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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 |
|---|---|
| J414 | Marriage with equal or with unequal. |
| J414.1 | Wife chosen instead of fairy mistress. They let man choose between them. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 88. |
| J414.2 | Prince prefers first love to princess he later marries. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 61 No. 445A. |
| J414.3 | Unsuccessful marriage of jackals and turtles (different habits). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J416 | One's own kind preferred to strangers. |
| J416.1 | Bird refuses to maintain friendship with bird of different habits. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J417 | Man prefers to live with ordinary rather than with pious man. He will be virtuous by comparison. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J420 | Association of strong and weak. |
| J421 | Subordination of weak to strong. |
| J421.1 | Lion as king makes ass his lieutenant. *Basset RTP VI 244. |
| J421.2 | Lion makes lame goat his lieutenant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J423 | Stupid fear company of clever. |
| J423.1 | Jackal realizes that the partridge was too clever for him and leaves. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J425 | Weak fear company of strong. |
| J425.1 | Earthen and brazen pots in river. Brazen pot thinks that they should stay together for company. Earthen pot, however, fears approach of brazen pot. Wienert FFC LVI 76 (ET 414), *136 (ST 415); Halm Aesop No. 422; Jacobs Aesop 212 No. 51; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J425.2 | Buffalo refuses tiger's invitation to dinner. He sees fire prepared to cook him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J426 | Association of rat with cat ceases as soon as mutual danger has passed. The rat threatened by the weasel and the owl allies himself with a cat caught in a net. Saved by the cat, he rescues the cat with precaution and then prudently renounces further relations with her. Chauvin II 101 No. 61; Bødker Exempler No. 66; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J426.1 | Association of mouse with cat ceases as soon as mutual danger has passed. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J426.2 | Friendship of snake and frog ceases when snake wants to eat frog. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J427 | Association of cow and tiger: tiger eats cow as soon as she is hungry. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J428 | Association of tiger and crane. They soon quarrel. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J429 | Association of strong and weak—miscellaneous. |
| J429.1 | Association of swan and swallow: swan unable to fly away from danger. Type 246*. |
| J429.2 | Associating with a bad friend is fatal: swan and crow. Swan is blamed when crow drops filth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J440 | Association of young and old. |
| J441 | Profitable association of young and old. |
| J441.1 | Old ox yoked with young ox. Thus kept in order. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 516), 146 (ST 511). |
| J445 | Foolish association of young and old. |
| J445.1 | Foolish youth in love with ugly old mistress. Herbert III 39ff.; Hervieux I 188 No. 14a; Heptameron No. 27; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J445.2 | Foolish marriage of old man and young girl. Nouvelles Recreations No. 16; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 99; Panchatantra (tr. Ryder) 341; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J450 | Association of the good and the evil. |
| J451 | Contagiousness of bad company. |
| J451.1 | Ass buyer returns ass which has associated with lazy companions. Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 376), 120 (ST 294); Halm Aesop No. 320; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J451.2 | Stork killed along with cranes. Ill-advised associations end fatally. Wienert FFC LVI 67 (ET 309), 120 (ST 296); Halm Aesop No. 100. |
| J451.3 | God of wealth in bad company. Heracles on his arrival in heaven fails to greet Plutus, the god of wealth: he has seen him in too bad company. Wienert FFC LVI 76 (ET 418), 120 (ST 295); Halm Aesop No 160. |
| J451.4 | Mirror begrimed by snail. Wienert FFC LVI 75 (ET 412), 120 (ST 300). |
| J452 | Bad associates bring death to bishop. Doctor loses his life for him and lawyer his soul. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J455 | Harm of association with flatterers. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 739. |
| J460 | Unnecessary choices. |
| J461 | Senseless debate of the mutually useful. |
