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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 |
|---|---|
| H581 | Three young men arrested tell who they are. |
| H581.1 | Arrested man tells who he is: before his father the great incline the head and give blood and money (barber). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H581.2 | Arrested man tells who he is: the hospitable fire of his father is sought (bean merchant). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H581.3 | Arrested man tells who he is: father throws himself into the ranks and holds them (weaver). Chauvin VI 35 No. 205. |
| H581.4 | Arrested farmer tells who he is: one son is thief (priest), second beggar (teacher), and third murderer (doctor). Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 921B*. |
| H582 | Riddling answers betray theft or adultery *BP I 198, II 361f.; Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 59 (to Gonzenbach No. 1); *Wesselski Märchen 197. |
| H582.1 | Riddling answer betrays theft. |
| H582.1.1 | The full moon and the thirtieth of the month. Prince sends servant to clever girl with a round tart, thirty cakes, and a capon, and asks her if it is full moon and the thirtieth of the month and if the cock has crowed in the evening. She replies that it is not full moon, that it is the fifteenth of the month, and that the capon has gone to the mill; but that the prince should spare the pheasant for the partridge's sake. She thus shows him that the servant has stolen half the tart, half of the cakes, and the capon. *BP II 361; Köhler Zs. f. Vksk. VI 59; Arab: Azov 401f.; Africa (Sahel): Frobenius Atlantis VI 79—86. |
| H582.2 | Riddling answers betray adultery. BP I 198; *Wesselski Märchen 197; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H582.2.1 | Enigmatic statement betrays incest. (Cf. T411.) Woman, recognizing cleric as her son by her father (Fiachna), gives him a drink of milk and says, "I give drink to my brother; he is Fiachna's son, he is Fiachna's grandson; his mother is Fiachna's daughter." The son's reply shows that he understands the situation. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H582.3 | Woman's question to her husband disguised as woman, how many men she had in one night. This is properly understood as, how many helpers he had, and answered by lifting ten fingers. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H583 | Clever youth (maiden) answers king's inquiry in riddles. (Cf. H561.4.) *Type 921; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.1 | King: What do you see? Youth: One and a half men and a horse's head. (Himself, the legs of the king on horseback in the door, and the horse's head.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87, 151ff.; *Basset 1001 Contes II 41. |
| H583.1.1 | King: Are you alone at home? Youth: Not now; I see the half of two quadrupeds. (Two legs of the king and the forefeet of his horse.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87. |
| H583.2 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: He is in the vineyard and is doing good and bad. (He prunes vines and sometimes cuts good and sometimes lets bad ones stay.) *Köhler-Bolte I 84, 87. |
| H583.2.1 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes an evil greater. (Closes up a path; this causes another to be opened.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.2 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes many out of few. (Sows grain.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.3 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Makes better from good. (Hedges his field.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.4 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: Cuts wood which was burnt last year. (To pay old debts.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 116ff. |
| H583.2.5 | King: What is your father doing? Youth: He fences thorns with thorns. (Eggplant garden fenced with thorns.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.3 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He hunts; he throws away what he catches and what he does not catch he carries with him. (Hunts for lice on his body.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff.; Wesselski Mönchslatein 120 No. 102; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| H583.3.1 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He runs back and forth. (Plows.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff. |
| H583.3.2 | King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He sits between heaven and earth. (In a tree.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 128ff. |
| H583.4 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She does for another what the latter cannot do for her. (Lays out a corpse.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff. |
| H583.4.1 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She shows the light of the world to one who has not yet seen it. (Assists at a birth.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff. |
