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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1155 | "A Peck of Grain for Each Stack." | The man makes very small stacks. [K181]. | ||
| 1188 | "Come Tomorrow." | The devil keeps calling daily until the gate with the inscription rots. He then claims his debtor. [K231.12.1]. Cf. Type 332D*. | ||
| 862 | "He that Asketh Shall Receive." | The hermit wants to prove the truth of these words of the Gospel. He asks for the hand of the princess. Performs the difficult task imposed upon him. [V316.1]. | ||
| 1700 | "I don't Know." | The man thinks that »I don't know» is a person's name [J2496]. | 1700 | J2496. |
| 2037 | "I Killed my Grandmother because she Refused to Cook a Hare." | I killed a priest because he said my crime was bad. A friar absolved me to avoid being killed.» [Z49.1]. | ||
| 677 | "Iron Is More Precious than Gold" | Hero lets himself fall from the ship to the bottom of the sea, where with the help of this charm he acquires much gold [D1273]. Cf. Type 910B. | ||
| 8 | "Painting" on the Haycock | The bear (wolf) wants to be painted like the birds. The fox persuades him to lie on a haycock and sets fire to it. | 8, 8A | K1013., K1013.2 |
| 1613 | "Playing-Cards are my Calendar and Prayerbook." | A soldier reproved for playing cards during church service answers thus and shows so cleverly the symbolic meanings of each of the cards that he receives a reward. [H603]. | 1613 | H603. |
| 1562 | "Think Thrice before you Speak." | The youth obeys literally the precept even when he sees the master's coat on fire. [J2516.1, cf. J571.1]. | 1562, 1562A, 1562B* | J1269.12., J2516.1., NA |
| 1697 | "We Three; For Money" | Three travelers in a foreign land know only three expressions in the foreign language. By the use of these they get themselves accused of murder. [C495.2.2] Cf. Type 360. | 1697 | C495.2.2. |
| 1563 | 'Both' | No examples in the Database yet | , 1563 | K1354.1., K1354.2.1. |
| 1288 | 'These are not my feet' | A stranger helps them with a switch. [J2021]. | 1288 | J2021. |
| 1735 | 'Who gives his own goods shall receive it back tenfold' | The parson preaches from this text, and a peasant tests it by giving the parson a cow, which brings all the parson's cows back home with her [K366.1.1]. A quarrelarises over the cows and it is agreed that the man who can say »good morning» to the… | ||
| 769 | A Child Returns from the Dead | Frequently to stop weeping. [E324]. | , 769 | E324., E361. |
| 1052 | A Contest in Carrying a Tree | The boastful trickster (fox) has the ogre (bear) carry the branches of the tree while he carries the trunk. He rides on the trunk. [K71]. Cf. Type 1640. | 1052 | K71. |
| 1062 | A Contest in Throwing Stones | Bird. In a contest in throwing, the ogre throws a stone, the hero a bird (K18.3]. Cf. Type 1640. | 1062 | K18.3. |
| 1255 | A hole to throw the earth in | Numskull plans to dig a hole so as to have a place to throw the earth from his excavations. [J1934]. | 1255 | J1934. |
| 466 | A Journey to the Other World | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1895 | A man wading in water catching many fish in his boots | No examples in the Database yet | 1895 | X1112. |
| 1171 | A Rabbit in Each Net | The man is to belong to the devil if the latter can catch a rabbit in each of hundred nets set in high trees. [H1024.3]. | ||
| 1451 | A suitor chooses the thrifty girl | The thrifty girl makes herself a dress from the flax the lazy fiancé has thrown on the floor. The young man chooses the thrifty girl. [H381.1]. | 1451 | H381.1. |
| 1437 | A Sweet Word | A quarrelsome husband asked by his dying wife for a sweet word answers, "Honey is sweet" or throws a Bible at her. [J1541.1, J2497]. Cf. Type 1696B*. | ||
| 1383 | A Woman Does Not Know Herself | No examples in the Database yet | , 1383 | J2012.2., J2012.3. |
| 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. |
| 1385 | A Woman Loses Her Husband's Money | The wife sells cows. Gets one of them back as pledge for the unpaid purchase price [J2086]. Cf. Types 1382, 1384. | 1385, 1385* | J2086., na |
| 1565 | Agreement Not to Scratch | In talking, the trickster makes gestures and scratches without detection. [K263]. | 1565 | K263. |
