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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 401–450 of 890 · Page 9 of 18

ATU Title Summary Arne Thompson Thompson ▲
360 The Three Apprentices and the Devil They receive money in return for the devil's power over them [M211]. The host of the inn kills a man and the boys are accused. They have pledged themselves always to say the same words: »we three,» »for gold» »that was right» [C495.2.1, M175].… , 360 C495.2.2., K217.
710 The Black Madonna A girl comes into possession of her foster mother through an unwitting promise to her father. The girl falsely denies having looked into a forbidden room, and becomes dumb. She becomes the wife of the king... , 710 C611., C911., C912., C944., D2025.1., G261., H215., J213., K2116.1.1., N711.1., Q451.3., S211., S240., V271.
311 Rescue by the Sister Rescue by the Sister, who deceives the ogre into carrying the girls in a sack (chest) back to their home. Cf. Types 312, 1132.
  • I. The Forbidden Chamber. (a) Two sisters, one after the other, fall into an ogre's power, and are taken into a subterranean castle. (b) They are forbidden entrance into one room or (b1) to see souls in torment or (b2) to eat a human bone. (c) They disobey and an egg or key becomes bloody.
  • II. Punishment. The ogre kills them for disobedience.
  • III. Rescue by youngest sister. (a) The youngest sister finds the bodies and (b) resuscitates them by putting their members together or (c) otherwise, and hides them.
  • VI. Carrying the Sacks. (a) The girls are put into sacks and the ogre is persuaded to carry the sacks home without looking into them.
  • V. Disguise as Bird (a) The youngest sister leaves a skull dressed as a bride to deceive the ogre. (b) She smears herself with honey and feathers and escapes as a strange bird.
  • VI. Punishment of the Murderer. Rescue by the Sister, who deceives the ogre into carrying the girls in a sack (chest) back to their home.
    • Cf. Types 312, 1132.    		 , 311 C611., C913., G561., K525., R11.1.1., R157.1.1.
    312 The Bluebeard The brother rescues his sisters. See analysis of Type 311 (I a, b, c; II; III a) for introduction.The youngest sister threatened with death for disobedience asks respite for prayer. Her brother with the aid of animals kills the ogre (cf. Type 300)… , 312, 312D C611., C920., F611.1.1., G551.1.1., K555., T511.3.3.
    361 Bearskin No examples in the Database yet , 361 C721., C723.1.1., L54.1.1., M211.
    307 The Princess in the Shroud Each morning the watchers are found dead. A youth overcomes the enchantment; the dead girl comes out of the shroud. He wins her hand. (Not always a princess). Sometimes combined with Type 506 (I b, V). I. The Parents' Hasty Wish. (a) Barren parents… , 307 C758.1.1., D791.1.7.1.7., E251., N825.2.2.
    564 The Two Marvelous Pitchers The rich neighbor steals the magic objects. By means of the sack the hero compels the return of the purse. For analysis see Type 563: 1 a, b, c, e; II c, d. , 564 D1030.1., D1193., D1401.1., D861.
    442 The Old Woman in the Wood The maiden disenchants [D700] a prince whom an evil woman [G263] has transformed into a tree [D215]. She gets the magic ring [D1076] from the old woman's house. Marriage [L162]. , 442 D1076., D431.2., L162.
    514 The Shift of Sex The sister becomes a soldier in place of her brother. Marries the daughter of the king [K1837, K1322]. She is driven away and rescued by her companions. The change of sex in the ogress' house [D11]. Marriage with the princess [L161]. , 514, 514** D11., F954., K1825.1., K1837., K2111., L162.
    409 The Girl in the Form of a Wolf A childless woman wants a child even if it be an animal: she bears a goat-child (jackdaw). When she sends the goat-child to get water for its father, the goat lays off goat-skin and plays. A prince sees her and sends wooers to her house. The prince… , 409, 409A D113.1., D721., Q261., T554.
    561 Aladdin The object recovered by means of another magic object. For analysis see Type 560 (1 c; II; III; IV b, c). , 561 D1131.1., D1421.1.5., D1470.1.15., D1470.1.16., D1662.2., D2136.2., D840., D860., D881.
