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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| N102 | Fortune comes to deserving and undeserving. Jewish: Neuman. |
| N411.3 | Fortune from informing foreign king of use of saddle, bridle, and stirrups. *Chauvin VII 19 No. 373D n. 2. |
| N412 | Fortune from trifling sum sent abroad with merchant. *Chauvin VI 65 No. 233 n. 1. |
| N111.2.1.1 | Fortune has one eye, watches over everybody. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N251.5 | Fortune of the lucky wife. A luckless man becomes successful in all his undertakings when he marries a lucky woman and lives by her luck. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 737B*. |
| N111.3.2 | Fortune with pair of scales in his hands weighs man's balance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N111.4 | Fortune's dealings with men. |
| N111.3.1 | Fortune's wheel turned by dead king in mountain. Armenian: Ananikian 34. |
| N111.3 | Fortune's wheel. **Patch Fortuna 147ff.; *Köhler-Bolte II 66; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 122, Beal XXI 336; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N181 | Fortunes of the rich man and of the poor man. The Fortune of the rich brother tells the poor brother to seek his luck under a bush. The poor man goes there and Fortune tells him to become a merchant. He becomes rich. Type 735; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N861 | Foundling helper. Type 516; Rösch FFC LXXVII 96; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N549.1 | Four pots of rupees magically appear on horns of buffaloes stuck in pond, and poor owner becomes rich. India: Thompson-Balys |
| N339.3 | Foxes crowd into house and are suffocated. Eskimo (Koryak): *Jochelson JE VI 363. |
| N384.4 | Fraternity initiate dies of fright. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| N127.4 | Friday as auspicious day. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N455.8 | Friend lingering in the kitchen learns of friend's distress and helps him. Icelandic: Göngu-Hrуlfs saga 307, Boberg. |
| N641.2 | Frog removed from queen's nose by telling such interesting story that she gives quick breath and dislodges him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N696 | Fugitive in tree urinates from fright: pursuers think it rain and leave. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N255.4 | Fugitive slave takes refuge in mill house, where he must work harder than ever. Wienert FFC LVI *83 (ET 499), 116 (ST 260); Halm Aesop No. 121. |
| N382 | Fugitive slave takes wrong road and is caught. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 518), 116 (ST 264). |
| N185 | Fugitive woman burdened with child saved; childless woman killed. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 136 No. 92. |
| N9.1 | Gambler loses everything. (Cf. N2.5.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N8 | Gambler's attention distracted by women. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N1 | Gamblers. Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70—73, 210; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N1.0.1 | Gambling caused by possession of men by evil demons. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N3.1 | Gambling with a god. India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (Zuсi) *Benedict II 338. |
| N622 | Game killed by jumping on it from above. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N576.3 | Ghost of treasure's human owner as guardian. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N576.2 | Ghostly lights frighten treasure seekers. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| N576 | Ghosts prevent men from raising treasure. U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 693; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 No. 30; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3642; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; West Indies: Flowers 565. |
| N78 | Ghoulish wager won. England: *Baughman. |
| N111.5 | Giant is clerk to God of Destiny and measures out mortals' spans of existence. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N812 | Giant or ogre as helper. *Types 531, 709; Böklen 84ff.; BP III 18ff.; Malone PMLA XLIII 412; Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 471; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 44, (Benga): Nassau 208ff. |
| N484 | Giant unwittingly reveals span of life to dwarf, who is thus emboldened to attack him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N812.0.1 | Giant's help secured by feeding him. *Type 531; BP III 18ff. |
| N812.2 | Giantess as foster mother and helper of hero. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N812.4 | Giantess helps the man she loves. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N815.0.2.1 | Gift of gold bracelet from river goddess. (Cf. A4215.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N339.9 | Girl abducted by fairy left on shore, where she is accidentally drowned. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N831 | Girl as helper. Types 311, 313; Dickson 52f.; Tobler Epiphanie der Seele 71; Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N265.1 | Girl brings ill luck and death to everyone she comes in contact with. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N339.11 | Girl lets down her sari for hero to climb up by but, when he is halfway up, sari breaks and he is killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N723 | Girl sees man as he lies sleeping by wayside. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N572.3 | Girl with ghostly treasure in boat. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3631. |