| J461.1 | The belly and the members. Debate as to their usefulness. All mutually useful. *Prato Archivio per lo studio delle tradizioni popolari IV (1885) 25ff.; Penzer V 135 n.; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 399; Wienert FFC LVI *43 (ET 6), 92 (ST 59); Halm Aesop No. 197; Jacobs Aesop 206 No. 29; *Crane Vitry 167 No. 73; *H. Gombel Die Fabel vom Magen und den Gliedern (Beihefte zur Zs. f. romanische Philologie LXXX [Halle, 1934]).—Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas III 71, *301f., *Neuman; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 139; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 393. |
| J461.1.1 | Tail and head of serpent quarrel as to usefulness. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 187), 93 (ST 60); Halm Aesop No. 344; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.1.2 | Fortune, Intellect, Knowledge, and Health dispute as to which is the greatest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.1.3 | Debate of tongue and other bodily members. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J461.2 | Common wives of man debate as to which has helped him most. Help of each was indispensable. Africa (Vai): Ellis 235 No. 56, 255 No. 52. |
| J461.3 | Tobacco, pipe, and match debate usefulness to smoker. Africa (Vai): Ellis 196 No. 13. |
| J461.4 | Deer, opossum, and snake each render indispensable aid to man. Foolishly debate their usefulness. Africa (Vai): Ellis 230 No. 39. |
| J461.5 | Rice, wheat, and dal dispute as to which is the best. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.6 | Dispute of hammer and anvil. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.7 | Wealth and wisdom dispute as to who is greater. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J461.8 | Elephant and ape debate about superiority. Owl gives them task neither can perform and ends futile debate. India: Thompson-Balys |
| J462 | Unnecessary choices of belief. |
| J462.1 | Unnecessary choice of gods. King's sons each choose a god: Jupiter for power, Saturn for wisdom, etc. Father says that a god of all combined would be better. Oesterley No. 243; Herbert III 204. Cf. Wienert FFC LVI 44 (ET 23), 135 (ST 410); Babrius No. 15. |
| J462.2 | Unnecessary choice of philosophies. Aristotle drinks both red and white wine to show that all philosophies are good. Scala Celi 35b No. 197. |
| J462.3 | Unnecessary choice of religion. |
| J462.3.1 | Father leaves sons three jewels—Christianity, Judaism, Mohammedanism. All to be used. (Cf. J1262.9.) *Zachariae Zs. f. Vksk. XXXIII —XXXIV 70; Boccaccio Decameron I No. 3 (*Lee 6); Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 150, 281. |
| J462.3.1.1 | Father gives son three rings. Only one is good although they all look the same. Same with religions. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J463 | Unnecessary choice: to go uphill or downhill. Camel prefers the level. Wienert FFC LVI 71 (ET 353), 111 (ST 223). |
| J465 | Unnecessary choice: praying or reading. Both are good. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 105. |
| J466 | Senseless debates about usefulness. |
| J466.1 | Pomegranate and apple tree dispute as to which is worth most. Blackberry reproves them for useless jangling. Wienert FFC LVI 43 (ET 11), 74 (ET 390), 92 (ST 47); Halm Aesop No. 385. |
| J466.2 | Senseless debate: which is the greater, St. John the Baptist or St. John the Evangelist? Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J480 | Other choices. |
| J481 | Inflicters rather than receivers of wounds chosen. Men with many wounds recommended as soldiers. King had rather have those who gave the wounds. Wesselski Bebel I 69 No. 48. |
| J482 | King advised to marry maid rather than widow. Widow would have things her own way. *Stiefel Zs. f. Vksk. VIII 278. |
| J482.1 | Woman refuses second marriage. If husband is good she will fear to lose him; if bad she will repent. Alphabet No. 565; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J482.1.1 | Woman refuses second marriage. Her husband abides in her heart. Spanish: Childers. |
| J482.1.2 | Widow refuses second marriage so her brother cannot kill a second husband. Heptameron No. 40. |
| J482.2 | Better to marry ugly than fair wife. Less hard to satisfy. Alphabet No. 798. |
| J482.2.1 | Better to marry a man lacking money than money lacking a man. Spanish: Childers, Keller. |
| J482.3 | Young man advised to choose as wife a girl whose mother was chaste. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J483 | Choice: to do that which one knows or to learn something. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 104. |
| J484 | Enjoyment preferred to wealth. Penzer IV 198. |
| J485 | Three sins of the hermit. Choice of three sins given him: adultery, murder (theft), drunkenness. He chooses drunkenness; the others follow. (Cf. J21.25.) *Type 839; **Taylor MPh XX 61ff.; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 243; Chauvin VIII 129 No. 118; Herbert III *131; Köhler-Bolte I 583; Nouvelles de Sens No. 25; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 24; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas IV 159, 282, Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. Cf. Wesselski Mönchslatein 22 No. 17. |
