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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| K84 | Deceptive vocal contests. |
| K264.2 | Deceptive wager: cat to carry lantern into room. (Has been specially trained.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K264.1 | Deceptive wager: whose horse will jump highest. The trickster has his worthless horse jump out the window. The duke will not let his run the risk. *Wesselski Gonnella 131 No. 25; England: Baughman. |
| K264 | Deceptive wager. |
| K256.1 | Deceptive wages: as much rice as will go on a leaf. Lotus leaf used. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K256.2 | Deceptive wages: two grains and land to plant them on. Grain multiplies and takes up all of dupe's land. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K256 | Deceptive wages. |
| K1058 | Deer persuaded to butt head into tree. Kills himself. N. A. Indian (Catawba): Speck JAFL XXVI 324 No. 2. |
| K551.22 | Definite respite from death granted. |
| K2270 | Deformed villains. |
| K1811.2 | Deity disguised as old man (woman) visits mortals. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 776; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1811.5 | Deity takes form of animal to visit mortals. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1811.4 | Deity takes form of particular person to visit mortals. Greek: Iliad and Odyssey passim. |
| K335.0.9 | Delivery boy is frightened into giving up his chickens. Trickster upturns his eyelids and puts on boar's tusks. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K481 | Demi-coq by means of his magic animals and magic water collects money. *Type 715; *BP I 258; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| K2385 | Demon enters person and refuses to leave until wishes have been fulfilled. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 193ff., 352f.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K362.6 | Deposit money secured by false order to banker's wife. When banker refuses to redeliver deposit the owner presents false tokens to wife. Jewish: Bin Gorion Born Judas II 245. |
| K951.0.1 | Deserted wife chokes departing husband. Asks for one last kiss. Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas I 242ff., 376, 384, Neuman. |
| K2127.1 | Desiring woman they quarrel over, man accuses group of men of having abducted his wife. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K525.8.1 | Destructive magic belt tried on tree. Destroys tree. Hdwb. d. Märchens s.v. "gürtel". |
| K525.8 | Destructive magic object tried out on something inanimate. |
| K2060 | Detection of hypocrisy. |
| K412 | Detection of theft of bull escaped by putting boots on bull. *Fb "tyr" III 908b. |
| K212 | Devil cheated by being frightened. *Type 1145—1154; Irish: Beal XXI 311, O'Suilleabhain 33; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K218.1 | Devil cheated by having priest draw a sacred circle about the intended victim. Type 810; Irish: Beal XXI 309, O'Suilleabhain 30; Scotland: Baughman. |
| K211 | Devil cheated by imposing an impossible task. Type 1170—1199; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 636. |
| K215 | Devil cheated by pretended hanging. The man has promised himself to the devil in return for money. He stuffs his clothes with straw and hangs them up. The devil thinks the man has hanged himself and is satisfied. Type 1190*. |
| K218 | Devil cheated by religious or magic means. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| K219.1 | Devil cheated of his promised soul by making the intended victim drunk. The devil may punish the drunk man's body but has no power over his soul. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 522. |
| K219.2 | Devil cheated of his promised soul when the victim sells his to a comrade. The latter says, "The devil can take only one soul from each person. I bought the soul so that when he comes I can give him one and still save my own." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 279. |
| K210 | Devil cheated of his promised soul. The man saves it through deceit. Irish: Beal XXI 312f., O'Suilleabhain 34, 36; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3390, Legends Nos. 490f., 749f.; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| K218.2 | Devil cheated of his victim by boy having a bible under his arm. *Type 400; U.S.: Baughman. |
| K218.4 | Devil cheated of promised soul by intervention of Virgin Mary. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K218.3 | Devil cheated when his victim becomes a priest. *Type 811*; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 423; Russian: Andrejev No. 811. |
| K1317.10 | Devil comes to rendezvous instead of woman's lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1986 | Devil disguised as candidate for confirmation. Fb "fanden" I 266b. |
| K1987 | Devil disguised as man goes to church. Dh. I 175; Nouvelles de Sens No. 5. |
| K1961.3 | Devil disguised as monk. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 448. |
| K2325 | Devil frightened by threatening to bring mother-in-law. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 51 No. 340*. |
| K219.7 | Devil gets a flea instead of man's soul. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 751. |
