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Aarne–Thompson–Uther index
About this index and how to read it
The ATU index classifies international folktales by type. Each row gives the type number, its title and summary, followed by the references it inherits: Arne Thompson is the earlier Aarne–Thompson type number, and Thompson lists the motif references from Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature associated with that type.
Cross-references inside a summary open the relevant tale-type or motif record. Thompson motif references in the final column are linked directly to the corresponding entry in the Stith Thompson Motif Index when that reference exists in the database. Any column heading can be clicked to sort by it, and clicking again reverses the order. Following a type number opens that type on its own page.
| ATU | Title | Summary ▲ | Arne Thompson | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1577 | Blind Men Duped into Fighting: Money to be Devided | Trickster says that he is giving one of them money to be divided with the others. Gives it to none. They quarrel and fight. [K1081.1]. (Cf. K1883.6.) | 1577* | N455.1. |
| 303 | The Twin Brothers, | Two boys, horses, and dogs are born (from the eating of a magic fish, or in other magic fashion; cf. Type 705). One frees princesses from a dragon; cf. Type 300. A witch turns him into stone. The second brother sleeps with his brother's wife and… | , 303, 303A, 581 | B512., D1081., D231., E715.1.1., E761., K1311.1.1., N342.3.3., R111.1.3.1.3., R155.1.1., T351., T511.5.1.5.1., T589.7.1.7.1., T69.1.1. |
| 763 | Treasure Finders Murder One Another | Two hunters are shown a treasure. One of them puts poison in the other's wine, but the other kills him, drinks the wine and dies. [K1685]. | 763 | K1685. |
| 926 | Judgment of Solomon | Two women claim a child. Judge offers to cut it in two. The real mother refuses. [J1171.1]. | , 926, 926C | J1141., J1141.1., J1141.1.4., J1154.2., J1171.1., J1172.1., J1179.6. |
| 980 | Old Grandfathers and Their Grandsons | Ungrateful Son Reproved by Naive Actions of Own Son: Preparing for Old Age [W121]. | , 980, 980A, 980B, 980C, 980D | D444.2., J121., J121.2., NA |
| 1191 | Devil's Bridge | Unwitting bargain with devil evaded by driving dog over bridge first. The child has been unwittingly promised (the first thing that goes over the bridge). [S241.1]. | 1191 | S241.1. |
| 2023 | Little Ant Finds a Penny, Buys New Clothes with it, and Sits in her Doorway | Various animals pass by and propose marriage. She asks what they do at night. Each replies with its characteristic sound, but none pleases her but the little quiet mouse, whom she marries. She leaves him to tend the stew, and he falls in and drowns.… | 2023 | Z32.3. |
| 326 | The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is | Various episodes: in the church tower, under the gallows, etc. Cf. Types 1159, 1160.
|
, 326, 326A*, 326B* | H1376.2.2., H1411., H1441., K335.1.10.1.10. |
| 517 | The Boy and the Bird-language | Vaticinium. The learning of the speech of birds; cf. Types 670, 671. The princess who has destroyed her child; Cf. Type 781. A boy understands the language of birds. The birds prophesy that the parents shall humble themselves before him. On… | , 517 | B143.1., B215.1., M312., M373., N682. |
| 334 | In the Household of the Witch | Visit to house of a witch (or other horrible creature). Many gruesome and marvelous happenings. Lucky escape. Cf. Type 327G. | 334 | G11.3.3. |
| 545 | The Cat as Helper | Visit to the castle. Disenchantment. I. The Helpful Cat. (a) A boy or (b) girl inherits nothing but a cat (or fox). II. The Cat at the Palace. (a) The cat takes the girl (boy) to the palace. (b) He tells the king that the boy (girl) is a dispossessed… | , 545A, 545B, 545D* | , B211.1.8., B422., B580., B582.1.1., D711., F771.4.1., G510., K1917.3., K1952.1.1., N411.1.1. |
| 432 | The Bird Lover | Visits to the princess. The wicked stepmother. The wound on the window ledge. I. The Bird Lover. (a) A prince in the form of a bird flies to a beautiful maiden. (b) When in her presence he becomes a man. II. The Lover Wounded. The cruel stepmother… | , 432 | D641.1., H1385.5., K1837., K2212.1., L221., N452., S181. |
| 120 | The First to See the Sunrise | Wager between the fox and the hog. In the contest the fox places himself on a hill facing the east; the hog in a lower place facing the high trees to the west. The sun shines on the top of the trees and the hog wins. (Sometimes told with human actors.) | 120 | K52. |
| 1786 | The Parson in the Church on the Ox | Wants to show how Christ rode to Jerusalem. Rides into the church on an ox. The sexton sticks the ox with a needle. [X414]. | ||
| 104 | The Cowardly Duelers | War between the domestic and wild animals. The cat raises her tail; the wild animals think it is a gun and flee. Cf. Type 222. | ||
| 1016 | Cleaning the Horse | Washing in boiling water or currying with a sharp razor. [K1443]. | ||
| 845 | The Old Man and Death | Weary old man wishes for death. When Death appears at the summons he asks for help with the load. [C11]. | 845 | C11. |
