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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| T11.1.1 | Beauty of woman reported to king causes quest for her as his bride. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| A2247.6 | Beaver and muskrat exchange tails. Malecite: Speck JAFL XXX 481f. |
| K896.1 | Beaver and porcupine trick each other. Beaver carries porcupine and abandons him in the center of a lake. Porcupine causes the lake to freeze and escapes. He then carries beaver and abandons him in the top of a tree. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 302 n. 106. |
| A2241.10 | Beaver borrows muskrat's tail and never gives it back. Menomini: Skinner and Satterlee PaAM XIII 405. |
| J351.1 | Beaver sacrifices scrotum to save life. Cuts it off and leaves it for pursuers. Wienert FFC LVI 63 (ET 264), 141 (ST 475); Halm Aesop No. 189. |
| A2432.3 | Beaver's dwelling. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 246. |
| Q561.1 | Bed heating in hell for certain person. *Type 756B; **Andrejev FFC LXIX 106ff.; *Fb "seng" III 187a; Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 391. |
| D631.3.7 | Bed large or small at will. Irish myth: Cross (D631.6); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F787.4 | Bed made from man's tooth. Jewish: Neuman. |
| T351.1 | Bed-cover of chastity. Similar to sword of chastity. Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 7. |
| T456 | Bed-partner to receive payment from first man she meets in the morning. It so happens: she marries the man and he makes her wealthy. Greek: Roscher Lexikon s.v. "Acca". |
| F166.8 | Beds in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D1385.22 | Bedstead at doorway prevents spirit from entering. (Cf. D1154.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1317.11 | Bedstead warns of danger of snake. (Cf. D1154.1.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A33.3.1 | Bee as God's spy. God, the creator, sends a bee to overhear the devil's secrets.—*Dh I 3, 127ff. |
| B582.2.4 | Bee as matchmaker. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 175f. |
| B291.4.1 | Bee as messenger from heaven to earth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B514.2 | Bee fetches balm from heaven to restore hero's speech. Finnish: Kalevala rune 15. |
| D1594.3 | Bee in its belly vitalizes tiger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2137.3 | Bee rests on water lily which closes over it at night and kills it. *Chauvin II 89 n. 1. |
| C55.3 | Bee-master puts consecrated host into beehive. Has success with his bees. (Cf. B259.4.)—When he dies, his spirit haunts the place. Lithuanian: Balys Legends Nos. 624—627. |
| A2432.8 | Bee's hive. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D477.3 | Beer becomes wine. German: Grimm No. 64. |
| D1045.0.1 | Beer brewed by means of magic song. Finnish: Kalevala rune 20. |
| D2084.1 | Beer magically kept from brewing. *Kittredge Witchcraft 170, 488 nn. 48—57; England: Baughman. |
| B147.3.1.2 | Bees (ants) leave honey on lips of infant to show future greatness. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1762.5 | Bees (wasps) mistaken for Jutlanders, etc. Christensen DF XLVII 222 No. 85. |
| B713.1 | Bees born from carcass of ox. Frazer Fasti of Ovid II 157. |
| B259.4 | Bees build church of wax to contain consecrated host. (Cf. A2012.1.) —*Kittredge Witchcraft 150, 469 n. 112; Alphabet No. 695.—*Loomis White Magic 65.—Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2351.2.1 | Bees carried in drum attack and defeat attacking army. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2131.2.1 | Bees caught in sack which is opened at home. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 268. |
| F167.1.3.1 | Bees in otherworld. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A2232.2 | Bees pray for sting: punishment, first sting suicidal. (Cf. A2346.1.)—Dh IV 266; Wienert FFC LVI 77 (ET 434), 110 (ST 216); Halm Aesop No. 287. |
| Q597.3 | Bees sting honey-thieves. (Cf. Q212.) Wienert FFC LVI *67 (ET 312), 98 (ST 122); Halm Aesop No. 288. |
| K2351.2 | Bees thrown into redoubt drive out enemies. *Fb "bi" IV 36b; Deutschbein I 256; Hdwb. d. Abergl. I 1249; *Liebrecht 75; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| A2231.3.2 | Bees work on Sabbath: may not get honey from red clover. (Cf. A2435.5.1.)—*Dh III 306ff.—North Carolina: Brown Collection I 634. |
| A13.3.2 | Beetle as creator. So. Am. Indian (Lengua): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (1) 367. |
| A2231.7.1.1 | Beetle cursed for betraying Holy Family on way to Egypt; beetle now has its eyes always on the ground. Ireland, Scotland: *Baughman. |