| J486 | Death preferred above God and Justice. *Type 332; BP I 381ff.; *Fb "Vorherre" III 1087b. |
| J487 | Tame dog prefers food basin to fleeing hare. Wienert FFC LVI *85 (ET 522), 145 (ST 503); Halm Aesop No. 390. |
| J488 | Fox had rather meet one hen than fifty women. English: Wells 184 (The Fox and the Wolf). |
| J491 | Old sweetheart chosen in preference to new. Type 886. |
| J493 | Little men preferred to big men. Preacher prefers small men because the intellect has difficulty in reaching to one's heels. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J494 | Choice: death and revenge preferred to life. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J495 | Monk chooses solitude and loneliness to company and temptation. By living alone he escapes sin. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J496 | Choice of friend over mistress. Given the choice of his friend or his mistress, man chooses his friend. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J497 | Eagle prefers own offspring to changeling. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J510 | Prudence in ambition. |
| J511 | One should not attempt to change his color. |
| J511.1 | Negro tries in vain to be washed white. Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 48), *87 (ST 5); Halm Aesop No. 13; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512 | Animal should not try to change his nature. |
| J512.1 | Crab comes ashore: killed by fox. Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 91), 90 (ST 28); Halm Aesop No. 186. |
| J512.2 | Kite tries to neigh like a horse. Loses his voice and gains nothing. Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 52), 90 (ST 27); Halm Aesop No. 170. |
| J512.3 | Camel tries in vain to dance. Wienert FFC LVI 46 (ET 46, 47), *88, 90 (ST 10, 20); Halm Aesop No. 182, 365. |
| J512.4 | Ass tries in vain to play lyre. *Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 26), 130 (ST 373). |
| J512.5 | Wolf tries in vain to be doctor. Only increases patient's suffering. Wienert FFC LVI 46 (ET 40), 122 (ST 309). |
| J512.6 | Crow tries to imitate partridge's walk. Only spoils his own. Chauvin II 106 No. 70; Bødker Exempler 303 No. 73; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J512.7 | Mouse, bird, and sausage keep house together. When they exchange duties all goes wrong. *Type 85; *BP I 206, III 558; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 135. |
| J512.7.1 | Elephant, giraffe, snake, and ant try keeping house together: requirements different. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.8 | Ass tries to get a cricket's voice. Asks crickets what they eat to get such a voice. They answer, "dew." He tries it and starves. Wienert FFC LVI 46 (ET 43), 90 (ST 24); Halm Aesop No. 337. |
| J512.9 | Lizard tries to make himself as long as snake. Kills himself. Wienert FFC LVI 58 (ET 189), 93 (ST 62); Halm Aesop No. 388. |
| J512.10 | Fox tries to mask as dove, but loses all thoughts of murder. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.11 | Camel and jackal exchange food: camel is led by his good friend to thorny fruit and thorn sticks in his throat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.12 | Frog wants to be shod like a horse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.13 | Jackal accidentally made king but joins other jackals in howling at night. Killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.14 | Snake wants to act as pet like parrot: killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J512.15 | Frogs want to collect honey like bees. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J513 | One should let well enough alone. |
| J513.1 | Birds seeking richer lands are nearly all killed. Survivors advise their friends to let well enough alone. *Wesselski Arlotto I 201 No. 31. |
| J513.2 | Barber tries unsuccessfully to become a trader. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J514 | One should not be too greedy. Type 555. |
| J514.1 | Kite tries to carry off so many partridges that he drops them all. Herbert III 40ff.; Hervieux IV 211 No. 38; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J514.2 | Wolf tries to eat bowstring. Finds hunter, gazelle, and wild boar dead. Tries first to eat the bowstring, and is mortally wounded. Chauvin II 95 No. 47; Bødker Exempler 292 No. 51; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J514.3 | Greedy man keeps demanding one more thing from complacent man; at last is magically blinded. Campbell-McKay No. 21. |
