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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1226 | The Rabbit Catch | The trap on the stable roof. Cf. Type 1171. | ||
| 72 | The Rabbit Rides Fox A-Courting | The fox is the favorite suitor of the girl the rabbit wants. The rabbit tells the girl that the fox is his horse. She refuses to believe him. She agrees to marry if he will ride to her house. He persuades fox to carry him—usually by feigning lameness—and wins the girl. (Sometimes told of human beings.) Cf. Type 4. | 72, 72* | J61., K1241. |
| 2251 | The Rabbit's Tail | The old king left a big mountain for his three sons. They dug in the mountain and found a big iron box and a little rabbit in it. If that rabbit's tail was longer my story would be longer too. | ||
| 275 | The Race of the Fox and the Crayfish | The latter hangs on to the fox's tail and wins. Cf. Types 250, 1074. (The Keen Sight of the Dove and the Keen Hearing of the Frog. See Type 238.) | 275, 275A, 275A* | K11., K11.1., K11.3. |
| 230 | The Rearing of the Large-headed and Large-eyed Bird | When the one rearing the owl learns its great age he kills it. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 506 | The Rescued Princess | I. The Grateful Dead Man. (a) The hero ransoms a corpse from creditors who refuse its burial. (b) The grateful dead man in the form of an old man, a servant, or a fox later helps the hero on condition that they are to divide all winnings. II. The… | ||
| 735 | The Rich Man's and the Poors Man's Fortune | The fortune of the rich brother gives the poor brother the advice to seek his luck under a bush. The poor man goes there and Fortune tells him to become a merchant. He becomes rich. | , 735A | N112., N112.1., N181. |
| 1535 | The Rich Peasant and the Poor Peasant | I. (a) Twee broers, (a1) mannen, (a2) boeren, (a3) neven, (a4) een boer en een jongen, (a5) zijn arbeider, (a6) een woonwagenbewoner. (b) Grote en Kleine Doeke, (b1) Klaas, (b2) Obe, (b3) Oege, (b4) Grote Arend en Kleine Hendrik, (b5) Hearke en… | 1535 | na |
| 851 | The Riddle of the Suitor | The prince saved by his true servant in a robber's den. The poisoned raven. The riddle from the hero's own experiences. He wins the princess's hand. Cf. Types 516518. I. The Riddle Contest. A princess is offered in marriage to the youth who can… | , 851 | H117., H342., H551., H565., H721.1., H734., H762., H792., H802., H81.2. |
| 955 | The Robber Bridegroom | The maiden in the den of robbers. While hidden under the bed she sees another maiden murdered. The severed finger serves her as a token. The girl usually strews her path into the forest with ashes or pees [R145]. When the bridegroom appears, she uses the severed finger of the murdered girl to expose him [H57.2.1]. Cf. Type 311. | , 955 | B143.1., H57.2.1., K1916., R135. |
| 1525 | The robber brothers | The man pretends to show how the horse can be stolen. Really leads it away. [K341.8]. Cf. Types 1540, 1542. | , 1525, 1525A, 1525D, 1525G, 1525H, 1525J*, 1525M, 1525N, 1525Q, 1525Q*, 1525R | H1151., H1151.2., H1151.3., J1516., K301., K301.1., K306., K307.1., K308., K311., K332., K341.20., K341.21., K341.3., K341.6., K341.7., K362.2., K406.2., L142.1., NA |
| 1527 | The Robbers are Betrayed | The master and servant exchange places for a day. The servant in tar and feathers. Has his former master take him to the robbers' house. They flee in terror and leave their treasure behind. Cf. Types 1525H, 1650, 1653, 1654**. [K335.1, K335.1.8]. | , 1527A | K630., K724. |
| 1653 | The Robbers under the Tree | Object falls on robbers from a tree. They flee and leave money. | ||
| 1238 | The Roof in Good and Bad Weather | The man does not need a roof when it is fair; cannot put it on when it rains. [J2171.2.1]. Cf. Types 43, 81. | ||
| 791 | The Saviour and Peter in night-lodgings | Peter is twice beaten. Peter and Christ are sleeping in the same bed. The drunken host returns home and beats Peter. Peter changes places with Christ. The host then comes in to beat the other lodger. Peter again receives the blows. [K1132]. In French… | 791 | K1132. |