| H583.4.2 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She is baking the bread we ate last week. (To pay back borrowed bread.) (Cf. H583.2.4.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 124ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4.3 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She cuts off the heads of the well to cure the sick. (Kills chickens to feed her sick mother.) Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4.4 | King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She drives away the hungry and compels the filled to eat. (Drives away the hungry hens and stuffs the geese.) Köhler-Bolte I 85, 87. |
| H583.4.5 | King: What are your mother and father doing? Girl: Mother is separating earth (being a midwife), and father is mixing earth (at a funeral). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.4.6 | King: What is your mother doing? Girl: She has gone to turn one into two (to split peas). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H583.5 | King: What is your sister doing? Youth: She is mourning last year's laughter. (Nurses child, the fruit of last year's love affair.) *De Vries FFC LXXIII 133ff. |
| H583.6 | King: What are you doing? Youth: I boil those which come and go. (Beans which keep rising and falling in water.) *Types 875, 921; De Vries FFC LXXIII 115. |
| H583.7 | King: Where shall I tie my horse? Maiden: Between summer and winter. (Between wagon and sleigh.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 254. |
| H583.8 | Maiden (to king): The house has neither eyes nor ears. (No child at window nor dog in yard to announce king's approach: he therefore finds her not dressed to receive him.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 252. |
| H583.9 | Maiden (to king): Shall I feed you with loss or gain. (A slaughtered hen or milk.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 254; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1465*; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 877*. |
| H583.10 | Girl to king: Should it (the flood) come I shall not come; should it not come, I shall come. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H584 | Other riddling answers. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H585 | Enigmatic conversation of king and peasant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H585.1 | The four coins. (Focus.) King: What do you do with the four coins you earn? Peasant: First I eat (feed self); second I put out at interest (give my children); third I give back (pay debts); fourth I throw away (give my wife.) Köhler-Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. VI 161 (to Gonzenbach No. 50); BP IV 137; Oesterley No. 57; cf. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 8; Anderson FFC XLII 356 n. 1.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 921A*; Russian: Andrejev No. 921 I*; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Swahili): Steere 295. |
| H585.2 | King: Why did you not do it (marry so that sons could help you)? Peasant: I did, but it was not God's will (I married three times but it was not God's will to give me sons). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H586 | Riddling remarks of traveling companion interpreted by girl (man) at end of journey. De Vries FFC LXXIII 43ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H586.1 | Man helps traveler and makes riddling remarks. Gives him food, shares his coat in rain, and carries him over stream. Reproaches him with traveling without mother, house, or bridge (nourishment, shelter, or horse). *Köhler-Bolte I 197f.; Nouvelles de Sens No. 3. |
| H586.2 | Traveler says he is going to the city to see what has become of the seed he sowed in the street. (What has become of the girl he left in the city to await his return.) Köhler-Bolte I 197; Nouvelles de Sens No. 3. |
| H586.2.1 | Traveler says he is going to seek a hind that he saw in the woods ten years before. (A maiden.) Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7. |
| H586.2.2 | Traveler says he must look after his net to see if it has taken fish. (He has left his lady seven years before with a pledge of faithfulness. Net has taken fish—lady has had lovers.) English: Child I 191 n. |
| H586.3 | One traveler to another: Let us carry each other and shorten the way. (Let us tell tales and amuse ourselves on the way.) *Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7; Nouvelles de Sens Nos. 3, 8; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H586.4 | One traveler to another: That field (uncut) is already harvested. (Belongs to spendthrift who has already spent the money.) Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7. |
| H586.5 | One traveler to another (as they see corpse borne by): He is not entirely dead. (Has left good property.) Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7. |
| H586.6 | One traveler to another (when asked how he crossed an unbridged stream): I cross on an ashen bridge. (Found a ford with an ashen staff.) Wesselski Märchen 197 No. 7; Nouvelles de Sens No. 8. |
