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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.

3,866 motifs

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Thompson reference ▲ Description
K1952.7 Thieves set up poor weaver as prince and thus get possession of tribute and gifts. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1953 Sham brave man.
K1953.1 Coward boasts that he has frightened bear away. His wife has killed it and he has fled. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1954 Sham rich man. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K1954.1 Helpful cat borrows measure for his master's money. The master thus gains a reputation for wealth. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 70 No. 545C*; India: Thompson-Balys.
K1954.2 Drunken man by pretending to want to buy an elephant makes king think him rich. India: Thompson-Balys.
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.
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.
K1955.1.1 Man undertakes to cure fat abbot of stomach ailment. Starves him until he admits he can eat anything. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1955.1.2 Patients frightened from hospital by harsh treatment. 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.
K1955.2.1 Pepper as universal remedy of sham doctor: accidentally works. India: Thompson-Balys.
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.
K1955.4 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.
K1955.5 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.
K1955.6 The sham physician and the devil in partnership. The devil is to enter the girl and the physician will collect reward for driving the devil out. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 51 No. 340*; India: *Thompson-Balys; Cape Verde Islands: *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 193 n. 1.
K1955.6.1 Cheat: demon kills people so his pupil can resuscitate them and get reward. Chinese: Graham.
K1955.7 Sham physician refuses to take his own medicine: unmasked. Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 482), 118 (ST 285).
K1955.8 Sham physician gives relative a medical degree. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1955.8.1 Ignorant youth buys a medical degree. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1955.9 Ignorant doctor draws his prescriptions by lot. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1955.9.1 Sham physician hands out prescriptions haphazard. Pierre Faifeu No. 20.
K1956 Sham wise man. *Type 1641; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 29ff., 40 Nos. 6, 7, 31.
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.
K1956.1.1 Sham wise man claims to find stolen goods by incantation. He has really forced thieves to show them to him. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1956.2 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.
K1956.2.1 Sham wise man sees jewel hidden and is rewarded for finding it. 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.
K1956.5 Sham wise man stays alone feigning study. Is really killing flies. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 167.
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.
K1956.7 Sham wise man pretends knowledge from dream: really overheard conversation. 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.
K1956.9 Sham wise man accidentally predicts weather correctly. 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.
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.
K1961 Sham churchman.
K1961.1 Sham parson (priest). *Fb "smedepræst"; Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys.
K1961.1.1 Peasant as priest preaches on the troubles of laymen. *Type 1825AB; *BP II 413.
K1961.1.2 Sham parson repeats same expression over and over or says a few words of Latin. *Type 1825B; *BP III 116.
K1961.1.2.1 Parody sermon. *BP III 116; Fb "messe" II 582a; Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 182; Boccaccio Decameron VI No. 10 (Lee 179); *Wesselski Arlotto I 174ff. No. 3; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1835*; Prussian: Plenzat 77; Italian Novella: Rotunda; West Indies: Flowers 549.
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.
K1961.1.4 Sham priest dupes man into believing he can discover treasure. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1961.1.5 Sham holy man. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K1961.1.5.1 Jackal as sham saint. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1961.2 Pretender as pope.
K1961.2.1 Woman in disguise becomes pope. (Pope Joan.) *J. J. I. von Döllinger Die Papst-Fabeln des Mittelalters (Stuttgart, 1890) 1—53; same translated by A. Plummer (London, 1871) 273—9; *M. le Comte d'I*** (= Jules Gay) Bibliographie des ouvrages relatif's а l'amour@3 (Nice and London, 1872) V 419—23; Alphabet No. 601.
K1961.3 Devil disguised as monk. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 448.
K1961.4 Sham bishop. Irish myth: Cross.
K1961.5 Sham abbot. Irish myth: Cross.
K1962 False prophet. *Chauvin V 233 No. 132; Jewish: *Gaster Exempla 191 No. 28, *Neuman; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K1962.1 Mohammed puts seed in his ears and when doves trained to feed there come, he tells people that they bring messages from God. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K1963 Sham magician. Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 329 n. 189.
K1963.1 False magician exposed by clever girl. *BP III 202; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 51 No. 99; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 137 No. 103.
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.
K1963.3 Master posing as magician plays tricks on his servant. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1963.4 Sham magician belches fire to frighten dupes. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1963.5 Trickster impersonates necromancer to seduce latter's wife. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1963.6 Sham magician makes wife believe that he (she) can be transported by demons. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K1964 Sham astrologer. *Wesselski Gonnella 106 No. 9; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys.
