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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| E722.2.2 | Soul borne away on wind. Chinese: Werner 314. |
| E752.6 | Soul bound for hell given sight of heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E750.0.1 | Soul cannot enter heaven till body is buried. (Cf. E235.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E722.3.1 | Soul cannot go far from grave. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E752.2 | Soul carried off by demon (Devil). Frazer Golden Bough III 60; *Fb "djævel" IV 99b.—Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 464. |
| E727.1.1 | Soul curses body. (Cf. M400.) Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E726 | Soul enters body and animates it. *Chauvin V 287 No. 171; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 266; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 149—179. |
| E714.13 | Soul fastened to spine. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E705 | Soul forgets everything at birth. Jewish: Neuman. Cf. Wordsworth "Ode on Intimations of Immortality". |
| E713 | Soul hidden in a series of coverings. This motif is combined with several others. Usually the soul will be hidden in an egg, in a duck, in a well, in a church, or a similar series. *BP III 439; MacCulloch Childhood 134; Penzer I 131; Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E713.1 | Soul hidden in apple (ball) in a salmon which appears every seven years in certain fountain. (Cf. D1651.10.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E712.4 | Soul hidden in box. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E712.6 | Soul hidden in fish basket. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E712.5 | Soul hidden in pillar. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E712.2 | Soul hidden in safe. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E712.1 | Soul hidden in tree. *BP III 440; India: *Thompson-Balys, *Penzer V 127 n. 1. |
| E712.3 | Soul hidden in urn. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E712.7 | Soul hidden in water bottle. Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G 13/174). |
| E722.2.8.2 | Soul hovers over body, reluctant to part. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E730 | Soul in animal form. (Cf. E721.1.2.4, E722.1.4, E734.2.) Bugiel RTP XVII 602; Tobler 19; England: Baughman; Icelandic: *MacCulloch Eddic 233; Montenegrin: Máchal 228; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 266f., 496. |
| E711.13 | Soul in arrow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.14 | Soul in axe. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2.6 | Soul in bamboo. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.15 | Soul in bird cage. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2.1 | Soul in calabash (gourd). Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 55 No. 24; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 572 No. 116. |
| E711.2.3 | Soul in chilly plant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2.5 | Soul in coconut. India: Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 148. |
| E715.1.4 | Soul in crane. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.12 | Soul in dice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.1 | Soul in egg. *Type 302; *BP III 439; Krappe in Penzer Ocean of Story VIII 107; *Fb "hjærte" I 631a, "liv" II 438b, "æg" III 1141b.—Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oeuf"; Missouri French: Carrière; Scotch: Campbell Tales I 1ff.; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 355, 217 No. 73; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2.2 | Soul in flower. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E738 | Soul in form of a mythical animal. |
| E736 | Soul in form of amphibian. |
| E731.7 | Soul in form of bat. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 1591; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7. |
| E731.8 | Soul in form of bear. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E734.2 | Soul in form of bee. Type 808**; Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 468; Tobler 37; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| E734.6 | Soul in form of beetle. Hdwb. d. Abergl. IV 906. |
