating. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K233.3 | Boots made by two cobblers. Trickster sends one of each pair back to be stretched, leaves town with pair of boots made up of the remaining boots. England: Baughman. |
| K1041 | Borrowed feathers. Dupe lets himself be carried aloft by bird and dropped. *Type 225; *Parsons JAFL XXXI 218 n. 1; *Fb "ræv" III 114a; Herbert III 37ff.; *Dh IV 269; Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 51), 50 (ET 98), 93 (ST 63), *123 (ST 320); Halm Aesop No. 419; Gaster Oldest Stories 82.—Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 218—220, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 21—23; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 70, 108; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 294 n. 80, Thompson CColl II 449, (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 30; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 373 No. 23; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 103 No. 21, (Virginia): Bacon and Parsons JAFL XXXV 263. |
| K1968.1 | Bought game (fish) used to prove prowess in hunting (fishing). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K13 | Boxing match: fatal boxer defeated. All comers are challenged and all are killed until the hero defeats the challenger. (Argonauts and Amycus.) *Hackman cf. K12; *Frazer Apollodorus I 102 n. 2. |
| K1971.3 | Boy behind the tree tells woman about the bad food he gets. She thinks God is speaking and gives him good food. Type 1575**. |
| K1836.2 | Boy disguises as woman to embarrass incontinent priest. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K615 | Boy in hole escapes descending log by digging hole. Oceania: *Lessa (forthcoming study). |
| K873.3 | Boy makes adversary insensible by substituting opium for half of tobacco in pipe. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2054.1 | Boy pretends to take long trip in order to pay debt of a penny. Thus he gets man's confidence and robs him. Korean: Zong in-Sob 124 No. 60. |
| K565.1 | Boy swallowed by fish that is thrown up on shore persuades tiger to cut it open with injunction not to look at him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K812.1.1 | Boy teaches giants how to lay a carpet of dried grass and naphtha over the hard ground floor of their cave, sets fire to it and thus suffocates them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1956.10 | Boy, posing as magician, agitates purported all-knowing pig's head in front of his enemies, identifying them as dishonest men. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K512.2.4.1 | Boy's sixth toe cut off by compassionate executioner as proof he had been killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K649.3 | Boys scolded in order to conceal their identity. Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 10 ch. 3, Boberg. |
| K1714 | Boys threaten to harness tiger. They have jumped on him from behind and he cannot see. He buys them off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K649.5 | Boys warned by dogs' names to escape. Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 4—8, Boberg. |
| K1952.0.1 | Brahmin takes shape of a prince. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K961.2.1 | Brain of snake said to be only cure for monkey's disease. Monkey to be killed by snake when he goes to hole. Bødker Exempler 305 No. 79; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2369.13 | Brambles heaped in ford to halt enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K343.1.1 | Bread dropped in mud; messenger returns for more. A youth poses as a rich man's servant and gets a sack of bread from a baker. The baker boy is to go along and collect. The rascal drops two loaves in the mud and sends the boy back for fresh ones. Meantime he runs off with the rest of the bread. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 651. |
| K581.2 | Briar-patch punishment for rabbit. By expressing horror of being thrown into the briar patch he induces his captor into doing so. He runs off. **Ruth I. Cline American Literature II 72ff.; **Espinosa JAFL XLIII 129 ff.; *Dh IV 26; Köhler-Bolte I 266; *Parsons Folklore XXX 227. Missouri French: Carrière, Louisiana Creole: Fortier MAFLS II 108; Indonesia: *DeVries Volksverhalen II 381f. No. 147 (duck); Oceanic: Meyer Mythen und Erzählungen der Küstbewohner der Gezellehalbinsel 49, 187, Fox and Drew JAI XLV 204; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 446, Speck UPa I 141 n. 8; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 395, (Zanzibar): Bateman 38 No. 2; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 16 No. 4; Barbadoes: Parsons JAFL XXXVIII 270; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 244; West Indies: Flowers 516. |
| K513 | Bribed executioner releases culprit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1223.1 | Bride escapes from foolish husband and leaves goat as substitute in bed. *Type 1685; *BP I 320. |
