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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| E607.1 | Bones of dead collected and buried. Return in another form directly from grave. *Type 720; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Alexander Lat. Am. 272. |
| E607.1.1 | Bones of dead collected and thrown into river. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V63 | Bones of dismembered person assembled and buried. (Cf. E30.) Type 720; BP I 412ff., *422. |
| K2116.1.1.1.1 | Bones of puppies as false evidence of wife's having eaten her new-born child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1054 | Bones temporarily removed from body by tree climbers to avoid breaking them. Africa (Congo): Weeks Jungle 126ff. |
| E174 | Bones wrapped in sheepskin inscribed with holy name revive. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| F234.3.2 | Bonga girl (fairy) appears as flame. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F302.5.1.1 | Bonga girl (fairy) surrenders man to his mortal wife if he will name first daughter after her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F302.3.1.1 | Bonga girl (fairy) will return stolen goods only if mortal man will go with her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F221.2 | Bonga house filled with snakes, tigers, and lions. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F343.6 | Bonga lends dishes to mortals. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F216.2 | Bonga lives in tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F347.1 | Bonga made village headman and advice asked. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F302.0.1 | Bonga mistress. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F201 | Bongas. Roughly equivalent to fairies. Generally malevolent, but often not. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K2282.1 | Boniface VIII, when cardinal, impersonates angel and dupes Clement V into abdicating. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F379.2.1 | Book (medical) brought back from otherworld. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F930.1 | Book dropped in water by saint not wet. *Loomis White Magic 39f.—Irish: Plummer cxxxviii, *Cross. |
| J2238 | Book gives wisdom. A man believes himself wise because he has a book which he uses but does not understand. Chauvin II 82 No. 3; B[ö]dker Exempler 273 No. 3; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F883.1.5 | Book made of sapphires. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D2167.2 | Book magically saved from decay. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N115 | Book of fate. India: *Thompson-Balys; Gaster Thespis 348. |
| F883.1.1 | Book of glass. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1910.0.1 | Book written by man with marvelous memory. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F883.1.2 | Book written with black fire on white fire (in God's lap). Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D2089.5 | Books illegible as result of curse. (Cf. D1266.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| F1055 | Books in church read without man's tongue. English: Child III 244. |
| F994.1 | Books show sorrow for owner's death by falling from shelf. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F883.1.4 | Books unscathed by water and fire. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| D1093.1 | Boomerang effect of hurled missiles caused by a saint. *Loomis White Magic 131. |
| R123 | Boon granted after prayer and widow's son is released from prison. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1772.11 | Boot mistaken for an axe-sheath. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1282*. |
| D1524.2.1 | Boots carry owner on sea. (Cf. D1065.1.) Irish myth: *Cross (D1524.2); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "bottes". |
| K233.3 | Boots made by two cobblers. Trickster sends one of each pair back to be stretched, leaves town with pair of boots made up of the remaining boots. England: Baughman. |
| D1065.1.1 | Boots produced by magic. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 96f. |
| J1935.1 | Boots sent by telegraph. A peasant hangs boots and an accompanying letter on a telegraph wire, expecting them to reach the city. Type 1710; Christensen DF XLVII 204 no. 50; U.S. (Ozarks): *Randolph Devil's Pretty Daughter (New York, 1955) 195. |
| Q451.2.0.2 | Boring hole through heel as punishment. Jewish: Neuman. |
