Folklore Database · Browse

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.

890 tale types

Sorted by type number, ascending

Showing 51–100 of 890 · Page 2 of 18

ATU ▲ Title Summary Arne Thompson Thompson
96 When the hare was married No examples in the Database yet
100 The Wolf as the Dog's Guest Sings The wolf as the dog's guest sings. Has drunk too much. Sings in spite of the dog's objections. Is killed. 100 J581.1.
101 The old dog rescues the child A farmer plans to kill a faithful old dog. The wolf makes a plan to save the dog. The latter is to rescue the farmer's child from the wolf. The plan succeeds. The wolf in return wants to steal the farmer's sheep. The dog objects and loses the wolf's friendship. 101 K231.1.3.
102 The Dog as Wolf's Shoemaker The dog as wolf 's shoemaker. He demands material for the shoes and then successively eats up the cow, hog, etc. furnished him. 102 K254.1.
103 War between Wild Animals and Domestic Animals The cat shrieks; the bear falls out of the tree and breaks his backbone. 103, 103A, 103A*, 104 B262., B281.9.1., NA
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.
105 The fox and the cat The cat has only one trick and saves herself in a tree. The fox who knows a hundred tricks is captured. 105, 105* J1662., K522.
106 The Animal's Conversation Animals' conversation (imitation of animal sounds). 106 NA
107 Dog Leader Fears Defeat Because his Forces are of Different Breeds. Dog leader fears defeat because his forces are of different breeds. Wolves are all of one kind.
110 Belling the Cat The mice buy a bell for the cat but no one dares tie it on her. 110 J671.1.
111 The Cat and the Mouse Converse The mouse tells the cat a tale. The cat answers, »Even so, I eat you up.» 111, 111A, 111A* K561.1.1., NA, U31.
112 Town Mouse and Country Mouse Country mouse visits town mouse. Former prefers poverty with safety. 112 J211.2.
113 Mice Choose Cat as King Mice choose cat as king. 113A, 113B B342., K815.13.
114 Chanticleer Believes that his Crowing Makes the Sun Rise Chanticleer believes that his crowing makes the sun rise. Disappointed when it rises without his aid.
115 The Hungry Fox Waits in Vain for the Horse's Lips (Scrotum) to Fall Off The hungry fox waits in vain for the horse's lips (scrotum) to fall off .
116 The Bear on the Hay-Wagon The bear on the hay-wagon (or on the horse) is mistaken for the preacher .
118 The Lion Frightened by the Horse The horse strikes sparks with his hooves. The wolf (bear) boasts of having eaten horses. The lion thereupon picks up the wolf to show him the horse and squeezes him to death.
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.
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.
122 The Wolf Loses His Prey The wolf loses his prey. Escape by false plea. 122, 122A, 122B, 122C, 122D, 122F, 122G K550., K551.8., K553., K553.1., K553.5., K561.2., K562.
123 The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids The wolf comes in the absence of the mother and eats up the kids . The old goat cuts the wolf open and rescues them . Cf. Type 333. , 122E, 123, 123B F913., K1832., K553.2., K828.1., Q426.
124 The Three Little Pigs The goose builds a house of feathers; the hog one of stone. The wolf blows the goose's house in and eats her. Cannot blow down the hog's house. Finally he is allowed to enter. He is tricked into the chimney (or churn) where he is burned up. 124 Z81.
125 The Wolf Flees from the Wolf-head The sheep have found a sack and wolfhead. They make the wolf believe that they have killed a wolf. He flees in terror.Cf. Type 1149. 125 K1715.3.
130 Outcast Animals Find a New Home They drive away an intruder. , 130, 130A B296., K1161., K335., NA
131 Tiger as False Friend to the Cow A tiger and a cow become friends and both bear offspring. The tiger drinks water downstream from the cow, decides her flesh would be sweet, and kills and devours her. The calf has been forewarned (lifetoken: cup of milk). The cub, ashamed of its… 131 J427.
132 Goat Admires his Horns in the Water Goat admires his horns in the water, and says, "I needn't be afraid of the wolf." Wolf behind him asks him what he was saying. Goat: "One talks such foolishness when one is drinking." 132 K1775.
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.
137 The Filthy Hog and the Clean Fish The hog: "People will spit when they eat you, whereas in my case all will lick their fingers." 137 NA
150 The Bird's Three Precepts A man releases a fox (bird) if the latter will give him three counsels: "When you have a fox, don't let him loose." , 150 J21.12., J21.13., J21.14., K604.
