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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| J2272 | Absurd theories concerning the sun. |
| J2276 | Absurd theories concerning time. |
| J2079 | Absurd wishes—miscellaneous. |
| J2070 | Absurd wishes. |
| J1533 | Absurdities concerning birth of animals, or men. (Cf. J1531.3.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X1780 | Absurdity based on the nature of the object. |
| J1536.1 | Absurdity of entrusting military mission to bishop. Courtier rebukes king by asking that he be given an ecclesiastical post. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1536.2 | Absurdity of trying to convert king to Hinduism—like making cow of donkey or black dog into white. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1293.1.1 | Absurdity: sea (river) is on fire. Not more absurd than crow claiming swan as wife. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2076.1 | Absurdly modest wish: no lights on certain night except in her own house. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2076 | Absurdly modest wish. Granted any wish, the fool chooses a trifle. Penzer V 96. |
| F169.8 | Abundance in otherworld. Greek: Grote I 62; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 46. |
| F166.11 | Abundant food in otherworld. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F348.7.1 | Abuse of fairy gifts brings about their loss. Wales: Baughman. |
| Q292.3 | Abuse of hospitality punished. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| B316 | Abused and pampered horses. Hero is ordered by ogre to feed and care for certain horse and to neglect other horse. Hero disobeys and feeds neglected horse. Latter is enchanted prince and helps hero. (Cf. B181.)—*Type 314, 502; BP III 18 n. 3.—French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| L10.2 | Abused son of younger co-wife becomes hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L55.1 | Abused stepdaughter. See references to L52 and L55. *Roberts 137; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142—145; Greek: Grote I 103. |
| L52 | Abused youngest daughter. *Types 425, 510, 511, 709; *Cox 492ff.; Böklen 78ff.; *Roberts 110; Tegethoff 10; Icelandic: Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 170 n. 5; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/346). Most references to L50 apply to this motif. |
| A778.10 | Abyss at end of Milky Way. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 20f. |
| K1349.5 | Access for seduction gained by removing locks. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1349.3 | Access gained by the aid of rival's mule. Man tries in vain to learn the identity of his friend's mistress. Mounts his friend's mule, which takes him to the secret rendezvous. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 31; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F90 | Access to lower world. **Hilda R. Ellis, The Road to Hell (London, 1943) 170ff. |
| F150 | Access to otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F59 | Access to upper world—miscellaneous. |
| F50 | Access to upper world. |
| N630 | Accidental acquisition of treasure or money. |
| F102 | Accidental arrival in lower world. |
| V91 | Accidental calling on god's name held to outweigh a life of wickedness. Hindu: Keith 180. |
| X21 | Accidental cannibalism. A man eats up the dried meat of a Jew on shipboard. It happens that the Jew is carrying his dead father back home for burial in this form. (Cf. G60.) *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 257 No. 193; Italian Novella: Rotunda. Cf. Japanese: Ikeda. |
| N339.13 | Accidental death by striking head against lintel of door. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T71.1 | Accidental death fate of woman scorned in love. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| N339.8 | Accidental death from fall on own weapon (shield). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N335.4 | Accidental death from flying splinter of bone. Bone being gnawed by animal lets splinter fly and kills young animals. Africa (Larusa): Fokken "Erzählungen und Märchen der Larusa" ZsKS VII 82ff. No. 1, (Wachaga): Gutmann 87ff. No. 44, (Masai): Fuchs Sagen, Mythen und Sitten der Masai (Jena, 1910) 50ff., (Uganda): Rowling The Tales of Sir Apolo: Uganda Folklore and Proverbs (London, n.d.) 47ff., (Congo): Stanley My Dark Companions and their Strange Stories (New York, 1906) 161ff., Casati Ten Years in Equatoria and the Return with Emin Pasha (New York, 1891) II 45f. |
| N339.8.1 | Accidental death of father from fall into the fire when taking down weapons for his son. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N336 | Accidental death through dream. Man dodging blow in dream hits his head against wall and kills himself. Alphabet No. 285. |
| N337 | Accidental death through misdirected weapon. Irish myth: *Cross; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 63 n. 2; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 715; Africa (Fang): Tessman 135, (Congo): Grenfell 820. |
| N339 | Accidental death—miscellaneous. |
