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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.

2,222 motifs

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Thompson reference ▲ Description
E501.17.5.6 Wild hunt avoided by holding bread. (Cf. D1031.1.) Plischke 78.
E501.17.5.7 Wild hunt avoided by holding certain plant. (Cf. D965.) Plischke 78.
E501.17.5.8 Sound of wild hunt avoided by sticking fingers in ears. Fb "øre" III 1181a.
E501.17.6 Wild huntsman pacified.
E501.17.6.1 Wild huntsman pacified by sacrifice. *Fb "ofre" II 735a.
E501.17.6.2 Wild huntsman pacified with food. Fb "Odins jæger" II 732b.
E501.17.7 Wild huntsman released from wandering.
E501.17.7.1 Wild huntsman released from wandering by mould from Christ's grave. Fb "Kristi grav".
E501.17.8 Wild hunt forced to depart.
E501.17.8.1 Wild hunt frightened away by scolding. Plischke 75.
E501.18 Evil effects of meeting wild hunt.
E501.18.1 Wild hunt harmful to certain persons.
E501.18.1.1 Wild hunt harmful to mockers. Schweda 31; Plischke 69, 72.
E501.18.1.2 Wild hunt harmful to thieves. Schweda 31.
E501.18.1.3 Wild hunt harmful to the curious. Schweda 31.
E501.18.1.3.1 Wild hunt throws down man's dead child when asked for part of game. England: Baughman.
E501.18.2 Wild hunt throws human flesh on persons who see it. This cannot be removed. Schweda 32; Plischke 72.
E501.18.3 Wild hunt throws horses' feet on persons who see it. This cannot be removed. Schweda 32; Plischke 72.
E501.18.4 Wild hunt carries person off. Plischke 69; England: Baughman.
E501.18.5 Wild hunt throws person to ground. Plischke 70.
E501.18.6 Sight of wild hunt renders person insane. Plischke 70.
E501.18.7 Sight of wild hunt blinds person. Plischke 70.
E501.18.8 Sight of wild hunt causes swelling of head. Plischke 71.
E501.18.9 Sight of wild hunt causes one to stick axe or knife in foot. Plischke 71.
E501.18.10 Sight of wild hunt causes death. Schweda 32; Ireland: Baughman.
E501.19 Remedy for effects of seeing wild hunt.
E501.19.1 Effects of wild hunt remedied by seeing it a year later in same place. Plischke 74.
E501.19.2 Effects of wild hunt remedied by asking the huntsmen for salt. Plischke 74.
E501.19.3 Effects of wild hunt remedied by asking the huntsmen for parsley. Plischke 74.
E501.19.4 Effects of wild hunt remedied by asking to partake in booty of hunt. This booty is the same kind as the hunt has already thrown down. (Cf. E501.18.2.) Plischke 74.
E501.19.5 Effects of wild hunt remedied by eating part of flesh thrown down by it. (Cf. E501.18.2.) Plischke 75.
E501.19.6 Effects of wild hunt remedied by prayer. Plischke 75.
E501.20 Wild hunt as omen.
E501.20.1 Wild hunt as omen of disaster. RTP XII 186.
E501.20.1.1 Wild hunt as omen of war. Plischke 67; Fb "krig" II 296a; England: Baughman.
E501.20.1.2 Wild hunt as omen of pestilence. Plischke 67.
E501.20.2 Wild hunt as omen of plentiful year. Plischke 68.
E501.20.3 Wild hunt as weather omen. Plischke 68.
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.
E510 Phantom sailors and travelers.
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.
E511.1 Reason for Flying Dutchman's punishment.
E511.1.1 Flying Dutchman sails because of cruelty. See all references to E511.
E511.1.2 Flying Dutchman sails because of pact with Devil. Engert 21ff.
E511.1.3 Flying Dutchman sails because he defied the storm. Engert passim.
E511.2 Flying Dutchman's ship.
E511.2.1 Flying Dutchman has dead men as sailors. Fb "skib" III 243a.
E512 Phantom cart driver wanders because of blasphemy. "Peter Rugg the Missing Man." Boasts that he will reach home despite storm or never see his home again. He always travels in hard shower of rain or just ahead of one. U.S.: *Baughman.