| H586.7 | One traveler to another: Is this cup valuable or not? (Is your daughter married or not?) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H586.8 | Boy says that travelers should catch the mares (walking sticks that are in the jungle). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H587 | King gives enigmatic order to minister. |
| H587.0.1 | Enigmatic letter of king must be explained on pain of death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H587.1 | King: Show me a ruby eight for a pice, nectar eight for a pice, and a faithless creature worth one-eighth of a pice. Minister: The lamp sells at eight for a pice and gives more light than any ruby; the water is the real nectar; and the dog is worthless and faithless lover because he follows anyone who feeds him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588 | Enigmatic counsels of a father. Taken literally bring trouble, but when properly interpreted are valuable. Icelandic: Hervarar saga 36—39, 116—18, *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys, (Kashmir): Knowles 243; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 232; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 256 No. 200. |
| H588.0.1 | Father-in-law gives daughter-in-law enigmatic permission to go home. Chinese: Graham. |
| H588.1 | Father's counsel: walk not in sunshine from your house to your shop. (Attend to business, rising early and retiring late.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.2 | Father's counsel: let pilav be your daily food. (Eat frugally.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.3 | Father's counsel: marry a new wife every week. (Do not see your wife too much.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.4 | Father's counsel: on wishing to drink wine go to the vat and drink it. (Stench in vat so great that desire for wine is turned to loathing.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.5 | Father's counsel: if you want to gamble, then gamble with experienced gamblers. (If you see how wretched professional gamblers are you will not want to gamble.) *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 376; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.6 | Father's counsel: dress up the trunks of trees, cover the road. (Plant the road with fruit trees and betel between the trees.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Batak: Voorhoeve 164f. No. 169. |
| H588.7 | Father's counsel: find treasure within a foot of the ground. (Sons dig everywhere and thus loosen soil of vineyard, which becomes fruitful.) Wienert FFC LVI 82 (ET 490), 126 (ST 346); Halm Aesop No. 98; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 914*; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.8 | Father's counsel: the four wells. Three empty and one full (3 sons and father). Full one can fill the three empty but the three when full cannot fill the one when empty (sons when scattered will not support the father). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.9 | Father's counsel: dam up the outlets. (Keep expenditures down—not outlets of rice-field as son-in-law thinks). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.10 | Father's counsel: don't stay too late with a concubine, nor tell her any secret. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H588.11 | Always eat bread with "honey". (Working diligently, your bread will be as sweet as honey.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H588.12 | "Never greet anyone." (Start your work the earliest, so that not you but others may greet you.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H588.13 | "Always wear new shoes." (Walk the fields bare-footed, wearing your shoes only when nearing the town.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 915A*. |
| H588.14 | "Have a black look" (frown). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.15 | "Bite the ear" (do state affairs secretly). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.16 | "Take people by the locks" (use your influence to make people subservient to you). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.17 | "If you have to go to a prostitute, go early in the morning." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.18 | "When you go to the bazar, eat your morning meal first." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.19 | "A father should always check and never forgive; a mother should always forgive and never check." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.20 | "Do not plant a thorny tree." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H588.21 | Enigmatic advice: take only salt and water as food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H591 | Extraordinary actions explained. Herrmann Saxo II 273. |
| H591.1 | Man puts on shoes only when he wades river. (He cannot see what he is walking on.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H591.2 | Man uses umbrella under trees. (To protect self from falling branches and bird droppings.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H591.3 | Man cuts hooks for the revenge of his father (Hamlet). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H592 | Enigmatic statement made clear by experience. |