K1965 Sham crystal-gazer. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1966 Alchemist.
K1966.1 Alchemist steals money from corpse and claims he has made the silver. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1966.2 Alchemist secures payment for his "secret". Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K1967 Juggler promises to fly from one house to another. Keeps crowd waiting until dusk and then makes his escape. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K1968 Sham prowess in hunting (fishing).
K1968.1 Bought game (fish) used to prove prowess in hunting (fishing). India: Thompson-Balys.
K1969 Sham prowess—miscellaneous.
K1969.1 Sham traveler. Boasts falsely of voyage and receives canoes which he appropriates. Marquesas: Handy 119.
K1969.2 Warrior buries oversized armor so as to convince posterity of soldiers' gigantic size. Addison-Steele Spectator No. 127.
K1969.3 Servant poses as master.
K1969.3.1 Impostors: servant enters dead body of master and takes his place. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1969.4 Sham deity. Jewish: *Neuman.
K1969.4.1 Weaver poses as deity. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1970 Sham miracles.
K1971 Man behind statue (tree) speaks and pretends to be God (spirit). *Type 1380; von der Hagen II 141f. No. 29; Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIX 215; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 239; *Taylor MPh XV 227 n. 1; *BP III 120ff.; *Chauvin II 91 No. 34.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 659; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 272, Coster-Wijsman 25 Nos. 3, 4, 5; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 431, 437; West Indies: Flowers 549—552.
K1971.1 Husband answers behind the statue when wife wants to know how to fool him. He says to feed him well. *Type 1380; *Taylor MPh XV 227 n. 1; Stiefel Zs. f. Vksk. VIII 74ff.; Panchatantra III 18, (tr. Ryder) 370; Russian: Andrejev No. 1380; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K1971.1.1 Trickster hides in hollow tree and eats food he has persuaded his wife to bring to feed a bird. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K1971.2 Man behind the tree threatens his debtor. The latter thinks God is calling and repays the debt. Type 1575*; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 203 No. 403; Russian: Andrejev No. 1575*.
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**.
K1971.3.1 Maid behind statue of Virgin advises the mistress to give the servants better food. Type 1388*; Japanese: Ikeda.
K1971.4 Husband behind saint's statue advises wife to spin. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 125 No. 1375*.
K1971.4.1 Wife behind tree advises husband against having his wife work. *Type 1405; BP III 44; *Hdwb. d. Märchens II 148a nn. 381-391.
K1971.5 Husband as God behind the tree forces his wife to confess adultery. Type 1380*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1380A*; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV No. 1380*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1380*; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 272.
K1971.5.1 Man as God behind the tree forces the girl to admit having an illegitimate child. Or prophesies himself as father so as to marry the girl. Type 1380**; Russian: Andrejev No. 1380**.
K1971.6 Girl behind the tree advises the unwilling suitor. Believing it to be the advice of angels, he marries her. Type 1461*.
K1971.6.1 Wife behind tree advises the husband about his marital duties. Von der Hagen II xv No. 29.
K1971.7 The man behind the crucifix says "Good Evening" to the drunk man, who thinks Christ is speaking to him. Type 1324*.
K1971.8 Hidden man behind image gives unwelcome answer to suppliant: image blamed. *Wesselski Arlotto I 193 No. 22.
K1971.8.1 Sexton behind crucifix tells old maid she will have no husband; she tells Christ Child that he knows nothing about it, she is praying to his mother. Type 1476; BP III 120.
K1971.9 Sexton behind statue tells old maid praying for a husband to raise her foot to her neck. *Type 1476; BP III 120.
K1971.10 Trickster concealed in sacred tree advises that he is to marry the princess. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: *Dixon 202 n. 39.
K1971.11 Trickster in tree advises that tree and fruit belong to him. Others think God speaks and leave. Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 391 No. 16.
K1971.12 Impostor acting as God in tree suspected and tree burned. *Penzer V 59 n. 2; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 61, 277; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K1971.13 Alleged idol promises teacher certain payment for his book when finished. Dupe overhears and pays him bargain price for what he is later to receive. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1971.14 Man hidden behind idol in temple tells robbers they will have good booty but should leave half of it in the temple. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1972 Oracular images occupied by spirits or priests who give the answers. *Dickson 192ff. nn. 69—73, 83; *Boje XIX 101.
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.