| K219.6 | Devil gets an animal in place of a human being. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3285, Legends Nos. 472, 489. |
| K217 | Devil gets another soul instead of one bargained for. The devil bargains with a man for his soul, but the man fulfills his contract and escapes. In envy two persons commit suicide. The devil rejoices that though he lost one he has gained two. *Types 361, 362*; Russian: Andrejev No. 362. |
| K211.1 | Devil is cheated by giving him task: counting the letters in the church Bible. He is unable to read the holy words. England: Baughman. |
| K262.1 | Devil is made sick of his bargain. Devil helps shepherd boy become a minister on condition that he mention Satan by name each time he enters pulpit. Boy consents but does so in such a way that devil begs to abolish the agreement. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 11 No. 87. |
| K219.4 | Devil is to get soul of man whether he is buried "inside or outside of church, above or below ground." The man has himself buried in the wall of the church, partly in and partly out of the ground. (Cf. H1052.) England: *Baughman. |
| K218.7 | Devil is unable to take man contracted to him when friends pray over the corpse. Scotland: *Baughman. |
| K249.1 | Devil loses his grain and gets thistles. God grants the devil one grain crop, which he can create by calling its name. The devil is tricked into forgetting the name and calling "Thistles". Hence his crop is of thistles. Dh I 185ff. |
| K551.4.2 | Devil must wait for man to tie his stocking before the man comes into his possession. It remains untied. *Fb "hosebеnd" I 650, IV 221b. |
| K213 | Devil pounded in knapsack until he releases man. *Type 330. |
| K216 | Devil to release man for performing seemingly impossible task. The task is performed by trickery. |
| K1992 | Devil tries to pass for Jesus. Forbids man to cut wood on Sunday. Disappears when man demands to see the wounds on his hands and feet. Type 797*. |
| K214 | Devil's magic power turned on himself. The hero who is riding the devil as a horse receives supernatural strength from plucking a hair from the devil's mane. He then spurs the devil until he agrees to forego his bargain for the man's soul. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 67 No. 508A*. |
| K631.2 | Disarming by a shooting test. The captor is thus induced to fire all his shots. Type 1528*; BP III 455; U.S., Scotland: Baughman. |
| K1274 | Discovery of abbot's (abbess's) incontinence brings permission to monks (nuns) to do likewise. Boccaccio Decameron I No. 4 (Lee 14); Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K961.1 | Disease to be cured by heart of monkey. (Cf. K544.) *Penzer V 128f., 128 n. 1; Bødker Exempler 298 No. 62; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. Also references to K544. |
| K1836.4 | Disguise as a weeping woman to attract attention. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1828.1 | Disguise as angel. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1328 | Disguise as animal to seduce woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1826.2 | Disguise as ascetic. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1825.8 | Disguise as astrologer. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1825.3 | Disguise as barber. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357.9 | Disguise as beggar (pauper) to enter enemy's camp (castle) or to spy. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Greek: Grote I 276. |
| K1817.1 | Disguise as beggar (pauper). *Type 900; *BP I 443ff.; Schoepperle II 583 s.v. "disguises"; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 250b; Child I 189, 191f., 202—207, III 157, 179, 191ff., 271ff., V 2ff., 279f. Irish: O'Suilleabhain 24, 42, 45, Beal XXI 307, 315f., *Cross; English: Wells 11 (Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild); Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 133—135, III No. 192, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 145, 210; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus II 299 n. 3; Jewish: *Neuman; Arabian: Burton Nights I 67; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 249 No. 193; Korean: Zong in-Sob 116 No. 58; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 393. |
| K2357.12 | Disguise as carpenter (tradesman) to enter enemy's camp. (Cf. K1816.11.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| K521.2.5 | Disguise as carpenter so as to escape. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1816.11 | Disguise as carpenter. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K1839.12 | Disguise as child (in cradle). Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1826 | Disguise as churchman (cleric). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2357.14 | Disguise as churl (bachlach) to enter enemy's hall. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1816.10 | Disguise as cobbler (shoemaker). |
| K1825.6 | Disguise as dancer. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1818.4 | Disguise as deformed men to secure entertainment. Japanese: Anesaki 361. |
| K1828 | Disguise as deity (or spirit). Africa (Fang): Einstein 162, (Bambula): Einstein 165, (Wachaga): Gutmann 187, (Bangala): Weeks 113. |
