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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| W211.3 | "I am not alone!" Man travelling alone through the forest at night, is afraid of robbers. He hangs his cap on a stick and keeps repeating: "I am not travelling alone, there are two of us." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1862*. |
| W211.2 | "I surely saw a hundred wolves (snakes)."—"There weren't so many as that."—"Well, what made the noise in the bushes?" Type 2009*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1863*; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV No. 2009*; Russian: Andrejev No. 2009; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.2.3 | "If it is day, give me food; if it is night, let me sleep." The master has told the servant to go to work. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47. |
| W111.3.6 | "Who will not work, shall not eat." Idle daughter-in-law learns work. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1370A*. |
| W152.13.1 | A stranger notices that man's cows need feed, feeds them. They die of the shock of being fed. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W211 | Active imagination. |
| W181.2.2 | Architect commits suicide when he discovers that his pupil has surpassed him in skill. England: Baughman. |
| W181.2.1 | Architect kills pupil who has surpassed him in skill. England: *Baughman. |
| W165.2 | Ass after associating with lion disdains his own family. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.2.1 | Ass insults dying lion. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 166), 112 (ST 233); Jacobs Aesop 202 No. 9; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W33.1 | Badly wounded warrior continues fighting. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| W154.13 | Benefactor falsely accused of theft by ungrateful youth. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W16 | Bishop exchanges places with prisoner so as to have him return to his mother. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W117 | Boastfulness. |
| W111.2.4 | Boy to see whether it is raining: calls dog (cat) in and feels of his paws. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47; *Crane Vitry 216 No. 204; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.2.5 | Boy to see whether there is fire in the house: feels of cat to see if she is warm. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47; *Crane Vitry 216 No. 204. |
| W11.4.1 | Brahmin steals to feed guests (deities). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W32 | Bravery. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W11.5.9.1 | Calumniated woman intercedes for accusers. (Cf. K2112.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5.8 | Captor contributes to captive's ransom. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.3.2 | Cat beaten for not working. Lazy wife must hold cat and is scratched. Type 1370*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1370. |
| W151.0.1 | Cauldron of greed. Irish myth: *Cross |
| W11.5.10 | Champion grants requested boon of safe convoy to his enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W175 | Changeableness. Wienert FFC LVI 134. |
| W11.5.11 | Chieftain spares enemies whom he takes unawares (unarmed). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W11.5.11.1 | Chieftain who takes king unawares, spares him on condition that chieftain be called "lover" by women of king's tribe. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W11.5.4 | Conqueror returns defeated man's wife and family to him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5.5 | Conqueror spares city. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W37 | Conscientiousness. |
| W188 | Contentiousness. (Cf. Q300.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W111.1 | Contest in laziness. Each cites instances of his laziness. *Type 1950; *BP III 207; Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 21; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 261; Oesterley No. 91; Fb "doven" IV 102b.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.2 | Coward boasts when there is no danger. (Cf. J974, J978.) |
| W121.6 | Coward gives his purse to thief with lame excuse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.2.5 | Coward gloats over robber slain by another person. Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 483), 101, 126 (ST 144, 350). |
| W121 | Cowardice. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| W121.7 | Cowardly bridegroom flees elephant and loses bride. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.3 | Cowardly soldier turns back when he hears raven's croak. Wienert FFC LVI 73 (ET 385), 137 (ST 425); Halm Aesop No. 379. |
| W121.5 | Cowardly spider rushes at fly but hides when wasp appears. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W34.3 | Cowardly to leave battle while lord is alive. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W154.3 | Crane pulls bone from wolf's throat: wolf refuses payment. "That you were allowed to take your beak from my throat is payment enough." (Cf. B382.) *Type 76; *Crane Vitry 192 No. 136; *Wienert FFC LVI 54 n. 3 (ET 145), 147 (ST 517); Halm Aesop No. 276; Jacobs Aesop 200 No. 5. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.2.3 | Crow sits on sheep's back; afraid to sit on dog's. Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 154), 106 (ST 188). |
