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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 ▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 877 | The Old Woman who was Skinned | La Vecchia Scorticata. King marries woman whose finger he has seen and whose voice he has heard. She turns out to be old woman. He has her thrown out. She hangs in a tree. Swan fairies change her into beautiful girl. The king takes her as wife. Her… | 877 | D1880. |
| 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. |
| 766 | The seven sleepers | No examples in the Database yet | 766 | D1960.1. |
| 306 | The Twelve Dancing Princesses | The princess's nightly visits to the supernatural being. A youth who follows her and wins her hand. Cf. Type 507. I. Princess as Prize. (a) A princess is offered to the man who can find why her shoes are danced to pieces each morning. II. Discovery… | , 306 | D1980., D2131., F1015.1.1.1.1., H508.2.2., H80., K625.1.1., L161. |
| 884 | The forgotten fiancée | A prince forsakes his fiancée in order to pledge himself to another of his father's choice. In men's clothes [K1837], the first fiancée along with her companions goes into the service of the prince. [K1816.0.2]. Test: whether men or maidens… | , 884 | D2003., H1578.1., K1816.0.2., K1837., N681.1., T165.4., T84. |
| 1687 | The forgotten word | No examples in the Database yet | 1687 | D2004.5. |
| 471 | The Bridge to Another World | The youngest of three brothers crosses into the other world and sees extraordinary things which are later explained. I. The Quest. Three brothers one after the other set out to search for their lost sister. (b) On the way they are appointed to herd… | , 471, 471A | D2011.1., E481.2.1., F171., F171.0.1., F171.3., F171.5., H1251., H1385.6., R155.1. |
| 681 | King in the Bath; Years of Experience | This illusion takes place when the king puts his head under water. [D2012.1]. | 681 | D2012.1. |
| 952 | The King and the Soldier | A soldier prepares to testify before the king against his superior officer. Accompanies the king, whom he does not know, to the robbers' house [K1812.1]. The soldier kills the robbers (or renders them harmless) [N884.1]. The robbers are usually… | , 952 | D2072., K1812.1., K422., N884.1. |
| 321 | Won Back the Eyes from the Witch | A boy takes service with a blind couple. Warned not to let goats (sheep) wander beyond certain point, he does so and there defeats the witch who has stolen the blind couple's eyes. He restores the eyes. [D2161.3.1.1]. | 321 | D2161.3.1.1.3.1.1. |
| 945 | Luck and Intelligence. Which is More Powerful? | Test: peasant who has intelligence in his head is brought to court. Luck saves trim. I. Introduction. (a) Intelligence end Luck dispute as to which is the more powerful. (b) As a test a gardener is endowed with intelligence. II. The Wooden Doll. (a)… | , 945 | D435.1.1., F1023., F954.2.1., H343., H621., N141., Z16.1. |
| 980 | Old Grandfathers and Their Grandsons | Ungrateful Son Reproved by Naive Actions of Own Son: Preparing for Old Age [W121]. | , 980, 980A, 980B, 980C, 980D | D444.2., J121., J121.2., NA |
| 408 | The Three Lemons | The quest for the Orange Princess. The false bride. I. The Old Woman's Curse. A young prince insolently throws a stone and breaks an old woman's oil jar. She utters a curse: he is to fall in love with the three oranges (lemons, pomegranates,… | , 408 | D610., D721.5., J1791., K1911.2.2., K1911.3., S375. |
| 329 | Miss the Magic Mirror | A man hides himself three times (in the belly of the fish, etc.). (Sometimes combined with Types 301 or 313.) I. The Task. (a) A princess (devil) assigns her suitors the task of hiding themselves. (b) She has magic windows that give her magic sight.… | , 329 | D641., H321. |
| 432 | The Bird Lover | Visits to the princess. The wicked stepmother. The wound on the window ledge. I. The Bird Lover. (a) A prince in the form of a bird flies to a beautiful maiden. (b) When in her presence he becomes a man. II. The Lover Wounded. The cruel stepmother… | , 432 | D641.1., H1385.5., K1837., K2212.1., L221., N452., S181. |