| K1838 | Disguise as devil. Priest disguises as devil and "haunts" neighbor's house. Buys it cheaply. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1825.1 | Disguise as doctor. Chinese: Werner 275. |
| K1839.9 | Disguise as drunkard. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1839.15 | Disguise as dupe's daughter after having killed her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1817.1.1 | Disguise as fakir. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K521.2.4 | Disguise as farmer so as to escape. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1839.7 | Disguise as foreign ambassador. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1833 | Disguise as ghost. Fb "sp[ö]gelse" III 522b; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn IV (1896) 356ff., 215ff.; Icelandic: Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K514 | Disguise as girl to avoid execution. *Oesterley No. 156; *Herbert III 133 No. 117; Icelandic: Anssaga Bogsveigis (FAS II) 359; Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Achilleus"; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 128; Africa (Ba Ronga): Einstein 260, (Zulu): Callaway 40. |
| K1828.2 | Disguise as goddess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1816.5 | Disguise as goose-girl (turkey-girl). *Type 533; *BP II 273ff.; Köhler-Bolte I 347; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "gardeuse", "dindons". |
| K1817.5 | Disguise as gypsy. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1821.4.1 | Disguise as hairy man by putting on lambskins. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1817.3 | Disguise as harper (minstrel). *Type 900; *BP I 446; *Boje XIX 70f., Thien Motive 16; *Hibbard 93 n. 9; English: Wells 9 (King Horn); Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1816.6 | Disguise as herdsman (shepherd, swineherd, etc.) DeVries FFC LXXIII 324; Schoepperle II 583 s.v. "disguises"; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1827 | Disguise as holy man. |
| K1825.4 | Disguise as hospitaller. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K2357.13 | Disguise as juggler to enter enemy's camp. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K521.2.3 | Disguise as king with mask in order to hide from enemy who has ruined warrior's face and torn his beard off. Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 186—89, Boberg. |
| K1824 | Disguise as layman. Priest disguises as layman. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K2357.11 | Disguise as leper to enter enemy's camp. (Cf. K1818.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1818.1 | Disguise as leper. Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 143 (Generydes); Tonga: Gifford 193. |
| K1818.3 | Disguise as madman (fool). *Type 900; *BP I 446; Schoepperle II 583 s.v. "disguises"; *Liebrecht 141ff.; *Hibbard 227; Malone PMLA XLIII 400; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus II 176 n. 2; Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1349.1.2 | Disguise as madman to enter girl's room. (Cf. K1818.3.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1236 | Disguise as man to escape importunate lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1816 | Disguise as menial. *Types 314, 870; Irish myth: *Cross; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7, IV No. 10; Arabian: Burton Arabian Nights S II 203; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 21. |
| K2357.10 | Disguise as merchant to enter enemy's castle. (Cf. K1817.4.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1817.4 | Disguise as merchant. Schoepperle II 583 s.v. "disguises"; Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142—145; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| K1826.4 | Disguise as missionary. S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 135. |
| K1826.1 | Disguise as monk. Schoepperle II 583 s.v. "disguises"; Icelandic: *Boberg; Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Espinosa III No. 192; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; West Indies: Flowers 546. |
| K521.4.2 | Disguise as musician in order to escape. Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 396 No. 18. |
| K2357.1 | Disguise as musician to enter enemy's camp. Herrmann Saxo II 210; Irish myth: Cross; Collingwood Sagabook of the Viking Society X (1) 134. |
| K2357.3 | Disguise as old man to enter enemies' camp. Maori: Beckwith Myth 250. |
| K1821.8 | Disguise as old man. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Marquesas: Handy 127; Maori: Beckwith 250. |
| K1839.11 | Disguise as older brother to obtain blessing. (Cf. K2211.) Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1817.2 | Disguise as palmer (pilgrim). Thien Motive 16; *Boje XIX 70f.; English: Wells 9 (King Horn); Icelandic: FSS 230—32, 252, Boberg; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1816.9 | Disguise as peasant. |
| K1817.4.1 | Disguise as peddler. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1825.1.6 | Disguise as physician to poison enemies. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357.2 | Disguise as pilgrim to enter enemy's camp (castle). Massmann Kaiserchronik III 110. |
| K1817.3.1 | Disguise as poet. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1816.7 | Disguise as porter. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1816.4 | Disguise as potter. *Kittredge Witchcraft 394 n. 109. |