| W137 | Curiosity. Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| W157 | Dishonesty. Irish: Beal XXI 327, O'Suilleabhain 75; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W126 | Disobedience. Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman. |
| W128 | Dissatisfaction. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W128.2 | Dissatisfied fox. In kingdom of lions laments that he always gets the worst bits of food. *Wienert FFC LVI 34. |
| W128.3 | Dissatisfied rivers complain against sea. Say that it makes their water unusable. Wienert FFC LVI *75 (ET 408), 125 (ST 344); Halm Aesop No 380. |
| W154.5 | Dog tries to bite man rescuing him from well. Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 370), 147 (ST 523); Halm Aesop No. 192. |
| W121.2.4 | Dogs tear up lion skin: fear living lion. Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 153), 112 (ST 235); Halm Aesop No. 219. |
| W152.10 | Drummer drums for own wedding so as to save expense. Nouvelles Récréations No. 49. |
| W153.11.1 | Dying miser tells son to extinguish candle just as soon as he dies. Spanish: Childers. |
| W212.1 | Eager warriors go through tent wall. Warriors so eager for battle they do not take time to go out of tent door but go through the tent wall. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W212 | Eagerness for combat. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W151.7 | Eats up the money. Old man before dying eats his money. In church, son wants to cut corpse open and get the money. The devil: "Don't spoil the skin." Shakes money out of the corpse's throat and takes the skin. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3621, Legends No. 638. |
| W21 | Emperor friendly to everyone. Would act as he should like an emperor to act toward him if he were a common man. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 166. |
| W11.2.1 | Emperor thinks day lost when he gives no gifts. Alphabet No. 443; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W18 | Envious man sets out to kill one who is noted for his generosity. He is won over by the generosity of his intended victim. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W195 | Envy. (Cf. Q302.) |
| W25 | Equanimity of the comedian. When he sees his house carried off by a flood, he fiddles the whole time. Type 944*. |
| W25.1 | Equanimity of the enslaved unfortunate. Does not complain when beset by a series of misfortunes. (Cf. N251.1.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W116.2 | Expenditure of money for vanity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W193 | Extortion. |
| W215 | Extreme prudence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W34.4 | Fakir rewarded by prince with a life of luxury in city chooses to return to his monkey friends in jungle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W136 | False modesty. |
| W165 | False pride. Son ashamed of his peasant father who brings him money. Father disinherits him. (Cf. Q331.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 643; U.S.: Baughman. |
| W152.12.1 | Farmer gets help up early in morning for a light breakfast: a glass of water and a lantern. Canada: Baughman. |
| W151.5 | Father-in-law sued for breach of contract because he does not die in two years as he has predicted. Nouvelles Récréations No. 49. |
| W0 | Favorable traits of character. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| W121.2.2 | Fox insults caged lion. Wienert FFC LVI 56 (ET 160), 112 (ST 232); Halm Aesop No. 40. |
| W152.1 | Fox spoils his food rather than divide with ape. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 193), 133 (ST 393). |
| W153.5 | Friar so miserly that he stays in ditch three days before "lending" a hand to his rescuers. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.8 | General sends for king so that the latter may get credit for victory. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5 | Generosity toward enemy. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| W11 | Generosity. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Keller, Espinosa Jr. No. 200; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.16 | Generous king gives away his only eye. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W11.15 | Generous person refuses no man anything. (Cf. C871.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W125.2 | Gluttonous wife eats all the meal while cooking it. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W125 | Gluttony. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 67. |
| W2 | Good inclinations enter body at puberty. Jewish: Neuman. |
| W195.1 | Goose and turkey envious of peacock point out its ugly legs and voice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.8 | Grateful animals; ungrateful man. A traveler saves a monkey, a snake, a tiger, and a jeweler from a pit. The monkey gives him fruit; the tiger a necklace of a princess he has killed. The jeweler accuses the rescuer before the king. The serpent saves him by biting the prince and then showing the man the proper remedy. *Type 160; Chauvin II 106 No. 71; *Penzer V 157 n. 1; Cosquin études 22ff.; Moe Samlede Skrifter I 192ff.; *BP IV 139; *Wesselski Theorie 82ff.; *Oesterley No. 119; Fb "ulvgrav"; Bødker Exempler 304 No. 25.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 51, 277, Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IX 385f. Nos. 103, 104, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 163 No. 32, (Zanzibar): Bateman 81ff. No. 6. |