| K1843.1 | Bride has maid sleep in husband's bed to conceal pregnancy. *Types 870, 870A; *BP III 444; *Arfert Unterschobene Braut 34ff.; *Chauvin V 218 No. 128; Wesselski Märchen 46 No. 15; **Liungman En traditionsstudie över sagan om prinsessan i jordkulan; **Liungman Tvе Folkminnesundersökningar 1-40; *Fb "Brangoene" IV 60b; *Schoepperle I 206ff.; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 119, 345, *Neuman. |
| K525.1.2 | Bride substitutes wooden picture while she herself escapes sleeping groom. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1371 | Bride-stealing. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 549a nn. 175-204; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K216.2 | Bringing the devil an unknown animal. The man sends his naked wife on all fours in tar and feathers. The devil has never seen such an animal. *Type 1091; *BP I 411, III 358; *Fb "pige" II 816a, "kjende" II 140, "tjære" III 811a; Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 755f. |
| K1741.3 | Bringing the whole well. Told to get water, hero demands bucket large enough to bring in the whole well. The ogre is frightened. Type 1049; *BP III 333; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 163—167. |
| K1988 | Brother (sister) secures blessing due to another. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K2121.1 | Brother accused of paternity of mystically impregnated sister. S. A. Indian (Amuesha): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 149. |
| K991.1 | Brother causes brother's death by sending him to robbers and giving false advice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1092 | Brothers duped into killing each other by slander that one of them is father to the other's child. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1952.3 | Brothers pose as princes, deeming their parentage not worthy of their merit. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1441 | Building a bridge of cattle. Ordered to build a bridge not of wood, stone, iron, or earth, the trickster uses the carcasses of cattle. *Type 1005. |
| K1013.2.2 | Burning children on promise of giving them fawn's beautiful spots. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 344. |
| K581.5 | Burning the jackal. He expresses horror of that punishment. Sets fire to village from his burning tail. Why he has burnt tip on tail. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K581.3 | Burying the mole as punishment. *Fb "еl" III 1190b. |
| K478 | Butter weighed with the bread. The peasant weighs the butter which he is selling to the baker along with the bread which he is buying. Type 1566**. |
| K196.1 | Buying foxes "as they run". Man sells three hundred foxes to buyer who agrees to "take them as they run": reds, silvers, crosses. He gets a large payment to bind the bargain, waves his hand at the woods: "I sold them as they run; and they're running." Canada: Baughman. |
| K333.3 | Buzzard steals coyote's eyes, while he is throwing them up in the air. N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 36. |
| K232.1 | By using verse with double meaning man appropriates borrowed goods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K553.0.2 | Calf: "Wait till I grow up." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2117 | Calumniated wife: substituted letter (falsified message). The letter announcing the birth of her children changed on the way to the king, so that the queen is falsely accused. (Cf. K2115, K2116.) *Type 706; *BP I 295ff.; Hibbard 26ff.; *Schlauch, Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 12ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II No. 119; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, Rotunda. |
| K2110.1 | Calumniated wife. *Types 451, 706, 707, 712, 883A, 892; BP I 20, 79ff., *86, 99ff., 295ff., II 121ff., 273, 380ff., *392, III 85ff., 488; **Arfert Das Märchen von der unterschobenen Braut; Hibbard 21ff., 35; **Schlauch Chaucer's Constance and Accused Queens (New York, 1927) 12ff.; *Kittredge Arthur 241 n. 1; *Cox 478, 501;—Irish myth *Cross; Jewish: *bin Gorion Born Judas I 257; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 107 No. 891*; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 526, 536; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 385ff.; Africa (Wakweli): Bender 96. |
| K1084.4 | Calumniators try to bring friendly kings to fight, but fail at last. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K255.4 | Camel has offered one pound of flesh to jackal for help. Camel's tongue demanded. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K962 | Camel induced to offer himself as sacrifice. Other animals feign to offer themselves to the lion as food. The lion eats the camel. Penzer V 53 n. 1; Chauvin II 89 No. 29; Bødker Exempler 284 No. 31; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K839.5 | Camel lures wolf into looking at the writing on his breast. Crushes wolf. India: Thompson-Balys; Maori: Clark 112. |
| K1872 | Camouflage. |
| K605.1 | Cannibal sent for water which magically recedes from him: victim escapes. New Zealand: Dixon 85, Beckwith Myth 196 n. 19. |