    450 Brother and Sister The boy is turned into a roe by the cruel stepmother. Lives with his sister in the forest. The king marries the sister. Her stepmother usurps her place as wife. Disclosure, punishment, and reunion. Cf. Types 403, 480, 533. I. Cruel Stepmother. A… , 450 D114.1.1., D150., D555., D688., H13., K1911.1.2., N711.1., P253.2., S31.
    569 The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn No examples in the Database yet , 569 D1222., D1470., D1472.1.22., D1475.4., D831., D861.
    570 Bunnies Beware of the King With the help of his magic pipe he calls the rabbits together. He wins the hand of the princess.
  • I. Task: Herding Rabbits. A king offers the princess as a prize to the man who can herd his rabbits (goats). He has a pipe with which he can call the animals back.
  • II. Youngest Brother's Success. (a) Two elder brothers are unkind to an old woman and fail, but the youngest is kind and receives a pipe with which he can assemble the animals.
  • III. Bargains for Magic Pipe. (a) In the attempt to buy the pipe from him the princess or the queen kisses him, (b) or lies with him; or (c) the king kisses a horse's rump.
  • IV. A Sack of Lies. (a) Before finally granting him the princess, the king orders the boy to tell a sack of lies. (b) He begins to tell until the king (queen) makes him stop and gives him the princess.
    • - Adapted from Christiansen Norske Eventyr.    		 , 570, 570* D1224., D1427.1., D1441.1.2., H1045., H1112., K1271.1.1., K1288., T68.
    709 Snow White The wicked stepmother seeks to kill the maiden. At the dwarfs' (robbers') house, where the prince finds the maiden and marries her. I. Snow-White and her Stepmother. (a) Snow-White has skin like snow, and lips like blood. (b) A magic mirror tells her… , 709 D1311.2., D1323.1., D1364.16., D1364.4.1., D1364.9., E21.1., F451.5.1.2., F852.1., K512.2., L55., M312.4., N831.1., Q414.4., S111.2., S111.4., S322.2., Z65.1.
    782 Midas His secret discovered by his barber. Or he whispers the secret to a reed which repeats it. , 782 D1316.5., F511.2.2., N465.
    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.
    449 The Tsar's Dog – Sidi Numan No examples in the Database yet , 449 D132.1., D141., D700.
    653 The Skillful Brothers The father has them trained. Display of their accomplishments. The bird's nest on the tree. The stolen princess recovered. Cf. Type 513, 514. I. The Four Brothers Tested. (a) Four brothers sent to learn trades return home and are tested. (b) The… , 653, 653A D1323.15., D1500.1.5.1., D1520.19., F660.1., F662.2., H621.2., P251.6.2., R111.1.3., R111.7., R166., T68.1.
    836 Pride is Punished The rich man boasts that God has not the power to make him poor [C454]. While the man is at church, his property burns and he returns home a poor man [L412]. Cf. Types 736A, 830. , 836F* D1323.5., D1331.3.1.
    585 Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle The prince will marry the girl who is at once the poorest and the richest [H1311.2]. She possesses marvelous heirlooms: a spindle that brings the prince to her [D1425.1], a needle that transforms the room [D1337.1.7], a shuttle that makes a magic… , 585 D1337.1.7., D1425.1., D1484.1., H1311.2.
    518 Big Fight over Magic Things No examples in the Database yet , 518 D1361.12., D1520.19., D1521.1., D832.
    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.
    562 The Spirit in the Blue Light No examples in the Database yet , 562 D1391., D1421.1.4., D1426., D1470.1., D845., N813.
    652 The Boy Whose Wishes Always Come True I. The Godfather. (a) A king chooses as godfather for his son the first man he meets. (b) The old man chosen as godfather takes the boy secretly to a church, blesses him, and gives him the power to make all wishes come true. II. The Treacherous… , 652 D141., D1761.0.1., D212.1., D630., K2155.1., K2250., N811., N856.1., Q455.1., R131.8.5., T52.1.