| X1124.3 | Accidental discharge of gun kills much game. Gun kills a bird which falls on loose limb of tree, which falls on bear, etc., etc. (First ed. X921.1.) Type 1890; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 154 No. 21. |
| H575 | Accidental discovery of answer to riddle. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N610 | Accidental discovery of crime. |
| N700 | Accidental encounters. |
| N660 | Accidental escapes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N334 | Accidental fatal ending of game or joke. |
| N640 | Accidental healing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N330 | Accidental killing or death. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N350 | Accidental loss of property. |
| N734 | Accidental meeting of brother and sister. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N733 | Accidental meeting of brothers. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| N746 | Accidental meeting of cousins. Icelandic: borsteins saga Vík. 446, Boberg. |
| N732 | Accidental meeting of father and daughter. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| N710 | Accidental meeting of hero and heroine. |
| N736 | Accidental meeting of mother and daughter. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N735 | Accidental meeting of mother and son. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| N738 | Accidental meeting of nephew and uncle. Hero takes refuge unwittingly at his uncle's court. *Dickson 143 n. 143; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| N745 | Accidental meeting of seeker of exiled prince with prince at meal. Messenger in pilgrim garb invites unknown prince to eat with him. Recognition. *Boje 85. |
| N743 | Accidental meeting of sisters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N718 | Accidental meeting with the son of the only person who can overcome curse on hero. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| N332 | Accidental poisoning. |
| N730 | Accidental reunion of families. *Chauvin VI 167ff. No. 327E; Boccaccio Decameron II Nos. 6, 8 (Lee 34, 39); Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 947. |
| N737 | Accidental reunion of lovers. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| N397 | Accidental self-injury. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N318 | Accidental separation of lovers. |
| N310 | Accidental separations. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| N620 | Accidental success in hunting or fishing. |
| V67 | Accompaniments of burial. (Cf. V61.3.0.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| T583 | Accompaniments of childbirth. |
| T136 | Accompaniments of wedding. |
| H1239 | Accomplishment of quest—miscellaneous. |
| H1230 | Accomplishment of quests. |
| H1480 | Accomplishment of vigilance test. |
| E481.8.1 | Account book of men summoned to death kept in heaven. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J172 | Account of punishments prepared in hell brings about repentance. Type 756B; Andrejev FFC LXIX 120ff.; Irish: Beal XXI 324, 330, 332, O'Suilleabhain 63, 95, 100; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A189.8 | Accountants of god keep lists of good and bad acts of human beings. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1141.1.8 | Accused woman to go three times around building naked: guilty one begins to strip off her clothes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| L217 | Accustomed rags preferred to new garments. A Brahmin returns home to find a palace instead of a cottage; he recognizes his wife only after she throws off her jewels and ornaments to stand before him in her old rags. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z311 | Achilles heel. Invulnerability except in one spot. **DeCock Studien 153ff. —Irish myth: *Cross; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 97; Icelandic: *Boberg; Norse: De la Saussaye 144, Von Sydow Fеvne 27ff.; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 11; Greek: *Basset RTP XXV 124 n. 1, Frazer Apollodorus II 60 n. 2, 214 n. 1; Jewish: *Neuman; Hindu: Keith 125, Penzer I 127; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 389; Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 67; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 345 n. 246; Africa: Werner African 236, (Fang): Trilles 202. |
| F481.0.1 | Acquiring a cobold. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3466. |
| J190 | Acquisition and possession of wisdom—miscellaneous. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J0 | Acquisition and possession of wisdom. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A1441 | Acquisition of agriculture. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Greek: *Grote I 163; Jewish: Neuman; Marquesas: Handy 128; Kai of New Guinea: Beckwith Myth 104; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 177.—S. Am. Indian (Guarayu): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 437, (Guaporé R.): Lévi-Strauss ibid. (3) 379, (Tupinamba): Métraux ibid. (3) 132, (Cubeo): ibid. (3) 798, (Tapirape): Wagley-Galvao ibid. (3) 178, (Cashinawa): Métraux ibid. (3) 685. |
| A1426.2 | Acquisition of ale. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1460 | Acquisition of arts. |