| W27 | Gratitude. |
| W151 | Greed. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; Icelandic: *Boberg; West Indies: Flowers 582. |
| W125.1 | Greedy animal eats poisoned fruit in spite of warning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W151.10 | Greedy man tries to stuff food into his nostrils as well as into his mouth. Africa (Fang): Tessman 140. |
| W151.9 | Greedy person (animal) gets hand (head) stuck in food jar. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W155.1 | Hardhearted horse allows ass to be overburdened until it is crushed. Horse must then assume the load. Wienert FFC LVI *56 (ET 170), 144 (ST 397); Halm Aesop No. 177. |
| W155.4 | Hardhearted person refuses reprieve for father's murderers. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W155 | Hardness of heart. England, U.S.: Baughman; West Indies: Flowers 583. |
| W151.1 | Harlot weeps when her impoverished lover leaves her to think that she has left him his coat. *Crane Vitry 214 No. 200; Herbert III 16; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 10; Scala Celi 87b No. 512; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5.12 | Hero in battle refuses to slay charioteers, women, or physicians. (Cf. C867.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| W33 | Heroism. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| W128.1 | Hog tired of his daily food. Goes to the judge and gets better food assigned to him, but the fox cheats him out of it. Type 211*. |
| W151.6 | Hog with broken leg refuses to tell another where peas are to be found. "I intend to go there myself as soon as I get well again." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 215*. |
| W45 | Honor. |
| W151.2.2 | Hospitable man impoverished by greedy guests. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W12 | Hospitality as a virtue. (Cf. P320.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| W213.1 | Host requires deed of bravery before feast is eaten. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W165.1 | Humble man after speaking to king disdains his own family. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.4 | Hunter beats dog which has grown old in his service. Wienert FFC LVI 73 (ET 380), 89 (ST 14); Spanish Exempla: Keller. Cf. Type 101. |
| W121.1 | Hunter wants to be shown lion tracks, not lion himself. Wienert FFC LVI 67 (ET 314), 101 (ST 143); Halm Aesop No. 114. |
| W125.5 | Husband eats wife's share of food as well as his own. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W121.8 | Illness from fear. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.7.1 | Impoverished nobleman offers wife to ruler. Latter spares her honor and aids the couple. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W133 | Inconsistency. |
| W123 | Indecision. (Cf. J1040.) West Indies: Flowers 581. |
| W154.23 | Ingratitude from ignorance. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154 | Ingratitude. Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W158 | Inhospitality. (Cf. Q292.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W187 | Insolence. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W185.6 | Insult worse than wound. The lion to the man: "The wound has healed, but the pain of harsh words still remains." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 161*; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 159IV*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W116.8 | Jackal forces all animals who come to drink to praise him like a king. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W181.4 | Jealous fox betrays wolf to peasant and then appropriates wolf's cave and food. Peasant kills him in a few days. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 194), 132, 139 (ST 383, 453). |
| W181.6 | Jealousy of Venus in the love of Psyche and Cupid. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W181 | Jealousy. Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142—45. |
| W35 | Justice. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| W154.15 | Kind magistrate is victim of ingratitude. Gives lawbreaker a light sentence. The latter seduces the magistrate's wife. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W10 | Kindness. (Cf. Q40.) Missouri French: Carrière; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| W181.2 | King kills architect after completion of great building, so that he may never again build one so great. (Cf. S161.0.1, W154.21.) Wesselski Theorie 15; Ireland, England: Baughman. |
| W11.12.1 | King rewards knight with large sum of money. Chancellor: "If you saw such a sum it would seem large to you." King answers that it looks small and doubles it. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W32.1 | King Richard leads host to victory by leaping his horse overboard. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W11.2.2 | King will not eat breakfast till gifts are given. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.12.1 | Knight is ungrateful for rescue in battle. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W196 | Lack of patience. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W111 | Laziness. Types 368*, 675, 822, 843*, 1370*, 1405, 1454*, 1561, 1950; *Chauvin IX 33f. Nos. 25, 26; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 30; Missouri French: Carrière; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 175; West Indies: Flowers 581. |