E520 Animal ghosts. Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Geist"; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 22 No. 201; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 243.
E521 Ghost of domestic beast.
E521.1 Ghost of horse. *Howey 31; *Fb "stud" III 619b, "hest" I 599b, "helhest" I 584b; *Kittredge Witchcraft 177 n. 31; *Handwb. d. Abergl. IX Nachträge 164ff.; England: Baughman.
E521.1.1 Headless ghost of horse. *Howey 62; *Fb "stud" III 619b, "hest" I 599b, "helhest" I 584b; Japanese: Ikeda.
E521.1.2 Three-legged ghost of horse. Fb "helhest" I 584b; Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 15, 420, 1011, III 1517.
E521.1.3 Ghost of race horse wins race in competition with living horses. U.S.: Baughman.
E521.2 Ghost of dog. Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Geist"; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 22 No. 202; Jewish: *Neuman; Texas: Bishop Pub. Texas Folklore Soc. XV 119—21; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 488, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 228.
E521.2.1 Ashes of dead dog speak. *Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 265 No. 72.
E521.2.2 Headless ghost of dog. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 682.
E521.3 Ghost of cat. (Cf. E423.1.2.) Kittredge Witchcraft 497 n. 41.
E521.4 Ghost of calf. (Cf. E423.1.8.1.) *Fb "kalv" II 79a; U.S.: Baughman.
E521.5 Ghost of hog. Fb "svin" III 676b.
E521.5.0.1 Headless ghost of hog. (Cf. E422.1.1.) Fb "svin" III 676b.
E521.5.1 Ghost of sow. Fb "sø" III 450a.
E522 Ghost of wild beast.
E522.1 Ghost of fox (Cf. E423.2.3.) Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 310 No. 24.
E522.2 Ghost of bear. (Cf. E423.2.1.) Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 87.
E523 Ghost of fish. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 33.
E524 Ghost of bird. (Cf. E423.3.)
E524.1 Ghost of goose. Fb "gasse" I 425a.
E524.2 Ghost of cock.
E524.2.1 Cooked cock crows. Fb "kok" IV 272b.
E530 Ghosts of objects. Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Geist"; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 23 No. 205.
E530.1 Ghost-like lights. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 23 No. 210; England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman.
E530.1.1 Ghost light follows ghost. U.S.: *Baughman.
E530.1.2 Ball of fire haunts murderer. U.S.: *Baughman.
E530.1.3 Ghost light haunts burial spot. England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E530.1.4 Ghost light on farm indicates that occupants will move shortly. Scotland: Baughman.
E530.1.5 Ghost light indicates impending calamity. Scotland: *Baughman.
E530.1.6 Ghost light serves as death omen. (Cf. D1812.5.) England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E530.1.7 Ghost light indicates route funeral will take. (Cf. D1825.7.1.) England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E531 Ghost-like building. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 23 No. 207; England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E532 Ghost-like picture. U.S.: *Baughman.
E533 Ghostly bell.
E533.1 Ghostly bell sounds from under water. England: *Baughman.
E533.2 Self-tolling bell. England: Baughman.
E534 Phantom spinning-wheel makes noise. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 678.
E535 Ghostlike conveyance (wagon, etc.). Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 22 No. 203; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 241—243.
E535.1 Phantom coach and horses. England, Ireland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E535.2 Ghostly wagon. England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E535.3 Ghost ship. (Cf. E510.) Canada, England, U.S.: *Baughman. Childs NYFQ V 146ff.; Jones JAFL LVII 244.
E535.3.1 Phantom canoe. New York: Jones JAFL LVII 244.
E535.3.2 Phantom boat. Tahiti: Henry 91.
E535.4 Phantom railway train. U.S.: *Baughman; Jones JAFL LVII 241, 244.
E538 Ghoulish ghost objects.
E538.1 Spectral coffin. U.S.: Baughman.
E538.2 Ghostly rope of suicide appears. U.S.: Baughman.
E539 Other ghostly objects.
E539.1 Oven door jumps into room; money thought to be under spot where it lands. England: Baughman.
E539.2 Pot jumps in house to indicate money hidden underneath it. England: Baughman.
E539.3 Ghostly wool-packs roll over fields, down hill. England: *Baughman.
E539.4 Ghostly chair.