| H592.1 | "Love like Salt." Girl compares her love for her father to salt. Experience teaches him the value of salt. *Type 923; *BP III 305 n. 2, IV 407; *Hartland FLJ IV 309; *DeCock Studien en Essays 4f.; Cosquin Contes Indiens 103ff.; Köhler Aufsätze 14; India: *Thompson-Balys. Cf. Shakespeare's King Lear. |
| H592.1.1 | "Love like wind in hot sun." Husband offended but later learns wife's meaning. Type 923A. |
| H592.2 | Poison in nectar: wife who betrays husband to his enemies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.3 | Nectar in poison: mistress who saves her lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.4 | Dogs in human shape: friends who seduce man's wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H592.5 | Donkey ruling a kingdom: king condemning man unjustly. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H593 | Suitors receive enigmatic answers. Girls answer in single words, which, when arranged in certain order, show that they accept. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H594 | Inhospitality reproved enigmatically. |
| H594.1 | Enigmatic statement: roof has no eaves. (Else it would give the beggar shelter.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H594.2 | Enigmatic statement: the tank (pond) does not belong to you. (Else you would have given the beggar fish to eat.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H594.3 | Enigmatic statement: the flocks are only rocks and grass. (Else you would have given the beggar milk and curds.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H595 | Enigmatic welcome of host. Sounds very inhospitable but properly interpreted makes guests welcome. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H595.1 | Symbolic invitation to continued liberality. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H596 | Enigmatic counsels of relatives (other than father). Spanish: Childers. |
| H596.1 | Enigmatic counsels of a brother. Spanish: Childers. |
| H596.1.1 | Enigmatic counsels of older brother. Gray younger brother asks well-preserved older brother for the secret of his good health. Answer: A measured mouth, a close purse, and a knot on the trouser's fly. Spanish: Childers. |
| H599 | Other enigmatic statements. |
| H599.1 | Girl will not drink of water which had no father or mother (i.e., stagnant). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H599.2 | Enigmatic statements of a sham mad man (Hamlet). Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H599.3 | Clever flatterer: Sir, you are a full moon, and my sovereign is a new moon (the full moon will decline, but the new moon has but started on its growth). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H599.4 | Man asked to kill thousands, press hundreds beneath his arm, etc. (To shave his head, put some hairs under his arm, etc.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H599.5 | Enigmatic counsel: uproot old trees and plant new ones (dismiss old governors and appoint new). Jewish: Neuman. |
| H599.6 | Give coals orange color, let glimmer of gold appear like expanse of heaven, prepare two heads of darkness. (Request for chickens for breakfast.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| H600 | Symbolic interpretations. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H601 | Wise carving of the fowl. Clever person divides it symbolically: head to head of house, neck to wife, wings to daughters, legs to sons; keeps rest for himself. *Type 875; *BP II 360 n. 1; *Taylor JAFL XXXI 555; Köhler-Bolte II 645ff.; Scala Celi 37a No. 205; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 58.—Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1580*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1580*; Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI No. 1533*; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; Filipino: Fansler MAFLS XII 63, 253, 351. |
| H601.1 | Wise division of the goat (similar). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H602 | Symbolic meaning of numbers, letters, etc. |
| H602.1 | Symbolic meaning of numbers. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H602.1.1 | Symbolic meaning of numbers one to seven (ten, twelve). E.g. One: sun; two: Moses' tablets; three: three Maries; etc. *Type 812; *BP III 15 n. 1; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 156 No. 2045*; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H602.2 | Symbolic interpretation of letters. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 7; Jewish: Neuman. |
| H602.3 | Symbolic interpretation of names. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H603 | Symbolic interpretation of playing cards. Soldier reproved for playing cards during church says that playing cards are his prayerbook and calendar. Ace: one God, one Faith, one Baptism; 2: old and new Testaments; 3: Trinity; 4: evangelists; 5: wise virgins; 6: days of creation; 7: sabbath; 8. Noah's family; 9: ungrateful lepers; 10: commandments; knave (jack): Judas; queen (of Sheba); king: God; 12 face cards: 12 months; etc. *Type 1613; **Bolte Zs.v. Vksk. XI 376ff., XIII 84; Penzer IV 240 n. 1. |