| N771.2 | Girls going in the wood for nuts have adventures. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N817.0.1 | God as helper. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 22, 111, 174. |
| N817.0.2 | Goddess as helper. Greek: Grote I 54; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 979. |
| N817.1 | Gods discuss means of settling dispute among girl's suitors. Venus has girl make her own choice. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N518 | Gold found, concealed in bricks and successfully secured. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1669*. |
| N534.2 | Gold hoard found by cow stepping into hole. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N256.1 | Goldsmith unlucky. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N113.1 | Good fortune resides in an object. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1138. |
| N113 | Good luck personified. |
| N812.3 | Grateful giantess as helper. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N531.4 | Grateful king advises merchant in dream to take treasure from his grave mound. Icelandic: ASB 14 p. 76 n., *Boberg. |
| N347.7 | Greedy disciple decides to remain in city despite learned teacher's warning and is condemned to take the place of a thief. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N575 | Griffin as guardian of treasure. (Cf. B42.) Penzer I 104. |
| N696.2 | Grinding stones carried by men seeking refuge in tree-top fall, killing their enemies below. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N339.4 | Groom killed by lightning on wedding night. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N570 | Guardian of treasure. *Fb "skat" III 235b, 236a; *Winter 41; *Norlind 69ff.; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 73ff. Nos. 623—629. |
| N255.3 | Halcyon builds nest on sea-cliff to escape land hazards. Tempest blows nest away. Wienert FFC LVI *63 (ET 266), 140 (ST 4623; Halm Aesop No. 29. |
| N2.5.2 | Half kingdom as wager. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N532.1 | Half-moon close to the earth indicates hidden treasure. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N2.3.2 | Hand wagered. To be cut off. Penzer II 232n. |
| N2.3.2.1 | Hands and feet wagered. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N334.2 | Hanging in game or jest accidentally proves fatal. Wesselski Theorie 18; Fb "hænge" I 731b; Danish: Christensen DF XLVII 200 No. 36; Icelandic: Boberg; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3309, Legends Nos. 605 609; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 122 Nos. 40, 41. |
| N342 | Hasty condemnation of man who accidentally becomes suspected of crime. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N340 | Hasty killing or condemnation (mistake). |
| N349 | Hasty killing or condemnation—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N698 | Hawk carries off necklace from bathing queen and drops it by lucky girl, who gets reward. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N125.1 | He upon whom feather (wisp) falls to be king's fool. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N332.3.1 | Head of killed snake bites and kills king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.3.1 | Head wagered. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N826 | Help from beggar. (Cf. N825.3.1.) *Type 531; Fb "tigger" III 794b; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N825.3.3 | Help from grandmother. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 69. |
| N821 | Help from little man. *Types 513B, 570; *BP III 267ff. |
| N825.3.1 | Help from old beggar woman. *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 248b; BP III 206 (Grimm No. 150.) |
| N801 | Helper grateful for being bought from slavery. Type 516; Rösch FFC LXXVII 97. |
| N595 | Helper in hiding treasure killed in order that nobody may ever find it. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N810.2 | Helper's beard and eyebrows cut. Only after hero has performed this service is help forthcoming. *BP II 392. |
| N800 | Helpers. |
| N814 | Helpful angel. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 535b; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N2.4 | Helpful animals lost in wager. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N856 | Helpful forester. English: Wells 96 (Chevalere Assigne). |
| N813 | Helpful genie (spirit). *Types 561, 562; *Aarne MSFO XXV 3—82; *BP II 535ff., 547ff.; *Fischer-Bolte 215.—Missouri French: Carrière; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1302; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 182; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 67, 140, 142; Samoa: Beckwith Myth 438, 442; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 319, 369, 375; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1007, 13/174, 221), Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 520f., Beckwith Myth 450; S. A. Indian (Mura): Métraux MAFLS XL 36; Africa (Fang): Tessman 194. |
| N855 | Helpful smith. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| N819.3.1 | Helpful speaking skull. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N815.0.1 | Helpful tree-spirit. (Cf. F441.2.) India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 534. |