| A2231.11 | Beetle demands return of gold from God: must hum. In his overweening pride he hits fence and ever afterward has hummed. (Cf. A2426.3.1.)—Dh. III 376.—Finnish: Aarne FFC VIII 22 No. 121. |
| A2232.3 | Beetle makes immoderate request; ant moderate: inverse awards. Creator hears wishes of animals. Beetle wants strong, noble appearance. Ant is modest. Beetle punished by being made to creep on ground. Ant is given own castle. (Cf. A2441.3.1.) Livonian: Loorits FFC LXVI 92 No. 97. |
| A2426.3.1 | Beetle's hum. (See A2231.11.) |
| A2021.1 | Beetle's special sacredness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1016 | Beetles and barley introduced into wounds on pretence of healing them. Irish myth: Cross. |
| U122.1 | Beetles treated with as much honor as oxen will not learn to act as oxen. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| H1562.2.2 | Before undertaking rescue, bat tests strength by lifting stone. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 95. |
| J1343.2 | Before, during, and after. A priest, asked when he would have certain choice wine served, before or after the meal, replies, "The holy Mary was Virgin before, during, and after the birth." *Wesselski Arlotto I 202 No. 33. |
| N351.2 | Beggar accidentally overlooks money put into his way. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| Q471.2 | Beggar avenges self on queen who spits at him by disguising as prince and spitting in her face. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1361 | Beggar buys right to sleep before the girl's door, at foot of bed, in the bed. Usually with jewel. *Type 900; *Fb "sove" III 472b, "seng" III 187a; West Indies: Flowers 537f. |
| J1337 | Beggar claims to be emperor's brother. (All men are descended from Adam.) Emperor gives him small coin. Beggar protests. Emperor: "If all your brothers gave you that much you would be richer than I." Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N177 | Beggar escapes from fire. Refused hospitality, he must sleep outdoors. The house burns down. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 479; Jewish: Neuman. |
| X312 | Beggar frightens lawyer into giving by telling him of all the lawyers in hell. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 95 No. 819*; cf. U.S.: Baughman. |
| F321.4 | Beggar returns to his mother child stolen by fairies. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 40 No. 21. |
| P163 | Beggar rewarded by king for poem (song). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J1334 | Beggar tells stingy to go beg. They say they have no meat, no bread, no wine, etc. "Then go beg; you have more need than I." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 236 No. 519. |
| J1332 | Beggar wants bread. A numskull tells his mother that a beggar is below asking for bread. Mother: "Tell him I am not at home." Numskull: "He doesn't want you, he wants bread." *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 239 No. 528. |
| L251 | Beggar with small bag surpasses the one with the large. Latter refuses all but large donations; gets none. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 607; *Crane Vitry 168 No. 77; Alphabet No. 607. |
| M411.2 | Beggar's curse. Beggar is refused request. "May your bread turn to stones!" *Kittredge Witchcraft 132, 452 n. 52; England: Baughman; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 183; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| E451.6 | Beggar's ghost laid when pig bought with money taken from him is brought to his grave. Sinks in grave. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *842. |
| P160 | Beggars. Irish myth: Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman. |
| P161 | Beggars' many children. *Wesselski Bebel II 131 No. 97, 136 No. 107. |
| N735.1 | Begging ascetics beg alms of their own mother. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 511. |
| X531 | Begging cripples hurry away from shrine lest they be healed and lose their livelihood. Wesselski Mönchslatein 183 No. 141. |
| Z10.1 | Beginning formulas. *Hdwb. d. Märchens II 161; *BP IV 14ff.; Korean: Zong in-Sob 14 No. 7. |
| A1472 | Beginning of division of labor. |
| A1556.1 | Beginning of law against rape. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1470 | Beginning of social relationships. |
| K1024 | Beginning with the smallest. Animals are to eat one another up to avoid starvation. The fox persuades them to start with the smallest. *Type 20; *Krohn Bär (Wolf) und Fuchs (JSFO VI) 81ff. |
| A1330 | Beginnings of trouble for man. Shasta and Athapascan: Frachtenberg JAFL XXVIII 225; Africa (Congo): Weeks 205. |
