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Stith Thompson Motif Index
About this index and how to read it
Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature classifies recurring narrative elements in folktales, myths, legends, ballads and related traditional narratives. Each entry below gives Thompson's motif reference and the description recorded in the index.
The index is large, so this browser displays 250 entries per page. You can search by motif reference or by words in the description, restrict the results to one of Thompson's main letter categories, and click motif references mentioned inside descriptions to follow cross-references. Individual motif pages also show any ATU tale types whose concordance explicitly cites that Thompson reference.
All
A
Mythological Motifs
B
Animal Motifs
C
Motifs of Tabu
D
Magic
E
The Dead
F
Marvels
G
Ogres
H
Tests
J
The Wise and the Foolish
K
Deceptions
L
Reversals of Fortune
M
Ordaining the Future
N
Chance and Fate
P
Society
Q
Rewards and Punishments
R
Captives and Fugitives
S
Unnatural Cruelty
T
Sex
U
The Nature of Life
V
Religion
W
Traits of Character
X
Humor
Z
Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs
| Thompson reference | Description ▲ |
|---|---|
| A761.1 | River taken to sky becomes star. Eridanos.—Fox 244. |
| A872 | River that flows around the world. Greek: *Grote I 220, 232, 310 (River Ocean); Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A951.1 | River valley licked out by giant beast. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A425 | River-god. Greek: Fox 256, *Frazer Pausanias II 527; Egyptian: Müller 45ff.; Russian: Rambaud La Russie épique 216f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Werner 336, Eberhard FFC CXX 135—141. |
| A659.3 | River's source where sky and earth meet. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 24. |
| A938 | Rivers and streams offspring of marriage of Ocean and his sister. Greek: Grote I 6. |
| A934.3 | Rivers burst forth to commemorate birth, death, battle, etc., of primitive hero. (Cf. A901, A920.1.4.)—Irish myth: Cross. |
| A934.2 | Rivers formed where certain stones are placed. Each of seven children are to go in a different direction, to walk a mile and put down a stone, then another mile and a stone, etc. Thus rivers are formed.—Ekoi: Talbot 366. |
| A934.1 | Rivers from digging of primeval ox. (Cf. A920.1.2.)—Kirghis: Holmberg Siberian 331. |
| A934.8 | Rivers from mythical well. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 330, 333. |
| A671.2.2.4 | Rivers of black water in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A671.2.2 | Rivers of blood in hell. Wimberly Folklore in Ballads 128. |
| A671.2.2.3 | Rivers of fire in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A671.2.2.1 | Rivers of poison in hell. Irish myth: Cross; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 319f.; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A934.5 | Rivers originate through saint's prayer during drought. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A934.4 | Rivers where god drags his staff. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A989.2 | Roads marked out by supernatural cows. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2218.5 | Robin steals fire, has breast scorched. England: Baughman. |
| A1414.7.2 | Rock as repository of fire. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 61. |
| A974 | Rocks from transformation of people to stone. Greek: Fox 175; Icel.: Boberg.—Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 175; Marshall Is.: Davenport 229; Tonga: Gifford 99, 130; Marquesas: Handy 106; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo: Boas RBAE VI 639; Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 97. |
| A972.5.5 | Rocks or hill-tops flat because persons (gods) slept or cooked on them. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A666.2 | Rodent gnaws away ladder to other world and thus ghosts remain on earth. S. Am. Indian (Brazil): Oberg Mato Grosso 109. |
| A857.3.1 | Roots created to hold land firm. Tahiti: Henry 342. |
| A2711.5 | Rowan helps Thor out of river. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 84. |
| A751.9.1 | Rows of palm trees (black spots) on the moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A671.3.2 | Rugged, icy mountains in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A992.2 | Sacred place where thunderbolt fell down. Blinkenberg The Thunderweapon (Cambridge 1911); Handwb. d. Abergl. II 325 "Donnerkeil". |