| E732 | Soul in form of bird. (Cf. G251.1.1.) **Weicker Der Seelenvogel in der alten Literatur und Kunst; *Dh III 482; *Fb "fugl" I 380b, "sjæl" III 214a; *Patch PMLA XXXIII 626 n. 88; De Gubernatis Die Thiere in der indogermanischen Mythologie (Leipzig, 1874) 469ff.; Meyer Germanische 64; *Krappe Balor 95ff., Romanic Review XV 94ff.; *Penzer VI 283; *BP II 394 (Type 707); Tobler 30f.; Wimberly 44; Kruyt 175f.; J. E. Harrison Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion 199ff.; Irish myth: *Cross, Beal XXI 322, O'Suilleabhain 99; Icelandic: *Boberg; Slavic: Máchal 229f.; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 398, 473; Egyptian: Müller 174; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda; Marquesas: Handy 36; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 266f., 363; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 60 No. 9. |
| E731.13 | Soul in form of bull. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E734.1 | Soul in form of butterfly. Tobler 37; Meyer Germanische 63; Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 1627f.; Güntert Kalypso 215ff.; Frazer Golden Bough I 259.—Irish: Beal XXI 307, O'Suilleabhain 24; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "âme", "papillon"; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Jewish: Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473; Japanese: Anesaki 337; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 266; Hawaii: Dixon 76, Beckwith Myth 148. |
| E731.2 | Soul in form of cat. Tobler 42, 47, 56. |
| E734.5 | Soul in form of cricket. Meyer Germanische 63. |
| E732.2 | Soul in form of crow. (Cf. B141.4.) Tobler 31; Fb "krage" II 285b. |
| E731.14 | Soul in form of deer. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E731.1 | Soul in form of dog. Tobler 49, 54, 68; Icelandic: Boberg; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 213. |
| E732.1 | Soul in form of dove. (Cf. E423.3.1.) Type 756B; Andrejev FFC LXIX 154; Tobler 28f.; *Crane Miraculis 93 No. 27; Alphabet Nos. 204, 269; Meyer Germanische 63; *Loomis White Magic 66; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 317, 320, 332, O'Suilleabhain 45, 99, 53; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 320 No. 35, 323 No. 133; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E738.1 | Soul in form of dragon. (Cf. B11.) Tobler 81; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E732.6 | Soul in form of eagle. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E735 | Soul in form of fish. Dh. III 482. |
| E734.7 | Soul in form of fly. Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 201. |
| E731.10 | Soul in form of fox. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E736.1 | Soul in form of frog. Tobler 26, 75. |
| E734.8 | Soul in form of grasshopper. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E731.5 | Soul in form of hare. Tobler 20. |
| E732.9 | Soul in form of hawk, or falcon seen in dream. (Cf. E720.1.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E741 | Soul in form of heavenly body. |
| E732.3 | Soul in form of hen. Tobler 36; Fb "sjæl" III 214a. |
| E731.12 | Soul in form of hog. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E734 | Soul in form of insect. *Krappe Balor 95 n. 8. |
| E731.11 | Soul in form of lion. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E732.4 | Soul in form of magpie. Tobler 34. |
| E731 | Soul in form of mammal. |
| E731.3 | Soul in form of mouse. Tobler 13ff.; *Fb "heks" I 581a, "høle" I 747a, "mus" II 631b; Sébillot RTP XX 189, 489; J. Grimm Kleinere Schriften VI 192ff.; Germanic: De la Saussaye 296, E. H. Meyer Germanische 64; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 7f.; Indonesia: Kruyt 176f. |
| E732.8 | Soul in form of raven. Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn II (1893) 127—31, (1928) 91—95; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E733 | Soul in form of reptile. |
| E732.5 | Soul in form of seagull. Tobler 34; Fb "mеge" II 655b. |
| E731.6 | Soul in form of seal. *Fb "sælhund"; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 56, 172. |
| E733.1 | Soul in form of serpent. Tobler 22ff., 74; Fb "lindorm" II 433b; Meyer Germanische (1891) 63f.; Lévy-Bruhl L'âme primitive 369ff.; Kruyt 177ff.; Schreuer Zs. f. vgl. Rechtsgeschichte XXXIII (1916) 406f.—Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 217, Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda; Oceanic: Dixon 119; Africa: Werner African 193. |
| E734.3 | Soul in form of spider.1 Tobler 38. |
| E741.1 | Soul in form of star. (Cf. V515.1.2.) |
