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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 ▲ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | The unjust partner | In the field and in the stable. The bear works: the idle fox cheats the bear. | 9, 9B, 9C | K1251.1, K171.2., K471. |
| 1528 | Holding Down the Hat | A rascal stands by the side of a road near his hat under which he has hidden dung. When the dupe arrives he offers to pursue the rascal with the dupe's horse if the latter will guard his hat under which is a beautiful bird. He escapes with the horse.… | 1528 | K1252. |
| 1545 | The boy with many names | A man gets lodging in a beautiful woman's house. He pretends not to know how to sleep in bed; she must go with him. | 1545, 1545B | K1327., K602. |
| 1563 | 'Both' | No examples in the Database yet | , 1563 | K1354.1., K1354.2.1. |
| 1425 | Putting the Devil into Hell | Obscene trick used to seduce woman. [K1363.1]. | 1425, 1425B* | K1363.1., na |
| 36 | The Fox in Disguise Violates the She-Bear | The she-bear is caught in a tree cleft or hole in the hedge . To avoid later recognition the fox covers himself with soot and is taken for the pastor. Variant: the hare, the she-fox. | 36 | K1384. |
| 1002 | Dissipation of the ogre's property | No examples in the Database yet | 1002 | K1400. |
| 1003 | Plowing | The man is told to come home when the dog does. He beats the dog so that it runs home. Then he destroys the horse and harness and goes home. [K1411]. (Cf. Type AT 0650 incident IVc). | 1003 | K1411. |
| 1008 | Lighting the Road | No examples in the Database yet | 1008 | K1412. |
| 1009 | Guarding the Store-room Door | It is lifted off and carried away. [K1413]. Cf. Type 1653A. | 1009 | K1413. |
| 1010 | Repairing the House | The house or furniture destroyed. [K1415]. | 1010 | K1415. |
| 1011 | Tearing up the Orchard or Vineyard | Told to cut down wood, the rascal cuts down a neighbor's vineyard. | 1011 | K1416. |
| 1006 | Casting eyes | Cf. Type 1685. Ordered to cast eyes on this or that, he kills animals and throws their eyes at the object. [K1442]. | 1006, 1006* | K1440., K1442. |
| 1005 | Building a bridge . . . | No examples in the Database yet | 1005 | K1441. |
| 1681 | Foolish man builds aircastles | Foolishly kills his horse, throws his axe into the lake to kill a duck. Undresses to recover axe. Clothes stolen. Goes into barrel of tar to hide. In tar and feathers. [J2661.4]. Cf. Types 1383, 1690*. | , 1681B | K1461., K1462. |
| 1012 | Cleaning the child | Intestines taken out and cleaned. [K1461.1]. | 1012 | K1461.1. |
| 1013 | Bathing or Warming Grandmother/ Ogre's Wife Burned in his Own Oven | In boiling water or on stove. [K1462]. | 1013 | K1462. |
| 1073 | Climbing Contest | The man challenged by the ogre to a climbing contest. The ogre agrees to contest against man's young one, i.e., a squirrel. [K15.1]. | 1073 | K15.1. |
| 1418 | The Equivocal Oath | A husband insists that his wife take oath that she has been intimate with no one but himself. The paramour masks as ass-driver. She hires an ass from him, falls down, and lets him pick her up. She swears no one has touched her except the husband and… | 1418 | K1513. |
| 1423 | The Enchanted Pear Tree | The wife makes the husband, who has seen her adultery from the tree, believe that the tree is magic (or that he has seen double) [K1518]. | 1423 | K1518. |
| 1380 | The faithless wife | Asks God how she can fool her husband. The husband from the tree (or rafters) tells her that she can make him blind by feeding him milk-toast. The husband feigns blindness and slays the lover. The body is thrown into the river. Cf. Types 1324*, 1375,… | 1380 | K1553. |
| 1544 | The man who got a night's lodging | The rascal feigns deafness and eats the best food. He accepts the hospitality before it is offered [K1981.1]. He takes the man's horse out of the stable and puts his own in. He is to pay for his lodging with a goat skin; he takes one of the man's own… | , 1544, 1544A* | K1572., K1981.1., K258., K942., NA |
| 1119 | Ogres Kill Their Own Children | Places changed in bed (night-caps) [K1611]. Cf. Type 327 B. | 1119 | K1611. |
| 763 | Treasure Finders Murder One Another | Two hunters are shown a treasure. One of them puts poison in the other's wine, but the other kills him, drinks the wine and dies. [K1685]. | 763 | K1685. |