| J514.4 | Greedy pig looks up into tree for figs. This causes his death. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J514.5 | Greedy man dissatisfied with gold looks for jewels; finds only iron and eventually nothing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J514.6 | Fowler wants two rubies as ransom for a caught goose; loses goose and both rubies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J515 | Peacock spends so much time preening for coronation that birds become impatient and make the owl king instead. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J530 | Prudence in demands. |
| J531 | Good shepherd shears his sheep; does not skin them. Emperor thus replies to suggestion of a new tax to be laid on the people. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 742. |
| J550 | Zeal—temperate and intemperate. |
| J551 | Intemperate zeal in truth-telling. |
| J551.1 | Cocks who crow about mistress's adultery killed. Discreet cock saves his life. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 9; Oesterley No. 68; Herbert III 206. |
| J551.1.1 | Bird warns mistress against committing adultery: gets neck wrung. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J551.2 | Fool given the truth on his back. He tells his master what the servants have done during his absence. The servants whip him on his bare back, saying at each blow, "That is the truth." When the master returns and tells the fool to tell the truth, the latter replies, "There is nothing worse on earth than the truth." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 1. |
| J551.3 | Doctor loses a horse for the sake of the truth. Overlord asks two doctors whether he is entitled to all the possessions of his retainers. One doctor unrighteously answers yes and receives a horse. The other who tells the truth receives nothing. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 123. |
| J551.4 | Man asked to tell truth says that his host, his hostess, and the cat have but three eyes between them. He is driven off for his truth telling. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 3. |
| J551.5 | Magpie tells a man that his wife has eaten an eel, which she said was eaten by the otter. The woman plucks his feathers out. When the magpie sees a bald man, she says, "You too must have tattled about the eel." *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 6. |
| J551.6 | Only youngest son tells king truth when asked where they got their food: banished. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J551.7 | Honest servant tells people that shop does not have many customers: dismissed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J552 | Intemperate pugnacity. |
| J552.1 | Noblemen who quarreled over a device. Wiser of the two shows foolishness of such a fight. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 168. |
| J552.2 | Noblemen being ruined by long lawsuit decide wisely to join their families in marriage and save their fortunes. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 402. |
| J552.2.1 | Bishop fond of lawsuits is ordered by king to settle them: bishop pleads for a few to be left so that he will have something to live for. Nouvelles Récréations No. 34. |
| J552.3 | Serpent (weasel) tries to bite a file. Wienert FFC LVI 75 (ET 401, 402), 98 (ST 119, 120); Halm Aesop Nos. 86, 126; Jacobs Aesop 206 No. 26. |
| J552.4 | Helmet left for woman to quarrel with. Woman insists upon quarreling with a nobleman. He says, "If you wish to quarrel, I shall leave my helmet here. You can talk to it." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 641. |
| J552.5 | Brothers compose quarrel and save umpire's fee. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J552.6 | Boast at home. In Castile a Spaniard maintains to a Portuguese that the Spanish king is best of all. In Portugal, that the Portuguese king is best. "Each cock crows in his own barnyard." Spanish: Childers (J500). |
| J553 | Intemperance in work. |
| J553.1 | Aesop with the unbent bow. Upbraided when found playing with children, he unstrings a bow and shows how good relaxation is. Wienert FFC LVI 40; Phaedrus III No. 14; Thiele Hermes XLI 585; Alphabet Nos. 6, 671. |
| J553.2 | Ruler interrupts meeting of Senate to amuse his small son. When rebuked for making him a whistle he says: "I would have blown it for him had he asked me to do so." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J554 | Intemperance in service. Emperor rebukes overzealous servant as being a nuisance. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 523), 143 (ST 491). |
| J555 | Intemperance in obedience. |
| J555.1 | Cum grano salis. Instructions of mother followed literally by one daughter when she marries. All goes wrong. Second daughter follows them in conformity with her father's explanations and all is well. *Type 915. |
| J556 | Intemperance in honesty. Irish: Beal XXI 335, O'Suilleabhain 118. |