| K1041 | Borrowed feathers. Dupe lets himself be carried aloft by bird and dropped. *Type 225; *Parsons JAFL XXXI 218 n. 1; *Fb "ræv" III 114a; Herbert III 37ff.; *Dh IV 269; Wienert FFC LVI *46 (ET 51), 50 (ET 98), 93 (ST 63), *123 (ST 320); Halm Aesop No. 419; Gaster Oldest Stories 82.—Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 218—220, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 21—23; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list Nos. 70, 108; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 294 n. 80, Thompson CColl II 449, (Klikitat): Jacobs U Wash II 30; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 373 No. 23; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 103 No. 21, (Virginia): Bacon and Parsons JAFL XXXV 263. |
| J1556.1 | Borrower of butter receives pot of cowdung with little butter on top: repays by lending wooden sword covered with thin iron. (Cf. J1511.20.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1531 | Borrower's absurdities. England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, U.S.: Baughman. |
| F1034.3.2 | Bottle concealed in person's thigh. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N339.17 | Bottle wherein jinn is imprisoned inadvertently opened and jinn escapes to kill his captor. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B543.1 | Bottlefly finds stolen woman in sky. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 79. |
| F713.2 | Bottomless lakes (pools, etc.). *Fb "bundløs"; JAFL V 329; FL III 70. |
| D2199.1 | Bottomless tub (vat) holds water through power of saint. (Cf. H1023.2.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| F979.5 | Bough miraculously does not burn. (Cf. F964.1.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1169.2 | Bought behind the village. Lawyer declares unjustly that stolen horse has been bought and paid for. Angry farmer: "Yes, behind the village he bought and paid for it" (meaning that he stole it from the pasture). Lawyer pleads successfully that it is as well to buy a horse outside as inside the village. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 838. |
| K1968.1 | Bought game (fish) used to prove prowess in hunting (fishing). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F149 | Bounds of the otherworld—miscellaneous. |
| F140 | Bounds of the otherworld. *Siuts 44. |
| F836.3.1 | Bow can be strung only by one thousand men. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 596. |
| F836.1 | Bow of gold, silver, and copper. Finnish: Kalevala rune 10. |
| A2215.3 | Bowl placed on turtle's back: hence his shell. (Cf. A2312.1.) —British New Guinea: Dixon 145. |
| F1041.16.6.9 | Bowstring (arrow, oar) breaks at angry warrior's grasp. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| D1651.12 | Box can be opened only by right person. (Cf. D1170.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1533.2.1 | Box which travels above or below ground. (Cf. D1174.) Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "coffre". |
| K13 | Boxing match: fatal boxer defeated. All comers are challenged and all are killed until the hero defeats the challenger. (Argonauts and Amycus.) *Hackman cf. K12; *Frazer Apollodorus I 102 n. 2. |
| N332.4 | Boy accidentally drinks "poison" intended for his stepbrother. Doctor had substituted sleeping potion for the requested poison. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| T29.1 | Boy and girl fall in love when curtain is pulled aside. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N832 | Boy as helper. (Cf. N827). Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| N832.1 | Boy as mysterious housekeeper for buffalo herd. (Cf. H831.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2469.4 | Boy asked to do something to cool women's ears breaks vessels they carry so milk in them can cool their ears off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q431.16 | Boy banished for breaking women's water pots. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K1971.3 | Boy behind the tree tells woman about the bad food he gets. She thinks God is speaking and gives him good food. Type 1575**. |
| T549.3 | Boy born from fish's belly. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T551.4 | Boy born with one side flesh and one iron. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 129. |
| A2241.8 | Boy borrows python's hands and feet: hence python lacks them. (Cf. A2371.3.1.)—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 374. |
| J2258 | Boy cannot read a book written with smaller letters than those he was reading at school. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z43.5 | Boy changes self to nut; fowl eats nut; bush cat eats fowl; dog eats cat; dog swallowed by python. Africa: Weeks Jungle 462. |
| P551.5 | Boy corps. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T412.4 | Boy courts his mother, is driven off by father. Africa (Konnoh): Willans 136. |
| T541.1.1.1 | Boy created by saint from blood-clot. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T589.2 | Boy cut in two: each half becomes a boy. N. A. Indian (Shoshonean): Alexander N. Am. 133, (California): Gayton and Newman 92. |