| K1826.5 | Disguise as priest. Korean: Zong in-Sob 212 No. 98. |
| K1825 | Disguise as professional man. |
| K1827.1 | Disguise as saint. Man beats wife for spending too much time at church. Wife has maids dress as her patron saints and when the husband repeats the beating she calls on them for help. The husband is beaten. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1818 | Disguise as sick man. *Type 3; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Arabian: Burton Nights S V 285; Japanese: Ikeda; West Indies: Flowers 546. |
| K1816.13 | Disguise as slave. Greek: Odyssey IV 245; Africa (Upoto): Einstein 133. |
| K1816.12 | Disguise as smith. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1825.5 | Disguise as soldier. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1816.8 | Disguise as stable-boy. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1816.5.1 | Disguise as tender of birds. Africa (Western Sudan): Equilbecq I 227ff. No. 7, (Madagascar): Renel I 144ff. No. 26, I 148ff. No. 27. |
| K521.4.4 | Disguise as waiter in inn to escape. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1817 | Disguise as wanderer. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2357.8 | Disguise as woman to enter enemy's camp (castle). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1816.3 | Disguise as woodcutter. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "casseur". |
| K1827.2 | Disguise as yogi. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1839.8 | Disguise by carrying false token. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1821 | Disguise by changing bodily appearance. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| K1831.0.1 | Disguise by changing name. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1832 | Disguise by changing voice. *Type 123; BP I 37; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: *Neuman; Papua: Ker 31, 41; Mono-Alu: Wheeler No. 52; S. A. Indian (Amuesha): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 150, (Jivaro): ibid. 148; Africa (Fang): Tessman 109f. |
| K1821.10 | Disguise by cutting off hair. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1821.6 | Disguise by cutting one eye out. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1821.1 | Disguise by dyeing beard. Youths have been advised never to serve a man with a red beard. The trickster dyes his beard black. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 53 No. 400B*. |
| K1821.5 | Disguise by dyeing complexion. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K521.2.2 | Disguise by mutilation so as to escape. Ears cut off, eyes put out, etc. *Chauvin VIII 136 No. 132; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 24 No. 2. |
| K521.3 | Disguise by painting (covering with soot, etc.) so as to escape. Type 36; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 1, 4, 5. |
| K1821.2 | Disguise by painting body. Boje XIX 67ff.; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 443; Africa (Mambettu): Casati Ten Years in Equatoria (London, 1891) I 162. |
| K1810.1 | Disguise by putting on clothes (carrying accoutrements) of certain person. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K521.2.1 | Disguise by shaving off beard so as to escape. *Chauvin VIII 136 No. 132. |
| K1821.3 | Disguise by veiling face. |
| K1835 | Disguise for spying. (Cf. K1812.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1821.9.1 | Disguise in bark of birch. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K521.4.1 | Disguise in clothes of other sex so as to escape. Africa (Wute): Sieber ZsES XII 188. |
| K2357.7 | Disguise in killed enemy's clothes to enter enemy's castle. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1821.9 | Disguise in wooden covering. *Type 510; *Cox Cinderella 1-121 passim. |
| K1836 | Disguise of man in woman's dress. |
| K1837.6 | Disguise of woman as a soldier. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1837 | Disguise of woman in man's clothes. (Cf. K1825.) *Types 514, 880, 881, 882, 883A, 884, 890; *BP II 57f.; Penzer III 46f.; Boje XIX 70f.; Alphabet No. 318; Heptameron No. 31. — Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 58, 68, 104 Nos. 455, 515, *857; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III Nos. 3, 6, IV No. 6, *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 275; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 222. |
| K2357 | Disguise to enter enemy's camp (castle). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: Panchatantra III 5 (tr. Ryder 328ff.). |
| K1349.1 | Disguise to enter girl's (man's) room. (Cf. K1310—1329, passim.) |
| K2357.0.1 | Disguise to spy on enemy. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1815.0.1 | Disguise with hood dropping low over the face. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 43 (Odin), *Boberg. |
| K1941.1 | Disguised flayer tightens skin to look beautiful. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 351 n. 267a. |
| K1941 | Disguised flayer. An impostor dresses in the skin of his victim. Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 185, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 624; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 351 n. 267; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 484; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 2 No. 1, 22 No. 2, 260 No. 38, (Kaffir): Theal 100. |
