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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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!» | ||
| 2205 | Come here, Lean! | Girl finds 3 coins and buys 3 pigs: (1) the lean, (2) the fat, (3) the tail. »Come here, Lean.» »I can't, I am too lean.» »Come here Fat.» »I can't, because I am too fat» - »And the other, what was it named?» »The tail.» - »Lift the… | ||
| 2250 | Unfinished tales | Just as interest is aroused the narrator quits. »If the bowl had been stronger my tale had been longer». [Z12]. | ||
| 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. | ||
| 2271 | Mock Stories for Children | When children, by persistently demanding a story, become a nuisance to their elders, the latter get rid of them by telling brief »mock stories», e.g. the dog's name was »Enough». | ||
| 2300 | Endless Tales | Hundreds of sheep to be carried over stream one at a time, endless quacking of geese, etc. The wording of the tale so arranged as to continue indefinitely. [Z11]. Cf. Types 2013, 2017. | ||
| 2320 | Rounds | Stories which begin over and over again and repeat. [Z17]. Cf. Type 2013. | ||
| 1225 | The man without a head in the bear's den | A man's head is snatched off by accident and his companions do not see what has happened. Debate: did he ever have a head? [J2381]. | J2381. | |
| 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. |
| 1004 | Hogs in the mud; sheep in the air | The cows driven away, the hogs' tails in the mud, the bell-wether on the tree. I. Pigs' Tails. Left to guard the pigs, the trickster kills and sells them and leaves their tails sticking in the ground. The owner pulls the tails out and is convinced… | , 1004 | K404.1., K404.2., K404.3. |
| 1049 | The heavy axe | The boastful trickster told to cut wood with an axe or get water in a bucket demands one large enough to bring in the whole well (cut the whole forest). The ogre is frightened. [K1741.1, K1741.3]. | , 1049 | K1741.1., K1741.3. |
| 1050 | Felling trees | The ogre and the trickster are to fell a large tree. The trickster purposely dulls his axe on a stone and then asks the ogre to exchange. Rather than work with the dull axe, the ogre does all the work. [K178, K1421]. Cf. Type 650 IV. | , 1050 | K178., K44. |
| 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 |
| 1088 | Eating contest | The hero slips his food (or drink) into a bag and makes the ogre believe he is the greater eater. (In many versions the hero cuts open the bag; the ogre imitates and kills himself). | , 1088 , 1089 | K42.1., K81., K81.1., K82.3. |
| 1133 | Making the ogre strong (by castration) | Same as Type 153 with the ogre in place of the bear. | , 1133 | K1012.1., K1012.2., K241. |
| 1135 | Eye-remedy | A glowing mass is put into his eye [K1011]. Cf. Type 1137. | , 1135 | K1010., K1011. |
| 1137 | Self Did It | Escape under the ram's belly. Cf. Type 1135. | , 1137 | F512.1.1., F521.1., G100., K1010., K1011., K603. |
| 1157 | The gun as tobacco pipe | The trickster gives the ogre the gun to smoke [K1057]. Cf. Type 1228. | , 1157 | J2131.4.1., K1057. |
| 1159 | The Ogre Wants to Learn to Play | Finger caught in a cleft of a tree. [K1111.0.1]. Later he is terrified by the man's wife with her legs apart. He thinks he is to be caught again [K1755]. Cf. Type 151, 326, 1095. | , 1159 | K1111.0.1., K1111.1., K1755. |
| 1164 | The evil woman thrown into the pit | The ogre comes out, since he cannot remain below with her. [K2325, T251.1.4]. | , 1164 | T251.1.2.1., T251.1.2.2. |
| 1169 | Changing Heads wih the Devil | St. Peter accidentally strikes off heads of the devil and an old man. Trying to undo the damage he places heads back on wrong bodies. Cf. Type 774A. [A1371.1, E34]. | , 1169 | A1371.1., E34. |
| 1199 | The Lord's Prayer | The man about to be taken by the Devil or Death begs respite long enough to repeat the Lord's Prayer for the last time. The Devil must wait. [K551.1]. Cf. Types 122A, 227, 332, 955. | , 1199 | K551.1., K555.2. |