| H604 | Symbolic meaning of spiced and bitter tongue served at dinner. (Cf. H605, H606.) Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H605 | Angel gives symbolic interpretation of value of work as well as of prayer. Works and prays where monk can see him. (Cf. H604, H606.) Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H606 | Symbolic interpretation of sin. Priest drags heavy sack of sand behind him to show how men drag sin. (Cf. H604, H605.) Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H607 | Discussion by symbols. Sign language. *Penzer I 80f. n.; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 32; W. Coland Zs. f. Vksk. XXIV 88; Hertel ibid. XXIV 317; Loewe ibid. XXVIII 126; *Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 206; Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H607.1 | Discussion between priest and Jew carried on by symbols. E.g., priest raises three fingers (Trinity); Jew raises arm (one God); etc. *Anderson FFC XLII 354 n. 4; Köhler-Bolte II 479ff.; *Loewe Zs. f. Vksk. XXVIII 126; Penzer VI 249; Irish myth: Cross; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 922A*; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H607.2 | Discussion between two poets (sages?) carried on in poetic obscure language. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H607.2.1 | Learned professor from one university examines by signs a professor at another university (actually shoemaker or miller or the like). England, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| H607.3 | Princess declares her love through sign language: not understood. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H607.4 | Is town too full of anchorites? Saint entering holy town is sent cup full to brim of milk by its worldly-minded fakirs that he may know the town can hold no more anchorites. Saint floats a flower on milk and returns cup. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H608 | Symbolic interpretation of official robes. |
| H608.1 | Symbolic interpretation of points on a bishop's hat. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 100. |
| H611 | Youth asks for branch of tree; promised root. (Branch = youngest daughter; root = eldest.) Type 1465*. |
| H611.1 | Melons ripe and overripe analogous to girls ready for marriage. Iraq: Ethel Stevens Folk Tales of Iraq (London, 1931) 60. |
| H611.2 | Sign message sent by girl to enamored prince; interpreted by prince's friend. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H611.3 | Chief asks another for cutting of yams to complete his yam patch (daughter in marriage). Reply that seed yams for the year are shrivelled and old and it is too early for seedlings (his daughters are too young or too old). Tonga: Gifford 43. |
| H614 | Explanation of enigmatic phenomenon. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H614.1 | Explanation of phenomenon; a man who not only picks up wood but everything that lies in his path (a miser). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H614.2 | Explanation of phenomenon: large pond emptying itself into several smaller pools (man may spend without getting any return). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H617 | Symbolic interpretations of dreams. Jewish: Neuman. |
| H619 | Other symbolic interpretations. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H619.1 | Symbolic interpretation of chairs in heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H619.2 | Symbolic interpretation of church and image therein. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H619.3 | Roots and branches of World-tree explained symbolically. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H619.4 | Symbolic interpretation of ineffectual thatching of house and building of fire in otherworld. (Cf. F171.6.5, F171.6.6.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H619.5 | Symbolical interpretation of fight between one-legged bird and twelve-legged bird. One-legged bird symbolizes innocence; twelve-legged bird, guilt. (Cf. B15.6.3.3.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| H620 | The unsolved problem: enigmatic ending of tale. |
| H621 | Skillful companions create woman: to whom does she belong? Woodcarver carves a doll, tailor clothes her, gardener gives her speech (or the like). (Answer sometimes given: her father, her mother, or her husband). *Type 945; *BP III 53ff.; Tille FFC XXXIV 254; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: De Vries's list No. 199; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 33 No. 3; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 112 No. 39. |