K1972.2 Sham miracle. Priest makes congregation believe the painting of the Virgin weeps real tears. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1973 Jackal inside carcass of bullock makes people think his voice is God's. Demands gifts. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K1974 Living man at the grave pretends to be dead man speaking. 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.
K1975.1 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.
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.
K1975.3 Sham miracle: may the food turn raw. Lazy wife takes uncooked food to husband in field. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1976 False miraculous relic. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K1976.1 Two friars take arm from corpse and allege it is a miracle-producing relic. One of the tricksters questions its powers in public. Feigns being struck dead. Feigned resurrection. Tricksters enriched as a result. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K1980 Other impostures. K2165. Sham blind man throws suspicion on real blind.
K1981 Deception by playing deaf and dumb.
K1981.1 Trickster feigns deafness and gets hospitality from miser. *Type 1544; *Aarne FFC XX 79 (type 24).
K1982 Ubiquitous beggar. In disguise obtains alms three times from the same person. Herbert III 282; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 210f.
K1983 Trickster poses as helper and eats women's stored provisions. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 303 n. 109c.
K1984 Girls keep up appearances to deceive suitors as to their desirability. Type 1459**; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 702; Japanese: Ikeda.
K1984.1 The lisping sisters. The girls have been warned against speaking, but forget and are found out. *Type 1457; *BP III 237; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. III 58, VII 320; Japanese: Ikeda.
K1984.2 The girl who ate so little. When the suitor sees her baking he finds that she can eat. *Type 1458.
K1984.2.1 Girl claims to have overeaten on a nightingale's thigh. Nouvelles Récréations No. 57.
K1984.3 The girl with the ugly name. Her mother gives her a new one but the girl does not recognize it and her mother must call her by her old name. *Type 1461; Herbert III 174 No. 87, 421 No. 83.
K1984.4 Ugly women complain of falling flowers. King hearing them supposes them delicate and beautiful. Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 10.
K1984.5 Blind fiancée betrays self. Mistakes one object for another. *Type 1456; BP III 237; *Fb "bejler" IV 31b.
K1985 Rearing the large-headed and large-eyed bird. When the one rearing the owl learns its age he kills it. Type 230.
K1986 Devil disguised as candidate for confirmation. Fb "fanden" I 266b.
K1987 Devil disguised as man goes to church. Dh. I 175; Nouvelles de Sens No. 5.
K1988 Brother (sister) secures blessing due to another. Jewish: Neuman.
K1988.1 Impostor: one sister borrows another's clothes and gets religious blessing in her place. India: Thompson-Balys.
K1991 Hare (jackal) makes horns of wax and poses as horned animal. Horns melt by the fire. Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 380 No. 5, (Kaffir): Theal 188; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 353 No. 62; Antigua, West Indies: Johnson JAFL XXXIV 59; Bahamas: *Parsons MAFLS XIII 104; West Indies: Flowers 552—554.
K1992 Devil tries to pass for Jesus. Forbids man to cut wood on Sunday. Disappears when man demands to see the wounds on his hands and feet. Type 797*.
K1994 Wise man sent by king to rival to give him interested advice. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2000 Hypocrites.
K2010 Hypocrite pretends friendship but attacks. Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2010.1 Man pretends friendship but attacks king to avenge violation of his wife. **A. H. Krappe The Legend of Roderick, the last of the Visigothic Kings and the Ermanarich Cycle (Heidelberg, 1923); Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2010.2 Friendship feigned to avenge murder. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2010.3 Wolves sign false truce with sheep. After the dogs have been dismissed the wolves devour the sheep. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2011 Wolf poses as "grandmother" and kills child. (Red Riding Hood.) *Type 333; BP I 37, *42, 234; *Saintyves Perrault 215, 222; Missouri French: Carrière; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 83.
K2011.1 Wolf poses as mother and kills child. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 62ff. No. 10.
K2011.1.1 Ogre father poses as mother and kills child. Africa (Rundi): Zuure L'Ame du Murundi (Paris, 1932) 340ff. No. E5, 345f. No. E7, (Luba): DeClerq ZsKS IV 213ff. No. 13.
K2011.1.2 Bogey imitates mother and kills child. Africa (Kenya): Browne Vanishing Tribes of Kenya (London, 1926) 211ff.
K2011.1.3 Hyena poses as father and kills child. Africa (Larusa): Fokken ZsKS VII 95f. No. 5.