| A755.3.1 | Sacrifice made to free moon from sickness and allow waxing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A182.3.0.3.1 | Saint goes to heaven every Thursday (each day) and talks with angels. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A661.0.1.2 | Saint Peter as porter of heaven. *Types 800, 801, 804; *Köhler Aufsätze 48; *Fb. "Sankt Peder".—Irish: Beal XXI 329; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "Antoine" (St. Anthony); French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 25; U.S.A.: *Baughman. |
| A661.1.2 | Saint sees vision of three cities in heaven: a city of gold, a city of silver, a city of glass. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A182.3.0.3 | Saint speaks with God each Thursday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A63.8 | Satan attempts to create another world. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A63.5.1 | Satan seduces Adam to sin because he is jealous of him. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A106.2.2 | Satan's fall from heaven. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A671.2.9 | Scorpions in hell. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A671.2.13 | Scratching cats in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A165.6 | Scribe of the gods. Siberian, Babylonian, Egyptian: Holmberg Siberian 410; Armenian: Ananikian 30ff. |
| A111.3.2 | Sea creatures as ancestors of goddess. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/600). |
| A924.4 | Sea from earth excavation. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 973. |
| A1063.1 | Sea makes extraordinary noise and throws out fishes at end of world. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.6). |
| A671.2.4.1 | Sea of fire in hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A924.3 | Sea released from tree-top. Papua: Kerr 25. |
| A1063.2 | Sea water mixes with fresh water at end of the world. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.8). |
| A421 | Sea-god. Gaster Thespis 123; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 102 (Njord), 171 (Aegir); Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 210, *Grote I 3, 10, 173.—Society Is., Cook Group: Dixon 39; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 19, 61, 97; Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 360, Henry 122; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/441); Tonga: Gifford 87; Easter Is.: Métraux Ethnology 311. |
| A421.1 | Sea-goddess. Greek: *Grote I 173 (Thetis); Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 190 (Ran); Babylonian: Gilgamesch X line 1ff., cf. p. 136ff. (Jensen's edition); India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Anesaki 269; Chinese: Ferguson 72; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 492.—Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G 13/441). |
| A421.1.1 | Sea-queen and hand maidens entice lovers. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 13/441). |
| A1116.1 | Sea-waves are (manes of) sea-god's horses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A132.11 | Seal-god. Easter Is.: Métraux Ethnology 310. |
| A1153 | Seasons produced by marriage of North and South. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 288 n. 61. |
| A2615.4 | Seaweed becomes vegetation. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152. |
| A118 | Self-created deity. Tahiti: Henry 336f. |
| A661.0.7 | Self-illuminating precious stones in heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A591 | Semi-divine hero granted free access to men's wives. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A42.1 | Seraphim as creator's advisers. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A630 | Series of creations. The present universe is the last of a succession of creations.—Etruscan: Fox 289.—Navaho: Alexander N. Am. 159ff.; Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 91. |
| A651.2 | Series of lower worlds. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A651.1.8 | Series of upper worlds—miscellaneous. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A651.1 | Series of upper worlds. Japanese: Holmberg Siberian 344. |
| A1001 | Series of world catastrophes. **Olrik Ragnarök; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 336ff.; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3012, Legends No. 15.—Aztec: Alexander Lat. Am. 95. |
| A1019.2 | Serpent king causes flood by damming rivers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2262.3 | Serpent steals from God's coat a stick for his back. (Cf. A2356.1.1.)—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 19 No. 109. |
| A665.6 | Serpent supports sky. S. Am. Indian (Yuracare): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 503. |