| W111.2.7 | Lazy boy always says that it is raining. The peasant and the boy sleep during the rain in the hay barn. When the peasant asks, the boy always says that it is still raining. Type 1560**. |
| W111.2.8 | Lazy boy says he cannot walk. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| W111.5.4 | Lazy dog wakes only for his meals. Wienert FFC LVI 73 (ET 381), 126 (ST 348); Halm Aesop No. 413. |
| W111.5.2 | Lazy girl does not know where the spring is. Type 1453*. |
| W111.4 | Lazy husband. Fansler MAFLS XII 236. |
| W111.5.3 | Lazy man asked direction only points with his foot. *Dh II 115ff.; England: Baughman. |
| W111.5.10 | Lazy man asks if wood is split before he accepts it as a gift. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W111.5.10.1 | Lazy man is being taken to poorhouse or out of town or to cemetery to be buried alive. The group take pity on him, offer him various articles to help him get started again. One offers a bushel of corn. The lazy one rises up from the bottom of the wagon or coffin where he has been lying: "Is the corn shelled?" Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| W111.5.11 | Lazy man misses seeing the sheriff's funeral; he is facing the wrong way as the procession passes. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W111.1.1.2 | Lazy man's belongings burn. He is too lazy to stop rats from playing with lighted candle. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.5.1 | Lazy mother given shoes of cotton; son knows that she will not wear them out. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 204 No. 406. |
| W111.2.0.1 | Lazy servant gets others to perform his duties. |
| W111.5.6 | Lazy son-in-law: afraid of a dog. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.3.1 | Lazy wife in soiled dress thinks husband is bringing her a new dress from market. He is bringing a goose. Type 1371*. |
| W111.3.3 | Lazy wife throws bread out of window instead of putting it back into oven. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 126 No. 1389. |
| W111.5.9 | Learning a trade in bed. Working independently, the lazy fellow spoils the materials received—starts making something big, which at the end turns to nothing. For example, begins with forging a plough: this becomes an axe, the axe a knife, and knife a needle, the needle—nothing. (Cf. J2080.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2446*. |
| W154.3.1 | Lion rescued from net by rat: eats rat. Cf. Type 75. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 86, (Kaffir): Kidd 243 No. 10 (lion and gazelle); West Indies: Flowers 582. |
| W215.3 | Long life sacrificed that descendants may be kings as prophesied. (Cf. M314.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| W136.1 | Look! look! she cries from the barrel. A nobleman has arranged for a peasant girl to become his mistress. When he comes to take her away he cannot find her. Disappointed, he is about to depart when the girl, who has hidden in a barrel, calls out "Look!" She really wants to be found. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 13. |
| W161 | Love of publicity. |
| W34.2 | Loyal friends refuse to fight against disgraced comrade. (Cf. P310.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| W34 | Loyalty. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W215.1 | Magic help sent to enemy. Hero sends fairy healing charms to his enemy so that when they resume fighting it cannot be said he wins because of superior care. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W12.1 | Man (king) prefers death to loss of reputation for hospitality. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W154.20 | Man beats people bearing him gifts. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W154.17 | Man beheads rescuer for leaving him so long in pain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W34.1 | Man constrained to flee with leader's fiancée resists her blandishments. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W154.26 | Man demands ever larger gifts. |
| W185.1 | Man demonstrates his violence of temper. He overhears a man tell of his temper. In anger he enters and demands to know when he has ever lost his temper. Penzer V 90f. |
| W111.5.12 | Man digs three potatoes in one day: one dug, one being dug, one about to be dug. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W154.1 | Man dismissed after years of service with a pittance. *Type 592; BP II 490ff. |
| W11.3 | Man divides money into three parts: (1) for the poor, (2) for pilgrims, (3) for himself and family. Scala Celi 164a No. 921. |
| W193.1 | Man extorts large price for betel leaf from addict. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.24 | Man fails to feed his animal rescuer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W152.14.1 | Man finds a bunghole lying around loose, has cooper build a barrel around it. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W111.1.5 | Man floating in river too lazy to drink. His voice is damaged. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W152.2 | Man had rather be burned alive than to share food with a guest. Penzer V 165ff. |
| W155.2 | Man helping another across stream drops him when he learns that he has lost his high position. Jaworskij Der Urquell II 195. |
