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 title, ascending

Showing 401–450 of 890 · Page 9 of 18

ATU Title ▲ Summary Arne Thompson Thompson
740 The Brother to Hang Himself No examples in the Database yet
916 The brothers guarding the king's bedchamber and the snake I. The Accusation. Several brothers are hired by a king to guard his bedchamber. The first brother sees a snake in the bedchamber and kills it, but a drop of its poison falls on the queen. While he is wiping the poison from the queen, she awakes and,…
1314 The Buttercask Taken for a Dead Man Fools knock it in two. [J1783.1]. 1315 J1771.1.
7 The calling of three tree names The bear and the fox wager as to which can name three trees first. The bear names different varieties of the same tree. The fox wins the wager. 7 N51
217 The Cat and the Candle A man has a cat trained to hold up lighted candles on its head. The king has a mouse let loose. The cat drops the candle and chases the mouse. (Often used as a method of cheating in a game [N7].)
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.
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.
285 The child and the snake The snake drinks from the child's milk-bottle. 285, 285B*, 285D, 285E B391.1., B784.2.1.1., J15., J552.3.
327 The Children and the Ogre
  • I. Arrival at Ogre's House. (a) Children are abandoned by poor parents in a wood (b) but they find their way back by cloth shreds or pebbles that they have dropped; (c) the third time birds eat their breadcrumbs, or grain clue and (d) they wander until they come to a gingerbread house which belongs to a witch; or (e) a very small hero (thumbling) and his brothers stay at night at the ogre's house; or (f) the ogre carries the child home in a sack; (g) the child substitutes a stone in the sack twice but is finally captured.
  • II. The Ogre Deceived. The ogre smells human flesh and has the children imprisoned and fattened. (b) When his finger is to be cut to test his fatness the hero sticks out a bone or piece of wood. (c) The exchange of caps, (d) the ogre's wife or child burned in his own oven (Type 1121), or (e) the hero by singing induces the ogre to free them, or (f) the hero to be hanged feigns ignorance and has ogre show him how, or (g) hero feigns inability to sleep until ogre brings certain objects and escapes while ogre hunts the object.
  • III. Escape. (a) The children are carried across the water by ducks (or angels), or (b) they throw back magic objects which become obstacles in the ogre's path, or (c) they transform themselves, or (d) the ogre (ogress) tries to drink the pond empty and bursts, or (e) the ogre is misdirected and loses them.
    		•  , 3227C, 327, 327A, 327B, 327F, 327G , G412.1.1., G512.3.2.1.3.2.1., G512.3.2.3.2., G526., G61., G82., G82.1.1.1.1., K1611., K1832., K335.1.2.1.1.2.1., R135., R135.1.1., S321.
    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.
    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:…
    1542 The clever boy Peik with his fooling-sticks. I. Deceptions as a Trade. Brother and sister live together but are poor and Peik goes out to make a living by fooling people [K301]. See Type 1525A. II. Animal Bargains. (a) He gets the king's horse by borrowing it to… , 1542**, 1542A J2401., K112.1., K113., K1321.1., K1363., K341.8.1., K842., L161.
    876 The Clever Maiden and the Suitors Answers and understands enigmatic questions.
    546 The Clever Parrot I. The Parrot Wins a Princess for the King. (a) The king wins the gratitude of a parrot. (b) The parrot takes the king to a princess. (c) The parrot brings a princess to the king. II. Separation. On the return trip the king and his bride are… 546 B469.9.
    875 The Clever Peasant girl Through the proof of her cleverness she becomes the king's wife. He becomes angry and banishes her. She takes him home with her as her dearest possession. I. The Clever Daughter. (a) A peasant finds a golden mortar in a field and against the advice… , 875, 875A, 875B, 875B*, 875D D1318.2.1., H1010., H1021.9., H1023.1., H1023.25.1., H1024.1., H1024.1.1.1., H1053., H1054., H561.1., H561.1.1.1., H561.1.2., H582.1.1., H583.7., H586., H631.3., H632., H633., H636., H641.1., H951., J1111.4., J1185.1., J1191.1., J1536.2., J1545.4., J2121., L162.
    2040 The Climax of Horrors The magpie is dead. Overate on horseflesh. - Horse dead? - Overworked at fire - Horse burned down? etc. [Z46].
    2021 The cock and the hen The hen chokes to death on a grain. Various animals join the funeral procession. The funeral carriage breaks down or the procession drowns. [Z32.1]. , 2021, 2021B Z32.1., Z32.1.1., Z43.2.
    2032 The Cock and the Mouse and The Sexton's Nose A mouse throws a nut down from a tree and hits a cock on the head. He also steals the cock's whiskers. The cock goes to get an old woman to cure him. The final formula is: Fountain give up water for forest, forest give up wood for baker, baker give…
    1927 The Cold May Night A very cold night comes in May. Hearing of a much colder night long ago, a man sets out to find about it. In his travels he comes to (a) an otter lying in a deep hole on top of a rock: he has been so long lying there that the rock has been worn… 1927 X1620.
    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*.
    1431 The contagious yawns A husband planning to punish his wife, who has yawned in church at the same time as a man, sees his error when his wife in the woods calls out, »The squirrels hop from bough to bough as the yawns from mouth to mouth.» [J1448].
    1612 The Contest in Swimming The swimmer takes a knapsack of provisions on his back. His rival is afraid and gives up. [K1761]. 1612 K1761.
    1620 The conversation of the one-eyed man and the hunchback An impostor pretends to make clothes for the king and says that they are visible only to those of legitimate birth. The king and courtiers are all afraid to admit that they cannot see the clothes. Finally a child seeing the naked king reveals the… , 1620 J2312., K445.