| Z41.7.1 | Boy dirties his shoe and asks the hay stack to wipe it clean. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1836.2 | Boy disguises as woman to embarrass incontinent priest. Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| F561.7 | Boy drinks perspiration. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F102.4 | Boy follows nut into lower world. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 226f. |
| T544.2 | Boy forged from iron. (Cf. F611.1.12.) *Type 540; Christiansen Norske Eventyr 92; *Fb "jærn" II 60b. |
| Z251 | Boy hero. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| R318.1 | Boy hidden under skin in order not to be seen and prophesied about. Icelandic: örvar-Odds saga 12—13. |
| K615 | Boy in hole escapes descending log by digging hole. Oceania: *Lessa (forthcoming study). |
| G461.1 | Boy in ogre's house sees many human heads placed in rows: heads smile and weep. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T581.11 | Boy is born in a wrapping of fine cloth. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1097. |
| T371.1 | Boy is denied sight of all women except his mother and his nurse until he is eighteen. He falls in love with the first woman who is more attractive than his mother. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| N347.3 | Boy is hanged for cattle theft; the strayed cattle are discovered later. U.S.: Baughman. |
| F866.7.2.1 | Boy Jesus carries water in his cloak when water bottle is broken. *Loomis White Magic 41. |
| B631.0.2 | Boy kills his animal father for reward. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1169. |
| S25.1 | Boy kills his grandfather. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F562.5 | Boy lives in ant-hill. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| F562.1 | Boy lives on ox. Never walks on ground. Missouri French: Carrière; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 221. |
| K873.3 | Boy makes adversary insensible by substituting opium for half of tobacco in pipe. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D838.9 | Boy overhears witches' conversation about magic objects, which he gets possession of. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *613A. |
| J1511.11 | Boy pretends to speak only Latin. Father, chastising his lazy son, also speaks in "Latin". Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *2423; Russian: Andrejev No. *2082. |
| K2054.1 | Boy pretends to take long trip in order to pay debt of a penny. Thus he gets man's confidence and robs him. Korean: Zong in-Sob 124 No. 60. |
| Q285.1.2.1 | Boy reaches into bird's nest for pigeon's eggs. A stone in the nest holds his hand for three days and nights. He is finally released by prayers. Wales: Baughman. |
| T617 | Boy reared in ignorance of the world. English: Wells 72 (Sir Percyvelle of Galles); Irish myth: *Cross; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman. |
| G303.4.6.2 | Boy recognizes devil when he fans fire with his tail. Africa (Masai): Fuchs Sagen, Mythen, und Sitten der Masai (Jena, 1910) 21ff. No. 4. |
| J2093.3.1 | Boy refuses pearls for worthless stones; jeweler recognizes them for what they are. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R169.9 | Boy rescued by childless woman. Africa (Fang): Tessman 91. |
| Q25.1 | Boy risks life to carry leper across stream. Leper is Christ in disguise. Irish myth: Cross. |
| F681.13 | Boy runs so fast snow makes rainbow behind him. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen III 255. |
| R169.3 | Boy saved by werwolf. (Cf. D113.1.1.) English: Wells 19 (William of Palerne). |
| J92 | Boy saves life by showing father foolishness of plowing up his crop. Father has been persuaded to kill child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H586.8 | Boy says that travelers should catch the mares (walking sticks that are in the jungle). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N365.3.2 | Boy says, "Whoever eats this mushroom is my wife." His own sister eats it and he runs away. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| G512.8.3 | Boy sends magic spear against six-headed ogre and slays him. (Cf. B11.11.) Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 104. |
| X1852 | Boy shot from a cannon. (First ed. X913.) Type 1880; Fb "kanon" II 87. |