| A844.12 | Serpent supports the earth. (Cf. A844.6.). Hindu: Keith 120, 155, Penzer VI 71 n. 1 (thousand-headed serpent); India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A671.2.1 | Serpents in hell. Wimberly Folklore in Ballads 424; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 319, 321, 332, Boberg; Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1057 | Seven days silence in whole universe at the end of the world. Jewish: Moreno Esdras (M307.10). |
| A501.1 | Seven demigods. Siberian and Indo-Iranian: Holmberg Siberian 402ff. |
| A651.1.4 | Seven heavens. A series of seven upper worlds.—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; Hindu: Penzer VII 246; Mohammedan: Hartland Science 224; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 400f.—Sumatra: Dixon 160. |
| A651.2.3 | Seven lower worlds. Hindu: Penzer IV 21 n. 1, VIII 162 n. 1. |
| A872.1 | Seven seas encircle the world. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1260.1.4 | Seven substances employed in composition of human body. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1715.3 | Seven whistlers are the souls of the Jews who crucified Christ. (Cf. F456.1.1.1.)—England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| A651.3.1 | Seven worlds above and below. An angel upholds the seven worlds on his shoulders. Under him in turn are: rock, bull, fish, vast sea, air, fire, and serpent. —*Chauvin VII 58 No. 77 n. 1. |
| A651.1.8.1 | Seventeen-storied heaven. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 405. |
| A2496 | Sexual intercourse of animals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1383.1 | Shame for nakedness appears to first woman. (Leaves for clothes). —Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Baluba): Einstein 19. |
| A2332.4 | Shape and position of animal's eyes. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 281. |
| A2371.2 | Shape of animal's legs. |
| A2300.1 | Shape of bee's body. Dh I 129. |
| A2761 | Shape of leaves of plant. |
| A2221.10 | Sheep helpful to the Lord: get wool. Irish: Beal V 271. |
| A2261.1 | Shepherd transformed to bird still calls sheep: explanation of bird cries. Usually told of hoopoe and bittern. (Cf. A1952, A1965.2, A2275.3, A2425, A2426.2.3, A2426.2.4.)—*Dh III 392—396; BP III 285 (Gr. No. 173).—Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 123 No. 83, 127. |
| A453 | Shepherd-god. Greek: Grote I 57; Babylonian: Spence 126ff. (Tammuz); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A676 | Ship of hell. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 340, 343. |
| A788.2 | Shooting star one that has come down to graze. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A788.4 | Shooting stars are star-dung. India: Thompson-Balys; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 624. |
| A788.5 | Shooting stars are unfaithful wives. Africa (Fang): Trilles 174. |
| A788.3 | Shooting stars spirits coming down to earth to make woman pregnant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1325 | Short span of life for first men. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 116, 411 s.v. "Alter." |
| A2211.5 | Shrew blows nose into snout. Sent after fire, he finds but a little which he tries to revive by hard blowing.—Fang: Nassau 234 No. 3. |
| A2233.1.3 | Shrew refuses to help make road: dies on road. (Cf. A2468.1.)—Dh III 323f.; cf. Type 55.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 15 No. 80; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3098, Legends Nos. 183—191. |
| A1075.1 | Signs before the birth of Antichrist. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1002.2 | Signs before the Day of Judgment. **Heist Fifteen Signs Before Doomsday (East Lansing, Michigan, 1952).—Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1433.2.1 | Silver coins from pumpkin received from fishes. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A162.7 | Single combat between gods. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 17, 206; Marquesas: Handy 109; Icel.: Boberg. |
| A671.0.5 | Size and arrangements of hell. Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 786. |
| A658 | Size and distances of the universe. |
| A2332.3 | Size of animals' eyes. |
| A120.2 | Size-changing god. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 127. |
| A652.4 | Sky as overshadowing tree. Shadowing the earth.—Egyptian: Müller 35. |
| A702.2 | Sky as solid vault (tent). Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 336; Hatt Asiatic Influences 63; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153.—African: Werner African 130.—Cf. Isaiah, ch 40. |
| A665.2.1.3 | Sky extended by means of pillars. Tahiti: Henry 342. |
| A665.5 | Sky held against earth by great octopus. Tahiti: Henry 338. |
| A702.9 | Sky immortal, changing skin like a snake. S. Am. Indian (Bacairi): Lévi-Strauss BBAE CXLIII (3) 348. |
| A702.8 | Sky is black because once raised by means of dirty stick. Tonga: Gifford 23. |