K2011.1.4 Leopard poses as brother and kills child. Africa (Ziba): Rehse ZsKS III 343f. No. 17.
K2011.2 Tiger-ogress pretends to be girls' mother: explains tail as boil. Chinese: Graham.
K2012 False friend causes man to eject his wife. He then seduces her. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2013 Enemy invited for marriage with relative attacked. Irish myth: Cross.
K2013.1 Enemy invited to meeting and attacked. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2014 Women pretend to weep over warrior's wounds while attempting to inflame them. Irish myth: Cross.
K2014.1 King has wounded ally attended by leeches, but bribes them to introduce beetles, awns of barley, etc. into the wounds. Irish myth: Cross.
K2015 Child adopted by rich man in order to get rid of him. *Type 930; **Aarne FFC XXIII 54.
K2021 Betrayal by a kiss. Icelandic: Boberg.
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.
K2021.2 Man pretends to kiss relative: bites him instead. Jewish: Neuman.
K2021.3 Man embraces other to see if he carries gold in his girdle. Jewish: Neuman.
K2022 Unsuccessful suitor pretends friendship with woman's husband. Kills him while on a hunt. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2023 Badgers treacherously slain in violation of pledge given by prince. Irish myth: Cross.
K2026 Crow accepts owl's hospitality then burns owls to death. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2027 Fox confesses to cock, then eats him. Herbert III 44, 34.
K2030 Double dealers.
K2031 Dog alternately bites and caresses hares. Is he friend or enemy? Wienert FFC LVI *51 (ET 104), 96 (ST 88); Halm Aesop No. 229.
K2031.1 Dog at his master's table is friendly to guest. On the street he barks at him. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2032 Magpie leads other magpies into his master's net. Promises them that the master will teach them to speak. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 633.
K2033 Trickster makes basket for his partner tiger to carry meat, but does not sever bamboo from roots. Tiger left behind. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2034 Same reward promised to many helpers. Irish myth: Cross.
K2034.1 King's daughter secretly pledged to many to win their aid. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2035 Supernatural personages seen in dreams advise opposing kings how each can overcome the other. Irish myth: *Cross.
K2036 Helper steals object obtained at end of quest. Irish myth: Cross.
K2037 Jackal persuades deer to steal from farmer, then informs farmer who catches deer. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2041 Double dealing physician.
K2041.1 Double dealing physician hired to poison his master who has sent him to poison enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2042 Crow gets to owls pretending crows have cast him out. Having learned secret retreats of owls, he returns to crows and leads them to victory over owls. B[ö]dker Exempler 293 No. 52; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2043 When wolf pretends to slander tiger fox agrees; later tells tiger he was trying to test wolf's malice. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2050 Pretended virtue. K1912. The false virgin.
K2051 Adulteress feigns unusual sensitiveness.
K2051.1 Adulteress pretends shame before male statue (mirror, male fish). *Fischer-Bolte 217.
K2051.2 Adulteress pretends to faint when her husband strikes her with a rose. She has allowed her lover to abuse her. Fischer-Bolte 217.
K2051.3 Adulteress feigns great disdain of men; will look at none but husband (and lover). Heptameron No. 43.
K2051.4 Women adorn their heads, though they are immoral below. Irish myth: Cross.
K2052 The oversensitive bride.
K2052.1 The bride's (wife's) false modesty. Wears gloves, etc. to bed. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2052.2 Girl who is frightened by love becomes insatiable. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2052.3 Oversensitive bride pleads a headache (or other excuse). Groom retaliates with similar plea when she changes her mind. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2052.4 The oversensitive or hypocritical widow. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2052.4.1 Doctor prescribes sexual intimacy for widow's ills. She claims to prefer death. Change of heart on daughters' plea. Daughters adopt treatment as a preventive. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 21; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2052.4.2 Wanted: a husband to manage estate. Widow who claims to abhor intimacy rejects a eunuch with business qualifications. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2052.4.3 Overlooking the insult. Man consoles daughter whose husband is dying by telling her he has picked another husband for her. She feels insulted. No sooner does her husband die than she asks her father for details. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2054 Pretended honesty to mulct victim. Trickster claims to have found a bag of gold. Confederate claims and receives it upon correct identification. Spectator is thus deceived into trusting the trickster with a large sum of money. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
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.
K2055 Fox confesses sins but is immediately ready to steal again. *Crane Vitry 264 No. 297; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 29.