| A1427.1 | Acquisition of brandy. Devil teaches how to burn brandy. (Cf. A1456.)—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 7 No. 31, XXXIII 52 No. 31; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 87 No. 54; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3291; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1432.3 | Acquisition of brass. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1445 | Acquisition of building crafts. |
| A1437 | Acquisition of clothing. India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 456. |
| A1432.4 | Acquisition of copper. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1459 | Acquisition of crafts—miscellaneous. |
| A1440 | Acquisition of crafts. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 137; Icel.: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1490 | Acquisition of culture—miscellaneous. |
| A1412.3 | Acquisition of daylight by culture hero. S. Am. Indian (Tucuna): Nimuendajú BBAE CXLIII (3) 724. |
| F403.2.1 | Acquisition of familiar spirit. |
| A1420 | Acquisition of food supply for human race. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1426 | Acquisition of food supply—miscellaneous. |
| A1429 | Acquisition of food supply—miscellaneous. |
| A1432.2 | Acquisition of gold. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1435.1 | Acquisition of guest-houses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1435 | Acquisition of habitations. Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B310 | Acquisition of helpful animal. *Hartland Perseus III 191ff. |
| A1446.5 | Acquisition of household implements. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1400 | Acquisition of human culture. |
| A1410 | Acquisition of livable environment. |
| D829 | Acquisition of magic object—miscellaneous. |
| D1739 | Acquisition of magic power—miscellaneous. |
| D1720 | Acquisition of magic powers. (Cf. D810.) Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 461, Rasmussen II 222, III 111. |
| A1423.4 | Acquisition of manioc. Africa (Bushongo): Tardau 249. |
| A1439.1 | Acquisition of marble. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1432 | Acquisition of metals. |
| A1433 | Acquisition of money. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1461 | Acquisition of music. Wallaschek Sagen und Märchen über den Ursprung der Musik (Leipzig 1903).—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1430 | Acquisition of other necessities. |
| A1439 | Acquisition of other necessities. |
| A1464.1 | Acquisition of poetry. Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: Boberg. |
| A1423.2 | Acquisition of rice. (Cf. A2685.)—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 130f. No. 86. |
| A1429.4 | Acquisition of salt. India: Thompson-Balys; S. Am. Indian (Jivaro): Steward-Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 627. |
| A1459.2 | Acquisition of seamanship (sailing, etc.). Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 86. |
| A1459.3 | Acquisition of sorcery. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 115. |
| A1427 | Acquisition of spiritous liquors. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 636: S. Am. Indian (Guarayu): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147. |
| A1446 | Acquisition of tools. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A1423 | Acquisition of vegetables and cereals. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Samoa: Beckwith Myth 439; Isabel Island: ibid. 504; Hawaii: ibid. 61, 63; Tonga: Gifford 194; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 364; African (Angola): Chatelain 249, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 179 No. 35, (Ekoi): Talbot 240, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 348 No. 3; S. Am. Indian (Guarayu): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 147. |
| A1436 | Acquisition of vehicles. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1429.3 | Acquisition of water. (Cf. A1111.)—Irish Myth: Cross. |
| J706 | Acquisition of wealth. |
| A1459.1 | Acquisition of weapons. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1428 | Acquisition of wine. Greek: Fox 47, 222; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.—Africa (Tshi): Ellis 337, (Fang): Einstein 44, Trilles 162. |
| A1480 | Acquisition of wisdom and learning. |
| V416 | Act of charity obliterates sin. |
| H252.4.1 | Act of truth: boy falls dead though what has been said is the truth; when lie is told he is resuscitated. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H252.6 | Act of truth: cursed church clock never runs correctly. England: Baughman. |
| H252.5 | Act of truth: island sinks into sea, after hanging of man who has appealed to God to cause the phenomenon as indication of his innocence. (Cf. F948.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| H252 | Act of truth. Person asserts a thing as true declaring: "If my words are true, may this or that happen." W. J. Rees Lives of the Cambro-British Saints 193; J. P. Collier Old Shakespeare Society XIV 82; Alphabet Nos. 35, 486; *Burlingame Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (July 1917) 429ff.; Fb "ildebrand" II 13.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys, *Penzer II 31ff., III 179ff., IV 239 n. 3; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 23, 96, 151, 490, 531, 707, 832, II 412, 473, 614, 679, 816, 841, 933, 1060, 1098, 1153, 1258. |