| K913 | Disguised hero attacks enemy at feast. Boje 66; Icelandic: *Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K1813.1.2 | Disguised husband shows his wife that he is not a good-for-nothing as she thinks him. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1813.1.1 | Disguised husband shows his wife that he is not repulsive, as she thinks him. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1813.2 | Disguised husband spies on his faithless wife. Icelandic: Hervarar saga 45—46, 122—23, Boberg. |
| K1813 | Disguised husband visits his wife. English: Wells 17 (Guy of Warwick); Irish myth: *Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1813.1 | Disguised husband wins his faithless wife's love. Hindu: Tawney II 97; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 116. |
| K1836.3 | Disguised man takes bride's place: deserts, leaving a she-goat in his place for the foolish bridegroom. (Cf. K1223.1.) Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1686*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1538 I*. |
| K1812.8.3 | Disguised queen visits her husband and begets child with him as assigned. (Cf. H1187.) Köhler-Bolte II 647ff.; Liungman Tvе Folkminnesundersökningar 25 n. 1. |
| K434.2 | Disguised robber in night-lodging tries to pull up confederate on rope: princess discovers him and catches him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K913.1 | Disguised shipwrecked men admitted to the king's house kill him at Yule feast in revenge for murder. Icelandic: Hálfdanar saga Eysteinssonar ch. 7—8 (cf. introd. 23—24), *Boberg. |
| K1682 | Disguised trickster beaten by man he is trying to frighten. Disguise as ghost. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 47 No. 326, Espinosa II Nos. 136—138. |
| K441.2.1 | Dishonest notary invents debt and collects from both parties. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| K1088 | Dissension aroused in army by casting suspicion on general. A general destroys everything except what belongs to the general of the enemy. Thus he brings about suspicion that the two leaders are in league. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 539. |
| K452.1 | Dividing the discovered oyster. The umpire takes the oyster itself as fee and gives each contestant half the shell. Wesselski Arlotto II 254 No. 171. |
| K1051.2 | Diving for clothes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1051 | Diving for sheep. Dupe persuaded that sheep have been lost in river. *Type 1535; *BP II 1ff.; *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 51; Köhler-Bolte I 91, 190; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 105 No. 56; Indonesia: Coster-Wijsman 26 No. 5. |
| K16.1 | Diving match won by deception: breathing under brush. Trickster comes up and breathes under some floating brush, where he is not detected. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 314 n. 136. |
| K16 | Diving match won by deception. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 123. |
| K16.2 | Diving match: trickster eats food while dupe is under water. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 101, (Angola): Chatelain 205; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 239; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 373 No. 67, (South Carolina): Stewart JAFL XXXII 394, Parsons MAFLS XVI 40. |
| K1051.3 | Diving to become strong. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2369.2 | Division of warriors hidden in pit on battlefield. Emerge during battle. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K2052.4.1 | Doctor prescribes sexual intimacy for widow's ills. She claims to prefer death. Change of heart on daughters' plea. Daughters adopt treatment as a preventive. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 21; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K135.1.1 | Dog (goat) alleged to swallow cold. Said to swallow up the cold so that if he is near, one may sleep comfortably in the cold. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K135.1.2 | Dog alleged to chase hare and bring it to hunter's home. Dupe deceived. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K2031 | Dog alternately bites and caresses hares. Is he friend or enemy? Wienert FFC LVI *51 (ET 104), 96 (ST 88); Halm Aesop No. 229. |
| K254.1 | Dog as wolf's shoemaker eats up the materials. Devours the cow, hog, etc. furnished him. Type 102. |
| K2031.1 | Dog at his master's table is friendly to guest. On the street he barks at him. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K525.6.1 | Dog buried instead of foster son, who is falsely reported killed so that he can safely be taken away. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2061.3 | Dog caresses sick sheep: shepherd knows that he hopes for sheep's death. Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 373), 96 (ST 104); Halm Aesop No. 372. |
| K1591.2 | Dog guards chastity of master's wife during his absence. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1735 | Dog pretends to be calling dog in the moon when he barks. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1810.2 | Dog procures disguise from magician to frighten tiger. Africa (Cameroon): Meinhof 11. |