151 Music lessons for wild animals He tricks them by catching their claws in a cleft tree. Similarly betrays many other animals. The freed animals try in vain for revenge. 151 K1111.0.1.
153 The Gelding of the Bear and the Fetching of Salve The man tells the bear that the horse is strong because he is gelded. The bear has the man geld him to make him strong. He is to geld the man the next day. The man substitutes his wife and sends her with salve; the bear in disgust throws the salve into the tree. Cf. Type 1133. 153 K1012.1.
154 The Jackal and the Farmer The fox helps the man; his reward. He converses with his members. 154 J2351.1.
155 Ingratitude Is the World's Reward A man rescues a serpent (or a bear), who in return seeks to kill the rescuer. Fox, as judge, advises the man to put the serpent back into captivity. 155 J1172.3.
156 Androcles and the Lion In gratitude the lion later rewards the man. 156, 156A B301.8., B381.
157 Learning to Fear Men The fox undertakes to persuade the wolf of the frightfulness of men. They see an old man. The fox says this was a man but is no longer one. Likewise a boy (will be a man). Next a man with a gun. The wolf approaches and is shot. He tells the fox he could have defeated the man but for the man's spitting fire. [J17]. 157, 157A J17., J22.1.
158 The wild animals on the sleigh The sleigh comes in two. The animals get satisfactory material for repairs from the forest. [B831]. While the owner goes for good material they eat the horse.
159 Captured wild animals ransom themselves Bring horses, cows, etc. to the man. 159A, 159B NA, W185.6.
160 Grateful Animals ; Ungrateful Man The rescue from the pit. 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 the 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. 160 W154.8.
161 Peasant Betrays Fox by Pointing The peasant has hidden the fox in a basket, and promised not to tell. When the hunters come, he says, »The fox just went over the hill,« but points to the basket. [K2315]. 161, 161A* K2315., NA
163 The singing wolf By his singing the wolf compels the old man to surrender his cattle, his children and grandchildren, and finally his wife. The old woman goes into the wolf's service. She returns home bringing butter, etc. [Z33.4.2]. 163 Z33.4.2.
165 The wolf in the company of saints Promises to give up slaying animals. After wringing the gander's neck, excuses himself, saying: »He should not have hissed at the saint.« [K2055.1].
168 The musician in the wolf-trap There he encounters a wolf already trapped, and saves himself by playing music. [B848.1]. Cf. Types 160A, 1652.
170 The fox eats his fellow-lodger The fox spends the night with a cock in a house. He eats the cock but in the morning he accuses the sheep of having eaten it. In the next inn likewise the ox has eaten the sheep, etc. In compensation he demands a larger animal each time. .… 170, 171 K443.7., NA
171 The Three Bears No examples in the Database yet
173 Man and animals readjust span of life Cf. 828 AT first, 30 years are given to all animals and to man. For the animals it is too long, for man too short. Man is given a portion of animal's lives. [A1321]. 173 A1321.
175 The Tarbaby and the Rabbit The rabbit, who has been stealiug fruit from a garden, is captured by means of a tarbaby, an image with tar. The rabbit tries to make the tarbaby talk and finally becomes so angry that he strikes it. He sticks to the tarbaby and is captured. Usually… 175 K741.
176 The farmer tricks the jackals I. Farmer vs. jackal. (a) A jackal forces a woman carrying food to her husband to give him food. (b) The husband disguises as a woman carrying food and beats the jackal, etc. (c) The jackal threatens to defecate on the man's plow. The man affixes…
178 The Faithful Animal Rashly Killed See AT 0178A and AT 0178B. 178, 178A B331.2., NA
179 What the bear whispered in his ear Paid guide climbs tree and leaves traveler to mercy of a bear. Traveler feigns death and the bear sniffs at him and leaves. The guide: »What did the bear say to you?« »He said, never trust a coward like you.« 179 J1488.
180 The rebounding bow A hunter kills several animals but is in turn bitten by a snake. A jackal comes by, nibbles at the hunter's bow, and is killed when the bow rebounds.

Showing 51–100 of 890 · Page 2 of 18





If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help

How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com ORCID iD 0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.

Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.

Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.

Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.