| P231.1 | Boy sickens from grief at mother's death. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T352 | Boy sleeps between couple to safeguard their virtue. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J1833.1.1 | Boy strikes at a fly on his sister's breast: it turns into nipple and girl thinks it due to brother's caress. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K565.1 | Boy swallowed by fish that is thrown up on shore persuades tiger to cut it open with injunction not to look at him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V462.14 | Boy takes twelve years to wash off ascetic's dirt. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2355.2 | Boy talks about his secret instructions and brings his father's theft to light. He is to avoid his companions lest they smell what he has been eating. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| K812.1.1 | Boy teaches giants how to lay a carpet of dried grass and naphtha over the hard ground floor of their cave, sets fire to it and thus suffocates them. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1772.1.1 | Boy thinks terrapin hatches from bedbug eggs. Small boy examines bedbug eggs under pillow every morning. One morning he finds a terrapin there. "I don't see how we raised this so quick." U.S.: Baughman. |
| X905.4.1 | Boy to deceive his uncle: induces uncle to climb tree before deception begins: this is the deception. Chinese: Graham. |
| W111.2.4 | Boy to see whether it is raining: calls dog (cat) in and feels of his paws. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47; *Crane Vitry 216 No. 204; Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| W111.2.5 | Boy to see whether there is fire in the house: feels of cat to see if she is warm. Wesselski Mönchslatein 54 No. 47; *Crane Vitry 216 No. 204. |
| S322.1.5 | Boy turned out of doors by father. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T24.5 | Boy turns red and white from love. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H1381.2.2.1.1 | Boy twitted with illegitimacy seeks unknown father. *Type 873; *Chauvin V 72 No. 21 n. 1; **Potter Sohrab and Rustem 9ff.; Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 139; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 263. |
| H1381.2.2.2.1 | Boy twitted with illegitimacy seeks unknown mother. Chinese: Graham. |
| V268.1 | Boy under protection of Virgin Mary pulled from well alive after a week. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N365.1 | Boy unwittingly commits incest with his mother. See all references to M344. Heptameron No. 30; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 117 No. 983; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Minehassa (Celebes): Dixon 158. |
| M146.2 | Boy vows to marry none but girl born under the same circumstances as he. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N699.5 | Boy while cutting trees comes to one which happens to be bound up with the life of an ogre. Ogre bribes him with large fortune not to cut tree. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1742.5.1 | Boy who has never seen a real carpet, hops around the side of the room to avoid stepping on the cloth on the floor. U.S.: Baughman. |
| C167.1 | Boy who plays marriage-game finds he has actually been married to a spirit (invisible during ceremony). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J21.52.7 | Boy who says "I know" gets into all sort of difficulties; now says "I don't know." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q582.7 | Boy who threw stones at clerics killed by thrown stone. (Cf. Q227.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| J2496.1 | Boy who worked for "nothing at all" goes to town and demands "nothing at all." (Cf. J2489.10.) Penzer V 97. |
| X1853 | Boy with hat of butter, clothes of paper, etc. (First ed. X914.) *Type 1880. |
| F515.4 | Boy with seal flippers. Eskimo (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XXII 20. |
| K1956.10 | Boy, posing as magician, agitates purported all-knowing pig's head in front of his enemies, identifying them as dishonest men. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N351.1 | Boy's servant takes pearl to his wife instead of to merchant; she throws it away. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K512.2.4.1 | Boy's sixth toe cut off by compassionate executioner as proof he had been killed. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z231 | Boyish exploits of hero. Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| P533.1.1 | Boys as hostages. Irish myth: Cross. |
| R169.2 | Boys rescued from beasts by hermit. (Cf. N843, R131.10.) Dickson 105. |
| K649.3 | Boys scolded in order to conceal their identity. Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 10 ch. 3, Boberg. |
| K1714 | Boys threaten to harness tiger. They have jumped on him from behind and he cannot see. He buys them off. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K649.5 | Boys warned by dogs' names to escape. Icelandic: Hrуlfs saga Kraka 4—8, Boberg. |
| A1.4 | Brahma as creator.—Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 338. |