| R70 | Behavior of captives. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F260 | Behavior of fairies. |
| F241.1.2 | Behavior of fairies' horses. |
| D1812.5.0.3 | Behavior of fire as omen. *Fb "ild" II 13a.; Virgil Aeneid II 680, V 525, VII 74; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A1053 | Behavior of moon at end of world. |
| A1051 | Behavior of stars at end of world. |
| A1052 | Behavior of sun at end of world. |
| U170 | Behavior of the blind. |
| E501.15.6 | Behavior of wild huntsman's dogs. |
| E501.15 | Behavior of wild huntsmen. |
| F1041.14 | Beheaded man swims. (Cf. E783.) North Carolina: Brown Collection I 686. |
| E431.7.1 | Beheaded man's head laid at back to prevent return. *Fb "hoved" I 655b; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E431.7 | Beheaded man's head laid at feet to prevent return. *Fb "hoved" I 655b; England: Baughman; New York: Jones JAFL LVII 252. |
| F511.0.6 | Beheaded man's head replaced crooked. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| Q421.0.2 | Beheading as punishment for adultery. (Cf. Q241.) Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 229, 230; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q421.0.1 | Beheading as punishment for debt. (Cf. Q271.) *Fb "gjæld" I 448. |
| Q421.0.6 | Beheading as punishment for incest. (Cf. Q242.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q421.0.4 | Beheading as punishment for murder. (Cf. Q211.) Irish myth: *Cross; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q421.0.5 | Beheading as punishment for mutilation. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| Q421.0.3 | Beheading as punishment for rape. (Cf. Q244.) Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| Q421.0.7 | Beheading as punishment for seduction. (Cf. Q243.2.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| M221 | Beheading bargain. Giant allows hero to cut off his head; he will cut off hero's later. **Kittredge Gawain and the Green Knight; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| C929.3 | Beheading for breaking tabu. Cyprus: Hadjioannou Kypriako, Mythoi (Leukosia, 1948) No. 22; Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q421.0.8 | Beheading for persecution of wife. (Cf. S410.) Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B18 | Behemoth: mythical gigantic animal. Jewish: Neuman. |
| A1211.3.1 | Being made from spittle of the gods. Icel.: De la Saussaye 233. |
| A671.6 | Beings born in hell have long bodies and cling with long nails to walls. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 786. |
| F167.16 | Beings born in otherworld suffer from excessive heat. Buddhist. myth: Malalasekera II 794. |
| T251.1.1 | Belfagor. The devil frightened by the shrewish wife. A man persuades his shrewish wife to let herself be lowered into a well. When he comes to pull her out he raises a genie (devil) who is glad to escape from the woman. Later he frightens the devil by telling him that his wife has escaped. *Type 1164; **Axon The Story of Belfagor in Literature and Folklore (1902); *BP I 382, 388, IV 176 n. 1; *Prato RTP IV 174; *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XV 104; Child V 107f., 305a; *Chauvin VIII 152 No. 154. — Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 1164@I*; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 50 No. 332; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H1573.1 | Belief in Christianity tested. (Cf. V300.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| V312 | Belief in Immaculate Conception. (Cf. T510.) *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 272a; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| V144 | Belief in miraculous powers of sacred relics. Irish myth: Cross. |
| V315 | Belief in the Atonement. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 48c; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| V311 | Belief in the life to come. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics Index 272b; Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2287 | Belief that island may be towed by ships to new location. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F725.6 | Bell brought from monastery under water. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1314.4 | Bell indicates place for settlement. Remains dumb until place destined for saint's final settlement is reached. (Cf. D1213, D1314.1.2, D1314.2.1.) —Irish: Plummer clxxvii, *Cross. |
| D1654.10 | Bell refuses to be moved. (Cf. D1213.) Fb "tung" III 893a; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 72 No. 607. |
| D1314.4.1 | Bell rings to indicate location of well. Irish myth: Cross. |