| K605 | Cannibal sent for water with vessel full of holes: victim escapes. Indonesia: Dixon 224, 225 n. 31, Beckwith Myth 194; Tahiti: Dixon 63, Beckwith Myth 197 n. 21, ch. 13 passim; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 194. |
| K619.1 | Cannibals advised to be absent while hero is being cooked; else he will not taste right. Hero escapes. Africa (Zulu): Callaway 6. |
| K895 | Cannibals enticed to climb slippery barricade: fall. Sulka of New Britain: Dixon 131, *132 n. 2. |
| K827.2 | Cannibals persuaded to take snuff: killed. Africa (Zulu): Callaway 142. |
| K631.1 | Captive dodges when captor tries to cut off his hand; the hatchet sticks in a log and the captor is disarmed. *BP III 454; Wesselski Märchen 222 No. 36; Scala Celi No. 537. |
| K522.4 | Captive parrots in net play dead and are thrown out: escape. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K622 | Captive plays further and further from watchman and escapes. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 33, (Basuto): Jacottet 102 No. 15; West Indies: Flowers 519. |
| K671 | Captive throws his hat to lions who fight over it while he escapes. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 56 No. 408A*. |
| K672 | Captive throws his shoe at serpent who chokes while he escapes. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 56 No. 408A*. |
| K638 | Captive tied to captor escapes by tying end of rope to a post. Korean: Zong in-Sob 173 No. 74. |
| K562.1 | Captive trickster persuades captor to pray before eating. Escapes. Africa (Nama): Bleek 23, No. 12, (Hottentot): Meinhof Lehrbücher d. Sem. f. orient. Spr. XXIII 165. |
| K631 | Captor induced to disarm himself. |
| K580 | Captor persuaded into illusory punishment. |
| K526 | Captor's bag filled with animals or objects while captives escape. *Type 327C; Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 327C; Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 44; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 44 No. 311B*; India: *Thompson-Balys; Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 181, 212; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 351 n. 268a; S. A. Indian (Aymara): Tschapik BBAE CXLIII (1) 571; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 120, 136, (Basuto): Jacottet 66 No. 10, (Zulu): Callaway 6, 74, 345, (Congo): Grenfell 824; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 386 No. 70, (Virginia): Parsons JAFL XXXV 262. |
| K633 | Captor's powder is removed, ashes substituted: gun does not discharge. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K536 | Captors deceived into believing captive is planning to stay with them: vigilance relaxed. Captured general orders heavy boxes taken into the temple. These are thought to be gold and it is concluded that he will not try to leave. He escapes. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 527. |
| K551.28 | Captors give captive respite in order to witness alleged marvel. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 511. |
| K656 | Captors lured into drowning selves. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K742 | Capture between branches of tree. Small animal lures large one, who cannot get loose. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K783 | Capture by blinding. |
| K737 | Capture by closing entrance to victim's home. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 258 No. 38, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 366 No. 17. |
| K700 | Capture by deception. |
| K750 | Capture by decoy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K751 | Capture by feigning death. (Cf. K757.) *Types 47A, 56A; Chauvin III 76; Crane Vitry 127 No. 304; Herbert III 461; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 29, Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 242, 1131; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 27; Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 176, 332; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 298 n. 88; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 14 No. 1, (Fjort): Dennett 79 No. 17; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 310 n. 1, 312, 315, 324; West Indies: Flowers 525ff. |
| K757 | Capture by feigning illness. (Cf. K751.) *Type 50; N. A. Indian (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 35; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 3 No. 1; West Indies: Flowers 527. (See also all references to K961.) |
| K751.1 | Capture by hiding in animal carcass. Animal who comes to eat of carcass caught. Babylonian: Spence 297. |
| K754 | Capture by hiding in artificial animal. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 643. |
| K754.3 | Capture by hiding in artificial bird. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 431. |
| K754.2 | Capture by hiding in artificial elephant. *Penzer I 133 n. 1; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 859. |