| N819.3 | Helpful vital heads. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N815.0.2 | Helpful water-spirit. (Cf. F420.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N843 | Hermit as helper. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; English: Wells 66 (Ywain and Gawain); Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 70 No. 535, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 129, 139; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Tawney I 486, II 146. |
| N838 | Hero (culture hero) as helper. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N691.1.1 | Hero attempting to escape from tiger plays music and tiger follows. People marvel and give him money and he is rewarded with princess's hand. Korean: Zong in-Sob 149 No. 65. |
| N763 | Hero captured by man he has formerly rescued: rewarded. *Type 953; Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 25. |
| N654 | Hero catches spear hurled at him and kills serpent with it. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N781 | Hero embarks in rudderless boat. Köhler-Bolte I 189; *Schoepperle Tristan and Isolt II 370ff.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N187 | Hero fails to meet the man he seeks, though they are close to one another. Icelandic: Sterka 436, Boberg. |
| N731.2.1 | Hero fights with friend of father and then reveals himself. English: Wells 17 (Reinbrun, Gy son of Warwike). |
| N715.1 | Hero finds maiden at fountain (well, river). Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| N711.2 | Hero finds maiden in (magic) castle. *Types 304, 400, 408, 410, 590; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N711.3 | Hero finds maiden in (magic) garden. *Types 550, 551, 706; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 106; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N1.1 | Hero makes fortune through gambling. Scotch: Campbell Tales II 253, 271. |
| N848.1 | Hero ransoms maltreated picture of a saint. As reward he gets help from the grateful saint. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 506C*. |
| N687 | Hero unwittingly helps fee's sons: rewarded. Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 3. |
| N337.2 | Hero, while measuring wild boar, accidentally wounded mortally by bristle. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N686 | Hero's (heroine's) identity established as he (she) is on the point of being executed. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N810.3 | Hero's divine father as helper. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N332.7 | Hidden fruit accidentally poisoned by snake. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N848.0.1 | Holy man as helper. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N111.1.1 | Home of Fortuna in other world. Patch PMLA XXXIII 630. |
| N111.1.2 | Home of Fortuna on island (in otherworld). *Köhler-Bolte II 412f.; *Patch Fortuna 129ff.; Hartland Science 199. |
| N332.2 | Horse accidentally poisoned instead of master. An attempt is made to give the hero a poisoned cup. He is on horseback and spurs his horse away to avoid the cup. The poison is spilled and enters the horse's ear and kills him. *Type 851; *BP I 189; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 131. |
| N391.0.1 | Hospitality enforced on hero keeps him overlong from home; meantime wife abducted. Chinese: Graham. |
| N335.5 | Hound strikes unique vulnerable spot. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N820 | Human helpers. |
| N886.1 | Hunchback leads blind man. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N724 | Hunter accidentally discovers beautiful girl being secretly reared in a cave. Africa (Pangwe): Tessman 366. |
| N681 | Husband (lover) arrives home just as wife (mistress) is to marry another. *Types 301, 400, 665; **Splettstösser Der heimkehrende Gatte und sein Weib in der Weltliteratur; *Chauvin V 108 No. 40; **Rajna Romania VI 359ff.; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XII 59, XXVIII 74 n. 2; *BP II 318ff., 335ff., IV 168 n. 6; *Huet RTP XXXII 97, 145; *Oesterley No. 193; Deutschbein I 3, 187; Herrmann Saxo II 84f.; *Boje 105, 116; *Child V 488 s.v. "marriage"; Boccaccio Decameron X No. 9 (Lee 343); Herbert III 193; *Dickson 141, 221 n. 15; Malone PMLA XLIII 432; *Köhler-Bolte I 117, 584. —Icelandic: *Boberg; Norwegian: Solheim Register 21; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 509*; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI No. 974@1; Russian: Andrejev No. 891*; Missouri French: Carrière; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 84, 107 Nos. 750A, 896, Espinosa II Nos. 133—135, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 63, 68; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: v. Ronkel Catologus der Maleische Handschriften 263; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl 323ff., 334ff.; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 278 No. 90. |
| N741.2 | Husband and wife become separated in shipwreck. Wife unexpectedly meets husband on street. They are reunited. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N741.4 | Husband and wife reunited after long separation and tedious quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N658 | Husband arrives home just in time to save wife and her father from being burned to death in their home. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N455.6 | Husband learns of wife's fidelity through conversation overheard. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N212.1 | Husband's magic gift returns to him. Wife gives husband's magic gift (fruit) to lover, who presents it to a dancing girl, who sells it back to the husband. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N13 | Husbands wager that they will be able to do what wives tell them to do. One is told to drown himself: loses wager. England: Baughman. |