E539.4.1 Ghostly chair in cellar jumps up and down on three legs, points with fourth at spot on floor. Witnesses dig up body from under floor. U.S.: Baughman.
E539.5 Coal in bin jumps around and gurgles. U.S.: Baughman.
E540 Miscellaneous actions of revenants.
E541 Revenants eat. (Cf. E499.1.) *Fb "lig" II 412b, "spøgelse" III 518ab.; India: Thompson-Balys.
E541.1 Food placed out for returning souls of dead. Germanic: Celander Nordisk Jul I 203ff., Wuttke Volksaberglaube 471, Archiv f. Religionsgeschichte XIX (1918) 134; Lappish: Rheen Svenska Landsmеlen XVII (1898) 27; Slavic: Máchal 230; India: Thompson-Balys.
E541.2 Ghost eats living human beings. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges.
E541.3 Dead come forth and eat grave-offerings. India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 488, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 154.
E541.4 Revenants drink. India: Thompson-Balys.
E541.4.1 Amputated head asks for drink. India: Thompson-Balys.
E541.5 Dead beg food from living. Africa (Bantu): Einstein 193.
E542 Dead man touches living.
E542.1 Ghostly fingers leave mark on person's body. U.S.: Baughman.
E542.1.1 Ghostly fingers leave mark on man's hand. *Fb "hеnd" I 765b.
E542.1.2 Ghost touches man's neck, leaves impression of hand on neck. U.S.: Baughman.
E542.1.3 Ghost strikes man on mouth; leaves his mouth crooked. Ireland: Baughman.
E542.1.4 Ghost strikes man on face.
E542.1.4.1 Ghost strikes man on face: cancer grows there. Canada: Baughman.
E542.1.4.2 Ghost strikes man on face: marks remain permanently. U.S.: Baughman.
E542.2 Dead man's hand touches birthmark and thus removes it. *Fb "død" I 228a.
E542.3 Ghost throws man into ditch, leaving his side numb. England: Baughman.
E542.4 Ghost touches man's hat, scorching it and turning lock of his hair white. U.S.: Baughman.
E543 Dead drag boat to strand. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 5 No. 41.
E544 Ghost leaves evidence of his appearance. (Cf. E322.3.3.1, E542. 1ff.) Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman.
E544.1 Ghost leaves object after appearance. U.S.: Baughman.
E544.1.1 Ghost leaves behind a crucifix. England: Baughman.
E544.1.2 Ghost leaves a ring with the living. England: Baughman.
E544.1.3 Ghost of drowned man leaves puddle of salt water where he stands. U.S.: *Baughman.
E544.2 Ghost pulls off blanket from sleeper. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts, Index No. 3540.
E545 The dead speak. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; West Indies: Flowers 431; India: Thompson-Balys.
E545.0.1 Words uttered from the tomb. *Loomis White Magic 53; Icelandic: Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys.
E545.0.2 The dead are silent. Irish myth: *Cross.
E545.1 Conversation between the dead. Gaster Exempla 206 No. 110; Jewish: *Neuman.
E545.2 Dead predict death. (Cf. E363.3.) Wimberly 268; England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E545.3 Dead announce own death. (Cf. E723ff.) Wimberly 268.
E545.4 Dead will not speak of their condition. England: Child II 231—3.
E545.5 Questions to dead are dangerous. *Fb "død" I 228a; Boberg.
E545.6 Dead speak on Hallowe'en. (Cf. V70.5.) Irish myth: Cross.
E545.6.1 Thirsty when hanged, corpse asks for water on Hallowe'en. Irish myth: Cross.
E545.7 Holy man converses with entombed dead. Irish myth: *Cross.
E545.8 Fairy converses with dead. Irish myth: Cross.
E545.9 Dead holy man begs grave-digger not to bury sinner on top of him. Irish myth: Cross.
E545.10 Corpse exclaims over miracle. Irish myth: Cross.
E545.11 Ghost chooses own requiem. Irish myth: Cross.
E545.12 Ghost directs man to hidden treasure. India: Thompson-Balys.
E545.13 Man converses with dead. Jewish: Neuman.
E545.14 The dead hear saint's bell. (Cf. D1213.) Irish myth: Cross.
E545.15 Saint after his death gives directions where he wants to be buried. *Loomis White Magic 53.