| A702.6 | Sky measured by bird. Chinese: Graham. |
| A669.2 | Sky of solid substance. S. Am. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 164. |
| A702.1 | Sky of water. The sky consists of water.—*Eisler Weltenmantel und Himmelszelt 204ff.—Egyptian: Müller 34f. |
| A2741.3 | Sky rests on top of trees: hence flat leaves. (Cf. A2761.3.) —Polynesian: Dixon 51 n. 55. |
| A702.3 | Sky supported by north star ("nail of the north") around which it revolves. (Cf. A665, A774.)—Gaster Thespis 170; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 335; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 386.—Finno-Ugric: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 221.—Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 337. |
| A210 | Sky-god. *Cook Zeus; *Cook Classical Review XVII 270, XVIII 365, FL XV 301, XVI 260; *Hommel "Der allgegenwärtige Himmelsgott" Archiv f. Religionsgeschichte XXIII 193; *Koch Der römische Juppiter (Frankfurt a. M. 1937). —Greek: Fox 152 (Zeus); Babylonian: Spence 76, 121ff.; Hindu: Keith 21, 24 (Dyaus, Varuna); India: Thompson-Balys; Icel.: De la Saussaye 243 (Tiu); Much Der germanische Himmelsgott, Finno-Ugric: *Holmberg Finno-Ugric 217ff.; Irish myth: Cross.—Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 583ff.; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 114, 294; Africa (Luba): Donohugh V 180. |
| A210.1 | Sky-goddess. Egyptian: Müller 37 (Hathor and others), 41 (Nut). —Tonga: Gifford 16. |
| A732.2.1 | Slave shoots arrow into leg of sun's horse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A102.8 | Sleepless god. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A136.1.2.1 | Sleipnir: eight-legged horse of Odin. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 43. |
| A2233.1.4 | Sloth refuses to help make road: may not look upon sun. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A137.8 | Small-pox deity rides nude on an ass with the half of a winnowing fan for an umbrella and with a swing in one hand and a broom in the other. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A677.1 | Smith of hell. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A142 | Smith of the gods. Greek: Fox 206; Gaster Thespis 154ff.; *Krappe Archiv f. d. Studium d. neueren Sprachen CLVIII—CLXI passim.; Norse: Herrmann Nordische Mythologie 115ff.; Lithuanian: Gray 330; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2817.1 | Smith outwits devil, is admitted to neither heaven nor hell. The devil gives him a light to find his way back in the dark; he is known as the will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern. England, Ireland, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| A139.8.3 | Smoldering fire of volcano as head of goddess. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 188. |
| A2247.2 | Snake and turtle exchange head for fangs. Explains snake's fangs and snake-like head of turtle. (Cf. A2320.2, A 2345.5.)—Australian: Dixon 291. |
| A930.1.1 | Snake as creator of rivers and lakes. Papua: Kerr 57; Mono-Alu: Wheeler 67. |
| A13.4.1 | Snake as creator. Mono-Alu, Fauru, Buin: Wheeler 67. |
| A878.3.1 | Snake at roots of earth-tree. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 319, 332; Boberg; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 357. |
| A2236.2.1 | Snake carries devil into paradise: loses feet. (Cf. A2371.3.1.)—Dh I 207—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2145.3 | Snake created to suck poison from earth. Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 149 No. 60; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A2145.1 | Snake from blood of slain monster. Medusa. (Cf. A1724, A2001.) —Greek: Fox 34. |
| A2145.4 | Snake from devil's slaver. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 148 No. 59. |
| A2145.2 | Snake preserved in ark: to stop hole with tail. Dh I 277.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 19 No. 107, XXXIII 54 No. 107; Esthonian: Aarne FFC XXV 149. No. 61; Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 192ff. |
| A2233.1.2 | Snake refuses to help make road: dies on road. (Cf. A2441.4.1.)—Type 55.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 19 No. 108. |
| A2435.6.2.1 | Snake sucks milk from woman's breast. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A132.1 | Snake-god. Smith Dragon 85.—Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman; Hindu: Penzer X 240 s.v. "Nagas"; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 139.—Fiji: Beckwith Myth 138, 316. |
| A1942.1 | Snipe from man admitted neither to heaven nor to hell. Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 18 No. 99. Cf. Type 330A and 330B. |
| A2261.6 | Snipe messenger for warriors because he was a messenger when a man. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z—G 13/10). |