| E732.7 | Soul in form of swan. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E736.2 | Soul in form of toad. Tobler 25, 29; Meyer Germanische (1891) 64. |
| E734.4 | Soul in form of wasp. Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473. |
| E731.4 | Soul in form of weasel. Tobler 19; Herbert Catalogue of Romances III 209; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 172; *E. H. Meyer Germanische 64. |
| E731.9 | Soul in form of wolf. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E711.8 | Soul in golden apple. (Cf. F813.1.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E711.9 | Soul in golden ball. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E714.12 | Soul in hair. Greek: *Grote I 203. |
| E714.3 | Soul in head. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 83. |
| E752.1 | Soul in jeopardy after leaving body. Fb "sjæl" III 214b. |
| E711.3 | Soul in jewel. BP III 439.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.4 | Soul in necklace. BP III 439.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2 | Soul in plant. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.2.4 | Soul in pomegranate. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E755.3.1 | Soul in purgatory sends letter bidding his son reward one who has prayed him from purgatory. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *769. |
| E715.1.6 | Soul in raven. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 56. |
| E711.5 | Soul in sack. Fb "pose" II 864. |
| E711.11 | Soul in snow. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E715.1.5 | Soul in starling. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.7 | Soul in stone. (Cf. E761.5.5.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E711.10 | Soul in sword. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E711.1.1 | Soul in three separate eggs. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| E721 | Soul journeys from the body. *Frazer Golden Bough III 36ff.; Penzer I 37 n. 1.—*Celtic: H. Hartmann Ueber Krankheit, Tod und Jenseitsvorstellungen in Irland (Erster Teil: Krankheit und Fairyentrückung) (Halle, 1942); Irish myth: *Cross; Norwegian: Solheim Register 16; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 289—295, 305—311; Slavic: Máchal 227; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 267; Japanese: Ikeda; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 171, 178, (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 326; N. A. Indian: Hultkrantz 241—291. |
| E711 | Soul kept in object. (Cf. E765.) *Penzer I 129ff, VIII 107; Indonesian: Dixon 237 n. 50; India: Thompson-Balys; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E722.1.3 | Soul leaves body as small point of light. England: Baughman. |
| E722 | Soul leaves body at death. India: Thompson-Balys; Irish myth: Cross. |
| E722.2.12 | Soul leaves body because of God's kiss on mouth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E722.2.11 | Soul leaves body through eye. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 144. |
| E721.8 | Soul leaves body to converse with dead. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E721.7 | Soul leaves body to visit hell (heaven). (Cf. V511.1, V511.2.) Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E725.1 | Soul leaves man's body and enters animal's. *Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 208; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E725 | Soul leaves one body and enters another. *L. Bloomfield Proc. Am. Philosophical Soc. LVI 1; Penzer I 38; Hartland Science 227; Slavic: Máchal 228; India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: *Hultkrantz 438—440. |
| E720 | Soul leaves or enters the body. |
| E750.4 | Soul leaves possessions on road to final resting place. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E722.1.4 | Soul leaves the body in form of bird. (Cf. E732.) England: Baughman; Korean: Zong in-Sob 30. |
| E722.2.8.1 | Soul lingers in body at death. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts, Balys Index No. 3503. |
| E701.5 | Soul of corn. Cheremis: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 241. |
| E755.4.2 | Soul of dead in a temple. Chinese: Werner 314. |
| E721.9 | Soul of embryo wanders. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E701.4 | Soul of fire. Cheremis: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 236. |