| J1262.3 | Acting according to the note. A Jew slaps a Christian and tells him to turn the other cheek. The Christian beats the Jew, who says, "You do not act according to your Gospel."—"I am acting in accordance with the note."—"The note is worse than the text." *Wesselski Bebel II 118 No. 56. |
| E423.1.3.5 | Actions of ghostly horse. England: *Baughman. |
| E422.1.1.3 | Actions of headless revenant. |
| F456.1.2 | Actions of knockers. |
| F471.1.1 | Actions of nightmares (alps). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3690. |
| E723.7 | Actions of wraith. |
| W211 | Active imagination. |
| A1285 | Activities of first man. |
| J2041 | Actor forgets and speaks in his own person. |
| P471 | Actor. |
| P471.1 | Actors banished along with vagabonds. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 537. |
| N131 | Acts performed for changing luck. *Fb "lykke" II 474f. |
| D1733 | Acts producing magic power. |
| J1179.12 | Actual rescuer gets woman. Watchers could never have got her merely by watching. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1281.6 | Adam at first nameless. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2571.0.1 | Adam gives name to all animals. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1577.1 | Adam named from first letters of four stars. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2571.0.2 | Adam names male animals, Eve, female. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H1557.2 | Adam's (Eve's) disobedience blamed: blamer immediately disobeys orders. (Cf. H1554.1.) Alphabet Nos. 574, 575. |
| A1260.1.3 | Adam's body made of eight (four) things. Body, earth; bones, stones; veins, roots; blood, water; hair, grass; thoughts, wind; spirit, clouds—or warmth, fire; cold, air; dryness, earth; instability, water.—*Dh I 111ff.; Köhler-Bolte II 1ff.—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 326f.; Siberian: *Holmberg Siberian 376. |
| A1281.6.1 | Adam's name composed of initial letters of four stars from the four quarters of the heavens. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J830 | Adaptability to overpowering force. |
| F559.7.2 | Adder grows in heart of man. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A2145.5 | Adder harmful to holy person transformed to blindworm. (Cf. A1710, A1730, A2231.7.)—Dh II 7. |
| A671.2.1.1 | Adders in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K499 | Additional cheats. |
| D2199 | Additional magic manifestations. |
| F699 | Additional marvelous powers. |
| F1099 | Additional marvels. |
| F199 | Additional otherworld motifs. |
| K1399 | Additional seductions. |
| C499 | Additional speaking tabus. |
| D699 | Additional transformation motifs. |
| C899 | Additional unclassified tabus. |
| N399 | Additional unlucky accidents. |
| E545.19 | Addressing the dead. |
| G303.16.5 | Administering sacrament destroys devil's power. |
| K1349.10 | Admission to woman's room by means of cap of invisibility. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T674 | Adopted child deserted when own child is born to couple. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T678 | Adopted child identical with real child reared with him. *Ranke FFC CXIV 152—4. |
| T672 | Adopted child reproaches his foster mother and is returned to his real mother. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S22.1.1 | Adopted son plots death of parents. Usurps the throne. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T671 | Adoption by suckling. Ogress who suckles hero claims him as her son. *Cosquin études 199ff.; *Roberts 177. |
| T670 | Adoption of children. *Encyc. Religion Ethics s.v. "adoption"; Icelandic: Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q411.0.1.1 | Adulterer killed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| Q434.1 | Adulteress and paramour fettered. (Cf. Q241.) Malone PMLA XLIII 405, 407, 421. |
| S31.1 | Adulteress and paramour plot against her stepson. They fear that he may betray them. Fischer-Bolte 214. |
| J125.2 | Adulteress betrayed by little child's remark. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1556.1 | Adulteress binds husband's eyes and causes him to sing incantations concerning the adultery. |
| Q469.1 | Adulteress caused to fall down stairs from which steps have been removed. (Cf. Q241.) *Fischer-Bolte 217. |
| T232.2 | Adulteress chooses loathly paramour. Heptameron No. 20; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q478.3 | Adulteress compelled to eat a dog's leavings. (Cf. Q241, Q523.3.) Malone PMLA XLIII 405—430 passim. |
| Q478.2 | Adulteress compelled to eat with dog. (Cf. Q241, Q478.) *Chauvin VIII 162 No. 170; Malone PMLA XLIII 430; Gibb History of the Forty Vezirs 331ff.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q433.1.1 | Adulteress confined in a cage. (Cf. Q241.) Malone PMLA XLIII 415f. |