K2055.1 The wolf in the company of saints. Promises to give up slaying animals. After wringing the gander's neck, excuses self saying: "He should not have hissed at the saint." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 165*.
K2056 Hypocritical stepmother weeps as she tells departing husband she will take good care of stepchildren though they beat her (she beats them instead). India: Thompson-Balys.
K2057 Hypocrite refuses gifts orally but stretches out his hands. Jewish: *Neuman.
K2058 Pretended piety. Jewish: *Neuman.
K2058.1 Apparently pious man (sadhu) a thief. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2058.2 False ascetic in partnership with tiger shares his prey. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 819.
K2060 Detection of hypocrisy.
K2061 Treacherous plan of hypocritical animal detected and prevented.
K2061.1 Wolf offers to act as shepherd: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 36), 68 (ET 326), 97 (ST 110); Halm Aesop No. 283.
K2061.1.1 Wolf proposes abolition of dog guards for sheep: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 138), 96 (ST 99); Halm Aesop No. 269; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2061.2 Fox feigns to be playing with sheep: dog drives him off. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 125), 96 (ST 96); Halm Aesop No. 38.
K2061.3 Dog caresses sick sheep: shepherd knows that he hopes for sheep's death. Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 373), 96 (ST 104); Halm Aesop No. 372.
K2061.4 Wolf tries to entice goat down from high place: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI *53 (ET 137), 96 (ST 90); Halm Aesop No. 270; Spanish: Espinosa III No. 216.
K2061.5 Famished wolf asks sheep to bring him water: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 136), 96 (ST 91); Halm Aesop No. 284; Spanish: Espinosa III No. 216.
K2061.6 Wolf offers to act as midwife for sow: plan detected. *Crane Vitry 202 No. 166; Herbert III 15; Wienert FFC LVI 46 (ET 41), 53 (ET 135), 96 (ST 86).
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.
K2061.8 Crocodile tells dog to drink in river without fear: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 130), 96 (ST 101).
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.
K2061.10 Fox's plan detected by crickets: cricket wings in his excrement. Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 126), 96 (ST 94, 222); Halm Aesop No. 400.
K2061.11 Jackal as nurse for leopard cubs eats their food. Chased by leopard. India: *Thompson-Balys.
K2062 Thief tries to feed watchdog and stop his mouth: dog detects plan. Wienert FFC LVI 69 (ET 330), 96 (ST 103); Halm Aesop No. 164; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2063 "Chaste" woman surprised in adultery. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1450A; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2064 "Holy" hermit surprised in amorous intrigue. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 533.
K2065 Appearance of Death exposes hypocrisy.
K2065.1 Woman and sick husband. "Would that Death take me in his stead." When Death comes she points to her husband. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2090 Other hypocritical acts.
K2090.1 Peasant has kind words for daws, but drives them from his seeds. Wienert FFC LVI 68 (ET 323), 102 (ST 151); Halm Aesop No. 99.
K2091 Illness feigned in order to learn secret. Africa (Fang): Trilles 259 No. 31.
K2091.1 Illness feigned in order to get better food. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2093 False guardian betrays refuge of fleeing lovers. Irish myth: Cross.
K2094 Love falsely pledged for wooer's benefit. Irish myth: Cross.
K2095 Hypocrisy concerning thefts.
K2095.1 Man announces finding lost jewel, but so softly that no one hears. He thus has clear conscience. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2095.2 Hypocrite will not share in stolen chicken—only takes some gravy. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2096 Hypocrisy concerning charity.
K2096.1 Hypocrite breaks vow to give coin in charity. Finds coin is short weight. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2096.2 Thief robs blind miser of his hoard and gives a tenth away in charity in form of a banquet to the poor. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2097 Miser goes to mass before committing usury. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2098 King sends regrets for death of man he has ordered executed. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2100 False accusation. Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; West Indies: Flowers 555.
K2101 Falsely accused minister reinstates himself by his cleverness. *Marc "Die Achikarsage" Studien zur vgl. Literaturgeschichte II 393ff.; *DeVries FFC LXXIII 365ff.; 374ff.; Jewish: *Neuman.
K2102 Falsely accused hero sent on dangerous mission. Dickson 178 n. 45.
K2104 Jewel presented to king brings false accusation of theft. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2110 Slanders. Jewish: *Neuman.
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.
K2110.1.1 Man's mistress accuses his wife of having leprosy. Chinese: Graham.