| E756.4.1 | Soul of gambler won by saint in dice game. Dice miraculously split to make higher score for saint.—Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E754.4 | Soul of hermit who fasts to death for worldly fame would be damned but for past good deeds. Nouvelles de Sens No. 20. |
| E701 | Soul of object. Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 13; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 464. |
| E721.1.2.3 | Soul of sleeper prevented from returning by burning the body. India: Thompson-Balys, *Penzer I 39 n. 2. |
| E721.1.2.2 | Soul of sleeper prevented from returning by moving the sleeper's body. (Cf E431.7.2.1.) Frazer Golden Bough III 41; Irish myth: Cross. |
| E721.1.2.4 | Soul of sleeper prevented from returning to his body when soul as bee leaves body and enters hole in wall beside which he is sleeping. (Cf. E734.2.) England: Baughman. |
| E721.1.2 | Soul of sleeper prevented from returning to his body. Frazer Golden Bough III 38; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 320. |
| E721.1.2.1 | Soul of sleeper prevented from returning when it is captured in animal form. Frazer Golden Bough III 38. |
| E701.1 | Soul of the earth. Cheremis: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 240. |
| E701.3 | Soul of tree. Feilberg Am Urquell V 88ff., 119ff. |
| E726.2 | Soul of unborn son comes out of mother's mouth (in form of stone), is kept by her, and later is given to son. (Cf. E711.7.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E701.2 | Soul of water. Cheremis: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 214. |
| E726.1 | Soul received at birth. Jewish: Neuman; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 472. |
| E722.2.8 | Soul reluctant to leave body. |
| E722.3.1.1 | Soul remains about dead body. Chinese: Graham. |
| E726.3 | Soul reunited with body. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen II 89. |
| E759.1 | Soul strives to be heard by the living. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E708 | Soul sustained on pleasant odors. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E722.2.10 | Soul taken away by God (angel). Jewish: Neuman. |
| E721.10 | Soul takes voyage. Cook Islands: Beckwith Myth 157. |
| E722.3.3 | Soul visits places of birth, death, baptism, and burial after leaving body. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E419.1 | Soul wanders and demands that a temple be built for him. Chinese: Werner 314. |
| E721.1 | Soul wanders from body in sleep. Dreams explained as experiences of the soul on these wanderings. *Frazer Golden Bough III 36ff.; Fb "sjæl" III 213a; Tobler 22, 37, 67; Herbert III 209; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 172.—English: Guy of Warwick (EETS extra ser. XXV) lines 9358ff.; Icelandic: Boberg; Irish: Plummer clxxii, *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3520; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 93; Siberian: Holmberg Siberian 473f.; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 144, 173f.; Cook Islands: Clark 81; Marquesas: Handy 81; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 56, 363; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 62; Africa (Fang): Trilles 133. |
| E722.3.2 | Soul wanders till corpse decays. Fb "lig" II 413a; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 3f.; Jewish: *Neuman; Marshall Islands: Davenport 222; Chinese: Graham. |
| E722.2.7 | Soul weeps when departing from body. (Cf. E551.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3504. |
| E756.2 | Soul won from devil in card game. Fb "spille" III 487b; Irish: Beal XXI 329, O'Suilleabhain 90; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 52 No. 345. |
| E745.5.1 | Souls as golden apples. Later turn into birds and fly away. Hdwb. d. Märch. I 91b s.v. "Apfel". |
| E751 | Souls at Judgment Day. Irish: *Cross; O'Suilleabhain 62, 78, Beal XXI 324, 327; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E751.2 | Souls await Judgment Day in shapes of birds. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E754.2.2 | Souls carried to heaven by angels. (Cf V232.2.) Hdwb. d. Märch. s.v. "Engel"; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E754.2.1 | Souls carried to heaven by doves. Tobler 31; *Fb "himmerige" I 610b. |
| E754.5 | Souls carried to heaven in chariot of light. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E754.6 | Souls climb pillars of smoke and light on way to heaven. (Cf. E722.2.1.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E755.2.2 | Souls in chains in hell. (Cf. A671.2.4.7, Q566.1.) Chinese: Werner |