| J556.1 | St. George teaches the poor man, "Who steals somewhat and lies somewhat will be rich." Type 790*. |
| J556.2 | Forget God for five years and you will become wealthy. Nouvelles Récréations No. 53. |
| J557 | Intemperance in undertaking labor. |
| J557.1 | Monk discouraged by large amount of work to be done persuaded to undertake but a small amount each day. The small task will be done; the large one will merely discourage. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 262; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J557.1.1 | True penance for even a day is effective. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J558 | Intemperance in sacrificing. Wienert FFC LVI 80 (ET 462), 138 (ST 431); Halm Aesop No. 161; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J561 | Intemperance in pursuit. |
| J561.1 | Man tracking gorilla sees animal's strength. Wisely refrains. Africa (Fjort): Dennett 69 No. 14. |
| J561.2 | Cow-herd looking for cattle thief recognizes him in the lion. Desists. Wienert FFC LVI 67 (ET 318), 109 (ST 213); Halm Aesop No. 83. |
| J562 | Intemperance in charity. A waste of time to make a bed for a dog who lies down wherever he happens to be tired. Likewise a waste of time to help unappreciative people. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 429. |
| J563 | Man resuscitates a lion which devours him. *Krappe Papers and Trans. of Jubilee Congress of Folk Lore Society (London, 1930) 277ff.; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 270, *357, *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J564 | Intemperance in worship. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J565 | Intemperance in fasting. |
| J565.1 | Fool fasts on roof till he becomes so weak he falls off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J570 | Wisdom of deliberation. |
| J571 | Avoid hasty judgment. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J571.1 | When in anger say the alphabet. Man thus restrained from hasty judgment. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 257. |
| J571.2 | King given three wheels to control his anger. *Chauvin II 127 No. 130. |
| J571.3 | King in anger punishes misdeed on Easter day. Is almost killed himself in retaliation. He submits and says that he deserves this punishment for hasty action. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 256. |
| J571.4 | Avoid hasty punishment. |
| J571.4.1 | Man has disinterested party punish servant for him lest he himself be unfair in his anger. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J571.4.2 | Master when angry will not punish servant who has ruined him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J571.5 | King restrained from hasty judgment by being told story. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J571.6 | Judge not that you be not judged: thus judge upbraided when he is later accused in court and claims mercy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J571.7 | Answer questions of a fool the next day. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J571.8 | Unpaid servant refuses to blame master: later rewarded. Jewish: Neuman. |
| J572 | Wisdom of deliberation in fight. West Indies: Flowers 476. |
| J572.1 | Bravest know how to wait. Three men are pursued in battle. First throws himself on enemies; second waits a little; third does not fight until the enemy begins. Latter is bravest. *Chauvin II 152 No. 15; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J580 | Wisdom of caution. |
| J581 | Foolishness of noise-making when enemies overhear. |
| J581.1 | Wolf as dog's guest sings. He has drunk too much and sings in spite of the dog's warning. He is killed. *Type 100; *BP II 111. |
| J581.2 | Paramour who insists on quarreling with mistress about escape caught by her husband. He finds the escape different from that which had been described to him. Chauvin II 84 No. 12; Bødker Exempler 275 No. 11; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J581.3 | Monk's enemies quarrel and thus save him. Robber who wants to steal monk's cow and devil who wants to steal his soul quarrel as to which shall begin first; they thus awaken him and the neighbors. Chauvin II 97 No. 53; Bødker Exempler 296 No. 58; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J581.4 | Drones dispute possession of honey. Ordered to make honey. Dispossessed. Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 140), 100 (ST 138). |
| J581.5 | Kites and crows quarrel over division of wounded fox. Meantime fox escapes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J582 | Foolishness of premature coming out of hiding. |
| J582.1 | Hidden goat discovered by his horn protruding above ground. Phaedrus II No. 8; West Indies: Flowers 476. |