    1537 The corpse killed five times The corpse on the horse, in the sleigh, in the boat [K2151, K2152]. Cf. Type 1536A. , 1537 K2151., K2152.
    220 The Council of Birds The eagle as judge assigns each his place and work.
    1331 The Covetous and the Envious Of two envious men one is given the power of fulfilling any wish, on condition that the other shall receive double. He wishes that he may lose an eye. [J2074]. Cf. Type 750.
    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.
    58 The Crocodile Carries the Jackal The jackal, who wants to eat fruit or carrion on the other bank, persuades a crocodile to carry him across the river by saying he will find a bride for the crocodile. He makes a dummy and, safe back on shore, sends the crocodile to that.
    239 The Crow Helps the Deer Escape from the Snare The deer aids the jackal, but when the deer is caught in a snare the jackal refuses to help him. On the advice of the crow the deer feigns death. When the hunter releases him, he bounds away.
    2017 The Crow on the Tarred Bridge His beak and his tail alternately stick. [Z39.3]. (Endless). Cf. Type 2300.
    1417 The Cutt-off Nose (Hair) Lai of the Tresses. A woman leaves her husband's bed and has another woman take her place. The husband addresses her, gets no answer, and cuts off her nose (hair). In the morning the wife still has her nose (hair). The husband is made to believe that… , 1417 J2315.2., K1512.
    592 The Dance Among Thorns Magic fiddle, cards, and gun. The judge is compelled to dance. I. The Magic Object and Powers. (a) A boy, driven from home by an evil stepmother or (b) dismissed from service with a pittance for years of labor, (c) gives his money to a poor man who… , 592 D1415.2.5., D1653.1.7., D1761.0.2., K551.3.1., N55., Q42.1., S322.4.
    898 The Daughter of the Sun The Speechless Maiden; the Puppet Bride). I. Virgin in the Tower. To avoid fulfillment of a prophecy that a princess shall be impregnated by the sun and bear a child, she is confined in a tower. Nevertheless the prophecy is fulfilled. [T381, T521].… , 898 R131.11.3., S313., T381., T521.
    1503 The daughter-in-law and the real daughter No examples in the Database yet
    815 The Deceased Rich Man and the Devils in the Church The rich man's money is buried in his skin in the grave. The devil comes to see the money. The cobbler draws a circle about him [D1381.11] to keep the devil off; takes the money and nails the devil fast. , 815, 815* C12.2., D1381.11., G303.22.11., K210., K218.1., Q45.2.
    821 The Devil as Advocate A man is accused of theft. The devil carries the judge from the court room and thus repays the hospitality of the accused. 821B J1191.2.
    825 The Devil in Noah's Ark The devil wants to know what Noah is doing when he is building the ark. He persuades Noah's wife to give him a drink. Noah forbids the wife to go into ark until the devil has also been invited. [K485]. I. Secret Building of Ark and its Destruction by… , 825 A1015., A1021., A1853.1., A2001., A2031.2., A2145.2., A2214.3., A2232.4., C12.5.1., F531.5.9., G303.14.1.1., K2213.4.2.
    810 The devil loses a soul that was promised him The priest permits the man who is promised to the devil to spend the night in the church, and draws a ring around him. The devil cannot tempt him outside the ring. , 810, 810A* D1381.11., G303.16.19.15., G303.16.19.4., G303.9.1.6., K218.1., S211.
    1178 The Devil Outriddled Boy promised to the devil saves himself by giving riddles or enigmatic tasks that the devil cannot solve or perform. [G303. 16.19.3].
    764 The Devil's Son as a Priest A youth (a) encounters the devil or (b) takes liberties with the corpse of a hanged man. With this companion he goes to certain houses, some of which because they are properly ordered the companion may not enter. The Devil (dead man) is able to enter…
    832 The Disappointed Fisher The fisher, his wife, and his child always get three fishes. From greed they kill the child in order to have more fish for themselves. But they catch from then on only two fishes. [Q553.5]. 832 Q553.5.
    983 The Dishes of the Same Flavor Man thus shown that one woman is like another and dissuaded from his amorous purpose. [P236.2, Q281.1].
    831 The Dishonest Priest In order to get hold of money found by a poor man, the priest goes with the skin of a he-goat on his back (as Devil) to the man to frighten him [Q551.2]. But when he gets home he cannot get the skin off [Q551.2]. 831 Q551.2.
    248 The Dog and the Sparrow A man runs over the dog, friend of the sparrow. The sparrow takes vengeance. The man loses his horse, his property, and finally his life. 248 N261.
    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.
    540 The Dog in the Sea No examples in the Database yet
    200 The Dog's Certificate Through the cat's carelessness it is lost. Since then dogs and cats are enemies. 200, 200A, 200B, 200C* A2232.8., A2275.5.5., A2281.1., A2494.4.4.
    2204 The Dog's Cigar Man is smoking a cigar (pipe) in train; it falls out of the train; a dog jumps out after it; the dog arrives at the station later ... »What do you think he had in his mouth?» »The cigar (pipe)?» »No, his tongue!»
    1556 The Double Pension (Burial Money) A husband and wife are jointly under a pension from the king. She reports her husband dead and gets the whole pension. He likewise reports her dead and gets the whole money. [K441.1]. (Sometimes concerned with money for the burial.) (K482.1). 1556 K482.1.
    300 The Dragon-Slayer The Dragon-Slayer. Rescue of the princess. I. The Hero and his Dogs, II; The Sacrifice, III. The Dragon, IV. The Fight, V. The Tongues, VI. Impostor, VII. Recognition. , 300 B11.10.10., B11.11.11., B11.2.3.1.2.3.1., B312.2.2., D1975., D1978.2.2., H105.1.1., H151.2.2., H83., K1932., T68.1.1.

    Showing 401–450 of 890 · Page 9 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.