| 840 | The Punishments of Men | When a man and his son are passing the night in a house the son is unable to sleep. He sees wonderful things happening all about: a snake creeps from the sleeping man's mouth into the wife's mouth; an axe penetrates the man's head, etc. In the… | ||
| 2271 | Mock Stories for Children | When children, by persistently demanding a story, become a nuisance to their elders, the latter get rid of them by telling brief »mock stories», e.g. the dog's name was »Enough». | ||
| 336 | Death washes his feet | When death visits a house the youngest daughter is sent by her mother and her elder sisters for light to make a fire. On her way she meets a ghost. When she returns home, Death is washing his feet. The daughter asks about Death's strange looking… | ||
| 1678 | The boy who had never seen a woman | When he sees a girl and asks his father what it is, the father tells him it is Satan. Asked what he most likes, he says »The Satans». [T371]. | 1678 | T371. |
| 1694 | The Company to Sing like the Leader | When his foot is caught in a wheel, his companions keep repeating his call for help as a song. [J2417.1]. Cf. Type 1832M*. | ||
| 1834 | The clergyman with the fine voice | When officiating he sees an old woman weeping and believes her to be touched by his singing. Feeling flattered, he asks her why she weeps, but she answers that she had been reminded of her old goat that had been taken by the wolf [X436]. (Variant:… | ||
| 230 | The Rearing of the Large-headed and Large-eyed Bird | When the one rearing the owl learns its great age he kills it. | ||
| 1333 | The Shepherd who Cried "Wolf!" too often | When the wolf really comes no one believes him [J2172.1]. | 1333 | J2172.1. |
| 1245 | Sunlight carried in a bag into the windowless house | When this plan does not succeed they gradually pull down the house in order to get light. | 1245 | J2123. |
| 1387 | A Woman Draws Beer in the Cellar | While she chases the dog the beer runs into the cellar; she scatters meal over it. Cf. Types 1408, The Man who Does his Wife's Work; 1450, Clever Elsie; 1653A, Guarding the Door. [J2176, J2176.1]. | , 1387, 1387A | , J2176., J2176.1. |
| 2027 | The fat cat | While the mistress is away the cat eats the porridge, the bowl, and the ladle. When the mistress return she says »How fat you are!» The cat: »I ate the porridge, the bowl, and the ladle and I will eat you.» The cat meets other animals and eats… | ||
| 1529 | Thief Claims to have been Transformed into a Horse | While the owner sleeps, the peasant steals his horse. He hitches himself to the owner's wagon and says that he is a horse transformed to a man. [K403]. | 1529, 1529A* | K403., na |
| 892 | The children of the king | While the young prince is traveling, his sister is to govern the country, both their parents being dead. Staying in the service of another king, the boy is told lies about the conduct of his sister by a knight who by treachery has obtained proofs of… | , 892 | K2112.1., Q261. |
| 1950 | The three lazy ones | Who is the laziest. Each recounts a proof of his laziness. [W111.1]. | , 1950 | W111.1., W111.1.1., W111.1.2., W111.1.3. |
| 899 | Alcestis | Wife sacrifices self for husband when his parents refuse. [T211.1]. | , 899 | M341.1.1., T211.1. |
| 981 | The Killing of Old Men | Wisdom of Hidden Old Man Saves Kingdom. In famine all old men are ordered killed. One man hides his father. When all goes wrong in the hands of the young rulers, the old man comes forth, performs assigned tasks, end aids with his wisdom. [J151.1].… | 981 | J151.1. |
| 1590 | The Tresspasser's Defence | With earth from his own property in his shoes, the man swears, when he is on his neighbor's land, that he is on his own. [J1161.3, K1917.1]. Cf. Types 859A, 859B, 859C, 859D. | , 1590 | J1161.3., K2310., K475., M105., Q270. |
| 1014 | Closing the Door Thight | With iron nails. [K1417]. | ||
| 570 | Bunnies Beware of the King | With the help of his magic pipe he calls the rabbits together. He wins the hand of the princess.
|
, 570, 570* | D1224., D1427.1., D1441.1.2., H1045., H1112., K1271.1.1., K1288., T68. |
| 580 | Favor of Women | With the youngest of three brothers all women are in love. At the father's death when the elder brothers wish for riches, etc. the youngest [L10], wishes for [L210] and receives the power to make women love him [D1900]. He secures from the hostess of… | , 580 | D1472.1.7., D1473., D1900., D856., T45. |
| 136 | Wolf Surprises Pig in Apple Tree | Wolf surprises pig in apple tree. Will release him in return for one of his harms. Pig throws down a piece of thorny wood instead, which splits wolf's gullet. | 136 | K1043. |
| 121 | Wolves Climb on Top of One Another to Tree | Wolves climb on top of one another to tree. The hog (or man) in the tree. The lowest wolf runs away and all fall. Cf. Type 1250. | 121 | J2133.6. |
| 221 | The Election of Bird-King | Wren wins by cleverness. | 221 | B236.1. |
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