| J582.2 | Hidden stag discovered when he begins to eat grapevine too soon after hunters have passed. Wienert FFC LVI 65 (ET 286), *109 (ST 209, 521); Halm Aesop No. 127. |
| J585 | Caution in eating. |
| J585.1 | Clever girl refrains from eating figs which would bring on magic sleep. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 116 No. 970. |
| J610 | Forethought in conflict with others—general. |
| J611 | Wise man before entering a quarrel considers how it will end. Wesselski Bebel II 110 No. 35; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 765. |
| J612 | Wise man considers whom he is attacking. |
| J612.1 | Flea and fever exchange night-lodgings. Flea had attacked abbess and been chased all night; fever, a washerwoman who nearly froze it to death by going to the river and washing clothes. They exchange and succeed. *Crane Vitry 159 No. 59; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XV 105; Wesselski Mönchslatein 87 No. 75; Alphabet No. 15; Scala Celi No. 430. |
| J613 | Wise fear of the weak for the strong. |
| J613.1 | Frogs fear increase of sun's power which will dry up all their puddles. Wienert FFC LVI *76 (ET 421), 136 (ST 418); Halm Aesop No. 77; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3189; Legends Nos. 288f. |
| J613.2 | Frogs fear defeated bull. See two bulls fighting; know that the loser will take refuge in their marsh. Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 151), *148 (ST 531). |
| J620 | Forethought in prevention of others's plans. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| J621 | Destruction of enemy's weapons. |
| J621.1 | The swallow and the hemp-seeds. Swallow in vain urges other birds to eat seed as fast as it is sowed. Ridiculed, he builds his nest among the dwellings of men. Later, birds are caught in nets made from the hemp. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 248), 118 (ST 277); Halm Aesop Nos. 105, 106; Dähnhardt IV 275; Herbert III 8; *Crane Vitry 176 No. 101; Jacobs Aesop 203 No. 12; Africa (Fang): Tessman 27ff., (Pangwe): ibid. 362ff. |
| J621.1.1 | Snake gives away magic pills later used to kill him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J622 | Preventing the birth of enemies. |
| J622.1 | Wise man destroys serpent's eggs. *Fb "hugorm"; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J622.1.1 | Swallow advises hen against hatching out serpent's eggs. She is hatching her own destruction. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 255), 147 (ST 516); Halm Aesop No. 342. |
| J623 | Prevention of hostility by inspiring fear in enemy. |
| J623.1 | Snake complains to Zeus that people step on him. Zeus: "If you had bitten the first foot that stepped on you it would not be done now." Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 430), 128 (ST 364); Halm Aesop No. 347. |
| J624 | Uniting against a common enemy. |
| J624.1 | Two sheep kill a fox who has licked up the blood they have spilled in a fight. Chauvin II 87 No. 22; Bødker Exempler 279 No. 22; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J624.2 | Sheep-dogs stop quarreling to hunt wolf who has raided the flock. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J624.3 | Enemy brothers unite to fight a common enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J625 | Prevention of hostilities by agreeing to demands while in danger. Barber makes heavy demands of customer while the razor is at his throat. Customer agrees but after the shave throws the barber out. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J626 | Prevention of hostilities by disarming the suspect. Later learned that he is a fugitive murderer. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J628 | Dissuasion from suicide. Man dissuades simpleton from hanging himself by telling him that hell is a place of pain and torments. Spanish: Childers. |
| J631 | Crab takes hold of heron's neck and fearing attack cuts neck and kills him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J634 | King takes measures against assassination. |
| J634.1 | King to avoid possible assassination singes his beard rather than have barber shave him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J634.2 | King to avoid possible assassination has queen's quarters searched before he enters. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J640 | Avoidance of others' power. |
| J641 | Escaping before enemy can strike. |
| J641.1 | One bird escapes as hunter bends his bow; other remains and is shot. (Told also of fish.) *Type 246; Wienert FFC LVI 61 (ET 233), 108 (ST 205); Halm Aesop No. 85; Chauvin II 88. |
| J642 | Foolishness of surrendering weapons. |
| J642.1 | Lion suitor allows his teeth to be pulled and his claws to be cut. He is then killed. Wienert FFC LVI 45 (ET 32), 70 (ET 344), 107 (ST 198); Halm Aesop No. 249; *Basset RTP XXVI 126; Africa: Weeks Jungle 450. |