| V222.6 | Bell sounds at approach of saint. Irish myth: Cross; England: Baughman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1311.12.1 | Bell sounds to designate pope. (Cf. D1213.)—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "cloche". |
| D1654.10.1 | Bell sunk in sea can be raised only under certain conditions. Norlind Skattsägner 60; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 73 No. 614; England: *Baughman. |
| J671.1 | Belling the cat. Mice decide that a bell should be put on the cat but can find no one to tie it on her. *Type 110; Wienert FFC LVI 53 (ET 128), 96 (ST 97); Halm Aesop No. 15; Jacobs Aesop 216 No. 67; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 260 No. 213, *Arlotto II 226 No. 93; *Baum MLN XXXIV (1919) 462; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 634; Dh IV 145ff.; Herbert III 36ff. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; American Negro: Harris Nights 311 No. 53. |
| B741.4 | Bellow of bull heard over entire land. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P651.1 | Bells hung at every corner of ship. Child IV 462a. |
| P651.2 | Bells on horse's mane. Child I 323, II 183—191, 344, IV 410, 413. |
| F960.1.4 | Bells ring without human hands when a saint is born. Loomis White Magic 23. |
| P651.3 | Bells rung backward as alarm. Child III 26. |
| D1524.2.2 | Belt carries owner over water. (Cf. D1057.) Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 43, 55. |
| D1413.5 | Bench to which person sticks. (Cf. D1151.1.) *Type 330.—Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1112 | Bending the tree. Hero bends tree over but when he catches breath the tree shoots him to the sky. *Type 1051; BP III 333. |
| W154.13 | Benefactor falsely accused of theft by ungrateful youth. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| G202 | Beneficent witches. Papua: Ker 52, 127. |
| H1522.1 | Bent tree test. Bent tree is released so as to tear hero to pieces. Greek: Fox 98 (Theseus); Oceanic: Dixon 321 n. 71. |
| F610.3.4.2.1 | Berserk killed in combat about maiden. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| Q431.14 | Berserks banished because of defeat. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| P233.3 | Berserks scold their father who apparently without reason called their adversary invincible. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2367 | Besieger scatters beads in protecting hedge: besieged destroy hedge to find beads. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2369.5 | Besiegers drowned by diversion of river. England: Baughman. |
| Q253.1 | Bestiality punished. (Cf. T465.) India: Thompson-Balys; Marquesas: Handy 121; Samoa: Beckwith Myth 103. |
| T465 | Bestiality. Intercourse of a human being and an animal. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman, Leviticus 18: 23; Babylonian: Gilgamesch-Epos VII; India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 578. |
| Q551.1.1 | Betel-nut grows upon a person's knee as a punishment. Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 56. |
| F839.6 | Betelnut as weapon to strike off man's head. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2021 | Betrayal by a kiss. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| K2213.4 | Betrayal of husband's secret by his wife. *Oertel JAOS XXVIII 96; Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K439.1 | Betrayal through exchange of stolen goods. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 26. |
| K116.1 | Betrayal through pretended fountain of youth. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 51. |
| T61.4.5 | Betrothal by gold ring. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T61.1 | Betrothal by lovers' drinking each other's blood. *Fb "blod" IV 46b. |
| T61.4 | Betrothal ceremony. |
| T61.5.1 | Betrothal of hero to princess while both are still in cradle. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 23; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T65 | Betrothal restrictions. |
| T61 | Betrothal. Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| T134.2 | Betrothed parties do not see each other until night of the wedding. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J346 | Better be content with what you have, than try to get more and lose everything. Icelandic: [A]ns saga bogsv. 361, Boberg. |
| J229.4 | Better send an ugly woman to the devil than a pretty one. Man chooses ugly mistress. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 404. |
| K1952.2 | Better things at home. A poor boy posing as a prince in the king's court always says that he has better things at home. *Types 545AB; BP I 325ff., III 487. |