    593 Fiddevav All who poke in the ashes (the daughter, the woman, the preacher, etc.) must keep saying »Fiddevav», until they are released from the magic [D1413.17]. An old woman [N825.3] gives [D810] the hero a magic stone and advises him to go to the peasant's house at night, to say nothing, but »Thanks« [C495.3] and to lay the stone in the ashes. The stone prevents fire from being made and all who try to make it stick to the poker [D1413, D2172.1]. The hero gets the peasant's daughter in return for release. Cf. Types 330A, 571, 571A, 571B]. , 593 D1413., D1413.17., D2172.1., N825.3.
    571 The Golden Goose All remain hanging to the magic object: bundle of hay, cow, servant boy, preacher, etc. I. The Golden Goose. (a) Of three brothers only the youngest divides food and drink with a hungry man and receives as reward a golden goose; or (b) he gets the… , 571, 571B D1413., D1413.8., D2171.3.1., D2171.5., D812.3., D817., F591., H1010., H1194., H341., H341.1., K422.
    330 The Smith Outwits the Devil I. Contract with Devil. A smith has made a contract with the devil so that in return for becoming a master-smith he is to belong to the devil after a certain time. II. Receipt of Magic Object. (a) The Lord (St. Peter) visits the smith and teaches… , 330, 330*, 330A, 330B, 330C, 330D D1413.1.3.1.3., J2071., K213., K2371.1.3.1.3., M211., N221., Q115., Q565., Z111.2.2.2.2.
    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.
    566 Fortunatus The return of the objects is brought about with an apple, the eating of which causes horns to grow. I. The Magic Objects. (a) Three men each receive from a mannikin or from enchanted princess a magic object: (b) a self-filling purse (mantle), a… , 566, 580* D1451., D1475.1., D1520.11., D812., D861.6., D895., D992.1.
    403 The White and the Black Bride Strawberries under the snow, etc. The real daughter bride of the king. A child born. The stepmother throws the child into the water, etc. , 403 D1454.2., D161.2., D1860., D1870., H1023.3., K1911., M431.2., Q261., S31., S432.
    580 Favor of Women With the youngest of three brothers all women are in love. At the father's death when the elder brothers wish for riches, etc. the youngest [L10], wishes for [L210] and receives the power to make women love him [D1900]. He secures from the hostess of… , 580 D1472.1.7., D1473., D1900., D856., T45.
    519 Brunhilde The helper in the suitor test. Cf. Type 513A. I. The Suitor. A prince with his extraordinary companion woos a bride who is beautiful, strong, and warlike, and who will have as husband no man who is not her equal in strength. II. Suitor Tests. (a) The… , 519 D1500.1.18., H345., H345.1., H345.2., K1844.1., Q451.2., R169.4., T173.1., T58.
    610 The Healing Fruit The sick princess is offered to the man who can cure her [T681, H346]. An old woman [N825.3] gives healing power to the fruits [D1500.1.5] of the youngest brother [Q2, L13]. After the youngest brother has succeeded [L10] he is given tasks: herding rabbits (Type 570); making a land and water ship (Type 513), and fetching a feather from a magic bird (Type 461). He performs the tasks, goes and makes a fortune, returns and humbles the king and marries the princess [L161]. , 610 D1500.1.5., D1533.1.1., H1010., H1112., H1331.1.2.1., H346., L10., L13., L161., N825.3., Q2., T68.1.
    305 Dragon Blood as Cure No examples in the Database yet 305 D1500.1.7.3.3.1.7.3.3.
    613 The Two Travelers: Truth and Falsehood One puts out the other's eyes. The blind man overhears secrets under a tree (gallows) and recovers his sight. The wicked companion has his eyes put out or is killed. I. The Blinded Man. (a) Two travelers (brothers) dispute as to whether truth or… , 613 D1505.5., D2064.1., F1045., F933.2., H346., K451.1., M225., N2.3.3., N451.1., N471., N61., N92.