| 1203 | The Scythe Cuts one Man's Head off | All have theirs cut off. [J2422]. | ||
| 425 | The Search for the Lost Husband | Cf. also Types 430, 432, and 441. I. The Monster as Husband. (a) A monster is born because of a hasty wish of the parents. (b) He is a man at night. (c) A girl promises herself as bride to the monster, (c1) to recover stolen clothes or jewels, (c2)… | , 425A, 425C, 425D, 425F, 425G, 425J, 425L, 425N | , C32.1., C611., C757.1., C761.2., C932., D150., D2006.1.4., D735.1., D753., H11.1.1., H1232., H1385.4., L221., NA, Q482.1., S241. |
| 1688 | The Servant to Improve on the Master's Statements | The wooer makes boasts to the girl and the servant always doubles the master's boast. Finally the master says, »I have poor eyesight.» - The servant, »You don't see at all.» (Or the master coughs and apologizes; the servant says that he coughs… | ||
| 766 | The seven sleepers | No examples in the Database yet | 766 | D1960.1. |
| 1295 | The Seventh Cake Satisfies | Fool regrets that he had not eaten number seven first since that was the one that brought satisfaction. [J2213.3]. | ||
| 1791 | The sexton carries the parson | Thieves steal a sheep or turnips. The lame parson has himself carried by the sexton. The sexton hears the thieves in the cemetery cracking nuts and thinks it is the devil cracking bones. With the gouty parson on his back he comes upon the thieves… | ||
| 1776 | The sexton falls into the brewing-vat | The parson has illicit relations with the maid. The sexton falls from his hiding place into the brewing-vat. The parson and maid think it is the devil and flee [K1271.1.4]. The sexton gets the beer [K335]. Cf. Type 1360. | ||
| 515 | The Shepherd | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1333 | The Shepherd who Cried "Wolf!" too often | When the wolf really comes no one believes him [J2172.1]. | 1333 | J2172.1. |
| 958 | The Shepherd Youth in the Robbers' Power | The Shepherd Youth in the Robbers' Power calls on his him for help. The helpers come. [K551.1]. | 958C*, 958E* | K311.1., K437.2. |
| 514 | The Shift of Sex | The sister becomes a soldier in place of her brother. Marries the daughter of the king [K1837, K1322]. She is driven away and rescued by her companions. The change of sex in the ogress' house [D11]. Marriage with the princess [L161]. | , 514, 514** | D11., F954., K1825.1., K1837., K2111., L162. |
| 1913 | The Side-hill Beast | Animal with two short legs on one side for convenience in living on hillsides. It can walk around the hill in only one direction. [X1381]. | ||
| 780 | The Singing Bone | The brother kills his brother (sister) and buries him in the earth. From the bones a shepherd makes a flute which brings the secret to light. In different versions the murder is revealed in several different ways [N271]: (a) an instrument (harp,… | , 780 | D1610.34., E632., N271. |
| 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. |
| 1393 | The Single Blanket | Quarreling women left by their husbands in very cold room with a single blanket use it together and are reconciled. | ||
| 653 | The Skillful Brothers | The father has them trained. Display of their accomplishments. The bird's nest on the tree. The stolen princess recovered. Cf. Type 513, 514. I. The Four Brothers Tested. (a) Four brothers sent to learn trades return home and are tested. (b) The… | , 653, 653A | D1323.15., D1500.1.5.1., D1520.19., F660.1., F662.2., H621.2., P251.6.2., R111.1.3., R111.7., R166., T68.1. |
| 2033 | The Sky Is Falling | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1261 | The Slaughter of the Ox | In preparation, the feet are cut off the evening before. [J2168]. | ||
| 410 | The Sleeping Beauty | The king's daughter falls into a magic sleep. A prince breaks through the hedge surrounding the castle and disenchants the maiden. I. The Wished-for Child. A frog announces the birth of the much desired daughter of the king. II. The Fairies' Gifts.… | , 410 | B211.7.1., D1364.17., D1967.1., D1978.5., F361.1.1., G269.4., M341.2.13., M370., N711.2. |