| J1552.4 | Better to donate half of what is asked than lend all. Two farmers ask a priest to lend two measures of grain to each of them. The priest refuses to lend them any but donates one measure to each. Thus he saves two measures. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J482.2.1 | Better to marry a man lacking money than money lacking a man. Spanish: Childers, Keller. |
| J482.2 | Better to marry ugly than fair wife. Less hard to satisfy. Alphabet No. 798. |
| N1.3 | Betting contest between two kings. Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 8. |
| N555.1 | Between midnight and cockcrow best time for unearthing treasure. Fb "midnat" II 587. |
| J2198 | Bewailing a calamity that has not occurred. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J758 | Beware of following an interested adviser. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| D2070 | Bewitching. (Cf. D5, G200.) **Kittredge Witchcraft.—Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Ynglinga saga 29, Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 200. |
| G312.5 | Bhrat, fierce flesh-eating creatures made by Creator in fit of anger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1273.3 | Bible texts as magic spells. *Kittredge Witchcraft 146, 465 nn. 66, 67, 70; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| G271.2.5 | Bible used in exorcism of witch. England: *Baughman. |
| V136 | Bible. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F531.0.1 | Biblical worthy as giant. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D1711.1 | Biblical worthy as magician. |
| M301.7 | Biblical worthy as prophet. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| U66.1.1 | Bid raised for queen's favors until she hesitates. Jester replies, "If a man have goods enough, he might have a sovereign lady." England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| F542.2 | Big ears. One used as mattress and one as a covering, and the like. India: Thompson-Balys; New Guinea: Rutland Journal of the Polynesian Society VI (1897) 213—215. |
| J133.6 | Big fish eat little: robber will plunder weak neighbors. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 12. |
| X1303.1 | Big fish pulls man or boat. (Cf. B551.1.) U.S.: *Baughman. |
| A659.2 | Big lake under the earth. S. Am. Indian (Chamacoco): Métraux MAFLS XL 25. |
| X1286.1.6 | Big mosquito with golden palace in his mouth. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B101.8.1 | Big ox with gold and silver in the horns. Icel: *Boberg. |
| F802.1 | Big rocks grow from little rocks. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| K1717 | Big shoes in front of the barn. Man makes giant shoes and places them so that ogre thinks a giant lives there. Type 1151. |
| J1771.1 | Big tree thought to be snake. Killed with guns and spears. Type 1315. |
| U113 | Big voice: little creature. (Frogs, crickets.) Wienert FFC LVI 61, *66 (ET 232, 304), 123 (ST 321, 322); Halm Aesop Nos. 172, 248. |
| F1015.3 | Bill of sale written on man's sandal. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1561.1.1.1 | Bird (when eaten) brings man to kingship. (Cf. D932.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z24.1.2 | Bird advises man to treat his lazy children as she does her young: "In March I make my nest .... in August I have nothing more to do with my young." *Taylor JAFL XLVI 80 No. 2012C. |
| B122.4 | Bird announces time for sunrise and sunset. Chinese: Werner 186f. |
| B122.1 | Bird as adviser. *BP II 534.—Irish myth: Cross; Greek Grote I 105; Icel.: Gering-Symons Edda-Kommentar II 226; Völsunga saga ch. 19—20 (19); English and Germanic: Wimberly Folklore in Ballads 44ff.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Tibet: Schiefner-Ralston Tibetan Tales 129; Japanese: Ikeda; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 67; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis III 244, IV 56; Am. Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 107 No. 22, Nights 118 No. 22; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 142. |
| A13.2 | Bird as creator. Hawaii: Henry Ancient Tahiti 345. |
| A33.2 | Bird as creator's companion. India: Thompson-Balys; Sumatra: Dixon 160; Samoa, Tonga: ibid. *164 n. 33, 34. |
| A522.2 | Bird as culture hero. |
| B292.2.2 | Bird as domestic servant. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 526. |
| A1414.6 | Bird as guardian of primordial fire. S. Am. Indian (Apapocuvú-Guaraní): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 171. |