| Q455.2.1.1 | Adulteress confined in room containing the corpse of her paramour. She becomes ill and dies. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1516.4 | Adulteress covers husband's eyes during incantation. Meanwhile paramour escapes. Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1550.3 | Adulteress detected by food she prepares for paramour. |
| K1550.1.2 | Adulteress detected by food she prepares for paramour. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 341. |
| K1550.1.1 | Adulteress detected: husband secretly drops dye on her dress. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1593 | Adulteress disguised as boy elopes with paramour. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q432.2 | Adulteress ejected into street clad only in her shirt. (Cf. Q241, Q243, Q473.) Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 8; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K521.4.5 | Adulteress escapes prison disguised as an old woman. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1516.3 | Adulteress extinguishes light to hide her paramour. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1524 | Adulteress falls in mud at lover's door. She deceives her husband by saying that she must enter and clean her dress. *Crane Vitry 226f. No. 230; Herbert III 18; *Wesselski Mönchslatein 25 No. 19; Mensa Philosophica No. 70; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K2051.3 | Adulteress feigns great disdain of men; will look at none but husband (and lover). Heptameron No. 43. |
| K2051 | Adulteress feigns unusual sensitiveness. |
| Q478.1.2.1 | Adulteress forced to eat out of lover's skull. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q478.1.4 | Adulteress forced to have lover's head before her at meals. Irish myth: Cross. |
| Q487 | Adulteress forced to wear symbolic dress. Husband makes her dress in coarse cloth except for her undefiled parts which are covered with gold brocade. (Cf. Q241.) Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 49; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1213.1.1 | Adulteress frightens paramour with cries of "Rape!" Then she removes her husband's suspicion by feigning a fit. Later the paramour tricks her to his room and shows her naked, except for face, to her husband. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1514 | Adulteress gets rid of husband while she entertains lover. Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1514.13 | Adulteress gives paramour tryst in house of ill-fame. Meets husband who leaves in shame. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2231.1 | Adulteress has lover killed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1514.9 | Adulteress has lover unload wood on doorstep. This keeps husband out. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1184.1 | Adulteress hurled from high rock escapes injury: she may not be punished again. Herbert III 211; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 3. |
| Q416.1.1 | Adulteress kicked to death by mule as punishment. (Cf. Q241.) *Fischer-Bolte 217. |
| K1510.1 | Adulteress kills home-coming husband. Greek: Fox 134 (Clytemnestra). |
| K1514.6 | Adulteress locks up hidden husband and meets lovers. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K778.5 | Adulteress lures husband so as to have him killed. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 980. |
| Q478.1.2 | Adulteress made to drink from paramour's skull. (Cf. Q241, Q491.5.) Heptameron No. 32. |
| K1548 | Adulteress makes believe that her suspicious husband is insane. He is taken away. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1514.18 | Adulteress makes excuse to go and attend to bodily needs: meets lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2338 | Adulteress makes husband believe that the birth of her mulatto child has been due to suggestion. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T238 | Adulteress on her death-bed reveals the illegitimacy of her children. Did not want her husband to be burdened with their bringing up. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 51; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1549 | Adulteress outwits husband—miscellaneous motifs. |
| K1510 | Adulteress outwits husband. *Penzer V 106 n. 1; *Bolte Frey 223f. No. 21; *Hollander MLN XXVII 71; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1516.5 | Adulteress persuades husband to milk cow with his eyes blindfolded: meets lover. (Cf. Chaucer's Merchant's Tale.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T232.3 | Adulteress poisons husband in order to be with swineherd. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J761.3 | Adulteress prepares for old age. Charges a pair of shoes to consort with men. When old she pays with shoes the men who will consort with her. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| 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. |
| K1514.12 | Adulteress pretends to go to say her prayers. Keeps tryst with paramour. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q478.1.3 | Adulteress punished by having skeleton of her former paramour hang in her room. Heptameron No. 32. |