| E755.1 | Souls in heaven. (Cf. A661.) K. Kohler Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion (New York, 1923); Irish myth: Cross. |
| E755.2 | Souls in hell (Hades). A. Graf Miti, leggende et superstizioni del medio evo I 241ff.; K. Kohler Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion (New York, 1923); Fb "helvede" I 589; Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 122, 281, 406; Alphabet No. 43; Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 320, O'Suilleabhain 53; *Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E755.2.1.1 | Souls in hell wrenched from bodies with hot pitchforks by devils. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| E755.3 | Souls in purgatory. **Landau Hölle und Fegefeuer in Volksglaube, Dichtung und Kirchenlehre (Heidelberg, 1909); Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 464, 467, 469, Crane Liber de Miraculis 86 No. 10; Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Fegefeuer"; Ward Catalogue of Romances II 440ff.; Herbert ibid. III 330; Alphabet Nos. 504, 661.—Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 330—333, O'Suilleabhain 95, 100, 102f. |
| E755.2.0.1 | Souls leave hell on Sundays. (Cf. Q560.0.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E730.1 | Souls of animals. Slavic: Máchal 227; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E742.3 | Souls of dead as Aurora Borealis. Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 81; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 284ff. |
| E752.1.3 | Souls of dead captured on leaving corpse. Africa (Fang): Einstein 70ff., Trilles Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise de Géographie XVI 190ff. |
| E752.8 | Souls of dead eaten by sky-spirits. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E755.4.1 | Souls of dead imprisoned in tree. Icelandic: De la Saussaye 298; Irish: Beal XXI 332. |
| E755.0.3 | Souls of dead presented to Adam. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E755.2.1 | Souls of drowned in heated kettles in hell. *Type 475; BP II 423, III 487; Köhler-Bolte I 69; Fb "potte" II 867a. |
| E720.1 | Souls of human beings seen in dream. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E751.3 | Souls of Irish to be judged by St. Patrick on Judgment Day. (Cf. Q173.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.7 | Souls of pious as angels. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E751.5 | Souls of sinners to spend seven years under waters of the sea before Doomsday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E754.2.0.1 | Souls of warriors go to Valhalla. *Hdwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 239. |
| E752.9 | Souls of wicked eaten by deity. Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 312. |
| E755.1.3 | Souls on way to heaven pass through Garden of Eden. Jewish: Neuman. |
| E750.1 | Souls wander after death. *v. Negelein Zs. f. Vksk. XI 16ff., 149ff., 263ff.; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Anesaki 237ff. |
| E751.1 | Souls weighed at Judgment Day. (Cf. Q155.1.) Fb "veje" III 1025b; Irish myth: Cross. |
| E402.3 | Sound made by ghostly object. (Cf. E530.) U.S.: Baughman. |
| E402.4 | Sound of ethereal music. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E501.17.5.8 | Sound of wild hunt avoided by sticking fingers in ears. Fb "øre" III 1181a. |
| E402.2 | Sounds made by invisible ghosts of animals. (Cf. E520.) |
| E337.1.2 | Sounds of accident re-enact tragedy. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E337.1.4 | Sounds of driving cattle: horse's hoofs, whip-popping, calling to cattle, rattle of spurs: ghost of slain cowboy. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E337.1 | Sounds of re-enacted actions. (Cf. E402.) |
| E337.1.3 | Sounds of revelry heard. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E481.0.1 | Spain as land of the dead. (Cf. F130.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E631.0.4 | Speaking and bleeding trees. Reincarnated persons. *Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 456 n. 106; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 200 s.v. "Baum"; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 299 No. 8; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Ferguson 177. |