| N119.3 | Ill-omened face of king; harbinger of evil. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N819.1 | Immortal as helper. Chinese: Graham. |
| N617 | Impostor accidentally gives king talking bed which reveals his identity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N681.3 | Incest accidentally averted. |
| N365 | Incest unwittingly committed. |
| N788 | Incidents when wife takes food to husband in field or forest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N101.2 | Inexorable fate: death from violating tabus. (Cf. C920.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N101.1 | Inexorable fate: no day without sorrow. A king, who has made decree against sorrow on a certain day is blinded by a swallow in his sleep. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 481. |
| N101 | Inexorable fate. *Cosquin Contes Indiens 126f.; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 63 s.v. Fatalismus; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N534.4 | Information about treasure received from overheard conversation. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N347 | Innocent man accidentally suspected of crime. (Cf. N342.2.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N642 | Insane man accidentally cured by blow on head. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 36. |
| N2.3.5 | Intestines wagered. Africa (Wute): Sieber 212f. |
| N810.1 | Invisible guardians. Hindu: Tawney I 193, 544; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N118 | Issues left to fate (luck). |
| N342.3 | Jealous and overhasty man kills his rescuing twin brother. *Type 303; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N348 | Jealous husband kills innocent wife. Suspicions aroused when villain leaves his handkerchief in her room. (Othello.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N352.2 | Jewel (garment) carried off by bird from bather. Clothes have been left on bank of stream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N534.8 | Jewel found accidentally on a bought donkey's neck. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N384.11 | Joker playing dead killed. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3443A, Legends Nos. 864f. |
| N733.3 | Joseph and his brethren. Elder brothers unwittingly come to maltreated youngest in great need. Eventual recognition. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N131.3.1 | Judas Iscariot spills salt at the Last Supper. England: Baughman. |
| N211.1.2 | Key (to fetters) found in fish. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N711 | King (prince) accidentally finds maiden and marries her. *Types 403, 451, 705, 709; *BP I 99ff., 295ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 80, 115; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 8; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N711.1 | King (prince) finds maiden in woods (tree) and marries her. *Types 450, 706, 710; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N771 | King (prince) lost on hunt has adventures. *BP I 432 n. 2; *Köhler-Bolte II 408ff.; Dickson 93, 123 n. 75; Malone PMLA XLIII 398; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 8, V No. 5; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N362 | King (prince) unwittingly killed. Africa (Fulah): Frobenius Atlantis VI 182ff. No. 4. |
| N648 | King accidentally cured by doctor's ruse and excuses pretended inability to cure him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N836.1 | King adopts hero (heroine). English: Wells 8 (King Horn), 11 (Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild), 17 (Reinbrun, Gy sone of Warwike), 20 (William of Palerne), 115 (Sir Eglamour of Artois), 117 (Sir Torrent of Portyngale); Icelandic: Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N836 | King as helper. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N340.2 | King hastily has 7,000 people put to death for stoning his judges to death. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N836.3 | King helps princes in exile to avenge their father and take their homeland back. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N467 | King in disguise to learn secrets of his subjects. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N713.2 | King marries girl who finds his lost ring. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N713 | King marries girl who finds lost object of his. |
| N339.16 | King mortally wounded on killed enemy's tooth. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N771.1 | King on hunt is taken prisoner. Icelandic: Þiðriks saga II 120 —40. |
| N454.2 | King overhears conversation of lamps. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N455.4 | King overhears girl's boast as to what she should do as queen. Marries her. *Type 707; BP II 380ff., *393; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 388. |
| N125.3 | King to be victorious as long as he rides muzzled gelding. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N731.1.1 | King unknowingly adopts his own lost son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N349.3 | King, seeing eldest son leaving room, decides that he is a rakshasa. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N178.3 | King's counselor expelled from a court thereby escapes accompanying the king, who is killed by robbers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N415 | King's example makes merchant wealthy. The king buys shoes for a high price and then has all his dinner guests buy them. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 137 No. 100. |