| K758 | Capture by hiding in baskets of food. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K753 | Capture by hiding in disguised objects. Egypt: Maspero Contes populaires de l'Ancienne Egypt (Paris, 1882) 85f.; Arabian: Basset 1001 Contes II 301; Indonesia: Overbeck Insulinde I 148. |
| K753.1 | Capture by hiding in disguised ship. DeVries Acta Philologica Scandinavica II 137. |
| K763 | Capture by hiding in hollow tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K752 | Capture by hiding under screen (grass, leaves, etc.) Africa (Kaffir): Theal 30 No. 1, (Basuto): Jacottet 100 No. 15, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 384 No. 2; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 79 No. 15, 95 No. 18 (hollow tree). |
| K2357.15 | Capture by hiding warriors in baskets on back of oxen driven into enemy's camp on pretence that food is being brought. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K756 | Capture by imitation of animal's voice. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 119, (Fjort): Dennett 85 No. 10; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 242 No. 17; Antigua, British West Indies: Johnson JAFL XXXIV 68. |
| K776 | Capture by intoxication (or narcotic). Dickson 67 n. 13, 122 n. 71; Malone PMLA XLIII 415; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 5, Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Wute): Sieber ZsES XII 169; West Indies: Flowers 527. |
| K775 | Capture by luring merchant to look at supposed bargain. Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 214 No. 73. |
| K778.3 | Capture by luring to courtesan's house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K782 | Capture by lying in wait in enemy's haunt. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K755 | Capture by masking as another. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 215f., 541. |
| K761 | Capture by putting on the clothes of slain enemy. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K774 | Capture by sight of women's breasts. Women with uncovered breasts meet hero. He averts his face and is captured. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 142 (Cuchulainn), *Cross. |
| K775.1 | Capture by taking aboard ship to inspect wares. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K741 | Capture by tarbaby. An image covered with tar (or other adhesive substance) captures the intruder who addresses it and finally strikes it so that he sticks to it. *Type 175; **Cline American Literature II 72ff.; **Espinosa JAFL XLIII 129ff., LVI 31ff., Las versiones hispanicas peninsulares del cuento del muсeco de brea (Estudios dedicados a Menendez Pidal [Madrid, 1951]) 357—81, Sobre los origines del cuento del muсeco de brea (Bol. de la Bibl. Menendez y Pelayo XIII 296—318); *Dh IV 26; **Parsons FL XXX 227, JAFL XXXV 330; *Taylor JAOS LXIV 4ff.; Brown Scientific Monthly XV 228; Werner Folklore X 282.—Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 77 No. 650; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 336, 442; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 440, 444ff.; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis VIII 105, IX 106, XII 319, Weeks Jungle 431, (Angola): Chatelain 185 No. 22; (Hottentot): Theal 90, (Yoruba): Ellis 255 No. 4, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 71, (Kaffir): Kidd 242 No. 9, (Ekoi): Talbot 397, (Mpongwe): Nassau 22 No. 2, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 356 398, (Cameroon): Gantenbein 69, (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen 74, Fables 59; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 7 No. 2; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 244 Nos. 20, 21. |
| K741.1 | Capture by tarring back of a horse. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K735 | Capture in pitfall. (Cf. B361.) *Type 160; Chauvin II 106 No. 71; England: Baughman; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1323, 1/89); Mono-Alu: Wheeler Nos. 2, 6, 18, 48ff.; Africa (Benga): Nassau 86, 191 Nos. 4, 25, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 386 No. 11, (Fang): Trilles 267. |
| K735.4 | Capture in trap bed: victim dropped into dungeon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K735.2 | Capture in trap seat. India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 80. |
| K2362 | Capture of castle by feigning death. *DeVries Arkiv f. Nordisk Filologi XLVII 56ff., 67ff.; Wilken Geschichte der Kreuzzüge II 321ff.; Herrmann Saxo II 126; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K777 | Capture of castle by pretending to surrender and entering. Dickson 70 n. 19. |
| K778 | Capture through the wiles of a woman. (Cf. K774.) Dickson 122 n. 70; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K776.1 | Capture with aid of sleep-bringing music. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K551.7 | Captured animal asks respite while he gives war alarm. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 2. |
| K1461 | Caring for the child: child killed. Finnish: Kalevala rune 31; S. A. Indian (Mataco): Métraux MAFLS XL 133. |