| K2371.4 | Dog sent ahead so as to avoid seeing husband transformed. (Cf. S241.1.) Chinese: Graham. |
| K815.3 | Dogs listen to wolves' hypocritical words. Are killed. Wienert FFC LVI 49 (ET 90), 97 (ST 109); Halm Aesop No. 266. |
| K335.1.1.1 | Door falls on robbers from tree. They flee and leave money. *Types 1650, 1653; *BP I 520; *Köhler-Bolte I 71, 99, 337, 341; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 182 No. 345; *Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 194; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 350; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 306; N. A. Indian (Malecite): Speck JAFL XXX 484. |
| K2030 | Double dealers. |
| K2041.1 | Double dealing physician hired to poison his master who has sent him to poison enemy. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| K2041 | Double dealing physician. |
| K441 | Double reward successfully claimed. |
| K1052 | Dragon attacks own image in mirror. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 40 No. 300; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K835 | Dragon deceived into listening to tale: hero cuts off its head. Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. IX 86. |
| K722.1 | Dragon enticed into pot while in its child-form, boiled, so it can see "courage". India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K444 | Dream bread: the most wonderful dream. Three pilgrims agree that the one who has the most wonderful dream shall eat the last loaf. One eats it and declares that he dreamed that the others were dead and would not need it. *Type 1626; **Baum JAFL XXX 378; *BP IV 139; *Dunlop-Wilson II 201; Basset 1001 Contes I 516; Hdwb. d. Märchens I 95; Barbeau JAFL XXXII 178; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 243 No. 540; *Oesterley No. 106; Scala Celi 73a No. 415; Ward II 240; Herbert III 246; Alphabet No. 238; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 22 No. 98; L. Schmidt Oesterr. Zs. f. Vksk. 1954, 135.—Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 1626*; Russian: Andrejev No. 2100*; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 21; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| K66 | Dream contests. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| K233.2 | Drinkers argue about who is to pay. They blindfold the bartender who is to catch one of them; the one who is caught will have to pay. While the bartender is blindfolded, the drinkers leave the tavern. England: Baughman. |
| K236.2 | Drinking only after a bargain. A woman having thus sworn keeps buying and selling the same mule many times a day. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 306; Scala Celi 81a No. 463; *Crane Vitry 255 No. 277; Herbert III 24. |
| K581.1 | Drowning punishment for turtle (eel, crab). By expressing horror of drowning, he induces his captor to throw him into the water —his home. *Type 1310; *Dh IV 43; Köhler-Bolte I 266; *Fb "еl" III 1190b; England: Baughman; Danish: Christensen DF XLVII 171; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: Dixon 195, 196 n. 32, *DeVries Volksverhalen II 360 No. 107; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 443, (Tinguian): Cole 196, 197 n. 1; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 302 n. 108; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 153 No. 17, (Jaunde): Heepe 107; (Benga): Nassau 124 No. 12, (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 88, (Yoruba): Ellis 266 No. 3, (Zanzibar): Bateman 40 No. 2; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 58 No. 12, 115 No. 24, Friends 167 No. 23, cf. Harris Nights 61 No. 12; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 236 No. 5; West Indies: Flowers 516. |
| K873.4 | Drug introduced into half of fruit from enemy's fingernail where it has been hidden. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 556. |
| K1954.2 | Drunken man by pretending to want to buy an elephant makes king think him rich. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1065 | Duck persuades cock to cut off his crest and spurs. The cat attacks the duck, who cries, "peace, gentlemen, peace!" Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 36 No. 208*. |
| K97 | Duel won by deception. |
| K2321.2 | Dummy set up as corpse to frighten people. Italian Novella: Rotunda; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 69. |
| K1023.1 | Dupe allowed to guard "king's drum": it is a wasp nest. India: *Thompson-Balys; Java: Dixon 188 n. 5; cf. DeVries's list No. 12. |
| K1023.1.1 | Dupe allowed to guard "king's girdle": it is a snake, which bites him. Indonesia: *DeVries's list No. 10. |
| K1056 | Dupe allowed to guard "king's litter": sticks in mud. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K493 | Dupe betrayed by asking him ambiguous questions. They are phrased in such a way that he understands them differently from the way they are intended. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 283. |
| K941.2 | Dupe burns house because trickster reports high price paid for ashes. Spanish: Espinosa III No. 193; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 274. |