| K1511.1 | Adulteress refuses to admit husband under pretence that he is a stranger. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 678; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 1. |
| E263 | Adulteress returns from dead as devastating dragon. *Herbert III 18, 279. |
| Q473.1.1 | Adulteress ridden through street on bull. (Cf. Q241.) *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 185 No. 349. |
| T481.1 | Adulteress roughly treated by her lover. *Fischer-Bolte 217; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T481.3 | Adulteress sells self to devil for money. Scala Celi 112a No. 625. |
| K1514.10 | Adulteress sets husband to watch for intruder while she entertains the paramour. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K1532.1 | Adulteress tells her lover how she loves her husband. She thus deceives the spying husband under the bed. Penzer V 108 n. 2; Bødker Exempler 269 No. 59; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1532.2 | Adulteress tells how she may save her husband's life. Discovering him under the bed, she tells lover that at temple she has learned that her husband is to die soon unless she prevents death by sleeping with a strange man. The husband is satisfied. Benfey Panchatantra II 258ff., Panchatantra III 12 (tr. Ryder 348). |
| K1271.4 | Adulteress tells lover "I can see the whole world." Hidden shepherd asks "Can you see my lost calves (ass)?" Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 2905*; Italian Novella: Rotunda (K1532.3); Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 12; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1514.15 | Adulteress throws small coffer out of window. While the husband retrieves it the paramour changes hiding places. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1514.17 | Adulteress together with lover while husband sleeps. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q493.1 | Adulteress transformed to mare and stirruped. (Cf. Q241.) *Penzer VI 8. |
| K1535 | Adulteress transforms her husband into an animal to get rid of him. (The Tsar's Dog.) Type 449*; Malone PMLA XLIII 418, 421, 441; Chauvin V 3, 5f., 198, *VI 198, VII 129f.; Penzer III 194; Kittredge Arthur 246ff.; Anderson Roman apuleja i narodnaja skazka I 376-487, 612-633; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3655; Russian: Andrejev No. 499A*; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1535.1 | Adulteress transforms man to stone up to the waist. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K2111.4 | Adulteress tricks husband into killing allegedly importunate lover. Heptameron No. 1. |
| K1587 | Adulteress uses the public baths as a meeting-place with her lover. A naive remark by her child exposes the deception to the husband. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 66; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q455.2.1 | Adulteress walled up with corpse of paramour. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1532 | Adulteress's absurdity rebuked. |
| Q451.14 | Adulteress's pregnant belly pierced with pounder. (Cf. Q241.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T372 | Adulterous love changed into a chaste one. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| E411.2 | Adulterous person cannot rest in grave. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 228; English: Wells 61 (Awntyrs off Arthure at the Terne Wathelyne), Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T249.1 | Adulterous wife convicted commits suicide. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| A164.2 | Adultery among the gods. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1142.3 | Adultery detected by spit marks on the wall. Too high to have been made by husband. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q241 | Adultery punished. (Cf. Q411.0.1, Q413.2, Q414.0.2, Q416.1.1, Q418.1, Q421.0.2, Q421.0.6, Q424.2, Q428.1, Q431.8, Q432.2, Q434.1, Q451.1.5, Q451.2.4, Q451.4.8, Q451.5.1, Q451.6.1, Q451.14, Q455.2, Q456.0.1, Q457.3, Q458.0.1, Q461.3, Q466.1, Q469.1, Q473.0.2, Q473.1.1, Q473.2.1, Q478.1, Q478.2, Q478.3, Q484, Q493.1, Q499.2.1, Q537.1, Q552.3.0.3, Q555.2, Q587.) **Encyc. Rel. Ethics s.v. "adultery"; *Schoepperle 446ff.; *Penzer II 88 n. 1, VI 189 n. 2; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 228; Herbert III 134, 472, 574; Boccaccio Decameron V No. 8 (*Lee 166); *Chauvin VIII 120 No. 104; Alphabet Nos. 35—37; Wesselski Bebel I 175 No. 18; Grimm No. 4; Loomis White Magic 99; Foulché-Delbosc and Krappe "La légende du roi Ramire" Revue Hispanique LXXVIII (1930) 489—543. — Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek: Fox 197 (cf. K1563); Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 794, 1369; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 127; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 114; Marquesas: Handy 113, 118; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 170; Tonga: Gifford 76, 119; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 344 n. 240; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 120, 161; Africa (Congo): Grenfell 817. |