| A1135.2.1 | Snow from feathers or clothes of a witch (Frau Holle). —*Hoffmann-Krayer Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 119 n. 5; *Fb "sne" III 427b. |
| A963.3 | Soil dropped to form mountains. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 59. |
| A2275.6 | Son accidentally kills father, who returns to life as cuckoo and tells people when to sow grain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1277.3 | Son of first human couple murdered by tiger sent by god; his head becomes the sun, his chest the moon, and his blood gives the red earth its color. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A736.5.1 | Son of sun so hot no one can hold it. S. Am. Indian (Caviсa, Tumupasa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 448. |
| A225 | Son of the sun. Irish myth: Cross.—Central Brazil: Ehrenreich International Congress of Americanists XIV 661; Navaho: Matthews MAFLS V 104ff. |
| A661.0.5.1 | Soul-bridge: easy for righteous to cross, more difficult for others. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A45 | Souls of pious as Creator's advisers. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2426.3 | Sounds of insects. |
| A1127.1.2 | South wind causes heat and hurricanes. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2271.2 | Sparrow taught to sing by lark but not sufficiently: where sparrow got voice. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 266. |
| A2431.3.7 | Sparrow's nest. |
| A769.4 | Speaking stars. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A527 | Special powers of culture hero. |
| A2426.3.6 | Speech of fireflies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A13.3.1 | Spider as creator. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A522.3.1 | Spider as culture hero. Dakota: Dorsey JAFL II 134.—African: Werner African 213. |
| A2211.6 | Spider carries large stone on head and drops it: hence spiders under stones. (Cf. A2433.5.3.)—Gold coast: Barker and Sinclair 84 No. 13. |
| A2243.1 | Spider hands box to ant and refuses to take it back: hence ants carry huge loads. Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 66 No. 9. |
| A2231.6 | Spider steals thread from Christ: has thread in back of body. (Cf. A2356.2.8.)—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 22 No. 123; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 149 No. 65. |
| A2261.2 | Spider transformed for greediness: now occupies dark corners. (Cf. A2433.5.3.)—Gold Coast: Barker and Sinclair 69 No. 10. |
| A2231.5 | Spider vies with Virgin Mary in spinning: cursed. Dh II 253. |
| A2301.2 | Spider's body made larger. Sinkyone: Kroeber JAFL XXXII 347. |
| A1015.2 | Spirit causes deluge. Jegerlehner Oberwallis 299 No. 10.—S. Am. Indian (Eastern Brazil): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (1) 434, (Guaporé River): Lévi-Strauss ibid. (3) 379. |
| A199.1 | Spirit of deity animates earthen jar when it is placed beneath banyan tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A482.1.1 | Spirit of ill-luck a son of a god. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A104.4 | Spirits become gods. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 45. |
| A620 | Spontaneous creation of universe. Greek: *Grote I 4.—Maori: Dixon 6ff.; Marquesas Is.: ibid. 10 n. 13; Tahiti: Henry 343. |
| A620.1 | Spontaneous creation—evolutionary type. From primeval chaos gradually arise worlds and life.—Norse: MacCulloch Eddic 327ff.; Greek: Fox 3f.; Hawaiian: Dixon 15 n. 25, 26, Beckwith Myth 3; Maori: ibid. 6, 7, nn. 2, 3, 4, 5; Marquesas Is.: ibid. 11 n. 14. |
| A620.2 | Spontaneous encroachment of heavens and earth checked by creator. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1234.3 | Spontaneous generation. Scientists find child on deserted island. They suggest that he has emerged from the ground. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| A2412.1.2 | Spots on leopard. Liberian: Bundy JAFL XXXII 411f. |
| A751.6.1 | Spots on moon a banyan tree planted there by creator to diminish its light. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| A941.4.2.1 | Spring breaks forth at need of demigod's warriors. Icel.: Herrmann Saxo II 216, MacCulloch Eddic 134, Boberg. |
| A941.4.2 | Spring breaks forth at primitive hero's need. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.5.3 | Spring breaks forth through power of saint at place where leper pulls out clump of rushes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.5 | Spring breaks forth through power of saint. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A941.4 | Spring breaks forth to commemorate experiences of hero (deity). (Cf. A901, A913.1, A920.1.4.) |