| 330 | The Smith Outwits the Devil | I. Contract with Devil. A smith has made a contract with the devil so that in return for becoming a master-smith he is to belong to the devil after a certain time. II. Receipt of Magic Object. (a) The Lord (St. Peter) visits the smith and teaches… | , 330, 330*, 330A, 330B, 330C, 330D | D1413.1.3.1.3., J2071., K213., K2371.1.3.1.3., M211., N221., Q115., Q565., Z111.2.2.2.2. |
| 920 | The son of the king (Solomon) and of the smith | The children are exchanged. In the children's play Solomon acts as king. Shows his cleverness. I. Expulsion of the Prince. (a) The prince is expelled from home because (a1) he reports from his mother's womb her scandalous conduct. (b) He is ordered… | , 920B, 920C | H486.2., J412.1., L13. |
| 1200 | The Sowing of Salt | The numskull sows it like grain and expects it to produce salt [J1932.3], or plants a cow's tail to produce calves [J1932.4.1]. | , 1200 | J1932.1., J1932.2., J1932.3., J1932.4. |
| 532 | The Speaking Horsehead | The helpful horse. The hero is driven from home by his stepmother [S31]. He acquires a helpful horse which advises him [B401] to dress in poor clothing [K1816] and to answer all questions with "I don't know" [C495.1]. He takes service as gardener to… | 532* | B411.2. |
| 562 | The Spirit in the Blue Light | No examples in the Database yet | , 562 | D1391., D1421.1.4., D1426., D1470.1., D845., N813. |
| 331 | The Spirit in the Bottle | The man frees the evil spirit from the bottle and receives in reward a wonderful remedy or the power to turn iron into silver (gold). He tricks the spirit into the bottle again. (Often combined with Types 330 or 332.) | , 331 | K717., R181. |
| 77 | The Stag Admires Himself in a Spring | The stag admires himself in a spring. He is proud of his horns, ashamed of his legs. In flight his horns are caught and the dogs overtake him. | 77 | L461. |
| 1736 | The stingy parson | The boys do no mowing the whole day. »May the grass grow up again! May the gold in the purse turn to wasps!» A parson is known for being unusually stingy. He sends his boys to the meadow to mow, and they do nothing. On the way home one of them… | ||
| 1792 | The stingy parson and the slaughtered pig | The stingy parson does not want to give anyone a part of his pig, which he has just slaughtered. The sexton advises him to hang the pig up in the garden overnight so as to make everyone think it has been stolen. The sexton steals it himself.… | ||
| 434 | The Stolen Mirror. | The princess as doctor cures the lovesick prince. A youth receives magic power from his teacher. Through its use he goes to a distant land where he steals from a beautiful princess her mirror an her picture. He returns home and takes sick from love.… | , 434 | D700., H1233.1., H1385.5., T24.1. |
| 295 | The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean | The coal burns the straw in two and falls into the water. The bean laughs till it splits. | 295 | F1025.1. |
| 1917 | The Stretching and Shrinking Harness | A man driving a team with a wagon in the rain finds on arrival at the top of the hill that the tugs of rawhide have stretched and that the loaded wagon is still at the bottom. He unhitches the horses and throws the harness across a stump. Later when… | ||
| 1845 | The student as healer | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 1540 | The student from Paradise (Paris) | The woman sends money or clothes to paradise for her deceased husband. The horse is stolen. I. Goods Sent to Paradise. A student tells a woman that he comes from Paris. She understands him to say paradise and gives him money and goods to take to her… | , 1540 | J2326., K341.9.1. |
| 1692 | The Stupid Thief | Cf. Type 177. A fool accompanies a group of thieves, who send him into the house while they wait outside. I. Following Directions Literally. (a) Told to bring out something »heavy» (i.e., valuable), he brings out a heavy mortar, or the like… | , 1692 | J2136., J2136.5.5., J2136.5.6., J2136.5.7., J2461.1.7., J2461.1.7.1. |
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