| K1442 | Casting eyes: animal's eyes. Ordered to cast eyes on this or that, the trickster kills animals and casts their eyes at the object. *Type 1006; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 181-8; India: Thompson-Balys. Cf. Type 1685. |
| K781 | Castle captured with assistance of owner's daughter. She loves the attacker. (Cf. K811.1.1, K2340.) Dickson 240, 241 n. 44; Krappe "Die Sage von der Tarpeja" Rheinisches Museum für Philologie LXXVIII (1929) 248—67; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 31. |
| K1155 | Casual words uttered by dupe used to cheat him of his property. A miser is persuaded by his servant to fast nine days. He calls out on the fifth day "the half" and on the ninth "the whole". She makes people believe that he is making his will and giving everything to her. It is so ordered. Danish: Kristensen Jyske Folkeminder VII No. 30. |
| K815.7 | Cat acts as judge between sparrow and hare; eats them both. *Penzer V 102 n. 2; Chauvin II 96 No. 50; Bødker Exempler 294 No. 55; Panchatantra III 2, (tr. Ryder) 315 (partridge and rabbit); Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2131.1 | Cat brings suspicion between eagle and sow. Eagle lives in the top of the branches, cat in the middle, and sow at bottom; all are happy. Cat tells eagle that sow is trying to root down the tree: eagle is frightened and dares not leave tree. Cat tells sow that eagle plans to carry off pigs: sow dares not leave. They starve and fall victims to the cat. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 143), 99 (ST 130, 421). |
| K561.1.1 | Cat fails to be beguiled into releasing mouse. The mouse tells the cat a tale. The cat answers at last, "Even so, I eat you up." |
| K2061.9 | Cat hangs on wall pretending to be dead: mice detect plan. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 128), 96 (ST 97); Halm Aesop No. 15. |
| K815.4 | Cat invites hens to a feast and kills them. Wienert FFC LVI *49 (ET 87), 96 (ST 105). |
| K815.15 | Cat lures young foxes from den with music. Kills them. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 133*; Russian: Andrejev No. 61 II*; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX No. 133*. |
| K341.7.2 | Cat made to mew so as to distract owner's attention from his goods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K815.13 | Cat makes truce with mice. When they have become friendly, he eats them. Bødker Exempler 306 No. 81; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2061.7 | Cat offers to act as doctor for cock and hen: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 30), 53 (ET 127), 96 (ST 87); Halm Aesop No. 16. |
| K341.7.1 | Cattle let loose so as to distract owner's attention from his goods. *Gering Islendzk æventyri (Halle, 1883) II 210ff. |
| K2369.8 | Cauldron containing lighted torch brought into enemy's camp ostensibly to be used for serving food: torch uncovered as signal for attack. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K521.2 | Change of bodily appearance so as to escape. |
| K255.1 | Charging thirty cakes for cooking twenty-five. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1231 | Chaste woman refers lover to her husband for permission. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 749; Heptameron No. 27; Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1231.1 | Chaste woman refers lover to his wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1223.2.1 | Chaste woman sends man's own wife as substitute (without his knowledge). Then the first woman's husband is substituted for the importunate lover, who has his own wife seduced. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1223.4 | Chaste woman substitutes corpse for herself in the bed of an insistent suitor. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K343.5 | Cheat induces dupe to go get food reported found and steals clothes as soon as they are left behind. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1955.6.1 | Cheat: demon kills people so his pupil can resuscitate them and get reward. Chinese: Graham. |
| K198 | Cheater is forced to eat excrements. Gentleman agrees to exchange his good horse for the peasant's jade, provided the peasant will eat its excrements. The peasant finds no difficulty in the task, whereas the gentleman, put to the same condition when he wants to get back his horse, finds it impossible. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1533*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1529 I*; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 324f. No. 48, FFC CXXVIII 271f. No. 170. |
| K448 | Cheater marks coveted object with his name and later claims it. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K148 | Cheaters sell each other valueless articles. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K484 | Cheating by raising an alarm. |
| K476.8 | Cheating by substitution of common cow for magic one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K476 | Cheating by substitution of worthless articles. Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 290. |