| A162.4 | Brahma cursed by other gods: now has no temples. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A697.1 | Brahma world. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 796. |
| T91.7.1 | Brahmin in love with washerwoman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T131.9 | Brahmin may marry from all four castes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q231 | Brahmin punished for killing animal. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| W11.4.1 | Brahmin steals to feed guests (deities). India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1952.0.1 | Brahmin takes shape of a prince. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| N361.1 | Brahmin unwittingly kills calf. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| V351.1.1 | Brahmin wins a discussion on religion. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z42.3 | Brahmin worships idol and sets sacrifices before it daily. Rat devours offerings and he sets it up as his idol as a being more powerful than his idol. When cat devours rat, he worships it instead. His wife accidentally kills the cat, so he sets her up to worship. He happens to slap her and she loses consciousness. Thereafter he worships himself as most powerful after all. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M411.14.3 | Brahmin's curse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K961.2.1 | Brain of snake said to be only cure for monkey's disease. Monkey to be killed by snake when he goes to hole. Bødker Exempler 305 No. 79; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| S139.2.2.4.2 | Brains of enemies fashioned into balls (as trophies for play). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| V222.2 | Brake in which saint loses tooth bursts into flame. Irish myth: Cross. |
| P11.0.2.1 | Bramble chosen king of trees. Herbert III 34; Hebrew: Judges 9: 8—15. |
| K2369.13 | Brambles heaped in ford to halt enemies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D1641.6 | Branch leaps from hand to hand. (Cf. D954.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| D1542.3.3 | Branch which dries up water in great river so person can cross. (Cf. D954.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H84.1 | Branches broken from tree to prove journey. Type 306; German: Grimm No. 133. |
| E750.2.3 | Branching tree as roadway for souls. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 154. |
| Q472 | Branding as punishment. (Cf. H55.) BP III 114 n. 1; Cosquin études 428ff.; *Fischer-Bolte 215; Child II 240ff., 513a, III 514, IV 476, V225b; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa III No. 192; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Meyer Hindu Tales 110. |
| P171 | Branding person makes him one's slave for life. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 198 No. 391. |
| D1317.9.1 | Brass (copper) statue at city gates blows on trumpet at stranger's approach. *Chauvin V 30 No. 13 n. 1, 265 No. 154. |
| F813.1.4 | Brass apple. Fb "messing" II 582b; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 50, Beal XXI 318. |
| F821.1.2 | Brass clothes. Fb "messing" II 582b. |
| P444.1 | Brave soldier and timid cabinet-maker as companions. German: Grimm No. 130a; BP III 67. |
| W32 | Bravery. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| 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. |
| E402.2.2 | Braying of ghost donkey. England: Baughman. |
| F772.2.1 | Brazen tower. Liebrecht Zur Volkskunde 89f. |
| B19.1 | Brazen-footed, fire-breathing bulls. (Cf. B15.6, B15.5)—Frazer Apollodorus I 109 n. 4, 110 n. i. |
| A142.1 | Brazier of the gods. Irish myth: Cross. |
| N331.2 | Bread accidentally dropped from tree on bear's nose kills bear. Type 2006*. |
| J1563.3 | Bread baked with onions for an undesirable guest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D476.4 | Bread becomes cake. German: Grimm No. 64. |
| K343.1.1 | Bread dropped in mud; messenger returns for more. A youth poses as a rich man's servant and gets a sack of bread from a baker. The baker boy is to go along and collect. The rascal drops two loaves in the mud and sends the boy back for fresh ones. Meantime he runs off with the rest of the bread. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 651. |
| D476.1.1 | Bread made from mud. *Loomis White Magic 81. |
| V412.1 | Bread stolen by St. Nicholas for purpose of feeding poor is miraculously restored. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| D454.2.2 | Bread tree springs from crumb of bread. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1273.1.1.2 | Breakage of glass or crockery occurs in threes. One breakage is followed by two more. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| T135.15 | Breaking a glass during wedding ceremony. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| A941.6 | Breaking forth of springs partial cause of Flood. Irish myth: Cross; Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1812.5.1.3 | Breaking mirror as evil omen. *Fb "spejl" III 481b; *Kittredge Witchcraft 93, 423 n. 124. |