| W111.5.5 | Man in mud too lazy to take hand extended to help him up. Scala Celi 5a No. 26. |
| W111.1.1.1 | Man is burned to death because he is too lazy to put out spark. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W225.1 | Man is rebuked for loquaciousness when he speaks after thirty-seven days. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W111.5.8.1 | Man is so lazy that he starves rather than open his mouth for food to fall in when it falls from trees. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W153.4 | Man is so miserly that he never drinks wine until it becomes strong. Gets full benefit from it. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W37.2 | Man keeps promise to return to be eaten by tiger: let go without harm. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.12 | Man kills his rescuer in order to collect reward. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W154.5.1.1 | Man kills whale which carried him home across sea. Tonga: Gifford 142. |
| W28.3 | Man leaps from vessel into jaws of sea-beast so as to save remaining passengers. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W11.4 | Man lets himself be sold as slave so as to practice generosity. Wesselski Archiv Orientální II 429; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W111.1.1 | Man lets legs burn in fire rather than move them. Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 21; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 261; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W12.2 | Man looks for strangers so as to bestow hospitality on them. Jewish: Neuman. |
| W37.0.1 | Man never breaks his word. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W23 | Man never listens to scandal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W155.1.2 | Man overloads and starves camel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.5.1.1 | Man pardons his assailants. They attack again and are killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.5.7.1 | Man pays fine for enemy who is falsely accused. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| W35.1 | Man picked to judge bull-fight because he is "no fairer to his friend than to his foe." Irish myth: Cross. |
| W154.9 | Man rescued from drowning kills rescuer. Oceanic: Dixon 193 nn. 20—25. |
| W11.5.7 | Man saved through intercession of enemy. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W152.14.2 | Man saves sausage skins, sends them back for refilling. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W154.25 | Man sets dogs onto bear after bear has carried him home to safety. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.1.4 | Man so lazy that he will not wipe his running nose. This causes him to lose prospective bride. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W24 | Man speaks no evil. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W111.1.1.3 | Man too lazy to open eyes to see where fire is burning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.1.6 | Man too lazy to pick up berries (dates). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.26.1 | Man trades an egg for a needle, demands treat of a gill of rum, the traditional reward for traders. The storekeeper gives him the rum; he asks for an egg in it. The storekeeper breaks an egg (the one he has just traded the needle for) into the rum. It has two yolks; the trader asks for two needles. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W155.3 | Man unable to weep for hardness of heart. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| W154.18 | Man ungrateful for life saved because rescuer helped others also. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W154.2.2 | Man ungrateful for rescue by animal. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.5.13 | Man weeds garden from cushioned rocking chair, using fire tongs to reach weeds. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W27.1 | Man weeps with gratitude to God because He did not make him hideous as toad. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W154.5.1.2 | Man who has been rescued from pit tries to kill his monkey rescuer for food. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 472f. |
| W152.14 | Man who insists on using everything that is useful. |
| W213 | Man will not allow food served to strangers until a man of them wrestles with him. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W214 | Man will not do a woman's bidding. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W111.1.2 | Man will not lift knife to cut rope about to hang him. Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 21; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 261. |
| W111.1.3 | Man will not move in bed when water drops in his eyes. Wesselski Märchen 213 No. 21; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W171.1 | Man winks both at buyer and seller. He tries to appear friendly to both. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 491. |
| W111.5.8 | Man with stolen fig in his mouth submits to having cheek lanced rather than open his mouth. (Cf. J1842.2.) Italian Novella: Rotunda (W111.7). |
| W154.27 | Man works his horses to death, then complains that borrowed horse overeats. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W11.5.9.2 | Man's life spared through the intercession of the daughter he has wronged. He has ordered her killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W152.12.3 | Master insists that maid whistle when she brings in the dessert. He is afraid she will eat the raisins out of the cakes. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W152.12.4 | Master insists that servants whistle as they pick strawberries so that they cannot eat any. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W25.2 | Minister always says, "It is for the best," when anything happens. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W153.8 | Miser appoints himself as the sole heir of his own estate. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.7 | Miser decides not to commit suicide. Does not want the expense of a rope. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.9 | Miser decides to kill his pigs himself. Refuses to pay fee. Chain of circumstances make it infinitely more expensive. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.11 | Miser dies because he will not buy a candle. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.6 | Miser dreams that he spends some money. Strangles himself in his sleep. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.7.1 | Miser is given rope to hang himself. Miser annoys merchant so much over the price of a rope that the latter gives it to him provided he will hang himself as he plans to do. Spanish: Childers. |
| W153.12 | Miser is kidnapped and held for ransom. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.10 | Miser is rebuked by friend. "You get no benefit from your wealth." Proves his folly. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.15 | Miser prays to enter heaven with his clothes on: gold coins sewn into undergarments. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W153.11.2 | Miser runs back home to put out lamp left burning. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W153.14 | Miser tries to reduce sacrifice promised to god. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W153.1 | Miser's heart found in his strong-box. Chauvin II 152 No. 14. |
| W153 | Miserliness. Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W153.2 | Miserly husband spies on wife to see that she does not eat too much. Gets burned in the chimney and beaten in the bed where he hides. Type 1407; U.S.: Baughman. |
| W153.2.1 | Miserly husband spies on wife, lest she cook too much. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W153.3 | Miserly wife exposed to guests by her husband. Russian: Andrejev No. 1454. |
| W128.5 | Monk dissatisfied with things as he has them is admonished to take what he receives from God. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W185.4 | Monk loses temper at cup and breaks it. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| W126.1 | Monk obedient only as long as work is agreeable. Always says that unpleasant work is beneath his dignity. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 367. |
| W121.2.6 | Monkey safe in tree insults gorilla as "broken face". Africa (Fang): Nassau 233 No. 1. |
| W154.2 | Monster ungrateful for rescue. *Type 426; BP II 420; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.1.1.5 | Mother calls to daughter to tell her that she (daughter) is standing on a live coal. The daughter asks which foot the coal is under. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W226 | Moving home simple for poor man. Man is so poor that when he moves all he has to do is to put out the fire and whistle for the dog to follow him. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W11.2 | Munificent monarch. India: Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| W15.1 | Murderer goes to victim's son and asks to be killed. The son aids him to escape. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W117.1 | Neglected wife given trifle boasts of it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W125.3 | New son-in-law given choice of meals eats all. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.7 | Nobleman's generosity enables impoverished lover to entertain his lady. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W11.13 | Novel sign of death. It is the first time that what he has given away seems too much. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| W31 | Obedience. |
| W37.1 | Oil well digger runs out of money, leaves the country, forgetting to tell his driller. He returns fifty years later, finds the driller still drilling away. U.S.: Baughman. |
| W155.1.1 | Old bullock deserted and left to die. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W116.1 | Old woman reaches town before vain fop who stops to adjust clothes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W20 | Other favorable traits of character. |
| W111.5 | Other lazy persons. Chinese: Graham. |
| W26 | Patience. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman. |
| W43 | Peacefulness. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| W116.4 | Peacock admires self in mirror. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W128.4 | Peacock dissatisfied with his voice. Wienert FFC LVI 78 (ET 441), 133 (ST 388). |
| W155.5 | Permission refused to drink from water tank. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W154.22 | Person compared to nettle, which stings the hand that protects it. Irish myth: *Cross. |
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