E545.16 Dead predict calamity or disaster.
E545.16.1 Dead predict war. (See E575.) U.S.: Baughman.
E545.17 The dead foretell the future. (Cf. E363.3, E576.) U.S.: Baughman; Jewish: *Neuman.
E545.18 Ghost asks to be taken to former home. (See all references to E332.3.3.1.) U.S.: Baughman.
E545.19 Addressing the dead.
E545.19.1 The dead cannot speak until spoken to. England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E545.19.2 Proper means of addressing ghosts. England, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E545.20 Part of ghost speaks.
E545.20.1 Strand of hair from drowned woman speaks. U.S.: Baughman.
E545.21 Heads of slain people in magician's house advises hero. India: Thompson-Balys.
E545.22 Conversation between God and Adam's corpse. Jewish: *Neuman.
E545.23 Dead must be answered in whispers. Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 266, (Greenland): Rink 302, Rasmussen II 269.
E546 The dead sing. (Cf. E371.3.) *Type 4031; *Fb "hvid" I 700b; Irish myth: *Cross; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 244.
E547 The dead wail (Cf. E402ff.) Fb "kirkeklokke" II 131a; Jewish: Neuman.
E547.1 The dead groan. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681, 685.
E548 Dead make music on their ribs. Irish: Curtin Myths and Folklore of Ireland 25; India: Thompson-Balys; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 244.
E551 Dead man sobs. (Cf. E402.1.1.) Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 296 No. 21.
E552 Ghost in form of bear sneezes. (Cf. E423.2.1.) Tobler 56.
E553 Ghost becomes log during day. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 101.
E554 Ghost plays musical instrument. U.S.: Baughman.
E554.1 Ghost plays organ. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 676.
E555 Dead man smokes pipe. Fb "tobak" III 814a, "spøgelse" III 520a; U.S.: Baughman; N. A. Indian (Seneca): Curtin-Hewitt RBAE XXXII 219 No. 41, (Teton): Dorsey AA o.s. II (1889) 150.
E556 Ghost drinks. U.S.: Baughman.
E556.1 Ghost drinks liquor. England, U.S.: Baughman.
E556.1.1 The dead man asks for whiskey. Lithuanian: Balys Ghosts.
E557 Dead man writes. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a.
E557.1 Ghost writes on wall the answers to problems of person in trouble. U.S.: Baughman.
E558 Ghosts forced to labor. India: Thompson-Balys.
E561 Dead person spins. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a, "spinde" III 492a; England, Scotland, U.S.: *Baughman.
E561.1 Sight of dead woman spinning drives people insane. *Fb "spinde" III 492a.
E562 Dead person weaves. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a; England: *Baughman.
E563 Dead person knits. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a.
E564 Man who has died and returned to life becomes diviner. India: Thompson-Balys.
E565 Ghosts clank chains. (Cf. E501.13.1.2., E755.2.2.) North Carolina: Brown Collection I 675.
E567 Dead person threshes. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a.
E568 Revenant lies down and sleeps. U.S.: Baughman.
E568.1 Revenant leaves impression of body in bed. England, U.S. *Baughman.
E571 Ghostly barber. *Type 326; *BP I 24; *Fb "balbere" IV 23a.
E572 Ghost walks through solid substance. U.S.: *Baughman.
E573 Ghost tried in court. **Jacoby Zs. f. Vksk. XXIII (1913) 184; Jewish: Neuman.
E574 Appearance of ghost serves as death omen. (Cf. D1812.5.1.1, E265.3, E501.20.) England, Scotland, U.S., Wales: *Baughman.
E575 Ghost as omen of calamity or ill fortune. England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E576 Dead man praises God. Jewish: *Neuman.
E576.1 Dead intercedes before God for mortal. Jewish: *Neuman.
E577 Dead persons play games. U.S.: Baughman; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153.
E577.1 Dead persons play ball. (Cf. E494.) Wimberly 233.
E577.2 Dead persons play cards. *Type 326; Fb "spøgelse" III 520a; U.S.: Baughman.
E577.2.1 Playing cards with a dead man (ghost). Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 678ff.
E577.3 Dead persons bowl. Type 326; cf. Washington Irving's "Rip Van Winkle".