| K1111.2 | Dupe caught in crack in ground. Dies. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K892 | Dupe crowded into the water: drowns. Type 10**; S. A. Indian (Tembé): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 140. |
| K891.5.2 | Dupe crowded over precipice. Type 10***; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 41. |
| K1177 | Dupe deceived concerning the thunder; finally killed by it. The dupe has asked the trickster to tell him when it thunders. *Type 1148A; Estonian, Finnish, Swedish, Latvian, Lithuanian: *Balys Tautosakos Darbai VI 13—26. Cf. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 179. |
| K278 | Dupe denied food until hands are clean. Grass burned around food makes continued washings unavailing. Africa (Zezuru): Posselt Fables of the Veld (London, 1929) 110 (Northern Rhodesia): Worthington The Little Wise One (London, 1930) 25ff., (Nyanja): Rattray Some Folk-Lore Stories ... in Chinyanja (London, 1907) 145f. No. 22, (Namwanga): Dewar Chinamwanga Stories (Livingstonia, 1900) 47, (Fang): Anthropos XXVIII 292 No. 7, (Bulu): Krug JAFL XXV 114, (Mossi, Nioniossee, Samo, Yarse, Silmi-Mossi, Fulah): Tauxier Le Noir du Yatenga (Paris, 1917) 458f. No. 59. |
| K1061 | Dupe digs till he dies of exhaustion. Rabbit entertains the wolf with his antics until the rabbit's wife can change to another hole. The wolf continues to dig. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 31 No. 72A*. |
| K1045.1 | Dupe fed oversalted food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K893 | Dupe forced on to thin ice: drowns himself. Type 10*. |
| K1026 | Dupe imitates trickster's thefts and is caught. *Types 1 (and notes to K371.1.), 66**; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 274. |
| K1051.1 | Dupe induced to dive for alleged jewels. Type 1535; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Vai): Klingenheben ZsES XVI 102ff. No. 8, (Madagascar): Renel II 89ff. No. 83. |
| K1044.1 | Dupe induced to drink urine. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1044 | Dupe induced to eat filth (dung). Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 15; Marquesas: Handy 110; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 442; West Indies: Flowers 533. |
| K1043 | Dupe induced to eat sharp (stinging, bitter) fruit. India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 13; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 376. |
| K1066 | Dupe induced to incriminate himself. Taught incriminating song or persuaded to wear incriminating clothes. Africa (Nigeria): Tremearne FL XXI 489 No. 20; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 69 No. 13, (Virginia): Smiley JAFL XXXII 366; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 235; Bahama: Parsons MAFLS XIII 70 No. 33; West Indies: Flowers 534. |
| K891.5 | Dupe induced to jump over precipice. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K832 | Dupe induced to look about: seized and killed. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K1116 | Dupe induced to sit on sharp stones (concealed as soft seat). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K982 | Dupe induced to stand under falling tree. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 70, (Cameroon): Rosenhuber 43. |
| K1023.5 | Dupe induced to strike at bee's nest: badly bitten. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K724 | Dupe induced to waste his bullets, then seized. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1525M*; Flemish: Meyer FFC XXXVII No. 1528*. |
| K1038 | Dupe injures self on fence of thorns surrounding food-plants. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K345.3 | Dupe left to care for child while his goods are stolen. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K725 | Dupe lured away from protection of friends: captured. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K737.1 | Dupe lured into hole and entrance closed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K816 | Dupe lured to supposed dance and killed. Africa (Fjort): Dennett 82 No. 19. |
| K1032 | Dupe made to sit on hot stone. Chinese: Graham. |
| K1040 | Dupe otherwise persuaded to voluntary self-injury. |
| K843 | Dupe persuaded to be killed in order to go to heaven. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 276, Dixon 201 n. 38*. |
| K1034 | Dupe persuaded to climb rope for food: rope breaks. Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 7 No. 3, 9 No. 4, (Kaffir): Theal 190; American Negro: Harris Nights 45. |
| K1113.1 | Dupe persuaded to climb tall tree. Falls. American Negro (Georgia): Harris Nights 357 No. 63. |
| K983 | Dupe persuaded to climb tree. Tree felled and dupe killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K721.1 | Dupe persuaded to close eyes and open mouth; then hot stones are thrown down throat. India: *Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 70. |
| K1043.2 | Dupe persuaded to eat stones. Korean: Zong in-Sob 158 No. 69; Africa (Cameroon): Meinhof 77. |
| K1252.1 | Dupe persuaded to fight with alleged gold-dropping bear: trickster meantime steals his clothes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1055 | Dupe persuaded to get into grass in order to learn new dance. Grass set on fire. Korean: Zong in-Sob 158f. No. 69; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Thomas 94. |
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