| 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. |
| 1030 | Man and ogre share the harvest | Man and ogre or fox and bear. Of root crops the ogre chooses the tops; of other crops the roots. [K171]. Cf. Types 9B, 1633. | 1030 | K171.1. |
| 92 | The Lion in the Water | The hare, sent to be the lion's dinner, says he has been detained by a more powerful enemy and shows the lion his own reflection in a well. The lion leaps in and is drowned. Cf. Types 34, 34A, 1168A, 1336, 1383. | , 92 | K1715.1., |
| 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. |
| 1151 | Big Shoes in Front of the Barn | The man makes giant shoes and places them so that the ogre thinks a giant lives there. | 1151 | K1717. |
| 1146 | Millstones | Said to be pearls of hero's mother. | 1146 | K1718.2. |
| 1161 | The Bear Trainer and His Cat | The bear drives the ogre from the room. »Is the big cat still living?» Cf. Type 957. A man with a bear passes the night in a place frequented by ogres. The ogres come, discover the bear, think it is a cat, and try to feed it. The bear chases them… | 1161 | K1728. |
| 1153 | Wages: as much as he can carry | To get rid of the boy the master offers him as large wages as he is able to carry himself. The boy says that he will be contented with what the troll can carry. [K1732]. Cf. Type 650. | 1153 | K1732. |
| 1165 | The troll and the christening | A farmer is on friendly terms with a troll whom he does not wish to invite to his child's christening, knowing the troll's appetite. Not wishing to offend him, he sends to invite him; but he is to say that among the guests will be found the Virgin… | 1165 | K1736. |
| 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. |
| 1053 | Shooting Wild Boars | Boastful trickster, told to shoot a wild boar or two, asks, »Why not a thousand at one shot?» Frightens ogre. [K1741.2]. | 1053 | K1741.2. |
| 1045 | Pulling the Lake Together | The hero threatens to do so with a rope. The ogre is intimidated. [K1744]. Cf. Type 1650. | 1045 | K1744. |
| 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. |
| 1611 | Contest in Climbing the Mast | The boy falls from the mast and lodges in the rigging: »You do the same thing!» The sailors are persuaded that he is an expert sailor. [K1762]. | 1611 | K1762. |
| 132 | Goat Admires his Horns in the Water | Goat admires his horns in the water, and says, "I needn't be afraid of the wolf." Wolf behind him asks him what he was saying. Goat: "One talks such foolishness when one is drinking." | 132 | K1775. |
| 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 |
| 1062 | A Contest in Throwing Stones | Bird. In a contest in throwing, the ogre throws a stone, the hero a bird (K18.3]. Cf. Type 1640. | 1062 | K18.3. |
| 846 | Devil Always Blamed | Devil blamed when cow is in ditch (Who the devil did that?). When she is saved (Thank God!). | , 846 | K1811., N111.4.1. |
| 935 | The Prodigal's Return | The fortunate marriage and the visit home. The youngest of three brothers [L10] is a prodigal [N172]. He goes abroad as a soldier and swindles his father into sending him money. Through cleverness he makes his fortune and marries the princess [L161].… | , 935 | K1815., K1837., L161. |
| 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. |
| 880 | The Man Boasts of his Wife | Is imprisoned in the royal castle. The wife in man's clothing is betrothed to the princess [K1837]. Escapes with her husband [R152.1]. | , 880 | K1837., R152.1. |
| 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. |
| 859 | The Penniless Bridegroom Pretends to Wealth | After marriage he takes the bride to look at his land. He puts on soiled clothes. She looks at the land; he points to the patch on his clothes. »That patch is mine.» [K1917.1]. | , 859 | K1917., K1917.1., K1917.2., K1917.4. |
| 1641 | Doctor Know-all | The stolen horse. The stolen money (»That is one of them»). The covered dish (»Ah, poor crab that I am»). Often joined with the story of the sawed pulpit; cf. Types 1810C*, 1825C. I. The Sham-Doctor. A peasant named Crab (Cricket, Rat) buys the… | , 1641, 1641C | K1956., K1956.1., K1956.2., K1961.1.2., K1961.1.3., N611., N688. |
| 1462 | Clean and tidy | No examples in the Database yet | 1462 | K1971.6. |
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