| 310 | Rapunzel | Rapunzel. The hair ladder for the witch. The prince is blinded. I. Promise of Child. To appease a witch whom he has offended, a man promises her his child when it is born. II. The Hair Ladder. (a) The girl is imprisoned in a windowless tower which… | , 310 | D642.7.7., F555., F848.1.1., G204., G279.2.2., N455., R41.2.2., S221.1.1. |
| 405 | Jorinde and Joringel | A witch turns the girl into a bird. The youth with the help of a magic object changes her back into her former shape. | , 405 | D683.2., D771. |
| 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. |
| 402 | The Animal Bride | The youngest of three brothers succeeds best in the quests set by his father. He brings the best cloth, the most beautiful bride, etc. The mouse (cat) who has helped him changes herself into a beautiful maiden. | , 402, 402A* | D711., D735., H1210.1., H1242., H1301.1. |
| 426 | Snow White and Rose Red | The girls let the bear into the hut. They rescue an ungrateful dwarf from death. The bear kills the dwarf. The bear changes into a prince who has been enchanted by the dwarf. | , 426 | D763., F451.5.2.1. |
| 365 | Specter Bridegrooms | He carries her behind on his horse. Says, »The moon shines bright, the dead ride fast,» etc. She is pulled into the grave [E2l5]. | 365 | E215. |
| 366 | The Golden Arm | A man steals the heart, (liver, stomach, clothing) of one who has been hanged [E235.4, E236.1]. Gives it to his wife to eat. The ghost comes to claim his property and carries off the man. | 366 | E235.4.4. |
| 769 | A Child Returns from the Dead | Frequently to stop weeping. [E324]. | , 769 | E324., E361. |
| 760 | The Unquiet Grave | The man burns his three wives. Finds no rest in the grave. A maiden takes the dead man to a priest and secures his pardon for the murder of his wives. | , 760 | E411.0.2., E411.1., Q211.3. |
| 777 | The wandering Jew | No examples in the Database yet | , 777, 777* | E511., E511.1.1., E511.1.2., E511.1.3., Q502.1. |
| 720 | From the Juniper Tree | The boy's bones transformed into a bird. The bird lets the millstone fall on the mother. Becomes boy again. I. The Murder. (a) The little boy is slain by his cruel stepmother, who closes the lid of a chest on him. (b) She cooks him and serves him to… | , 720 | E607.1., E610.1.1., G61., Q412., S121. |
| 1645 | The Man Who Became Rich through a Dream | A man dreams that if he goes to a distant city he will find treasure on a certain bridge. Finding no treasure, he tells his dream to a man who says that he too has dreamed of treasure at certain place. He describes the place, which is the first man's… | , 1645, 1645A | E721., E730., N531.1., N531.3. |
| 802 | The Peasant in Heaven | On the arrival of the rich man there is song and dance, because of the rarity of such an event. [E758, W245]. | 802 | E758. |
| 660 | The Three Doctors | The hog's heart, the thief's hand, the cat's eye. The three doctors make a trial of their skill [H504]. One removes one of his eyes, one his heart, and the other a hand [F668.1]. They are to replace them without injury the next morning [E782]. During… | , 660 | E780.2., E781.3., E782.1.1., E787., F668.1., H504. |
| 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. |
| 316 | The Mermaid in the Pond | The youth promised to the nix is pulled into the water by her. I. Promise to the Water-Nix. A boy is unwittingly promised to a waternix. II. Grateful Animals. A youth receives from grateful animals the power of transforming himself into their… | , 316 | F420.1.2.1.2., F420.5.2.2.5.2.2., R152., S240. |
| 1137 | Self Did It | Escape under the ram's belly. Cf. Type 1135. | , 1137 | F512.1.1., F521.1., G100., K1010., K1011., K603. |
| 701 | The Giant's Toy | No examples in the Database yet | 701 | F531.5.3. |
