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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.

890 tale types

Sorted by Thompson references, ascending

Showing 151–200 of 890 · Page 4 of 18

ATU Title Summary Arne Thompson Thompson ▲
1184 The Last Leaf The man is to pay the devil when the last leaf falls from the oak tree. It never falls. [K222, cf. K221].
1186 With his whole heart The judge carried off. (The Devil and the Advocate.) The devil refuses to take things not offered him with the whole heart. He hears the judge (advocate) cursed for fraud with such sincerity that he carries him off. [M215].
1188 "Come Tomorrow." The devil keeps calling daily until the gate with the inscription rots. He then claims his debtor. [K231.12.1]. Cf. Type 332D*.
1203 The Scythe Cuts one Man's Head off All have theirs cut off. [J2422].
1204 Fool Keeps Repeating his Instructions so as to remember them He usually forgets them [J2671.2]. Cf. Type 1687.
1211 The Peasant Woman Thinks the Cow Chewing her Cud is Mimicking Her Kills the cow. [J1835].
1212 The Horse is Drawn across the Ice Its skin is rubbed off [J1972].
1226 The Rabbit Catch The trap on the stable roof. Cf. Type 1171.
1228 Shooting with a Gun A man looks down the gun-barrel as it is shot [J2131.4.1]. Cf. Type 1158.
1238 The Roof in Good and Bad Weather The man does not need a roof when it is fair; cannot put it on when it rains. [J2171.2.1]. Cf. Types 43, 81.
1243 The wood is carried down the hill Then carried back up in order to roll it down [J2165].
1246 The Axes Thrown Away The first lets his axe fall. The others throw theirs into the same place [J2171.4].
1247 The Man Sticks his Head into the Hole of the Millstone It rolls into the lake. [J2131.5.4]. Cf. Type 1241.
1249 Oxen Hitched Before and Behind Wagon Cf. Type 801.
1261 The Slaughter of the Ox In preparation, the feet are cut off the evening before. [J2168].
1277 The Boat Gets Tired The woman tries to tire out her rival's boat so as to win the race, but only tires herself. [J1884].
1279 Protected by the Needle In a storm on the ice, fools stick needles into the ice to keep from blowing away. [J1965].
1280 The Needle (or the like) Falls into the Sea The man hunts it the next summer. [J1921].
1285 Pulling on the shirt The shirt is sewed together at the neck. The man's head is cut off so that the shirt can be put on him. [J2161.2].
1293 Numskull Stays until he has Finished As he is making water he hears a brook flowing and mistakes what it is. He waits for a day and a half. [J1814].
1295 The Seventh Cake Satisfies Fool regrets that he had not eaten number seven first since that was the one that brought satisfaction. [J2213.3].
1309 Choosing the Clean Figs From figs which have been urinated on he is to choose only clean ones. In testing he eats them all.
1311 The Wolf Taken for a Colt In the man's absence eats the mare [J1752].
1315 The Big Tree Taken for a Snake Killed with guns and spears. [J1771.1].
1330 Quenching the Burning Boat People row to land and fetch water from a spring to put out the fire. [J2162.3].
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.
1341 Fools Warn Thief what Not to Steal Explain where everything is and where the key is kept. [J2091, J2091.1]. Cf. Types 1525P, 1577*.
1343 Hanging Game Comrade to rescue fool when he whistles. Hangs himself. [N334.2].
1344 Lighting a Fire from the Sparks from a Box on the Ear Cf. Type 1372.
1382 The Peasant Woman at Market The sale of the cow. The woman made drunk or is to give a pawn; cf. Type 1385. Doesn't know herself any more; cf. Type 1383. The husband fishes in the street and thus discovers the buyer of the cow. [J1149.2].
1391 Every hole to tell the truth No examples in the Database yet
1393 The Single Blanket Quarreling women left by their husbands in very cold room with a single blanket use it together and are reconciled.
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].
1437 A Sweet Word A quarrelsome husband asked by his dying wife for a sweet word answers, "Honey is sweet" or throws a Bible at her. [J1541.1, J2497]. Cf. Type 1696B*.
1454 The greedy fiancee No examples in the Database yet
1455 The Hard-hearted Fiancée The father-in-law disguised as a beggar. [H384.1].
1457 The lisping maiden The suitor on a visit. The impediment in speech discovered. The girls have been warned against talking but forget and speak out. [K1984.1]. (Sometimes other impediments or deformities.)
1458 The girl who ate so little The girl eats lightly and the mother declares this is always so. Next day the suitor sees her baking and discovers that she can eat. [K1984.2]. Cf. Types 1373, 1407.
1461 The girl with the ugly name Her mother gives her a new one. The girl does not recognize it when she is called in, and her mother must use the old one. [K1984.3].
1463 Finger-drying Contest Won by Deception Three daughters are to wet hands; the first to have hands dry is to be the first to marry. The youngest waves her hand, exclaiming, »I don't want a man!» She wins. [K95].
1464 Nothing to cook No examples in the Database yet
1468 Marrying a stranger No examples in the Database yet
1475 Marriage Forbidden Outside the Parish An order is read in church forbidding the young people to marry girls from other parishes. [X751].
1477 The wolf steals the old maid She keeps him for a husband [X755].
1478 The Meal of Beans One of the old maid's three teeth breaks off [X754].
1501 Aristoteles and Phyllis The philosopher warns the king against luxoriousness. In revenge the queen beguiles the philosopher into letting her ride him on all-fours. The king comes and sees. [K1215].
1503 The daughter-in-law and the real daughter No examples in the Database yet
1511 The Faithless Queen Cf. Type 871A. I. The Queen and the Loathsome Paramour [T232]. (a) A king follows his queen as she slips out of their bedchamber. (b) The queen goes to her lover, a loathsome cripple, beggar, etc., (c) who beats her for coming late to their…
1531 The Man Thinks he has Been in Heaven The rich lord puts fine clothes on a drunken peasant and gives him good food and drink. [J2322]. Cf. Types 1313A*, 1526.
1532 The Voice from the Grave Cf. Types 1380, 1476, 1676. (a) Two rascals hear of a wealthy man who has recently died. One digs a hole near the grave with a speaking tube leading out or hides near the grave. The other goes to the relatives of the dead man claiming that the dead…

Showing 151–200 of 890 · Page 4 of 18