| M205 | Breaking of bargains or promises. India: Thompson-Balys; West Indies: Flowers 561. |
| G271.4.5 | Breaking spell by beating the person or object bewitched. This injures the witch. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.10 | Breaking spell by burying animal alive. England: Baughman. |
| G271.4.7 | Breaking spell by burying bottle of water, preventing witch from urinating until the bottle is emptied. England, U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.3 | Breaking spell by destroying image of victim used by the witch in torturing the victim. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.8 | Breaking spell by shooting bewitched object. U.S.: Baughman. |
| G271.4.6 | Breaking spell by sticking sharp object into tracks of witch. This pains or paralyzes her. England, Wales: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.4 | Breaking spell on animal by bleeding or maiming animal. Witch suffers same loss or injury. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| G271.4.9 | Breaking spell on animal by pulling three hairs from tail. U.S.: Baughman. |
| G271.4.11 | Breaking spell on cream by holding churn handle hard against bottom of churn. This paralyzes the witch. (Cf. D2084.2.) England: Baughman. |
| J2522 | Breaking the glassware to prevent others from doing so. A king thus removes temptation from his subjects. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 622. |
| F546.1 | Breast broad and made of glittering metal. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 150. |
| F531.1.5 | Breasts of giantess. |
| D1365.7 | Breath causes magic forgetfulness. (Cf. D1005.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1801 | Breath in the cold thought to be tobacco smoke. Type 1320. |
| B777 | Breath of bird withers. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B11.2.11.2 | Breath of dragon kills man. Scotland, England: *Baughman Chinese: Werner 236.—N. A. Indian (Iroquois): BBAE XXX pt. 2, 720 s.v. "Teharonhiawagon". |
| B184.1.5 | Breath of magic horse blows off or sucks in those he pursues. Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 190; Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1121 | Breathing of deity (spirit) causes winds. Chinese: Werner 77; Maori: Clark 19; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 175, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 153, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 267; S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 28. |
| D2061.2.9 | Breathing on enemy drives him onto knife. Eskimo (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 36. |
| J1909.4 | Breeding fine horses from an ass. Fool says, "Just as soon as the body of a colt bred from this mare is in proper proportion to its ears you will have a fine horse." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 763. |
| F481.4 | Brewing in eggshell to drive away cobold. (Cf. F321.1.1.1, F451.5.17.1.) *BP 368; Keightley 126, 418, 436, 473; Germania V 376; Kristensen Danske Sagn I (1892) 314—24 Nos. 1049—1075; Jahn 72 No. 87; Euphorion III 784; Zs. f. Vksk. XVI 414; Zs. f. deutsche Mythol. I (1853) 290. |
| K581.2 | Briar-patch punishment for rabbit. By expressing horror of being thrown into the briar patch he induces his captor into doing so. He runs off. **Ruth I. Cline American Literature II 72ff.; **Espinosa JAFL XLIII 129 ff.; *Dh IV 26; Köhler-Bolte I 266; *Parsons Folklore XXX 227. Missouri French: Carrière, Louisiana Creole: Fortier MAFLS II 108; Indonesia: *DeVries Volksverhalen II 381f. No. 147 (duck); Oceanic: Meyer Mythen und Erzählungen der Küstbewohner der Gezellehalbinsel 49, 187, Fox and Drew JAI XLV 204; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 446, Speck UPa I 141 n. 8; Africa (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 395, (Zanzibar): Bateman 38 No. 2; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Remus 16 No. 4; Barbadoes: Parsons JAFL XXXVIII 270; Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 244; West Indies: Flowers 516. |
| K513 | Bribed executioner releases culprit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Q265.1 | Bribed false judge punished. (Cf. J1192.) Alphabet No. 433; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| J1157 | Bribed witnesses nonplussed when judge asks wrong question. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T172.1 | Bridal chamber filled with coiled snakes. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 93. |