E578 Dead persons build fires. Type 326; Russian: Ralston 314; India: Thompson-Balys.
E578.1 Revenants want to warm themselves. Type 326.
E578.2 Ghosts warm themselves around fire. India: Thompson-Balys.
E581 Dead person rides. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 680—682.
E581.1 Whirlwind as ghost's vehicle. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 84.
E581.2 Ghost rides horse. England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E581.2.1 Ghost jumps on horse behind man. (Cf. E262.) North Carolina: Brown Collection I 681.
E581.3 Ghost rides cow. U.S.: *Baughman.
E581.4 Ghost rides bus.
E581.4.1 Ghost rides on bus, disappears before it crosses bridge. U.S.: Baughman.
E581.5 Ghost rides heavy iron chest. U.S.: Baughman.
E581.6 Ghost rides giant demijohn. U.S.: Baughman.
E581.7 Ghost sails over sound on bundle of straw. Fb "halmknippe" I 539b.
E582 Dead person drives horses. Fb "spøgelse" III 520a; England: Baughman.
E583 Dead persons draw chariot. India: Thompson-Balys, Tawney I 457.
E585 Dead person visits earth periodically. (Cf. E332.3.3.1, E535.3.)
E585.1 Dead person visits earth every seven years. Fb "spøgelse" III 519b; Tobler 66.
E585.2 Spectre rides to castle every seven years. Irish myth: Cross.
E585.3 Revenant revisits earth every day. U.S.: Baughman.
E585.3.1 Revenant revisits earth nightly. Africa (Fang): Trilles 269.
E585.4 Revenant revisits earth yearly. S. A. Indian (Brazil): Oberg 109.
E586 Dead returns soon after burial. India: Thompson-Balys.
E586.0.1 Ghost returns before burial. U.S.: Baughman.
E586.1 Dead returns on burial day. Fb "spøgelse" III 519ab; Spanish Exempla: Keller; England, U.S.: *Baughman.
E586.2 Dead returns third day after burial. Fb "sjæl" III 214b, "spøgelse" III 519b; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 101; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153.
E586.3 Dead return second day after burial. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 99.
E586.4 Dead sent back to life because his name is not in heavenly roll. India: Thompson-Balys.
E587 Ghosts walk at certain times.
E587.1 Ghosts walk at midday. Fb "middag" II 585b.
E587.2 Ghosts walk on Hallowe'en. (Cf. F211.1.1.1.) Irish myth: Cross; U.S.: Baughman.
E587.2.1 Ghost most numerous on St. Thomas Eve and St. Thomas Day. England: Baughman.
E587.3 Ghosts walk from curfew to cockcrow. (Cf. E452.) England: Baughman.
E587.4 Spirits are always in the air. England: Baughman.
E587.5 Ghost walk at midnight. U.S.: Baughman.
E587.6 Ghosts walk at full moon. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 198.
E588 Ghost leaves stench behind. Fb "stank"; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 276, Rasmussen II 275.
E591 Ghost travels under ground. Fb "jord" II 45b.
E592 Ghost carries burden.
E592.1 Ghost carries own dead body. Kai (German New Guinea): Dixon 142.
E592.2 Ghost carries coffin on back. Wimberly 238.
E593 Ghost takes things from people.
E593.1 Ghost steals collar of priest. Evil therefore befalls priest. *Fb "gjenganger" I 443.
E593.2 Ghost steals book from priest. *Fb "bog" IV 53b.
E593.3 If no lamp is lighted in a house for a period of fourteen days, ghosts take it for their dwelling. India: Thompson-Balys.
E593.4 Ghost takes bones from grave. Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 81.
E593.5 Ghost steals food and treasure. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 123.
E594 Dead man wanders with torch. (Cf. E599.7.) Tobler 84; Eskimo (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 266.
E595 Cures by transferring disease to dead. Ghoulish charm used for this purpose. Kittredge Witchcraft 143, 461 n. 34.
E596 Living person in service of a dead man. BP I 214.
E596.1 Ghost works for human being. India: Thompson-Balys.
E597 Corpse leaps up in emotion at saint's passing nearby. Irish myth: Cross.
E598 Death and return to life rids man of disease. India: Thompson-Balys.
E599 Other actions of revenants.
E599.1 Ghost searches for breath. U.S.: Baughman.