| H621.1 | Skillful companions resuscitate girl: to whom does she belong? India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H621.2 | Girl rescued by skillful companions: to whom does she belong? *Type 653; *BP III 45; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H625 | Hare and pig race across ditch. Each fails in his own way, pig behind hare. Which is winner? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H630 | Riddles of the superlative. |
| H631 | Riddle: what is the strongest? *Types 461, 875, 922; *BP II 357; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 84, Aarne FFC XXIII 129; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H631.1 | What is the strongest? A horse. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 85; Arab: Azov JPASB II 415f. |
| H631.2 | What is the strongest? God. De Vries FFC LXXIII 85. |
| H631.3 | What is strongest? Earth. Type 875; De Vries FFC LXXIII 85; *BP II 357; Köhler-Bolte I 457f. |
| H631.4 | What is strongest? Woman. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 23, 360, Neuman. |
| H631.5 | What is strongest? Truth. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| H631.6 | What is mightiest? Rain. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H631.7 | What is strongest? Necessity. BP II 359. |
| H631.8 | What is strongest? Wine. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H631.9 | What is strongest? The king. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| H632 | Riddle: what is the swiftest? *Type 875; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 69ff. |
| H632.1 | What is swiftest? Thought. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 71; *BP III 233. |
| H632.2 | What is swiftest? The eye. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 72. |
| H632.3 | What is swiftest? The sun. De Vries FFC LXXIII 72. |
| H633 | Riddle: what is sweetest? Type 875; *De Vries FFC LXXIII 79ff.; *BP III 233. |
| H633.1 | What is sweetest? Sleep. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 81. |
| H633.2 | What is sweetest? Peace in heaven. *De Vries FFC LXXIII 81. |
| H633.3 | What is sweetest? Mother's breast. De Vries De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind (Nederlandsch tijdschrift voor volkskunde XXXII 192ff); BP III 43; Krappe Balor 165ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H633.4 | What is sweetest? One's own interest. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H633.5 | What is sweeter than sugar? The princess's speech. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H634 | Riddle: what is the sweetest song? *Type 922; *Anderson FFC XLII 233; Irish myth: Cross. |
| H634.1 | What is the sweetest song? Angel song. Anderson FFC XLII 233. |
| H635 | Riddle: what is the sweetest sound? Anderson FFC XLII 233; De Vries FFC LXXIII 90; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H635.1 | What is the sweetest sound? Bell-ringing. Anderson FFC XLII 233; De Vries FFC LXXIII 91; BP II 357. |
| H635.2 | What is the sweetest sound? God's Word. De Vries FFC LXXIII 90. |
| H636 | Riddle: what is the richest? Types 461, 875; BP III 357; Aarne FFC XXIII 129. |
| H636.1 | What is richest? Autumn. Type 875; BP III 349; Köhler-Bolte I 457f. |
| H637 | Riddle: what is the hardest? BP III 16. |
| H637.1 | What is hardest? Parent's heart (said by child being sacrificed). *De Vries De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind (Nederlandsch tijdschrift voor volkskunde XXXII 192ff.); BP III 43; *Krappe Balor 165ff. |
| H637.2 | What is the hardest? Death. De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H638 | Riddle: what is costliest? BP III 233. |
| H638.1 | What is costliest? The earth. Köhler-Bolte I 457f. |
| H641 | Riddle: what is most beautiful? *BP II 357; Köhler-Bolte I 457f. |
| H641.1 | What is most beautiful? The spring. *Type 875; *BP II 357; Köhler-Bolte I 457f. |
| H641.2 | What is most beautiful? Earth. BP II 358. |
| H642 | Riddle: what is highest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 93. |
| H642.1 | What is highest? Sun, moon, and stars. De Vries FFC LXXIII 93. |
| H643 | Riddle: what is deepest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 92. |
| H643.1 | What is deepest? The heart of man. De Vries FFC LXXIII 92; BP II 358. |
| H644 | Riddle: what is longest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 93. |
| H644.1 | What is longest? The way through the world. De Vries FFC LXXIII 93. |
| H645 | Riddle: what is the heaviest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H645.1 | What is heaviest? Lead. De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H646 | Riddle: what is greenest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H646.1 | What is greenest? The Month of May. De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H647 | Riddle: what is the most beloved? De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H647.1 | What is most beloved? Life. De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H647.2 | What is most beloved? Health. De Vries FFC LXXIII 94. |
| H648 | Riddle: what is best? De Vries FFC LXXIII 95; *Krappe Revue Celtique XLVII 401ff. |
| H648.1 | What is best? God. De Vries FFC LXXIII 95; BP II 358. |