    751 The Greedy Peasant Woman Christ and Peter ask entertainment from a peasant woman [K1811]. Although the cake magically grows larger [D1652.1.2], she gives them but a morsel. She is punished [Q1.1]. , 751A, 751C* D153.1., D1652.1.2., K1811., K1811.1., Q292.1.
    513 The Extraordinary Companions Cf. Types 301B, 571. , 513A, 513B D1533.1.1., D2144.1.2., F601., F601.2., F621., F632., F641., F661.5.3., F681.1., H1127., H1142., H1511., H331., H331.5.1., L161., N825.2.
    954 The Forty Thieves The robbers come with seven casks into the house. In one cask is oil, in the others men are hidden. [K312]. The girl kills the robbers. , 676, 954 D1552.2., F721.4., K312., N455.3., N471., N478., N512.
    577 The Order of the King The three brothers; the oak in the king's castle yard. The king's daughter is promised to the one who is able to perform certain difficult tasks, usually to cut down a large tree. The three brothers set out, and the youngest is the only one who pays… , 577 D1581., D1601.14., D1601.15., D1601.18.2., H335., H971.1.
    451 The Nurse looking for her Brothers, The twelve brothers are changed into ravens. Cf. The Speechless Princess, Types 705, 710. I. The Brothers and their Sister. (a) Seven (twelve) brothers have a younger sister. (b) The parents have promised the death of the brothers if a daughter is… , 451  D161.1., D753.1., D758., K2116.1.1., P253.0.5., P253.2.
    780 The Singing Bone The brother kills his brother (sister) and buries him in the earth. From the bones a shepherd makes a flute which brings the secret to light. In different versions the murder is revealed in several different ways [N271]: (a) an instrument (harp,… , 780 D1610.34., E632., N271.
    313 The Magic Flight The Magic Flight. From the ogre's house. The fugitives throw magic objects behind them which become mountains, wood, or sea; or they change themselves into various animals or objects. , 313 D1611., D2003., D2006.1.1., D2006.1.4.1.4., D671., D672., H335.0.1.0.1.
    325 The Magician and his Apprentice, The father put to a test recognizes his son. The son as horse, ring, etc. rescues himself from the power of his master. I. Learning Magic. (a) A father gives his son to a magician to teach, (b) but must be able to recognize him in his animal form at… , 325, 325* D1711.0.1.0.1., H161., L142.2.2.
    960 The Sun Brings All to Light The murderer repeats as he sees the ray of the sun the last words of the dying man [D1715]. In this way the crime is brought to light [N271.1]. Or the murder is revealed by the unusual names of boys [N271.2]. Cf. Types 883C, 1376C*, 1530*. , 960, 960A D1715., N271.1., N271.3.
    708 The Miraculous Child Through the magic power of her evil stepmother, a princess gives birth to a monster and is banished. The monster aids her till everything turns out well. The monster is transformed into a prince. , 708 D1717.1., D741., S441.
    725 The Dream The boy refuses to tell his dream to his father, and even to the king. Various adventures. Conquers enemies, wins the princess. Thus the dream is fulfilled. The boy dreams that his parents shall serve him and that the king shall pour water on his… , 725 D1812.3.3., H551., L425., M312.0.1.
    737 Who Will be her Future Husband No examples in the Database yet 737 D1825.1.
    332 Godfather Death The man as doctor. Death at the feet of the sick man (the bed or the sick man turned around). I. Death as Godfather. (a) A poor man chooses death as godfather, (b) since he considers him juster than either God or the Devil. II. Death's Gifts. (a)… , 332 D1825.3.1.3.1., J486., K557.
    480 The Kind and the Unkind Girls The real daughter and the stepdaughter by the spring, or the rolling cake. Cf. Types 403, 510A. I. Kind and Unkind Girls. (a) A real daughter and a stepdaughter or two sisters or (c) other girls, one kind and one unkind, go from home, the kind girl… , 480 D1860., H934.3., H935., L211., N791., Q2., Q41., Q41.2., S31.

    Showing 401–450 of 890 · Page 9 of 18





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