| B291.1.0.1 | Bird as letter carrier. (Cf. K131.)—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B191.6 | Bird as magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G303.10.17 | Bird as messenger of devil. U.S.: Baughman. |
| B291.1 | Bird as messenger. English: Child II 113n., 356—365 passim, III 4, 8, IV 412, 482, 484f., V 234; Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 101; Irish myth: Cross; Warncke Lais der Marie de France cxxxix.; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 90f.; Marquesas: ibid. 91; Mono: Wheeler 9, 21; Mangaia (Cook Is.): Clark 142; Africa (Fang): Einstein 148, 154, (Cameroon): Gantenbein 68. |
| B535.0.7 | Bird as nurse for child. Chinese-Persian: *Coyajee JPASB XXIV 188. |
| G353 | Bird as ogre. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 261, Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1229); Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 493. |
| V12.4.11 | Bird as sacrifice. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A195.3 | Bird as the shadow of a god. Tahiti: Henry 121. |
| B623 | Bird as wooer. |
| Z52 | Bird avenges caged mate. Builds cart, yokes frogs to it, arms himself with piece of reed, and proclaims war with king. Collects cat, ants, rope, club, and river. He is put by king into fowl house; cat eats up fowls. In stable rope and club beat up horses. In elephant-house ants get into their brains and kill them all. Tied to king's bed, river floods king in his bed. King gives bird back his mate. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B131.6 | Bird betrays hiding-place of the Virgin. English: Child II 8.—Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 198f. |
| B131.3 | Bird betrays woman's infidelity. (Cf. B134.1.)—Campbell Seven Sages xcviii—Greek: Fox 280; English: Child II 260; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 731. |
| F982.4 | Bird brings flower from foreign land. Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1812.5.1.12.2 | Bird calls as evil omen. Korean: Zong in-Sob 210. |
| B122.3 | Bird can recite sacred writings. Persian: Carnoy 290. |
| A2223.2 | Bird carries deity (his daughter) home from land of skulls: given brilliant plumage. (Cf. A2313.4, A2321.6, A2421.5.)—African (Ekoi): Talbot 276. |
| S361 | Bird carries food from deserted child to starving parents. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 348 n. 250. |
| N352.1 | Bird carries off jeweled veil with which girl had covered sleeping lover's face. Lover pursues bird and becomes separated from the girl. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N352 | Bird carries off ring which lover has taken from sleeping mistress's finger. He searches for the ring and becomes separated from her. *Penzer IV 192 n. 1; *von der Hagen I cxxxiii; *Köhler-Bolte II 351; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F62 | Bird carries person to or from upper world. |
| K756.3 | Bird catches fishes by imitating voice of friend. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A2254 | Bird characteristics from flying contests. German: Grimm No. 171. |
| A2221.6.1 | Bird coloring as reward for obedience to deity. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B563.7 | Bird conducts navigators to landing place. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 92. |
| F987.1 | Bird controls sex and appearance of offspring. Hatches seven eggs—three under each wing and one under breast. The right wing hatches three red males, the left three green females. The egg under the breast shares the characteristics of both sex and color—but dies. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B238.2 | Bird council assigns coats to different birds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B238.1 | Bird council assigns place and work to all. Eagle as judge. (Cf. B232).—Type 220. Cf. Chaucer "Parlement of Foules". |
| A132.6 | Bird deity. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B143.2 | Bird describes doomsday. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B151.2 | Bird determines road to be taken. |
| L315.1 | Bird flies into large animal's ear and kills him. *Type 228; *BP II 437; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 115. |
| K946 | Bird flies on head of dupe's child. Dupe strikes at bird and kills child. Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 279, Thomas 159. |
| F62.0.1 | Bird flies to upper world. Chinese: Graham. |