| J642.2 | Robbers persuaded to give hero sword with which they are afterwards killed. Africa (Somali): Tiling ZsES XVIII 139ff. No. 6. |
| J643 | Care against future tyranny. |
| J643.1 | Frogs demand a live king. King Log. Zeus has given them a log as king, but they find him too quiet. He then gives them a stork who eats them. Wienert FFC LVI *78 (ET 436), 110 (ST 217); Halm Aesop No. 76; *Crane Vitry 143 No. 24; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *277; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV No. *277; Russian: Andrejev No. 277; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J643.2 | Kite as king of chickens. Herbert III 35. |
| J643.3 | Lion as king of animals reinstated after elephant is tired. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J644 | Avoiding places which have been fatal to others. |
| J644.1 | Fox sees all tracks going into lion's den but none coming out. He saves himself. Wienert FFC LVI *53 (ET 131), 96 (ST 92); Halm Aesop No. 246, cf. No. 262; Jacobs Aesop 217 No. 73; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *50A; India: Thompson-Balys; N. A Indian (Tuxtapec): Mechling JAFL XXV 203; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 189, (Hottentot): Bleek 19 No. 10; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 243 No. 18. |
| J645 | Avoiding power of future enemy. |
| J645.1 | Birds flee from cuckoo who, they believe, will later become a hawk. Wienert FFC LVI 55 (ET 149), 119 (ST 290); Halm Aesop No. 198. |
| J646 | Disregard advice of your enemy. |
| J646.1 | Palamides, having injured Ulysses, seeks advice from him. Following the advice proves fatal. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No 441. |
| J646.2 | Bird hears voices from within unhatched eggs and flies away: voices plot to dine on their bird-mother when they are born. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J647 | Avoiding enemy's revenge. |
| J647.1 | Avoid enemies' revenge either by making peace and friendship or by killing them all. So says old man to conqueror. Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 544, 545. |
| J647.2 | Advice not to rob women while they are alone, for fear of returning husbands' revenge. Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 24—27, Boberg. |
| J648 | Care against future imprisonment. |
| J648.1 | Monkeys planning to found a city desist lest with walls up it will be easier to catch them than before. Wienert FFC LVI *61 (ET 240), 108 (ST 200); Halm Aesop No. 361. |
| J651 | Inattention to danger. |
| J651.1 | Throstle giving all attention to sweet fruits is caught by bird catcher. Wienert FFC LVI 66 (ET 298), 107 (ST 195); Halm Aesop No. 194. |
| J651.2 | Man inattentive to the danger of drowning enters water to save treasure and is drowned. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J652 | Inattention to warnings. Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; West Indies: Flowers 477. |
| J652.1 | Frog persists in living in puddle on road. Disregards advice of another frog and is run over. Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 203), 118 (ST 279); Halm Aesop No. 75; North Carolina: Brown Collection I 704. |
| J652.2 | Swallows warn other birds against roosting in tree with glue. They disregard and are caught. Wienert FFC LVI 62 (ET 249), 118 (ST 277); Halm Aesop No. 417; Dh IV 274ff. |
| J652.3 | Man disregards priest's warning that he will seduce his wife. Adultery committed. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J652.4 | Warnings against certain peoples. |
| J652.4.1 | Hector warns Trojans against attacking the stronger Greeks. Warning disregarded. Disastrous defeat. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J652.4.2 | Don't play tricks on Gascons. Heptameron No. 28. |
| J655 | Approaching danger too familiarly. |
| J655.1 | Birds discuss the trap. One of them is caught in it. Type 245*; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 110. |
| J655.2 | Fox jeers at fox-trap. Is caught. Type 68*. |
| J656 | Avoiding things which are harmful by nature. |
| J656.1 | Thornbush blamed by fox for wounding him. He should have known better than to lay hold of something whose nature is to lay hold of others. Wienert FFC LVI 73 (ET 386), 122 (ST 310); Halm Aesop No. 32. |
| J657 | Care in selecting the creature to carry one. |
| J657.1 | Youth trusts self to horse over which he has no control. Thrown off. Wienert FFC LVI *71 (ET 358), 109 (ST 210; cf. 533); Halm Aesop No. 302. |
| J657.2 | Tortoise lets self be carried by eagle. Dropped and eaten. *Wienert FFC LVI 46, 50 Nos. 51, 98; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J657.3 | Crane persuades fish to let him change him from one lake into another: he eats fish. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J670 | Forethought in defences against others. |
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