| 1430 | Air Castles | They make great plans for success but disagree over the conclusion. They quarrel over details and lose everything. Cf. Type 1681*. | , 1430, 1430A | J2060., J2060.1., J2061., J2061.1., J2061.1.2., J2061.2. |
| 561 | Aladdin | The object recovered by means of another magic object. For analysis see Type 560 (1 c; II; III; IV b, c). | , 561 | D1131.1., D1421.1.5., D1470.1.15., D1470.1.16., D1662.2., D2136.2., D840., D860., D881. |
| 899 | Alcestis | Wife sacrifices self for husband when his parents refuse. [T211.1]. | , 899 | M341.1.1., T211.1. |
| 915 | All depends on how you take it | The two stepsisters marry. The daughter of the second wife follows the three precepts of her mother literally; the stepdaughter in conformity with her father's explanations. On their visit the parents find that with the first daughter everything is… | ||
| 2022 | An Animal Mourns the Death of a Spouse | Each act of mourning described by a neologism: the table untables itself. [Z32.2.1]. | , 2022 | Z32.2., Z32.2.1. |
| 1553 | An Ox for Five Pennies | A woman who has been left the ox on condition that she give the proceeds to the poor offers it for five pennies, but it must be bought along with a cock at twelve florins. She gives the five pennies to the poor and keeps the twelve florins. [K182]. | ||
| 156 | Androcles and the Lion | In gratitude the lion later rewards the man. | 156, 156A | B301.8., B381. |
| 1702 | Anecdotes about Stutterers | One stutterer thinks the other is imitating him. | ||
| 78 | Animal Allows himself to be Tied to Another for Safety | Animal allows himself to be tied to another for safety. Carried to his death. | , 78, 78A | K713.1.1., K713.1.2., |
| 552 | Animals and In-laws | I. Marriage to Animals. (a) A bankrupt man promises his daughters in in marriage in return for safety and money to three animals (bear, eagle, whale); or (b) three girls despairing of marriage say that they will marry any one even if it is an animal… | , 552 | B501., B640., D621.1., S221.1. |
| 20 | Animals Eat One Another Up | The fox persuades them to begin with the smallest. | 20, 20A, 20C, 61A | K1024., K2027., Z43.3. |
| 1501 | Aristoteles and Phyllis | The philosopher warns the king against luxoriousness. In revenge the queen beguiles the philosopher into letting her ride him on all-fours. The king comes and sees. [K1215]. | ||
| 214 | Ass Tries to caress his Master like a Dog | He is driven off. | 214, 214A, 214B | J2133.1., J2413.1., J951.1. |
| 292 | Ass Tries to Get a Cricket's Voice | Asks cricket what they eat to get such a voice. They answer, >>dew.>> He tries it and starves. | 292 | J512.8. |
| 1840 | At the blessing of the grave the parson's ox breaks loose | The priest steals a ham but promises to pray for the man he has stolen it from. Priest: O God curse the man who lost the ham and bless him who stole it. | ||
| 1116 | Attempt at burning | The hero escapes and after the room he is in is burned he returns and is found sitting on the ashes. »It was a bit hot,» he says. | ||
| 1115 | Attempting to Kill the Hero in His Bed | Butter cask (or the like) in the hero's bed so that the ogre coming to murder him stabs the object. [K525.1]. Cf Type 1640. | 1115 | K525.1. |
| 1000 | Bargain not to become angry | See Type AT 0650A (incident III c. See also Type AT 1351) Note: Type 1000 is usually combined with one or more other types, especially AT 1000-1029 and also, AT 1060, 1062, 1088, 1115, 1386, 1653, 1725. | , 1000 | F613.3., K172. |
| 289 | Bat, Diver, and Thornbush Shipwrecked | Bat brought money, bush put on clothes, and diver brought leather. All shipwrecked. Diver is looking for his leather. Bush looks for his clothes and holds fast to all passers-by. Bat is abroad only at night to escape creditors. (Cf. A2471.4,… | 289 | A2275.5.3. |
| 1013 | Bathing or Warming Grandmother/ Ogre's Wife Burned in his Own Oven | In boiling water or on stove. [K1462]. | 1013 | K1462. |
| 361 | Bearskin | No examples in the Database yet | , 361 | C721., C723.1.1., L54.1.1., M211. |
| 110 | Belling the Cat | The mice buy a bell for the cat but no one dares tie it on her. | 110 | J671.1. |
| 518 | Big Fight over Magic Things | No examples in the Database yet | , 518 | D1361.12., D1520.19., D1521.1., D832. |
| 1151 | Big Shoes in Front of the Barn | The man makes giant shoes and places them so that the ogre thinks a giant lives there. | 1151 | K1717. |
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