| A941.4.1 | Spring breaks forth to commemorate place of death or burial. Irish myth: Cross; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 188. |
| A941.5.4 | Spring breaks forth where animal delivers book left behind by saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.1.2 | Spring breaks forth where fairy horse lies down. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.3.1 | Spring breaks forth where magic spear strikes ground. (Cf. A941.5.1.). Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.5.1 | Spring breaks forth where saint smites rock. (Cf. A941.3.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.5.5 | Spring breaks forth where saint's stolen cow is found. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.7.1 | Spring from beneath world-tree. Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 330-333; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A941.5.8 | Spring from innocent king's blood. Icel.: Boberg. |
| A941.7.2 | Spring from roots of sacred tree when arrow is shot into it. Fiji: Beckwith Myth 317. |
| A941.3 | Spring from striking earth with sword. Sébillot France II 181ff.; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 114 No. 69. |
| A941.1.1 | Spring from urine of horse. (Cf. A920.1.6., A933.)—Irish myth: Cross. |
| A941.3.2 | Spring where god throws his staff or spear. Oceanic: Beckwith Myth 64ff. |
| A941.7 | Springs from beneath magic (holy) object. |
| A941.1 | Springs originate from horse's hoof-prints. (Cf. A901.)—Malten Jahrb. d. kaiserlichen deutschen archäologischen Inst. XXIX 185.—Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 134, 328, Herrmann Saxo II 216; Greek: Fox 40, 213; Hungarian: Ipolyi Zs. f. deutsche Mythologie u. Sittenkunde II 273; German: Hdwb. d. deutschen Aberglaubens s.v. "Brunnen"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A941.2 | Springs originate from tears. (Cf. A901, A911.)—Greek: Fox 41; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A137.6 | Squatting god. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2241.7 | Squirrel borrows coney's tail. When coney's tail is not returned, he goes in shame to live among rocks. (Cf. A2378.1.5, A2433.3.5.)—Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 357 No. 10. |
| A2281.2 | Squirrel steals dog's needle: enmity between them. (Cf. A2494.4.1.) —Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 11 No. 52. |
| A2302.3 | Squirrel's body made smaller. (See A2213.1.)—Dh III 2. |
| A2426.1.2.1 | Squirrel's call: asks whether viper (who ate up his children) is his friend. Bulu: Krug 106. |
| A2221.8 | Squirrel's markings and immunity from falling as reward by deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A287.2 | St. Peter as ruler for the air and rain. Often misunderstands the orders of God.—Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 31. |
| A2623 | St. Peter's grass. Created by the saint as medicine for snakebite. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 301. |
| A2211.13 | Stag defeated by snail vomits his gall-bladder. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A132.4 | Stag-god. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2241.1 | Stag's horns borrowed from dog. (Cf. A2326.1.1.)—Dh. III 131. |
| A762 | Star descends as human being. Persian: Carnoy 269; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 56. |
| A760.2 | Star from union of girl with peacock. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A255 | Star-deity and drought-demon fight. Persian: Carnoy 268. |
| A250 | Star-god. Gressmann Die hellenistische Gestirnreligion (Leipzig 1925). —Chinese: Werner 106; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A762.1 | Star-husband. Star takes mortal maiden as wife.—**Thompson "The Star-husband Tale," Studia Septentrionalia IV (Oslo 1953) 93-163; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 330 n. 193, Alexander N. Am. 94, Hatt Asiatic Influences. Cf. Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 538f. |
| A761.5 | Stars are men peering through holes in sky. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 30. |
| A764.4 | Stars are transformed spittle of the moon. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A769.1 | Stars are trees growing on the clouds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A764.1.3 | Stars as children of sun and moon. Africa (Fang): Trilles 171, 174. |
| A764.1.1 | Stars as children of sun eaten by their father. Hence no stars in the day.—Frazer Ovid III 205; Hatt Asiatic Influences 74f.—India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Fang): Trilles 172. |
| A764.1 | Stars as children of the moon. Cook Zeus I 523 n. 6.—Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Kruyt Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land-, en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië LXXIX 470; Philippines: Beckwith Myth 537; S. Am. Indian (Amyara): Tschopik BBAE CXLIII (2) 571. |