| N699.2 | King's son comes home just at his father's funeral, when the heritage has to be divided. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N331.1.1 | Knife accidentally strikes girl's throat and kills her. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N822 | Lame boy (girl) as helper. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 35, 58, 248, 280. |
| N228 | Leopard tied in bag in water floats to shore and finds a mate. Grateful to trickster who has tied him up. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N864 | Leper as helper. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N659 | Life saved by accident—miscellaneous. |
| N650 | Life saved by accident. |
| N532 | Light indicates hidden treasure. (Cf. N511.1.4.) *Fb "lys" II 480b; *Norlind 34ff., 57; England, U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 691, 694; Icelandic: *Boberg; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 419ff., (1931) 293ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3632. |
| N776 | Light seen from tree lodging place at night leads to adventures. *Type 130, 327; *Aarne FFC XI 111; BP I 115ff.; Missouri French: Carrière; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| N2.2 | Lives wagered. *Fb "spille" III 487b; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese 323; Hawaii Beckwith Myth 111, 459; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 354 n. 277; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 71 No. 15. |
| N455.9 | Location of sought object learned from overheard conversation. Korean: Zong in-Sob 69; Tonga: Gifford 54. |
| N55.1 | Loser of shooting wager to go naked into thorns for bird. *Type 592; *BP II 490ff. |
| N178 | Loss of eye saves man from execution. Man to be buried with king. Gets off because he lacks an eye. *Wesselski Märchen 230; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 480. |
| N211.1.0.1 | Lost articles found in interior of fish through virtue of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N645 | Lost memory recovered in battle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211 | Lost object returns to its owner. |
| N211.1.1 | Lost pin found in fish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N211.1 | Lost ring found in fish. (Polycrates.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 635; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 188 No. 146; *Chauvin V 17 No. 10, 141 No. 68, VI 32 No. 202; Fb "ring" IV 328b; Toldo VIII 40; Saintyves "L'Anneau de Polycrate" Revue de l'histoire des religions (1912) 1—32; *Loomis White Magic 121.—Irish: Plummer clxxxiv, *Cross; Norwegian: Solheim Register 20; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman, *Gaster Exempla 210 No. 118, *bin Gorion Born Judas II 106, 344, III 51, 55, 300; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 29; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 7; Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 133. |
| N211.1.3 | Lost sword found in fish. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N211.1.4 | Lost trinket found in fish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N126.2 | Lots cast to determine father of illegitimate child. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N126 | Lots cast to determine luck or fate. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N126.1 | Lots cast to determine who shall undertake adventure. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N2.7 | Love wagered in game. Danish: Grundtvig No. 238; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N343.4 | Lover commits suicide on finding beloved dead. Heptameron No. 70. |
| N384.9 | Lover frightens mistress as a joke. She dies from the shock. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N343 | Lover kills self believing his mistress dead. She has been frightened away by a lion. (Pyramus and Thisbe.) Köhler-Bolte I 4; Irish myth: *Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Greek: Fox 201, **G. Hart Ursprung und Verbreitung der Pyramus und Thisbe-Sage (1889); *C. de Boer Pyramus et Thisbe (Amsterdam, 1911). |
| N716 | Lover sees beloved first while she is bathing. II Samuel ch. 11; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N391 | Lover who is detained away beyond stipulated time returns to find fiancée married. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N386.1 | Lover's spur catches in sheet when he tries to escape. Uncovers mistress. Heptameron No. 62. |
| N386 | Lover's wound breaks while he is in bed with mistress. He bleeds to death (or is discovered because of the blood). Schoepperle I 222; von der Hagen I cxxvii; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N715 | Lovers first see each other on shores of lake. M. Bloomfield in Penzer VII xxiii; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N711.4.1 | Lovers meet at temple. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N119 | Luck and fate personified—miscellaneous. |
| N110 | Luck and fate personified. |
| N113.4 | Luck can be found in certain place. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N131.4 | Luck changing after change of name. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N131.5 | Luck changing after change of place. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| N131.1 | Luck changing after cohabitation. Icelandic: Bуsasaga 23, Hrolfs saga Kraka 96ff. |
