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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 882 | The wager on the wife's chastity | A ship captain marries a poor girl. Makes a wager with a merchant on the chastity of his wife. Through treachery, the merchant secures a token of unfaithfulness (ring). The captain leaves home. The wife follows him in men's clothing. They reach home… | , 882 | H94., K1342., K1837., K2112.1., N15. |
| 1551 | The Wager that Sheep are Hogs | A trickster wagers with a sheep driver that the sheep he is driving are hogs. The next man to overtake them will act as umpire. The trickster's confederate now arrives and declares that they are hogs. [K451.2]. | 1551 | K451.2. |
| 431 | The Waldhaus | Three maidens one after the other sent into the wood. Kind and unkind. Animals disenchanted. (Cf. Type 480.) Their clue of grain (lentils) is eaten by birds [R135, R135.1]. They come to a house where they find an old man [D1890], a cock [D166.1.1], a… | , 431 | D1890., L162., L54., Q2. |
| 777 | The wandering Jew | No examples in the Database yet | , 777, 777* | E511., E511.1.1., E511.1.2., E511.1.3., Q502.1. |
| 551 | The Water of Life | The youngest succeeds with the help of an eagle (dwarf) and various magic objects. The brothers gain possession of the remedy. The princess searches for the father of her child. For analysis see Type 550: I b, (c); II; III c, d; IV; V b. | , 551 | H1210.1., H1242., H1321.1., H1381.2.1., H80., H81.1., K1932., K2211., L161., N711.3., N825.2., T475.2., W154.12.3. |
| 403 | The White and the Black Bride | Strawberries under the snow, etc. The real daughter bride of the king. A child born. The stepmother throws the child into the water, etc. | , 403 | D1454.2., D161.2., D1860., D1870., H1023.3., K1911., M431.2., Q261., S31., S432. |
| 673 | The White Snake | No examples in the Database yet | , 673 | B217.1.1., N451. |
| 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. | ||
| 502 | The Wild Man | The prince sets the prisoner free. The latter becomes his servant and helper. (The Ride on the Glass Mountain; cf. Type 530. Rescue of the Princess from the Dragon, cf. Type 300. Service as Shepherd; War or Other Adventures). The youth wins the… | , 502 | G671., R222. |
| 222 | The Willow-Wren and the Bear | Birds win by cleverness. The fox's lifted tail is to be the signal. The gnats stick him under the tail. He drops it and the quadrupeds flee. Cf. Type 104. It often serves as introduction to Type 313. | 222, 222A | B261., B261.1. |
| 575 | The Wings of the Prince | Contest in the preparation of the most wonderful object. Wings. The prince buys the wings from a clever workman. The hero flies to the princess in the tower. They fly away together from the stake where they are to be burned. After they have flown… | ||
| 655 | The Wise Brothers | The king is bastard. Staying at the king's court they are asked to utter three wise words. As a result of extraordinary powers of deduction, they declare that the king is bastard, the roast is dog meat, etc. All proves to be true. | , 655 | F647.1., F647.5.1., J1661.1.1., J1661.1.2. |
| 1533 | The wise carving of the fowl | A clever person divides it symbolically head to head of house, neck to wife, wings to daughters, legs to sons; keeps rest for himself. (Cf. Type 875 II e.) [H601]. | 1533 | NA |
| 675 | The Wish-Fish | No examples in the Database yet | , 675 | B375.1., D1131.1., D1523.1., D1601., D1761.0.1., H481.1., H486., L114.1., L175., S141., T513. |
| 463 | The Witch in the Stone Boat | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 428 | The Wolf | A maiden in the service of a witch. Assigned seemingly impossible tasks, among others to deliver to another witch a letter with instructions to kill the maiden. A wolf helps her to escape. The wolf is thereby disenchanted and becomes a prince who… | ||
| 76 | The Wolf and the Crane | The crane pulls a bone from the wolf's windpipe. When he asks for payment the wolf says, "That you were allowed to take your beak from my throat is payment enough." | 76 | W154.3. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 34 | The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese | The wolf and the fox think the reflection of the moon in the water is a cheese. The fox lowers the wold into the water, the wolf fall into the water and the cheese disappears. | 34, 34A | J1791.3., J1791.4. |
| 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. |
| 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]. | ||
| 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. |
| 41 | The Wolf Overeats in the Cellar | The fox persuades the wolf to enter a cellar (smokehouse or kitchen) and steal food. The wolf eats so much that he cannot escape through the hole he has entered by. He is killed. Cf. Types 33*, 33**. | 33*, 33**, 41, 41* | K1022.1. |
| 1477 | The wolf steals the old maid | She keeps him for a husband [X755]. | ||