K2111 Potiphar's wife. A woman makes vain overtures to a man and then accuses him of attempting to force her. *Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 456 n. 102; **Bloomfield Trans. Am. Philos. Assoc. LIV 141; *Penzer II 120, IV 104, 107, V 176; *Dickson 178 n. 44; Boje 76; *Faverty Harvard Studies and Notes in Phil and Lit. XIII 81ff.; Heptameron No. 70; Saintyves Saints Successeurs 213ff. — Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 68, 128 Nos. 515*, 1516*, Espinosa III No. 146, Keller; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 6, *Rotunda; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 151 n. 2, II 63 n. 4, 74 n. 2, 106 n. 3, Fox 104; Jewish: *Neuman; Persian: Carnoy 336; India: Cowell J[a]taka I 265, IV 117, *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 264, 529; Chinese: Werner 192; Chinese-Persian: *Coyajee JPASB XXIV 191; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 326 n. 178.
K2111.0.1 Telling a story to allay a woman's amorous desires. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2111.1 Woman makes vain overtures to stepson and falsely accuses him of murder. She tries to poison him but her own son accidentally takes the beverage and apparently dies. Plot is revealed when doctor states that he had substituted sleeping potion for the poison. Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys.
K2111.2 Spurned woman accuses man of theft. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2111.3 Friar refuses to keep promise after enjoying woman and is accused of rape. Castrated. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2111.4 Adulteress tricks husband into killing allegedly importunate lover. Heptameron No. 1.
K2111.5 Mother falsely accuses son of incest with her. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2111.6 Girl falsely accuses bishop. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
K2112 Woman slandered as adulteress (prostitute). (Usually by unsuccessful suitor.) (Crescentia, Genoveva, Susanna.) *Types 712, 883A; **Wallensköld Le conte de la femme chaste convoitée par son beaufrère (Acta Societatis Fennicae XXXIV, Helsingfors, 1907); *Köhler-Bolte I 392, 582; *BP I 18, 305 n. 1, Chauvin VI 159 No. 323, *167 No. 327; Ward II 680; Herbert III 342; *Dickson 72, 166 n. 12; *bin Gorion Born Judas I 361f.; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 136 No. 116; Alphabet Nos. 147, 672; **J. Kentenich Die Genovefalegende (Trier, 1927); Oesterley No. 249; Scala Celi 27b, 32a Nos. 179, 183; Hilka Neue Beiträge z. Erzählungslit. des Mittelalters 13 No. 11; *Graber Festschrift für Eugen Mogk (1924) 525ff.; *Revue des Langues romanes LII 163ff.; Archiv f. Literaturgeschichte XII 132ff.; *von der Hagen I c—civ; Hibbard 12, 21, 29ff., 35; *Puckett MPh XIII 609.—Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 660; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 152.
K2112.1 False tokens of woman's unfaithfulness. Tokens are stolen from the woman, or her secret markings are seen by treachery. *Types 882, 892; *Köhler-Bolte I 211f.; bin Gorion Born Judas I 257; *Grünbaum Jüdischdeutsch Chrestomathie 421ff.; *Paris Romania XXXII 481ff.; *Hilka Neuphilologische Mitteilungen (1913) 16ff.; Dunlop-Wilson II 73f.; Chauvin VII 159.—Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 311.
K2112.1.1 Fingers as false token of wife's unfaithfulness. She has substituted a maid and the gallant has cut off the maid's finger. English: Child V 22—7 passim.
K2112.2 Leper (beggar) laid in queen's bed. She is thus incriminated. *Fb "seng" III 187b; *Child II 39ff.; Hibbard 35, 285 n. 5; *Dickson 166 n. 14; India: Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 138 No. 63.
K2112.2.1 Man puts donkey's foal under princess's bed-cover and accuses her of lying with it. India: Thompson-Balys.
K2112.2.2 Page is duped into hiding under woman's bed (behind curtain). Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2112.2.3 Maidservant's confederate feigns coming out of woman's bedroom. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
K2112.2.4 False abortion placed in innocent woman's bed. Korean: Zong in-Sob 202 No. 97.
K2112.3 Man taking refuge in woman's house causes her false accusation. *Bolte Frey 253 No. 95.
K2112.4 Villain brings (threatens to bring) naked servant to woman's house. Threat of false accusation of indiscretion forces woman to yield. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
K2112.5 Other means of incriminating innocent woman.
K2112.5.1 Handkerchief left in woman's room to cause accusation. (Othello.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda.