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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| P456 | Carpenter. Sébillot Métiers No. 13; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 62ff., 89ff., 260ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1521.4 | Carriage as swift as thought. (Cf. D1111.) Hindu: Keith 108; Japanese: Anesaki 359. |
| F861.4 | Carriage from extraordinary material. |
| F861.4.3 | Carriage from pumpkin. Type 510 (Perrault's version). |
| F861.4.1 | Carriage made from turnip. German: Grimm No. 63. |
| D1111.1 | Carriage produced by magic. Saintyves Perrault 151ff.; |
| A2435.4.5.1 | Carrion as food of vultures. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2242 | Carrying his own message. A man who is away from home writes a letter to his wife but can find no messenger. He delivers the letter himself and then goes on back to where he has been. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 233 No. 456. |
| J2165 | Carrying load up hill to roll it down. Fools carry log (millstone) down hill. They realize that they might have rolled it down. They therefore carry it back up hill to roll it down. Type 1213; Clouston Noodles 59. |
| D1381.25 | Carrying saint's book around army right-handwise insures victory. (Cf. D1266.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2163 | Carrying the plow horse so as not to tramp up the field. (Cf. J2103.2.) Type 1201; *Wesselski Bebel I 138 No. 43. |
| F861.3.1 | Cart of lapis lazuli and gold with golden wheels. Babylonian: Gilgamesch-Epos VI 10. |
| D1639.6 | Carved image jumps at maker's command. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 262. |
| N113.1.1 | Casket with Good Luck in it given to men by Zeus. Wienert FFC LVI 36; *Babrius No. 58. |
| Q456.1.1 | Cast-forth wife buried up to the waist for seven years and despitefully used. Wesselski Märchen 174 No. 64. |
| Q482.4 | Cast-forth wife must sit at horse-block of palace and tell story to each newcomer and offer to carry him inside. Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 94. |
| S435 | Cast-off wife abandoned in pit. (Cf. T581.2.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 202. |
| S433 | Cast-off wife abandoned on island. (Cf. S145.) Type 890 (Christiansen Norske Eventyr 113); Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 105, 119. |
| S441 | Cast-off wife and child abandoned in forest. (Cf. S143.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S431.1 | Cast-off wife and child exposed in boat. Hibbard 26ff.; English: Wells 115 (Sir Eglamour of Artois), 117 (Sir Torrent of Portyngale), 129 (Emare), Chaucer's Man of Law's Tale; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 3; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 155 n. 3; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S431 | Cast-off wife exposed in boat. *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 83ff. |
| S437 | Cast-off wife sent to herd cows. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S432 | Cast-off wife thrown into water. (Cf. S142.) *Types 403, 450, 707; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 382ff., (Teton): Dorsey JAFL II 137. |
| S436 | Cast-off wife's head shaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N145 | Cast-out princess prospers because of Good Luck. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A1651.2 | Caste determined by what kind of tree one catches while crossing a river. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1442 | Casting eyes: animal's eyes. Ordered to cast eyes on this or that, the trickster kills animals and casts their eyes at the object. *Type 1006; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 181-8; India: Thompson-Balys. Cf. Type 1685. |
| Q467.1 | Casting into water in sack (barrel) as punishment. (Cf. Q474, S142.) H. Goldsmith Zs. f. vgl. Rechtswissenschaft LXI—LXII; Fb "sæk" III 720b, "tønde" III 934b; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 6. |
| H245 | Casting lots as truth test. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| V125 | Casting of image of Buddha delayed until a maniac's mite is thrown into the furnace. Chinese: Werner 401. |
| J2462.2 | Casting sheep's eyes at the bride. The foolish bridegroom is told to cast sheep's eyes at the bride. He buys some at the butcher shop and throws them at her. *Type 1685; *BP I 311; *Fb "øje" III 1166a; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 762; Spanish: Espinosa III 147. |
| F771.4.5 | Castle (house) haunted by demons. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F771.4.2.1 | Castle (house) infested by demon cats. (Cf. H1411.2.) |
| F771.2 | Castle (house) with extraordinary support. |
| F771.3.4 | Castle at middle point of earth. Fb "verden" III 1039a. |
| F771.3.1 | Castle at world's end. *Fb "slot" III 376b, "Røde Hav", "tеrn". |
| F771.2.4 | Castle built on sea. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château", "mer"; India: Thompson-Balys; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 183. |
| K781 | Castle captured with assistance of owner's daughter. She loves the attacker. (Cf. K811.1.1, K2340.) Dickson 240, 241 n. 44; Krappe "Die Sage von der Tarpeja" Rheinisches Museum für Philologie LXXVIII (1929) 248—67; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 31. |
| F771.2.1.2 | Castle carried through air by four eagles. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 12. |
| D705.1 | Castle disenchanted. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.3.2 | Castle east of sun and west of moon. *Fb "slot" III 376b. |
| F771.5.1 | Castle guarded by beasts. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château"; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.5.2 | Castle guarded by giants (ogres). Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château". |
| F80.1.1 | Castle in lower world. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château". |
| F163.1 | Castle in otherworld. Patch Other World 375 s.v. "castle"; Siuts 58ff.; Dickson 94 n. 76; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F771.2.1 | Castle in the air. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys, Penzer II 110f. |
| F771.2.2 | Castle in tree-top. *Fb "slot" III 377a; Hindu: Tawney I 229. |
| F771.4.4 | Castle in which everyone is asleep. Type 304; BP II 503; Fb "sove" III 472a. |
| F771.4.6 | Castle in which inhabitants have been turned to stone. German: Grimm No. 62. |
| F771.4.7 | Castle inhabited by enchanted princess. German: Grimm Nos. 92. 137. |
| F771.4.1 | Castle inhabited by ogres. *Types 304, 545A; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château"; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D491.5 | Castle magically made smaller. German: Grimm No. 163. |
| D2136.2 | Castle magically transported. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chateau"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.8 | Castle of extraordinary size. Icelandic: Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 349, 529, 915. |
| F771.1.11 | Castle of fire. (Cf. F702, F753, F756.1, F763, F785.3.) Chauvin VII 57 No. 77. |
| F771.1 | Castle of unusual material. |
| F771.1.8 | Castle of wax, shining like gold. *Fb "slot" III 377a. |
| F771.2.7 | Castle on serpents. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| F771.1.1.1 | Castle paved with gold and gems. Hartland Science 174; Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1131.1 | Castle produced by magic. *Type 554, 560, 561, 675, 512*; *Aarne MSFO XXV 44; *BP II 455ff., 547ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.2.6.2 | Castle revolving at night so that entrance cannot be found. *Kittredge Gawain 245 n. 1; Schoepperle II 325f.; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F771.3.6 | Castle rises from the ground. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F771.10 | Castle shall stand when everything else has departed (Gimle and Brimir). Icelandic: Snorra Edda Gylf. XVII, LII, Boberg. |
| F941.1 | Castle sinks into earth. Wesselski Märchen 200; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F771.2.5 | Castle stands on a pillar (pillars). Fb "guldpæle" I 514b.—Icelandic: Boberg; Hindu: Meyer Hindu 98 n. |
| F771.2.1.1 | Castle suspended on four chains. *Fb "slot" III 377a, "Røde Hav"; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château", "chaine". |
| F725.3.2 | Castle under lake. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F771.13 | Castle warmed by love. No fire is required because love makes perpetual summer. Neilson Court of Love 28. |
| F771.1.6.1 | Castle with glass wall. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F163.1.4 | Castles of gold and silver in otherworld. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale I 71 (Glitnir), Snorra Edda Gylf. XVII (Breidablik), Boberg. |
| F163.1.3 | Castles thatched with golden shields in otherworld. Icelandic: Snorra Edda Gylf. II, XVII, MacCulloch Eddic 329 (Valhalla and Gimlé), Boberg. |
| F163.1.5 | Castles thatched with silver in otherworld. (Cf. F163.3.2.) Icelandic: Snorra Edda Gylf. XVII, MacCulloch Eddic 329 (Valaskjalf and Hlidskjalf), Boberg. |
| D2062.4.2 | Castration by magic. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 294. |
| K1155 | Casual words uttered by dupe used to cheat him of his property. A miser is persuaded by his servant to fast nine days. He calls out on the fifth day "the half" and on the ninth "the whole". She makes people believe that he is making his will and giving everything to her. It is so ordered. Danish: Kristensen Jyske Folkeminder VII No. 30. |
| K815.7 | Cat acts as judge between sparrow and hare; eats them both. *Penzer V 102 n. 2; Chauvin II 96 No. 50; Bødker Exempler 294 No. 55; Panchatantra III 2, (tr. Ryder) 315 (partridge and rabbit); Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| T50.1.4 | Cat and dog as guards of imprisoned beauty. (Cf. B576.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B147.1.2.2 | Cat as beast of ill-omen. Fb "kat".—Irish myth: Cross. |
| G303.10.1 | Cat as follower of the devil. Fb IV 99a. |
| G351.2 | Cat as ogre. Sucks blood. Kittredge Arthur and Garlagon 259 n. 2; Japanese: Mitford 245ff. |
| V12.4.2 | Cat as sacrifice. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| G225.3 | Cat as servant of witch. Fb "kat" II 107; Kittredge Witchcraft 177f. n. 36; England, U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 660, 664; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N411.1.1 | Cat as sole inheritance. *Types 1650, 1651, 545AB; *BP I 325, II 69ff., III 487; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 4. |
| W111.3.2 | Cat beaten for not working. Lazy wife must hold cat and is scratched. Type 1370*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1370. |
| K2131.1 | Cat brings suspicion between eagle and sow. Eagle lives in the top of the branches, cat in the middle, and sow at bottom; all are happy. Cat tells eagle that sow is trying to root down the tree: eagle is frightened and dares not leave tree. Cat tells sow that eagle plans to carry off pigs: sow dares not leave. They starve and fall victims to the cat. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 143), 99 (ST 130, 421). |
| F771.4.2 | Cat castle. Castle occupied by cats (enchanted women). *Type 566; Fb "slot" III 377a; Icelandic: *Boberg; French and N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 400f. |
| U271 | Cat ceases catching rats as soon as he is given a home in a monastery. Thus with lazy priests. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 573. |
| A2236.8 | Cat commanded to pray so as not to slay man: why cat purrs. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3121. Legends Nos. 222ff. |
| J2133.3 | Cat crawls to steeple and tries to fly. Falls. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 295 No. 15. |
| B16.1.1.3 | Cat devours flesh of man's legs. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K561.1.1 | Cat fails to be beguiled into releasing mouse. The mouse tells the cat a tale. The cat answers at last, "Even so, I eat you up." |
| A1811.1 | Cat from transformed eagle. Eagle mistakes stick of wood for fish and gets feet caught. Wind blows off feathers and makes hair. (Cf. A1710.)—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 11 No. 54. |
| A2281.1.1 | Cat garbles message from man to tiger: enmity between man and tiger. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| F983.3 | Cat grows as large as a cow in a minute. Chinese: Graham. |
| 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. |
| A2223.1 | Cat helps man build house: may occupy chimney corner. (Cf. A2233.2, A2433.3.1.)—Dh III 203f. |
| D2186 | Cat in wood-pile prevents axe from cutting. *Type 1001. |
| K815.4 | Cat invites hens to a feast and kills them. Wienert FFC LVI *49 (ET 87), 96 (ST 105). |
| B524.1.3 | Cat kills attacking rat. Japanese: Ikeda, Mitford 253ff. |
| B16.1.1.2 | Cat leaps through man like arrow of fire and burns him to ashes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B342 | Cat leaves house when report is made of death of one of his companions. His master has been told to say "Robert is dead". As soon as this is said, the cat leaves. —*Boberg Sagnet om den store Pans Dod, København 1934.—Irish: Beal III 66.—U.S.: Baughman; Taylor Washington University Studies X (Hum. Ser.) 60ff. |
| A2281.1 | Cat loses dog's certificate: enmity between cats and dogs. Dog is given a certificate of nobility. Through cat's carelessness it is lost. (Cf. A2275.5, A2494.1.2.) *Type 200.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 11 No. 53; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 143 No. 30; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 88 No. 61; Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 85 No. 53. |
| K815.15 | Cat lures young foxes from den with music. Kills them. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 133*; Russian: Andrejev No. 61 II*; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX No. 133*. |
| K341.7.2 | Cat made to mew so as to distract owner's attention from his goods. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K815.13 | Cat makes truce with mice. When they have become friendly, he eats them. Bødker Exempler 306 No. 81; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1785.5 | Cat mistaken for devil. Fool in the dark mistakes cat's eyes for embers. Is attacked by the cat and he thinks it is the devil. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B766.1.1 | Cat must be kept from dying person because it will catch the person's soul issuing (from mouth) in form of mouse. (Cf. E731.3.)—England, U.S.: Baughman. |
| B766.1 | Cat mutilates corpses. *Kittredge Witchcraft 178 n. 41; U.S.: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 638. |
| A1811.3 | Cat of divine origin; is really praying when he purrs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2061.7 | Cat offers to act as doctor for cock and hen: plan detected. Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 30), 53 (ET 127), 96 (ST 87); Halm Aesop No. 16. |
| J766.1 | Cat only drives rats away; if she killed them she would no longer have employment. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B766.2 | Cat sucks sleeping child's breath. *Kittredge Witchcraft 178 n. 40; England: Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 638. |
| J1908.2 | Cat transformed to maiden runs after mouse. *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XXII 244; **Rohde Kleinere Schriften II 212ff.; Wienert FFC LVI *45, 71, 78 (ET 34, 351, 444), 86 (ST 1); Halm Aesop No. 88; Jacobs Aesop 218 No. 76; Spanish: Espinosa III 275-277; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| U31.1 | Cat unjustly accuses cock and eats him. Although all the cock's defenses are good the cat tells him that she can no longer go hungry and eats him. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B121.3 | Cat with magic wisdom. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B181.1.1 | Cat with remarkable powers of sight. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M205.1.2 | Cat witness to betrothal punishes violator. Kills the man's son when he has married a different woman. Hebrew: *bin Gorion Born Judas I 368. |
| F405.5 | Cat, dog, and mouse ward off evil spirit. Man takes these animals along with him as protection. Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 297 No. 28. |
| A2433.3.1 | Cat's characteristic haunt. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B721 | Cat's luminous eye.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeil".; Icel.: Boberg. |
| D702.1.1 | Cat's paw cut off: woman's hand missing. A man spends a night in a haunted mill, where he cuts off a cat's paw. In the morning the miller's wife has lost her hand. (Cf. D142, D621.1.1.)—*Taylor MPh XVII 59 n. 8; Tobler 43; Eng., Ire., U.S.: *Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| J1759.5 | Cat's tail mistaken for worm. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z13.2 | Catch tale: teller is killed in his own story. Canada, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| Z13 | Catch tales. The manner of the telling forces the hearer to ask a particular question, to which the teller returns a ridiculous answer. Type 2200; England, U.S., Canada: *Baughman; West Indies: Flowers 586. |
| F698.3 | Catching 150 toy spears in shield. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1521.5 | Catching by words. |
| H411.16 | Catching salmon as proof of virginity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| G303.16.19.18 | Catching the devil. The devil is caught with the help of a sacred article (rosary, scapular) or some other thing (band for binding breeches, a switch of the rowan-tree). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3345, Legends Nos. 665—668, 677. |
| A2261.3.1 | Catfish transformed from children still carry marks of children's knife holder. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2261.3 | Catfish transformed from woman still carries women's tatoo marks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E436.2 | Cats crossing one's path sign of ghosts. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 677. |
| J1025.2 | Cats unite in battle against a wolf. They destroy wolf. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| A732.1 | Cattle and sheep of the sun. 350 of each (= days and nights of the lunar year).—Greek: Fox 242. |
| Q595.2 | Cattle killed, crops burned as punishment for abduction. (Cf. Q213.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| K341.7.1 | Cattle let loose so as to distract owner's attention from his goods. *Gering Islendzk æventyri (Halle, 1883) II 210ff. |
| A155.1 | Cattle of the sun. Greek: Fox 137. |
| D2178.2 | Cattle produced by magic. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 77. |
| Q552.1.8.1 | Cattle thief calls on God to strike him with lightning if he has ever stolen a cow or calf. Lightning strikes him. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K2369.8 | Cauldron containing lighted torch brought into enemy's camp ostensibly to be used for serving food: torch uncovered as signal for attack. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D2171.4.2 | Cauldron magically sticks to wall. Irish myth: Cross. |
| W151.0.1 | Cauldron of greed. Irish myth: *Cross |
| E607.5 | Cauldron of regeneration (reincarnation). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F686.1 | Cauldron warmed by breath of nine maidens. (Cf. D1171.2.) Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 95. |
| A2200 | Cause of animal characteristics. See "Register" to Dähnhardt (III 537ff.); also articles scattered through RTP, e. g., V 244, VI, 314, 473, VII 479, VIII 557, IX 165, 491, 646, X 26, 176, 301, 363, XII 667, XIII 344, XIV 379, XV 425, XVI 445, XVII 150, 344, 578.—Jewish: Neuman; Australian: Dixon 290; Miwok: Powers CNAE III 359; Karok: ibid. 36; Alsea: Frachtenberg BBAE LXVII 47ff.; Southern Ute: Lowie JAFL XXXVII 14 No. 6. |
| A2401 | Cause of animal's beauty. |
| A2402 | Cause of animal's ugliness. |
| A2441.2 | Cause of bird's walk. |
| A2441.1.10 | Cause of cat's walk. Dh III 229. |
| A2441.4.4 | Cause of chameleon's movement. Dh III 222.—Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2344.3 | Cause of color of animal's tongue. |
| A2441.4.2 | Cause of crab's walk. Dh III 219ff. |
| A2441.1.3 | Cause of dog's walk. Dh III 221. |
| A1145 | Cause of earthquakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A737.2 | Cause of eclipses: mother's curse laid upon her third son. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2441.1.7 | Cause of elephant's walk. Dh III 226.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2441.3.2 | Cause of flea's movement. Dh III 222f. |
| A2441.3.3 | Cause of fly's movement. Dh III 227. |
| A2441.1.11 | Cause of hare's hopping gait. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2441.1.4 | Cause of hyena's walk. Dh III 223. |
| A2441.3 | Cause of insect's walk. |
| A2441.1.9 | Cause of leopard's walk. Dh III 228. |
| A2441.1.1 | Cause of monkey's walk. Dh III 223, 229.—Africa (Fang): Trilles 179. |
| A2441.4 | Cause of movement of reptile, etc. |
| A2441.1.8 | Cause of ox's walk. Dh III 227. |
| A2402.1 | Cause of serpent's ugliness. (See A2286.0.1.) |
| A2441.1.12 | Cause of sheep's walk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2441.1.6 | Cause of skunk's walk. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 360 No. 12. |
| A1142.6 | Cause of thunder: sounds of the horses' hoofs as gods play ball. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2441.4.3 | Cause of toad's hop. Dh III 222. |
| A2441.1.5 | Cause of wolverine's walk. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 248. |
| A737 | Causes of eclipses (sun or moon). *Hdwb. d. deutschen Aberglaubens II 1511; Penzer II 81f.—Estonian: Loortis Grundzüge I 153, 410ff.; Icel.: De la Saussaye 344; Jewish: Neuman; Korean: Zong in-Sob 11 No. 4; Hindu: Keith 137, 151, 192, 232f.; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Montagnais: Alexander N. Am. 25; Mataguaya (Pampean): Alexander Lat. Am. 319. |
| A1137 | Causes of hot weather: God bores hole in hell. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D2021 | Causes of magic dumbness. |
| A755 | Causes of moon's phases. Irish: Beal XXI 323; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 183; Baltic: (Lithuanian and Lettish): Gray 320; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 422f.; Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 34 No 4; Hindu: Oldenberg Religion des Veda 171; Yakuts: Holmberg Siberian 424; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Maori: Dixon 88.—African: Werner African 227f. (Ekoi): Talbot 349, (Fang): Trilles 172. |
| A1157 | Causes of seasons—deities push sun back and forth at solstices. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 119. |
| A1031 | Causes of world-fire. |
| J585 | Caution in eating. |
| B268.2 | Cavalry of dogs. Chauvin VII 40 No. 153. |
| R315.1 | Cave as eloping lovers' refuge. (Cf. R225, T35.) Schoepperle 391ff.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| R315 | Cave as refuge. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo, (Greenland): Rasmussen I 150. |
| A1414.7.3 | Cave as repository of fire. Marquesas: Handy 103. |
| F757.1.1 | Cave of gold, silver and crystal. German: Grimm No. 202. |
| A1122 | Cave of winds. Winds originally confined in caves.—Roman: Virgil Aeneid I lines 52 ff.; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 457.—Maori: Dixon 55; Western Mono: Gifford JAFL XXXVI 328 No. 9. |
| D1552.5 | Cave opens and hides fugitives. *Loomis White Magic 89, 119. |
| A2426.2.6 | Cawing of crow. Dh III 126, 257, 357, 369, 371, 372.—Finnish: Aarne FFC IX 7 No. 39; Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 223; Australian: Dixon 292. |
| J1284.2 | Cease being a king. A widow asks justice of a king. The latter says that he is too busy to hear her. "Then cease being a king," replies the widow. Her bold reply wins an audience with the king. Spanish: Childers. |
| Q501.8 | Ceaseless humming (singing) as punishment for immoderate request. (Cf. Q338.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F526.6 | Cecrops. Body compounded of man and serpent. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 76 n. 3. |
| A702.3.1 | Celestial bodies attached to a wheel in heaven around which they move. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T310 | Celibacy and continence. *Encyc. Religion Ethics III 271ff. s.v. "Celibacy"; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 163, 166, 261, (Greenland): Rink 410, Rasmussen I 137, 363, III 85, 154, 200, (Central): Boas RBAE VI 583, 637, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 49. |
| J1264.2 | Celibacy at the altar. Monk says, "I vowed three things: poverty in the bath, obedience at the table, and celibacy at the altar." *Wesselski Bebel II 133 No. 100. |
| F566 | Celibate peoples. |
| F302.6.1 | Celtic fairy mistress dominant. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| B547.3 | Centaur rescues man from beast-infested jungle. Greek: Grote I 109. |
| B21 | Centaur: man-horse. Trunk and head of man, body of horse.—**P. V. C. Baur Centaurs in Ancient Art (Berlin, 1912); *Frazer Apollodorus I 191 n. 3, 261 n. 1; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 413; Howey Horse in Magic and Myth 225ff.; **Dumézil (G.) Le Probleme des Centaures (Paris, 1929); Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Hindu: Penzer I 202. |
| D2038.1 | Centipede becomes large enough to kill demon. Chinese: Graham. |
| B109.2 | Centipede plays at night with pearl. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 232f. |
| B15.7.1 | Cerberus. The hell hound with three heads, a serpent's tail, and a writhing tangle of snakes from his body. Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 88, 142. |
| D1033.0.1 | Cereal from man's body. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T310.1 | Ceremonial continence. *Frazer Fasti IV 206ff.; **E. Fehrle Die kultische Keuschheit im Altertum (Giessen, 1910). |
| P311.6 | Ceremonial friendship. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2178.6 | Ceremonial presents produced by magic. Chinese: Graham. |
| N554 | Ceremonies and prayers used at unearthing of treasure. *Winter 77. |
| V18 | Ceremony of sacrifice. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| V88 | Ceremony of the proclamation of a Buddha. Chinese: Werner 271. |
| C152.3.2 | Certain foods tabu one (two) months before childbirth. S. Am. Indian (Brazil): Oberg 110. |
| P93 | Certain foods, ornaments, feathers, etc. reserved for royalty. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 376. |
| D2143.1.11 | Certain man must laugh in order for it to rain. (Cf. D1773.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q560.2.2 | Certain number of souls released from hell every Saturday through virtue of saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1982 | Certain objects invisible. |
| N543 | Certain person to find treasure. Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. 3612, 3616, 3620. |
| F455.9.1 | Certain persons can ban trolls. Hartmann 74. |
| F455.5.4 | Certain persons can see trolls. (Cf. F235.3.) Hartmann 74. |
| D1981 | Certain persons invisible. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C615.5 | Certain pool to be approached only when properly attired. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 288. |
| A977.5.1 | Certain stones are cheeses transformed by saint. (Cf. A974.) —Irish myth: Cross. |
| A974.1 | Certain stones are druids transformed by power of saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A989.3 | Certain stones are druids' (saints') seats (chairs). Irish myth: Cross. |
| A974.2 | Certain stones are transformed giants. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T584.3 | Cesarean operation upon a woman at childbirth as a custom. Hatt Asiatic Influences 83f. |
| F51.1.4 | Chaff sky-rope. Fb "hakkelse" I 535. |
| H251.3.6 | Chain around neck tests truth. Tightens when wearer speaks falsehood. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Z49.13 | Chain of killings: bulbul destroys flower and is killed by cat; cat shaken by dog; dog killed by boy; boy sentenced to death by king. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q401 | Chain of punishments. Horse must break leg, since he has broken leg of man who broke leg of dog which bit leg of fox. *Wesselski Hessische Blätter f. Vksk. XXXII 21. |
| Z21 | Chains based on numbers. |
| Z32 | Chains involving a death: animal actors. |
| Z30 | Chains involving a single scene or event without interdependence among the individual actors. |
| Z31 | Chains involving a wedding. Taylor JAFL XLVI 81 Nos. 2019—2020; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 176a. |
| Z51 | Chains involving contradictions or extremes. (First ed. Z23.) *Taylor JAFL XLVI 81 No. 2014, Hdwb. d. Märchens II 175b. |
| Z39 | Chains involving other events without interrelation of members. (First ed. Z31.4.) Taylor JAFL XLVI 84 No. 2029. |
| Z33 | Chains involving the eating of an object. (Members of the chain not interrelated.) Taylor JAFL XLVI 83 Nos. 2025—2028, Hdwb. d. Märchens II 178b. |
| F863.2 | Chains of fire. Jewish: Neuman. |
| Z40 | Chains with interdependent members. |
| F473.2.1 | Chair is rocked by invisible spirit. (Cf. D1601.28.) U.S.: Baughman, (North Carolina): Brown Collection I 640. |
| J85 | Chair over fiery pit as figure of precariousness of life. Wesselski Mönchslatein 94 No. 78; Alphabet No. 685. |
| D1413.6 | Chair to which person sticks. (Cf. D1151.2.) *Kittredge Witchcraft 202, 515 n. 107.—Greek: Fox 206; Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chaise"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 322 No. 92; U.S.: *Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A661.0.3 | Chairs in heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F786.1 | Chairs of gold and silver. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 1 and Note 5. |
| F150.3 | Challenge at entrance of otherworld. The adventurer challenges or is challenged. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| P556.1 | Challenge by turning left side of shield toward enemy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P556.2 | Challenge to battle by hurling javelin skyward. Virgil Aeneid IX 53. |
| P556 | Challenge to battle. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| F165.3.1.1 | Chamber with crystal ceiling in otherworld. Patch PMLA XXXIII 610 n. 30. |
| D1413.8 | Chamber-pot to which one sticks. (Cf. D1171.13.) *BP II 40 n. 2. |
| A2223.8 | Chameleon saves hero's life: may change color. Fang: Einstein 96. |
| W11.5.10 | Champion grants requested boon of safe convoy to his enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A145 | Champions of the gods. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1310.1 | Change in bodily form at fall of man. Adam's body was formerly horn-like. (Cf. A1281.1.)—Dh I 225.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3035, Balys Legends Nos. 34, 45—49. |
| D57 | Change in person's color. (Cf. D31.)—Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1281.2.1 | Change of animal and human skin in ancient times. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K521.2 | Change of bodily appearance so as to escape. |
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