| 700 | Tom Thumb | Plowing. The king buys the boy. In thieves' company. In the belly of the cow and of the wolf. Cf. Type 327B. I. The Hero's Birth. A childless couple wish for a child, however small he may be; they have a boy the size of a thumb [F535.1.]. II. His… | , 700 | F535.1., F535.1.1.1., F535.1.1.11., F535.1.1.8., F535.1.1.9., F911.3.1., F913. |
| 852 | That is a lie! | Cf. Types 1875, 1920C, 1960E and G. I. The Contest. (a) A princess is offered to the man who can tell so big a lie that she says, »That is a lie». II. The Lies. The youth tells impossible tales of (a) a great ox; (b) of a tree growing to the skies… | , 852 | F54.2., H342.1., K1271.1., X1036.1., X1201., X1237., X1423.1., X1547.2., X1726.2., X1739.2., X1757. |
| 726 | The Oldest on the Farm | A wayfarer asks for a night's lodging at a farm. He meets a very old man outside, but he is shown to his father who has to decide, and so on up to the seventh generation [F571.2]. Sometimes mixed up with fairy tradition: the old troll finishes by… | 726 | F571.2. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 654 | The Three Brothers | The father has them trained. Trial of their handiwork. The fighting master swings his sword so fast that it does not become wet in a heavy rain; the barber shaves a running hare; the blacksmith shoes a horse while it is galloping. | , 654 | F660.1., F663.1., F665.1., F667.1. |
| 304 | The Trained Hunter | The magic gun; the rescued princess; the impostor. (Often combined with Types 300, 302, 400, 554, 555, 675 or 950.) I. The Magic Gun. A youth receives a magic gun, (a) from a green clad huntsman or (b) from an old woman. II. Killing of Giants. (a)… | , 304 | F661.1.1., H81., H81.1.1.1.1., K912., N711.2.2. |
| 756 | Forgiveness and Redemption | The hard penance and the green twigs on the dry branch. | , 756A, 756B, 756C | F771.1.9., F81.2., F971.1., H1235., H1273.1., J172., L435.1., N843., Q172.3., Q211.1., Q222.1., Q520.1., Q520.2., Q521.1., Q521.1.1., Q521.1.2., Q521.2., Q521.4., Q523.5., Q545., Q553.2., Q561., S211., V29.1. |
| 333 | Little Red Riding Hood | The wolf or other monster devours human beings until all of them are rescued alive from his belly. Cf. Types 123, 2027, 2028.<br /> I. Wolf's Feast. (a) By masking as mother or grandmother the wolf deceives and devours (b) a little girl (Red Riding Hood)… | , 333, 333A | F913., J21.5.5., K1044., K2011., Q426., Z18.1.1. |
| 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. |
| 334 | In the Household of the Witch | Visit to house of a witch (or other horrible creature). Many gruesome and marvelous happenings. Lucky escape. Cf. Type 327G. | 334 | G11.3.3. |
| 363 | The Vampire | The bridegroom eats corpses in three churches [E251.3.1, G20]. He appears to his bride in the form of her father, her mother, etc. [D40, D610] and when she tells about his habit he devours her. | 363 | G20. |
| 501 | The Three Spinners | Invited to the wedding. I. Spinning Assigned to Girl. (a) Through false boast of a girl's mother, or (b) of the girl herself, or (c) false reports by jealous servants a girl is compelled to spin an impossible amount (cf. Type 500). (d) She is to… | , 501 | G201.1., G244., H1092., H914. |
| 462 | The Outcast Queens and the Ogress Queen | Cf. Type 590. I. The Ogress Queen. (a) Men in a forest are pursued by an ogress who takes on the form of a lovely girl [G264, G369.1.5]. (b) A king hunting in the forest [G405] sees the lovely girl and takes her as his queen. II. The Blinded queens.… | , 462 | G264., G405., K511., L71., S435., S438. |
| 1476 | The Prayer for a Husband | The old maid prays in church that she may get a husband [X761]. The (supposed) advice of God (the church janitor) [K1971.9]. She must raise her foot to her neck (or other disgraceful act). Cf. Type 1462. | 1476, 1476A, 1476B | G303.12.5., K1971.9., NA |
| 826 | Devil writes down names of men on hide in church | No examples in the Database yet | 826 | G303.24.1.3. |
| 1122 | Ogre's wife killed through other tricks | No examples in the Database yet | 1122 | G519.1. |
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