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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 ▲ |
|---|---|
| V1.6.3.1.1 | (Sacrificial) fire from which all others must be lighted. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| K1887.3.1 | (Saint's) bell heard but never found. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| C830 | 1 Unclassified tabus. |
| T69.1 | 100 brothers seek 100 sisters as wives. (Seven—seven, fifty—fifty, etc.) Type 303*; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 303*; Greek: Aeschylus Prometheus Bound 853. |
| D1273.1.7.1 | 101 as magic number. French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 9. |
| F781.2.1 | 540 rooms in Bilskilnir. Icelandic: Corpus Poeticum Boreale 1 75, Boberg. |
| D1273.1.7.2 | 9999 as magic number. Persian: Carnoy 327. |
| V211.1.6 | A "crown of thorns" among gifts given by the shepherds to Joseph, husband of Virgin Mary. Irish myth: Cross. |
| A1031.1 | A "flame of fire swifter than a blast of wind" as punishment for the sin of the Irish. Irish myth: Cross. |
| X427 | A bad year for priests: few funerals. All but the priest rejoice over the good health of the community. He bemoans his loss of income from burials. *Wesselski Arlotto II 248 No. 155. |
| K151 | A beggar tells the bishop how to stay warm. For a gulden he tells him that he should wear all his clothes when he goes horseback in winter. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 513. |
| J321.1 | A bird in the hand foolishly given away in hope of greater gain. Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 94), 105, 147 (ST 175, 525); Halm Aesop No. 9. |
| J1561.6 | A box connection. Man refused hospitality tells rich man he is a relative. Asked for the "connection," he tells him there is a box connection. Rich man not understanding, man explains his cart is made of box wood and is tied to a rich man's box tree. Rich man, ashamed, entertains him with all due respect. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D471.9 | A candle becomes stone. *Loomis White Magic 81. |
| G252.0.1 | A cat in form of an old woman has hand cut off; recognized next morning by missing paw. Japanese: Ikeda. |
| V364 | A Christianized Jew becomes a priest. During Mass, he stabs the consecrated host, blood flows (cf. C55, J1261.2, V30). He kills the other priest who saw him commit the sacrilege, and before killing, forces him to renounce his faith. A miracle exposes the murderer. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3270, Legends Nos. 416ff. |
| D2147.3 | A cloud evoked by a saint. *Loomis White Magic 41. |
| V140.3 | A cow licks the stone under which the secreted body of saint is buried. *Loomis White Magic 62. |
| D475.5 | A cup of marble changed into one of crystal. *Loomis White Magic 81. |
| J1442 | A cynic's retorts. |
| Z73 | A day and a night. Irish myth: Cross. |
| J1341.3 | A dog to scent the rice. Given very thin rice soup, wit inquires about the master's dogs. "He should have one to scent the rice in this soup." Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 259 No 206, Arlotto II 75 No. 105. |
| J2282 | A drunkard cannot drown. A drunken man falls overboard but the skipper refuses to pick him up. "A man who is soaked in wine cannot drown. No part of his body will absorb water." Wesselski Bebel II 143 No. 134. |
| G303.25.12 | A farmer who trades horses with the devil is cheated. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 16 No. 149. |
| J2182 | A fleeing fox loses an eye in the briars. Returns the next day and eats it, thinking that it tastes like chicken. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 33 No. *135B. |
| J1805.4 | A fool given money to buy something to eat; goes around asking for a thing called "something." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J1715 | A fool objects to fools as companions. Leaves when placed between two fools at table. Wesselski Bebel I 179 No. 25. |
| J2191 | A fool releases a bear while the master is away. The bear plays havoc. The master threatens to cut off the ears of the meddler. The fool asks his dog not to tell on him. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 696. |
| J2671.1 | A fox or a hare? A servant is sent by his master to find a girl for him. If he returns with one he is to say, "I have a fox"; if without, "I have a hare." When he returns he has forgotten the agreement. "I don't know whether it is a fox or a hare, but the girl is down stairs. *Wesselski Bebel I 195 No. 69. |
| U21.2 | A gift of property silences criticism. A priest who has preached against lucrative places given the clergy is silent when he receives one. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 546. |
| K579.7 | A handy name. Thief is jailed for stealing a quarter of veal. Sends man named "Calf" to captor. "I took only one quarter of veal, but I am sending you a whole calf." Is set free. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1937.2 | A healthy place for a tomb. Numskull objects to unhealthy place for his tomb. Clouston Noodles 9. |