| H648.2 | What is best? Water. De Vries FFC LXXIII 95. |
| H651 | Riddle: what is brightest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 88. |
| H651.1 | What is brightest? The sun. De Vries FFC LXXIII 89. |
| H651.2 | What is brightest? Mother's eyes. (Cf. H662.) De Vries De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind (Nederlandsch tijdschrift voor volkskunde XXXII 192ff.). |
| H652 | Riddle: what is softest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 87; BP II 358. |
| H652.1 | What is softest? The hand. (In order to lie soft one places his hand between the head and the pillow.) De Vries FFC LXXIII 88; BP II 358. |
| H652.2 | What is softest? Mother's bosom. De Vries De Sage van het ingemetselde Kind (Nederlandsche tijdschrift voor volkskunde XXXII 192ff.) |
| H653 | Riddle: what is the fattest? De Vries FFC LXXIII 75ff. |
| H653.1 | What is the fattest? The earth. De Vries FFC LXXIII 77; BP II 357f.; Anderson FFC XLII 232 n. 3. |
| H659 | Riddles of the superlative—miscellaneous. |
| H659.1 | Riddle: what is oldest? |
| H659.1.1 | What is oldest? God. BP II 358. |
| H659.2 | Riddle: what four things are hardest to hold? Anderson FFC XLII 228. |
| H659.2.1 | What four things are hardest to hold? Wolf by eyebrows, bear by claws, snake by tail, hawk by beak. Anderson FFC XLII 228. |
| H659.3 | Riddle: what are best and worst stones? |
| H659.3.1 | What are best and worst stones? Best: altar, whetstone, millstone; worst: hailstone, stone in the eye, gallstone. Anderson FFC LXII 228; BP III 220 n. 3; De Vries FFC LXXIII 95. |
| H659.4 | Riddle: what is the best fowl? |
| H659.4.1 | What is the best fowl? The goose, since it makes the cabbage sweet and the bed soft. Type 922; BP III 233. |
| H659.5 | Riddle: what is best religion—Christian or Mohammedan? |
| H659.5.1 | What is best religion—Christian or Mohammedan? They are equally good: as both eyes are equally dear to you, so are both religions to God. (Cf. J1262.9.) Anderson FFC XLII 237. |
| H659.6 | Riddle: what kind of work occupies most men? |
| H659.6.1 | What kind of work occupies most men? Healing, for every sick man practices this. Anderson FFC XLII 228. |
| H659.7 | Riddle: what is greatest? |
| H659.7.1 | What is greatest? Fame. BP II 358. |
| H659.7.2 | What is the greatest? A sense of shame. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H659.7.3 | What is the greatest? Charity. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H659.7.4 | What is the greatest villainy? Stealing. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H659.8 | What is moistest? The south wind. Arab: Azov JPASB II 415f. |
| H659.9 | Riddle: what is wisest? |
| H659.9.1 | What is wisest? Time. BP II 358. |
| H659.10 | Riddle: what is most general? |
| H659.10.1 | What is most general? Hope. BP II 359. |
| H659.11 | Riddle: what is most useful? |
| H659.11.1 | What is most useful? Excellence. BP II 359. |
| H659.12 | Riddle: what is most shameful? |
| H659.12.1 | What is most shameful? Cowardice. BP II 359. |
| H659.13 | Riddle: what is most pleasant? |
| H659.13.1 | What is most pleasant? Love. (In spite of childbirth pains women continue becoming pregnant.) Arab: Azov JPASB II 415f. |
| H659.14 | Riddle: what is easiest? |
| H659.14.1 | What is easiest? The natural. BP II 359. |
| H659.15 | Riddle: what is the hardest to skin? |
| H659.15.1 | What is the hardest to skin? The male member. De Vries FFC LXXIII 96. |
| H659.16 | Who are the best painters? Women (in the art of make-up). Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| H659.17 | Riddle: what is the best time to eat? For the rich man, when he wishes; for the poor man, when he has something to eat. Spanish: Childers. |
| H659.18 | What are the most accursed things? |
| H659.18.1 | What are the most accursed things? A thriftless wife, a baldheaded daughter, a sour-faced daughter-in-law, a crooked axle, and a field which lies across the village road. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.19 | What is the most difficult to find and the most difficult to lose? The truth. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H659.20 | Who are really irresistible? Meat and drink. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.21 | Who are really meek? Cows and daughters. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.22 | Which is best, domestic or ascetic life? With good wife domestic life is best. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.23 | Which is the best of flowers? Cotton. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.24 | What is the finest jewel? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.25 | What is most faithful thing in world? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H659.26 | What is most faithless thing in world? India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H660 | Riddles of comparison. Boberg Danske Studier 1945, 1ff., and øst og Vest, Afhandlinger til Arthur Christensen (Kbhvn. 1945) 192.—Irish myth: Cross. |
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