| T172.2 | Bridal chamber invaded by magic dragon (serpent). (Cf. B176.1.) *Types 507AB, 516; Liljeblad passim; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 9; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T134.1 | Bridal couple must never see each other before wedding. Chinese: Werner 375. |
| G424 | Bridal party will not pass over bridge for fear of water-demon. Fb "bro" IV 62a. |
| T137.5 | Bride (and party) fetched by groom and party after wedding. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T166 | Bride afraid of intercourse refuses consummation until judge orders it in court. Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 86. |
| T137.2 | Bride and bridegroom conducted to bridal bed. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| T135.11 | Bride and groom drink from same cup as part of ceremony. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| T135.13 | Bride and groom look into a big mirror while old member of family knocks both their heads together. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T165.4 | Bride and groom separated on wedding night. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T137.2.1 | Bride and groom simultaneously touch hearthstones and put one foot down inside threshold as they enter groom's house. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T56.1.1 | Bride attracted by flute. India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 209 No. 157; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian: Kroeber JAFL XXI 224; West Indies: Flowers 577. |
| T56.1 | Bride attracted by music. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H362 | Bride chosen from girls assembled at feast. (Cf. H311.) German: Grimm No. 21. |
| H375 | Bride contest: game. |
| D2062.4.1 | Bride enchanted by witch loses her sexual organs. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| K1223.1 | Bride escapes from foolish husband and leaves goat as substitute in bed. *Type 1685; *BP I 320. |
| K1843.1 | Bride has maid sleep in husband's bed to conceal pregnancy. *Types 870, 870A; *BP III 444; *Arfert Unterschobene Braut 34ff.; *Chauvin V 218 No. 128; Wesselski Märchen 46 No. 15; **Liungman En traditionsstudie över sagan om prinsessan i jordkulan; **Liungman Tvе Folkminnesundersökningar 1-40; *Fb "Brangoene" IV 60b; *Schoepperle I 206ff.; Jewish: bin Gorion Born Judas II 119, 345, *Neuman. |
| H335.0.1 | Bride helps suitor perform his tasks. *Type 313; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; German: Grimm Nos. 92, 113, 121, 196; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 7, Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| N331.1.3 | Bride lets dagger fall and kill husband. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H508.2 | Bride offered to man who can find answer to question. *Type 306; BP I 198ff.; Wesselski Märchen 211; Malone PMLA XLIII 399; Irish myth: Cross; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T52.3 | Bride purchased for her weight in gold. East Africa: Rochemonteix Quelques Contes Nubiens (Cairo, 1888) 48ff. No. 4. |
| T52 | Bride purchased. *Type 890 (Christiansen Norske Eventyr 113); *Fb "brud" IV 64a; Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 130, *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: *Neuman; Greek: *Grote I 157, 163; India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 57; Africa (Fang): Tessman 175f. |
| T320.3 | Bride puts to flight man who attempts to ravish her. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T166.1 | Bride refuses to sleep with ugly groom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T136.4.3 | Bride scatters presents among groom's relations. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K525.1.2 | Bride substitutes wooden picture while she herself escapes sleeping groom. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| H383.4.1 | Bride test: ale brewing. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| H383.1.1 | Bride test: bread-making—dough under fingernails. After three weeks the girl still has dough under her fingernails. Type 1453***; Russian: Andrejev No. 1453*; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1454.* |
| H383.1 | Bride test: bread-making. Africa (Kaffir): Theal 52. |
| H383.2 | Bride test: cloth-working. |
| H387 | Bride test: constancy. |
| H383.1.2 | Bride test: cooking griddle cakes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H383.4 | Bride test: cooking. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham. |
| H383.5 | Bride test: cutting up a monster fish with scaly hide. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H383 | Bride test: domestic skill. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| H385 | Bride test: greediness. Type 1454*. |
| H382 | Bride test: industry. Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 259. |
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