| N125.2 | Luck determined by whether a crooked-necked demigod is looking at one. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N6.1 | Luck in gambling from compact with devil. Scala Celi 24a No. 154; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 55 No. 408A*, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 70—73. |
| N6 | Luck in gambling. |
| N143 | Luck only with money that is earned honestly. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N141 | Luck or intelligence? Dispute as to which is the more powerful. Man with intelligence remains poor (is brought into court). Saved by mere luck. *Type 945; BP III 53f.; Tille FFC XXXIV 254; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 47, 128, 276, 281; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N400 | Lucky accident. |
| N680 | Lucky accidents—miscellaneous. |
| N421 | Lucky bargain. *Types 571, 1415; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| N410 | Lucky business venture. |
| N623.4 | Lucky cast from sling slays hostile queen. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N623.3 | Lucky cast of ball made of human brains — ball sticks in head of enemy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N623.2 | Lucky cast of ball: boy throws ball into mouth of hostile hound. Ball carries out entrails. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N623 | Lucky cast of spear (weapon). Irish myth: Cross. |
| N623.1 | Lucky cast of spear—animal's mouth pinned shut. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N680.1 | Lucky fool. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N135.4 | Lucky marks on body. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N122 | Lucky or unlucky places. |
| N203 | Lucky person. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N113.2.1 | Lucky right hand. Gaster Thespis 174. |
| N621 | Lucky shot with arrow—foot and ear of deer. Deer is scratching ear. *Fischer-Bolte 203ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 226 No. 38; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| N529.1 | Lump of gold appears in Arabia at Christ's birth. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N384.0.1 | Madness from fright. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| N564 | Magic illusion prevents men from raising treasure. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn III (1895) 447ff., (1931) 307ff. |
| N845 | Magician as helper. Dickson 121 n. 64; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3669, Legends No. 621; India: *Thompson-Balys; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1386, 13/203, 317). |
| N741.5 | Maiden found in magic garden; prince's wife in former life. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N681.3.1 | Man about to consummate marriage with own mother; accidentally prevented. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N332.1 | Man accidentally fed bread which his father has poisoned. The wicked man puts poison in the bread he gives a beggar. The beggar gives his loaf to the son. Type 837; *De Vries Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsche Taal- en Letterkunde XLVII 63ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N333.2 | Man accidentally killed by bear trying to chase away flies. *Chauvin II 118 Nos. 99, 100; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N395 | Man blinded trying to heal girl. Powders blow into his one good eye. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N101.3 | Man cannot die: snake will not bite him though it is provoked by him. (Cf. N146.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1030. |
| N251.1 | Man captured by pirates is maimed, crippled, blinded. He is patient through it all. Finally he is elected ruler by his dead master's subjects. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N814.1 | Man carried through air by angel. Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 117, 374. |
| N178.2 | Man chosen for execution because he is fat. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N534.7 | Man digging stones in the pavement finds a chest of treasure. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N399.3 | Man discovers he is married to wer-tiger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N531.5 | Man dreams of large jars full of wealth, which he can get if he will sacrifice his wife for the getting. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N332.6 | Man eats food which is mysteriously poisoned. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 177; Jewish: *Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 511. |
| N383 | Man falls dead from sudden realization. |
| N383.1 | Man falls dead when he realizes that he has been riding over frozen sea. *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XVIII 91. |
| N383.2 | Man falls dead when he realizes that he has eaten bread from flour used for abscess plaster. Chauvin VIII 38 No. 6; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| N339.1 | Man falls into jar of honey and is drowned. Chases a mouse. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 310 n. 2. |
| N624 | Man falls into well and accidentally kills cobra: rewarded. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N696.1 | Man falls out of tree and frightens tiger away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
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