| J2083.5 | A heaping measure given for a level measure. *Fb "skjæppe" III 276a. |
| J1934 | A hole to throw the earth in. Numskull plans to dig a hole so as to have a place to throw the earth from his excavation. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 227 No. 480; Christensen DF XL VII 201 no. 37; Jewish: Neuman. |
| J2469.1 | A lentil in the soup. You said you wished a lentil soup; so I put one in. If you had wished more lentils you should have said so. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 605. |
| G303.4.6.1 | A little girl recognizes the devil by his tail. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 119 No. 29; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3675, Legends Nos. 382, 395. |
| J1463 | A long beard and sanctity. Told that a forest dwarf with a long beard is a saint, a man replies: "If a long beard indicates sanctity, the goat is a saint." *Wesselski Bebel I 129 No. 30. |
| K231.5.1 | A man bonds his loyalty. When the debt is due he offers the creditor his loyalty. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 568. |
| Q411.8 | A man in every house in the land killed as punishment for abduction by their king. Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1691.1 | A man in place of a cuckoo. A cruel master commands his serf to climb a tree and imitate the cry of the cuckoo; he shoots the "cuckoo." Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3745. |
| J2431 | A man undertakes to do his wife's work. All goes wrong. *Type 1408; *BP I 321; Bolte Frey 222 No. 20; Fb "øl" III 1175a; Nouvelles Récréations No. 45. |
| M205.3 | A man who breaks his oath to a woman cannot be king with right. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| V20.1.1 | A man without a confessor is a body without a head. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| J2072.4 | A man without a stomach. The man complains that he is a mere slave of his stomach. His wish is granted and the stomach taken away from him. He discovers soon that life has become very uninteresting to him, and recovers his stomach again. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *716. |
| G303.25.17.2 | A musician engaged to play for the night-spirits (devils) dances. Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. 3276f., Legends Nos. 425—438, 443f., 446f., 449—453, 460. |
| P522.1.1 | A nose for a nose. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| G303.16.2.3.4 | A nun eating unblessed lettuce eats a demon. Gregory the Great Dialogues Bk I Ch. 4 (tr. Edmund Gardner, London, 1911) 17; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 22; Alphabet No. 108; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J2466.1 | A pebble for each sin. A man cannot remember the number of his sins. The priest has him put a pebble in a sack for each of his sins. He comes to confession with three large sacks of pebbles. Type 1848*. |
| H119.1 | A piece of cloth on one's back as a guarantee against his being eaten on the way. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K579.8 | A plea for a larger audience. Fox asks cock to come down from a tree and sing for him. Cock asks fox to awake his companion, a dog, first. Dog kills fox. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J1559.1 | A present or a retaining fee. An abbot presents a lawyer with a fine horse. Later the abbot comes to Rome and calls on the lawyer for help. The latter returns the horse. "I did not know that you had a lawsuit in Rome." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 126. |
| J2213.2 | A profitable fight: three for one! A priest boasts of his profitable fight with the peasants, where he has received three blows for every one given. *Wesselski Bebel I 173 No. 11. |
| D1381.3.3 | A protective garment which spears could not penetrate. (Cf. D1052.) *Loomis White Magic 123. |
| K195 | A ribbon long enough to reach from ear to ear. The rascal has had an ear cut off and this is in a distant city. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 713. |
| J1511 | A rule must work both ways. |
| J1563.7 | A sham fight to frighten away the guests. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B335.6 | A small animal (hare, bitch) gives timely warnings to the hero about the trap prepared by his enemy. Animal warning about trap killed.—Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. *452f. |
| J2415.7 | A snake for the real daughter. Stepdaughter, married to a snake, appears decorated with jewels. Stepmother desires a snake be procured for her daughter. She is swallowed instead. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J817 | A soft answer turneth away wrath. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1573.1 | A step-ladder for setting the table. Servant who leaves off the salt is instructed to bring in the step-ladder so as to see what is missing. Wesselski Bebel II 71 No. 159. |