| E632.1 | Speaking bones of murdered person reveal murder. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Ibo [Nigeria]): Thomas 58, 67, (Fang): Tessman 124ff. |
| E261.1.2 | Speaking skull tells about previous life, reveals future events, etc. Krappe Moyen Age XXVII (1926); India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E538.1 | Spectral coffin. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E421 | Spectral ghosts. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "fantфme"; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 684; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 239. |
| E585.2 | Spectre rides to castle every seven years. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E218 | Spells to recall dead lover. Boiling dead man's head, bones, or carcass in a pot, or burning a piece of lover's clothing or cat in a hot oven. English: Child V 61. |
| E587.4 | Spirits are always in the air. England: Baughman. |
| E64.1.1 | Staff of life and death. Black staff kills; brown one restores to life. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 266 No. 40. |
| E741.1.1.2 | Star as sign of birth of hero. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E434.5 | Steel as protection against revenants. Fb "stеl" III 647a. |
| E787 | Stomach borrowed by animal. Later returned. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 167. |
| E545.20.1 | Strand of hair from drowned woman speaks. U.S.: Baughman. |
| E181.2 | Student revives whole family following instructions given by demon. Chinese: Graham. |
| E782.3.1 | Substituted arm. Injured arm replaced by another. (Cf. A128.4.1.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E781.1 | Substituted eyes. Lost eyes are replaced by those of another person or animal. (Cf. F512.1.4.) *Type 660; BP II 552; Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 299 n. 94. |
| E782.1.1 | Substituted hand. Man exchanges his hand for that of another. *Type 660; BP II 552. |
| E782.4.1 | Substituted leg. Injured leg replaced by another. Alphabet No. 219. |
| E782.0.1 | Substituted limbs. Man borrows various limbs and successfully uses them. Africa (Yoruba): Ellis 267 No. 4. |
| E782.2 | Substituted ribs (chariot ribs). Irish myth: Cross. |
| E785.1 | Substituted skin. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E782.5 | Substituted tongue. Haiti: Parsons MAFLS XVII (1) 59—62. |
| E431.16.3 | Suicide buried at crossroads. (Cf. E434.4.) England: Baughman. |
| E431.16.1 | Suicide buried head (or face) downward. (If corpse moves it. only goes deeper into ground.) England: *Baughman. |
| E431.16.2 | Suicide buried with stake through heart (body). (Cf. E442.) England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E411.1.1 | Suicide cannot rest in grave. (Cf. E334.7, E431.16.) Fb "lys" II 481b, "selvmord" III 183b; Hartland Science 238; Tobler 22.—Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 No. 35, 7 No. 53; Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E411.1.1.1 | Suicides must walk the earth until time for their natural death. England: *Baughman. |
| E389.2 | Summoned ghost audible and visible only to person who has summoned him. Jewish: Neuman. Cf. Shakespeare Hamlet ("ghost scene"). |
| E380.1 | Summoning souls punished: in hour of man's death they overwhelm him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E90.1 | Sun and moon steal wonderful tree which revives dead man or animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E4 | Sun revived by own power after being killed by moon. S. A. Indian (Eastern Brazil): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (1) 434. |
| E411.5 | Swindler cannot rest in grave. Fb "gjenganger" I 443b; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 47 No. 326A*; England: *Baughman. |
| E373.2 | Sword received from summoned dead father. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E631.0.1.2 | Tablets made of trees from lovers' graves magically unite. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E366.3 | Talking bones of eaten man advise hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E431.14 | Tall wall around grave to prevent return. Icelandic: Eyrbyggja saga ch. XXXIV 14 in ASB VI, Boberg. |
| E361.1 | Tear from upper world of mortals falls on departed in lower world. Dead brother sends message of comfort to living. N. A. Indian (Thompson River): Alexander N. Am. 137. |