| 1311 | The Wolf Taken for a Colt | In the man's absence eats the mare [J1752]. | ||
| 1652 | The Wolves in the Stable | The youth plays music, entices them out, and gets them to dancing. Receives much money from the man who has let them out. [K443.5]. Cf. Type 1650. | ||
| 1029 | The woman as cuckoo in the tree | The anger-bargain is to cease when the cuckoo crows. The ogre's wife climbs into the tree and imitates the cuckoo. She is shot down. [K1691]. | 1029 | K1691. |
| 1931 | The woman who asked for news from home | Gets many impossible answers, which she believes. »The cock has become sexton.» - »That is why he sang so well in the morning» [J2349.4]. Cf. Type 1920A. | ||
| 1243 | The wood is carried down the hill | Then carried back up in order to roll it down [J2165]. | ||
| 1731 | The Youth and the Pretty Shoes | By playing upon their desire for the pretty shoes he has stolen [T455.3.2], he betrays the wife, the daughter, and the servant girl of the parson [K1357] and finally the parson himself, who is standing by his side. Healing of the scab; holding the… | ||
| 1538 | The youth cheated in selling oxen | Avenges himself. As carpenter and as doctor in the purchaser's house he punishes the latter [K1825.1.3]. Brings it about that the miller is hanged in his place [K841]. | , 1538 | K1825.1.3., K713.1. |
| 978 | The Youth in the Land of the Cheaters | I. The Cheats. A youth sets out to trade end comes to a land where cheaters flourish. He loses all his goods. (a) A one-eyed man (woman) states that the youth's father had taken the other eye and demands compensation. (The rescuer demands that the… | ||
| 424 | The Youth Wed to a She-Devil | No examples in the Database yet | ||
| 534 | The Youth Who Tends the Buffalo Herd | Cf. Types 181, 510C, 511A. I. The youth and the Wild Buffaloes (Cows). A youth cares for wild buffaloes which he comes upon in the forest and is befriended by them [B395, B396, N832.1, B537]. (a) The youth is lost or abandoned. (b) A tiger carries a… | ||
| 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. |
| 964 | Thief (Murderer) Deceived into Betraying himself by a Gesture | Thief (Murderer) Deceived into Betraying himself by a Gesture [J1141.1]. Cf.Type 66A. | ||
| 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 |
| 1624 | Thief's Excuse: the Big Wind | A vegetable thief is caught in a garden. Owner: How did you get into the garden? A wind blew me in. How were the vegetables uprooted? If the wind is strong enough to blow me in, it can uproot them. How did they get into your bag? That is what I was… | ||
| 2035 | This Is the House That Jack Built | Final formula: This is the farmer that sowed the corn that fed the cock that crowed in the morn, that waked the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn, that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with a… | ||
| 1046 | Threat to Haul away the Warehouse | For this purpose a large rope is made. The ogre is intimidated. | ||
| 461 | Three Hairs of the Devil | Prophecy, Urias letter, and resultant marriage; cf. Type 930. I. Introduction. Prophecy that a youth is to become the king's son-in-law. Vain attempts to prevent the marriage. II. Quest for Devil's Hairs. (a) The hero is sent on a quest to hell to… | , 461 | A1111., G530.1., H1273.2., H1291., P413.1.1., Q521.5. |
| 563 | Three Magic Gifts | The stick compels the treacherous host of the inn to give back the table and the ass. See analysis below: I a, b, c, d; II a, (b) d. - ANALYSIS: Types 563 and 564. I. The Magic Objects. (a) A poor man receives three magic objects: (b) a table or sack… | , 563 | B103.1.1., D1401.2., D1472.1.7., D861.1., D881.2., J2355.1. |
| 1745 | Three words at the grave | The priest made sick of his bargain. A poor man in return for a steer gets permission from the priest to speak three words at the burial of his enemy, the rich man. Priest: »From the earth are you come.» Man: »Now the steer is dead.» Priest: »In… | ||
| 1063 | Throwing contest with the golden club | The hero shows the ogre the club on a cloud [K18.2]. Cf. Type 1640. | , 1063, 1063A, 1063B | K18.1., K18.1.1., K18.1.2., K18.2., na |
| 1147 | Thunder the Rolling of his Brother's Wagon | Thus explained by the hero. | ||
| 925 | Tidings Brought to the King: You Said it, not I | The messenger arranges it so that the king says the words in the form of a question [J1675.2.1]. | ||
| 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. |
| 1610 | To Divide Presents and Strokes | The boy (peasant) promises the soldier what the king has promised to give him. The soldier receives a beating in place of the boy. [K187]. Cf. Types 1642, 1689. | 1610 | K187. |
| 778 | To Sacrifice a Giant Candle | Refusal to make sacrifice after need is past. In distress a person promises a sacrifice to a god (saint) but disregards the promise when the danger passes. [K231.3, K231.3.1]. |
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