| B542.1 | Bird flies with man to safety. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B39.1 | Bird from paradise. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B735 | Bird gives milk. Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 102 No. 15, (Kaffir): Theal 33; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B538.1 | Bird gives shelter with wings. (Cf. B450.)—Irish myth: Cross; Günter Christliche Legende des Abendlandes 125; Singer Zs. f. deutsch. Altertum XXXV 184f.; Dunlop-Wilson History of Fiction I 428; Saintyves Saints Successeurs 134; Dh I 321ff.; Hand. d. Abergl. I 187.—Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 104 No. 15. |
| B143.1 | Bird gives warning. (Cf. B131.5.)—English: Child I 31ff., 37, II 206 n., 496f., III 10, IV 441, V 284; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 266 No. 73.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 142, No. 16. |
| B364.4 | Bird grateful for being saved from attacking serpent. Cook Islands: Beckwith Myth 269. |
| B365.0.1 | Bird grateful for rescue of its young. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K233.1 | Bird has new clothes made: flies away without paying. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 37 No. 244; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| A2229.6 | Bird has red spot on its tail as reward for having moved woman's organ to its present position. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B511.5 | Bird heals man. Chinese-Persian: Coyajee JPASB XXIV 185f.; Alu: Wheeler 60; Papua: Ker 103. |
| 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. |
| H1233.6.2 | Bird helper (adviser) on quest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N335.1 | Bird hunter killed by adder just as he is shooting bird. Wienert FFC LVI 65 (ET 295), 207 (ST 197); Halm Aesop No. 171; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F1041.21.6.2 | Bird in great grief tears out feathers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H171.2 | Bird indicates election of king (pope). *Type 671; *BP I 325; Fb "pave" II 793a; *Loomis White Magic 66; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B217.5 | Bird language learned by having ears magically cleansed. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 363 n. 2 (Athena and Tiresius). |
| B215.1 | Bird language. *Types 517, 671, 781; *BP I 322; Cox 497 n. 32; *W. Seelman "Die Vogelsprachen (Vogelparlamente) der mittelalterlichen Literatur" Jahrh. d. Vereins f. niederdeutsche Sprachforschung XIV 102f; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 86 n. 2 (Melampus); Icel.: Völsungasaga p. 45, cf. von Sydow Fеvne; Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 90a; Jewish: Neuman; Hindu: Penzer *II 107, IV 145; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1082.3 | Bird lighting on the heads of group of men causes them to kill one another with blows on the head. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H901.0.2 | Bird must bring orphan to king or bird will be killed. Chinese: Graham. |
| A2233.4.1 | Bird neglects to build nest: goes without. (Cf. A2431.2.)—Dh. III 202ff. |
| J2171.5 | Bird nest of salt melts away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B34 | Bird of dawn. Golden plumage; three feet.—Chinese: Werner 186. |
| B147.2.1 | Bird of good omen. |
| B147.2.2 | Bird of ill-omen. (Cf. B172.)—*Hdwb. d. Abergl. s.v. "Angang" I 428; German: Grimm No. 105. |
| D1812.5.2.4 | Bird of prey catching quarry a good omen. *Kittredge Witchcraft 45, 398 n. 173. |
| B131 | Bird of truth. A bird which reveals the truth. (Cf. B122, B141, B172.) —*Type 707; *BP II 380 (Gr. No. 96); *Köhler-Bolte I 118; *Fb "fugl".—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oiseau"; Jewish: Neuman; Arabian: Burton Arabian Nights SV 245; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 153 No. 16, (Ibo [Nigeria]): Thomas 48, (Fjort): Dennett 92 No. 23, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 78 No. 12. |
| J2183.3 | Bird overcareful about food suitable to its color is killed by eagle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D2072.0.4 | Bird overpowered by stepping on his shadow. Drops the stolen meat. Zachariae 57. |
| D2072.0.2.2 | Bird paralyzed. |
| B614 | Bird paramour. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F56.2 | Bird pecks hole in sky-roof to give access to upper world. Africa (Fjort): Dennett DFLS XLI 74ff. No. 16. |
| B297.1.1 | Bird plays timpan. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K2382.1 | Bird plucks another bird's feathers out. Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 105. |
| J1842.3 | Bird protruding from king's stomach cut out with swords: king killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K581.4 | Bird punished by being thrown into air. England: Baughman; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 397. |
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