| E431.0.1 | Test for presence of demons in corpses. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E121.4.1 | The cooked and revived child. Saint to a woman: "Cook me what you like most." Gullible woman cooks son. Saint revives child. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 80f. |
| E545.0.2 | The dead are silent. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E545.19.1 | The dead cannot speak until spoken to. England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman. |
| E228 | The dead daughter reproaches her mother for putting her dowery into coffin. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E545.17 | The dead foretell the future. (Cf. E363.3, E576.) U.S.: Baughman; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E547.1 | The dead groan. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681, 685. |
| E545.14 | The dead hear saint's bell. (Cf. D1213.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| E556.1.1 | The dead man asks for whiskey. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E443.2.1.1 | The dead man: "Sell my golden teeth and pay for a mass for my soul." Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E215 | The Dead Rider (Lenore). Dead lover returns and takes sweetheart with him on horseback. She is sometimes saved at the grave by the crowing of the cock, though the experience is usually fatal. *Type 365; *Fb "død" I 228a, "ride" III 53a, "spøgelse" III 520ab; Krumbacher Zs. f. vgl. Litt. N. F. I (1887) 214—220; Wlislocki ibid. N.F. XI (1897) 467; Borker Germania XXXI 117; Dieterich Zs. f. Vksk. XII 147;—England: Child V 60ff., 303; England, U.S.: *Baughman; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 4 No. 28. |
| E546 | The dead sing. (Cf. E371.3.) *Type 4031; *Fb "hvid" I 700b; Irish myth: *Cross; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 244. |
| E545 | The dead speak. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; West Indies: Flowers 431; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E547 | The dead wail (Cf. E402ff.) Fb "kirkeklokke" II 131a; Jewish: Neuman. |
| E411.2.2 | The devil's concubine haunts after her death. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E511 | The Flying Dutchman. A sea captain because of his wickedness sails his phantom ship eternally without coming to harbor. **G. Kalff De Sage van den Vliegenden Hollander (Zupthen, 1923); **Engert Die Sage vom Fliegenden Holländer; **W. Söderhjelm Flygande holländeren (Helsingfors, 1890); *Andraea Anglia Beiblatt XIII (1902) 47; Golther Zur deutschen Sage und Dichtung 7; Fb "skib" III 243a; England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E279.1 | The ghost haunts outside at night in human shape. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts. |
| E341 | The grateful dead. Irish: *Cross, Beal XXI 313; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| E422 | The living corpse. Revenant is not a specter but has the attributes of a living person. He wanders about till his "second death", complete disintegration in the grave. (Cf. E261.1.3, E268, E461.) *Naumann Primitive Gemeinschaftskultur (Jena, 1921) 18ff.; *Wimberly 229, 239, 256ff.; *Klare Acta Philologica Scandinavica VIII 1—56; *Gould Scandinavian Studies and Notes IX 167; *Fb "spøgelse" III 519b; Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 70—152; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3590, Ghosts; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 21 No. 199; Finnish: Holmberg Finno-Ugric 3f.; Irish: *Cross, Baughman; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 682; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 239f., 243; West Indies: Flowers 430; Africa: Werner African 180f., (Ekoi): Talbot 7 (dies a second time and becomes more dead). |
| E502 | The Sleeping Army. Soldiers killed in battle come forth on occasions from their resting place (hill, grave, grotto) and march about or send their leader to do so.—*Schweda 59ff.; *Hartland Science 216ff.; Howey 9; Irish myth: *Cross; England, Scotland, Ireland, U.S.: *Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E748 | The soul as a guardian spirit. Hilda R. Ellis The Road to Hell, A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature (Cambridge [Eng.], 1943) 127ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E757 | The soul prays. Jewish: *Neuman; Chinese: Werner 268. |
| E790 | The soul—miscellaneous. |