| K475 | Cheating through equivocation. Köhler-Bolte I 513; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "équivoque"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K453 | Cheating through knowledge of the law. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K827.5 | Cheese smeared on crab lures giant to smell him. Crab pinches giant's neck and kills him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1555.0.2 | Chest containing paramour unwittingly taken away by husband. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2015 | Child adopted by rich man in order to get rid of him. *Type 930; **Aarne FFC XXIII 54. |
| K1461.2 | Child taken to defecate over ant hole. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K433 | Child's curiosity exposes thief. Thief steals pig. Slaughters it together with one of his own and takes both to market. Puts little pig inside large one to avoid paying tax on two. Boy notices three hind legs. Thief is caught. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K435 | Child's song incriminates thief. U.S.: Baughman; West Indies: Flowers 509f.; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 235 No. 4, 239 No. 10. |
| K515.1 | Children hidden to avoid their execution (death). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Hrуlfssaga Kraka 3, 22, Hálfdanarsaga Brönufуstra (FAS III) 565; Greek: Fox 155 (Zeus and Kronus), Grote I 6; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 189, (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 28; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 355, (Pangwe): Tessman 366, (Fang): Tessman 108; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 275 No. 88. |
| K1911.1 | Circumstances of substitution of false bride. |
| K2366 | City is falsely promised to enemy. When they enter they are attacked and defeated. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K730.1.1 | Claim that a trap is a prayer house. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 19; Africa (Jaunde): Heepe 249. |
| K619.1.1 | Cleanest girl to be eaten by ogress: clever girl shakes sesame into fire to simulate sound of burning lice. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1424.1 | Cleaning out manure: piles it high. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1461.1 | Cleaning the child. Intestines taken out and cleaned. Type 1012; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1461.3 | Cleaning the children. Impales them. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1013A*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1012 I. |
| K1443 | Cleaning the horse. Washing him in boiling water or currying him with a razor. Type 1016; Fb "hest" IV 211b. |
| K1421 | Clearing land: axe broken. *Types 650, 1050; BP II 285ff. |
| K1424 | Clearing out manure: digs hole. Type 1035*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1035. |
| K362.8 | Clerk mistranslates order given by master to maid, so that pie goes to clerks. Nouvelles Récréations No. 14. |
| K427.1 | Clever animal betrays thief. Horse catches arm of thief and holds on until help comes. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K427 | Clever animal betrays thief. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 48; West Indies: Flowers 509. |
| K434 | Clever girl discovers robber and cheats him. |
| K432.1.1 | Clever husband being robbed induces wife to make outcry and summon help. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K443.2.1 | Clever wife gets husband appointed to position occupied by man who attempts to seduce her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K443.2 | Clever wife gets money from those who attempt to seduce her. Payment for keeping silence. *Type 890; Cosquin études 457ff.; Norwegian: Christiansen Norske Eventyr 113 No. 890; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K432.1 | Clever woman being robbed makes excuse for screaming and summoning help. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K15.1 | Climbing match won by deception: squirrel as "child". The ogre agrees to contest against the man's young one, i.e., a squirrel. (Cf. K11.6, K12.2.) *Type 1073; Köhler-Bolte I 477ff. |
| K15 | Climbing match won by deception. *Hackman cf. K12; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 314 n. 135. |
| K346.5 | Cloak as surety that owner will return. Thief runs away with it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1872.5.1 | Clods thrown up by hoofs of horses appear like flock of birds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1417 | Closing the door tight: with iron nails. Type 1014. |
| K521.4 | Clothes changed so as to escape. India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 8. |
| K721 | Cock persuaded to crow with closed eyes. Seized. *Type 61; *Graf FFC XXXVIII 26ff.; BP II 207; Wienert FFC LVI 52 (ET 122), 98 (ST 124); **Dargan MPh IV 39; *Chaucer's Nun's Priest's Tale; Spanish: Espinosa III 225, 258; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K1633 | Cock's advice proves disastrous to himself. He causes the ox and the ass to rebel but the master learns the cause of the trouble and kills him. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 36 No. 207*. |