| 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. |
| 1215 | The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey | Asinus Vulgi. Miller blamed when he follows his son on foot; when he takes the son's place on the ass; when he takes the son behind him; and when he puts the son in front of him. [J1041.2]. | , 1215 | J1041., J1041.2. |
| 1218 | Numskull Sits on Eggs to Finish Hatching | Cautions people to be quiet and not frighten the eggs. (Sometimes puts on honey and feathers before sitting on the eggs.) [J1902.1]. Cf. Type 1677. | , 1218 | J1902.1., K1253. |
| 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. |
| 1276 | Rowing without going forward | One woman rows in one direction, another in the opposite; or rowing in a boat which is tied up. [J2164.1, J2l64.2]. | , 1276 | J2164.1., J2164.2. |
| 130 | Outcast Animals Find a New Home | They drive away an intruder. | , 130, 130A | B296., K1161., K335., NA |
| 1310 | Drowning the crayfish as punishment | Eel, crab, turtle, etc. express fear of water and are thrown in. | , 1310 | J1762.1.2., K581.1. |
| 1313 | The Man who Thought Himself Dead | Has the corpse eat bread. (Usually has eaten from a pot of preserves said to be poisoned.) | , 1313, 1313A | J2311.1., J2311.1.4., J2311.2., J2311.4. |
| 1316 | Rabbit Thought to be a Cow | Servant sent to bring in cows is found chasing rabbits. [J1757]. Cf. Type 570. | , 1316 | J1751., J1754., J1755., J1757. |
| 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. |
| 1405 | The Lazy Spinner | The woman hidden in the bushes calls out to her husband, who is cutting wood: »Whoever cuts wood for a spinning wheel will die; whoever uses the wheel will be destroyed.» The man becomes worried and no longer keeps her at the reel [K1971.4.1]. When… | , 1405 | J2325., K1971.4.1. |
| 1406 | The merry wives wager . . . | No examples in the Database yet | , 1406 | J2013.2., J2301., J2311.0.1., J2312., J2314., J2315., J2316., J2317., J2324., K1545. |
| 1408 | The man who does his wife's work | Does everything wrong [J2431]. Lets cow graze on the roof; cf. Type 1210. Ties the rope's end to his foot [J2132.2]. Lets the beer run out; cf. Type 1387. In the chimney. | , 1408, 1408B, 1876 | J1545.3., J1881.1.3., J2132.2., J2176.1., J2431., J2465.4., X1267.1. |
| 1416 | The mouse in the silver jug. The new Eve | The New Eve. A poor woman laments at Eve's curiosity and says women are no longer so. The king lets them enjoy themselves in castle, but they must not open a certain silver jug [C324]. The woman can not let it alone. There is a mouse in the jug.… | , 1416 | C324., H1554.1. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 1456 | The blind fiancée | The search for the needle. The girl mistakes the dish for a cat. The blindness is thus discovered. [K1984.5]. | , 1456 | K1225., K1984.5. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 1526 | The Old Beggar and the Robbers | The robbers dress an old beggar up in fine clothes. They take him in front of the shopkeeper's house. Get many goods on the credit of the fine gentleman. Disappear with the goods and leave the old man behind. [K455.3]. Cf. Types 1531, l920E. | , 1526A | K455.1., K455.2. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 1539 | Cleverness and gullibility | The youth sells pseudo-magic objects and animals. The wolf is sold as a goat [K132]. The rabbit as letter carrier [K131.1]; the hat that »pays everything» [K111.2]; the wand that revives the dead [K113.4]. The teaching of languages or the… | , 1539 | K1068.2., K111.1., K111.2., K112.1., K113.4., K131.1., K132., K911.1. |
| 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. |
| 1541 | For the long winter | The numskull has been told to keep the sausage »for the long winter». When the trickster hears this, he claims to be Long Winter and receives the sausage. [K362.1, cf. also J2355, K1821.1]. | , 1541 | J2460.1., K362.1. |
| 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. |
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