| E759 | The soul—miscellaneous. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E700 | The Soul. **Tobler; **Feilberg Sjæletro (København, 1914); Еke Hultkrantz Conceptions of the Soul among the North American Indians (Stockholm, 1953); Hilda R. Ellis The Road to Hell, A Study in the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature (London, 1943) 170ff.—Greek: Waser über die äussere Erscheinung der Seele in den Vorstellungen der Völker, zumal der alten Griechen (Archiv für Religionswissenschaft XVI [1914] 336); Irish myth: *Cross; Skandinavian: *K. S. Kramer Die Dingbeseelung in der germanischen überlieferung (München, 1939); Estonian: Loorits Grundzüge I 182—190, 251—266, 491—506; German: Meyer Germanen 68ff.; Jewish: Neuman; N. A. Indian (Iroquois): Hewitt The Iroquoian Concept of the Soul (JAFL VIII 107). |
| E410 | The unquiet grave. (Cf. D2151.1.2.3.) Dead unable to rest in peace. Aside from the references given in the numbers immediately following, see E200—E399 passim. Jewish: *Neuman; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 48. |
| E332.3.3.1 | The Vanishing Hitchhiker. Ghost of young woman asks for ride in automobile, disappears from closed car without the driver's knowledge, after giving him address to which she wishes to be taken. Driver asks person at address about the rider, finds she has been dead for some time. (Often driver finds that ghost has made similar attempts to return, usually on anniversary of death in automobile accident. Often ghost leaves some item such as a scarf or a traveling bag in car.) **Beardsley and Hankey California Folklore Quarterly I 303ff.; Hawaii, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| E501 | The Wild Hunt. (Cf. F282.) (Die Wilde Jagd, Das Wütende Heer, Odinsjæger, Chasse Fantastique.) A ghostly hunter and his rout continue the chase. **Plischke (bibliography); **Schweda; *Wahner Der Wilde Jäger in Schlesien; Lorentzen; Brunk Der wilde Jäger im Glauben des pommerschen Volkes (Zs. f. Vksk. XIII 179); *Zingerle 589f. (bibliography): Jacobsen Harlekin og den vilde Jæger (Dania IX 1); Heilberg Theodorich som den vilde Jæger (Dania IX 239); Olrik Odinsjægeren i Jylland (Dania VIII 139); *Fb "Odinsjæger" III 730ff.; RTP II 156, VI 291, VII 175, 328, VIII 566, IX 91, 411, XIII 186, 695f.; XIV 83, XVI 453, 531, XVII 504f.; Hartland Science 234ff.; Wehrhan 84; Walhouse FL VIII (1897) 196; *O. Höfler Kultische Geheimbünde der Germanen Bd. I: Das germanische Totenheer (Frankfurt a. M., 1934); Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 234. Musical treatments: Raff Symphony No. 3 (1869); J. Triebensee "Die wilde Jagd" (opera, Budapest, 1824); H. Payer "Der wilde Jäger" (opera, Vienna, 1806); V. E. Nessler "Der wilde Jäger" (opera, Leipzig, 1881); M. J. Beer "Der wilde Jäger" (cantata, Olmütz, 1888); A. Schultz "Der wilde Jäger" (opera, Brunswick, 1887); Müller-Reuter "Hackelberends Begräbnis" (choral ballad, 1902); C. Franck "Le Chasseur Maudit" (symphonic poem, 1883). For classical parallels see H. Hepding Attis 124; Gruppe Griechische Religionsgeschichte (1907) 1290 n. 2; Samter Geburt, Hochzeit, Tod 206 n. 5.—Irish: *Cross; Beal XXI 322; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3518; Norwegian: *Solheim Register 17. |
| E501.1.7.2 | Theodoric as wild huntsman. *Heilberg Dania IX 239, Nyrop ibid. X 177; BP IV 140; Oesterley No. 190. |
| E751.0.1 | There are to be two resurrections. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E545.6.1 | Thirsty when hanged, corpse asks for water on Hallowe'en. Irish myth: Cross. |
| E480.2 | Three worlds of dead. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 155, 160. |
| E501.4.1.6 | Three-legged dogs in wild hunt. *Zingerle Sagen aus Tirol 590; H. Usener Dreiheit (Rheinisches Museum f. Philologie N. F. LVIII (1903) 1ff., 161ff.). |
| E521.1.2 | Three-legged ghost of horse. Fb "helhest" I 584b; Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 15, 420, 1011, III 1517. |
| E501.11 | Time of appearance of wild hunt. |
| E631.0.1.1 | Tops of trees from lovers' graves show shapes of their heads. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| E766.2 | Tree dies when owner dies. England: *Baughman. |
| E631.0.5 | Tree from innocent man's blood. Fb "juletræ" II 57a, "sjæl" III 214b.—English: Child I 143; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E631.0.6 | Tree from sinner's grave. Hdwb. d. Märch. I 200 s.v. "Baum". |
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