| A121 | Stars as deities. H. Gressmann Die hellenistische Gestirn-religion (Leipzig 1925); Gaster Thespis 228f.—Zuсi: Alexander N. Am. 187. |
| A764.2 | Stars as drops of the moon's blood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A761.4 | Stars as fires in the hearths of ghosts. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A764 | Stars as pieces of the moon. *BP I 232; Köhler-Bolte I 484, 505; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A761.3 | Stars as transformed lovers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A760.1 | Stars created by creator. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1051.1 | Stars fall down at end of world. *Olrik Ragnarök 482 s. v. "Sterne"; Irish myth: Cross. |
| A763.1 | Stars from arrows shot at sky. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A763 | Stars from objects thrown into sky. Germanic: Herrmann Nordische Mythologie 365, 440; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 328; India: Thompson-Balys; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 431.—African: Frobenius Atlantis I 85.—Fox: Jones PAES I 73. |
| A763.2 | Stars hung by god in heavens to decorate it. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A769.2 | Stars rebel against God. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A767 | Stars sing together. Hebrew: Job 38:7; Jewish: Neuman; Pawnee: Alexander N. Am. 110. |
| A769.3 | Stars supervised by angels. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A761.6 | Stars thought of as living beings. S. Am. Indian (Warrau): Kirchoff BBAE CXLIII (3) 879. |
| A857 | Steadying the earth. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| A2215.1 | Stick (leaf) thrown at animal's rump: hence tails. (Cf. A2378.3.3.) —Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 14 No. 77 (wolf).—Banks Is.: Dixon 144 (rat). |
| A721.3 | Stolen sun restored to sky. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 83; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A977.5.3 | Stone column is membrum virile of ancient hero. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A816.1 | Stone emerges from primeval water. Devil sits on the stone, which becomes a mountain.—*Dh I 6. |
| A979.1 | Stone rent at time of crucifixion. England: Baughman. |
| A1.3 | Stone-woman as creator.—Paressi: Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 359. |
| A281 | Storm-god. See also A282.—Babylonian: Spence 95ff., 188; Assyrian: ibid. 218ff.; Persian: Carnoy 264; Japanese: Anesaki 225; Irish myth: Cross. |
| A281.1 | Storm-goddess. Hindu: Penzer I 272.—Eskimo: Boas RBAE VI 600. |
| A941.7.3 | Stream from under holy of holies in temple. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A425.1.1 | Stream is wife of deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A878.1 | Stream of paradise from roots of world-tree. Holmberg Baum 70ff.; Icel.: MacCulloch Eddic 320f., 334. |
| A934.9 | Stream unexpectedly bursts from side of mountain. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A2413.5 | Stripes of alligator. Dh III 58.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2413.2 | Stripes of chipmunk. (See A2217.2.)—Dh III 57. |
| A2413.6 | Stripes of cony. Dh III 58. |
| A2413.3 | Stripes of squirrel. Dh III 56.—India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| A2413.4 | Stripes of tiger. Dh III 58.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| A2413.1 | Stripes of zebra. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 369 No. 19. |
| A2413.7 | Stripes on trout. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawks GSCan XIV 155. |
| A672 | Stygian river. River in lower world. In Greek myth five such rivers in Hades, Styx (hate), Acheron (mourning), Kokytus (lamentation), Lethe (forgetfulness) and Pyrephlegethon (flame).—Gaster Oldest Stories 50; Greek: Fox 143; Norse: De la Saussaye 350, MacCulloch Eddic 330, Boberg.—Chibcha: Alexander Lat. Am. 198; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1019.1 | Subsidence of earth beneath flood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A632 | Succession of creations and cataclysms. From the ruins of each earlier creation a new one is raised.—Jewish: Neuman.—Inca: Alexander Lat. Am. 240; Hawaiian: Dixon 15 n. 24. |
| A738.1.2 | Sun a fat woman walking across sky. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 19. |
| A736.3.3 | Sun and his brother rise and set alternately. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A19.1 | Sun and moon (man and wife) as creators. So. Am. Indian: (Cashibo) Steward-Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 594. |
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