| K525.9 | Cock's blood given spirits instead of human blood. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 174. |
| K483 | Color of devil's cows changed while he sleeps so that he does not know them. Only those not changed (all black, all red, etc.) belong to the devil. Dh I 188; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 134. |
| K97.2 | Combat won by means of substituted weapons. Zs. f. d. Phil. XXVI 12—13; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K343.3 | Companion sent away so that rascal may steal common food supply. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Cameroon): Gantenbein 70; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 128 No. 24, 230 No. 39, 280 No. 47, Work JAFL XXXII 403, (Virginia): Smiley JAFL XXXII 368, (South Carolina): Parsons JAFL XXXIV 8, MAFLS XVI 31f.; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 109 No. 38. |
| K407.2 | Companion's arm allowed to be cut off so as to prevent detection. Thief has had his arm cut off as he enters a hole in a wall. He lets his companion also enter and have his severed. *DeVries Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsche Taal- en Letterkunde XLV 213ff. |
| K1886.5 | Companions separated by illusory city. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K512.1 | Compassionate executioner: bloody coat. A servant charged with killing the hero smears the latter's coat with the blood of an animal as proof of the execution and lets the hero escape. *Cox 475; *Boje 62, 66; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K512.1.1 | Compassionate executioner: bloody knife (sword) from slain animal substitute. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K512.3 | Compassionate executioner: feigns to torture victim. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K512.2.4 | Compassionate executioner: mutilation substituted for death. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K512.4 | Compassionate executioner: sleeping potion supplied instead of poison. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K512.2.0.1 | Compassionate executioner: substituted brains (other animal for helpful animal). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K512.2.2 | Compassionate executioner: substituted child. The servant charged with sending the hero to executioners sends his own child instead. *Boje 63 n. 1; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K512.2.3.1 | Compassionate executioner: substituted head (made of clay) as proof of execution. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K512.2 | Compassionate executioner: substituted heart. A servant charged with killing the hero (heroine) substitutes an animal, whose heart he takes to his master as proof of the execution. *Types 671, 709; *Böklen Sneewittchenstudien 79ff.; *BP I 450ff., 463; *Aarne FFC XXIII 57, MSFO XXV 181; *Prato RTP IV 178; Chauvin V 208 No. 120; *Cox 474; *Saintyves Perrault 68; Fb "hjaerte" I 631a, "lever" II 404b, "tunge" III 894a.—Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC No. 706C*; Missouri French: Carrière; French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman (S350); Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Shuswap): Teit JE II 730 No. 50; S. A. Indian (Quiche): Alexander Lat. Am. 172. |
| K512.2.3 | Compassionate executioner: substituted puppet drowned. *Boje 66. |
| K512 | Compassionate executioner. A servant charged with killing the hero (heroine) arranges the escape of the latter. Icelandic: *Boberg; English: Wells 96 (Chevalere Assigne); Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 74; Italian: Boccaccio Decameron II No. 9 (Lee 56), Basile Pentamerone II No. 6, III No. 2; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 95 No. 53. |
| K512.0.1 | Compassionate executioners. Slaves charged with killing (drowning) the infant heroine are touched by her "laughing smile" and put her in a calfshed (hollow tree), where she is found by cowherds, who rear her. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K455.6 | Complaint about the empty bottle. While the servant in the inn is bringing a glass, the trickster drinks the wine and then complains that he has been given an empty bottle. The servant must bring another. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 371. |
| K1883.5 | Comrade slain under the illusion that he is an enemy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K451.3 | Concealed confederate as unjust witness. A rascal who has hidden with a simple man a treasure found by them carries it away secretly, trying to have his associate condemned on the witness of a tree in which his father is concealed. Chauvin II 91 No. 34; Bødker Exempler 287 No. 36; Penzer V 59 n. 2; Edgerton JAPS XL 271; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
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