| W152.13.1 | A stranger notices that man's cows need feed, feeds them. They die of the shock of being fed. U.S.: Baughman. |
| K1741.2 | A thousand at one shot. Told to shoot one or two wild boars, hero asks, "Why not a thousand at one shot?" The ogre is frightened. *Type 1053; *BP III 333. |
| J1384 | A three thousand year old debt. Guests in inn discuss reincarnation. "Since we shall come back in three thousand years, the host might trust us till then." Host: "You still owe me what you didn't pay three thousand years ago." Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 858. |
| J1176.4 | A two-headed man is only one man. Two-headed man claims double inheritance. Hot water poured over one head. Other head cries out with pain. He is declared to be one man and to merit only one share. Jewish: Gaster Exempla 206 No. 113, bin Gorion Born Judas III 73, 302, *Neuman. |
| N848.2 | A wise man (saint, brahmin) recognizes that a man unwittingly carries a venomous serpent in his proviant sack and warns him. Krappe Moyen Age (1937) No. 4. |
| J1714.1 | A wise man follows a fool against his better judgment. Both are put to death for their foolishness. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 26; Herbert III 192; Alphabet No. 722; Oesterley No. 67; Scala Celi 75a No. 428; Africa (Vai): Ellis 242. |
| A700.3 | A woman has four children: sun, moon, fire, and water. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| Z72.1 | A year and a day. (Cf. Z71.0.2.) *Fb "еr" III 1195b; A Gobbe-Duval Essais de folklore juridique (Paris, 1920) 178ff.; Schröder und v. Künssberg Lehrbuch d. dt. Rechtsgeschichte@6 (1922) 789 n.; Liebermann Herrig's Archiv (1916) 401f.; Köhler-Bolte I 6. —Irish myth: Cross; English: Malory X 36, 39 and passim; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "an", "congé"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18, 24. |
| K551.22.1 | A year's time granted to settle affairs before death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| X753 | A youth promises to marry an old maid if she will sit all night on the roof. She falls down. Type 1479*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1479*. |
| J1446 | Aaron's censer. A man strikes a priest with a cane: "This is Moses' staff." The priest shoots with a pistol: "This is Aaron's holy censer." Type 1847*. |
| F771.4.3 | Abandoned castle. Has no inhabitants when hero enters. *Fb "slot" III 377a; Type 425; *Tegethoff 168; Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 134 (Sir Degare); Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "château"; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S354.1 | Abandoned child adopted and found by queen. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S351.1 | Abandoned child cared for by grandmother (aunt, foster mother). Irish: *Cross, MacCulloch Celtic 167; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 91. |
| S351 | Abandoned child cared for by mother secretly. (Cf. R153.) Africa (Zulu): Callaway 236, (Basuto): Jacottet 128ff. No. 18. |
| H151.9 | Abandoned child joins parents in game: recognition follows. Oceanic (New Zealand, Melanesia): Dixon 42 n. 10. |
| S351.0.1 | Abandoned child made over to its own mother (sister) acting as wet nurse. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S351.2 | Abandoned child reared by herdsman. (Cf. R131.3.) Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Grote I 241, 263; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 458. |
| S353 | Abandoned child reared by supernatural beings. India: *Thompson-Balys; Maori: Dixon 42. |
| H151.9.1 | Abandoned child recognized in game. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B549.3 | Abandoned child rescued by dog. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| T611.7 | Abandoned child saved by seagulls; milk furnished by doe; angel brings bell as drinking utensil. Loomis White Magic 22. |
| S336 | Abandoned child wrapped in straw. DeVries FFC LXXIII 326f. |
| R135 | Abandoned children (wife, etc.) find way back by clue (bread-crumb, grain, pebble, etc.). They have dropped the objects while being led away. *Types 327, 431, 620, 955; *BP I 115ff., 124, 370; Köhler-Bolte I 134; *Penzer III 104 n. 2; Fb "ært" III 1153b, "gryn" IV 187a; *Saintyves Perrault 310. — Irish myth: Cross; Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 8; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: *Dixon 227 n. 35, DeVries's list No. 147; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 442; Lkuсgen: Hill-Tout JAI XXXVII 334; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 145; Africa (Kaffir): Theal 120. |
| N768 | Abandoned children accidentally discovered by villainess. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S366 | Abandoned children return and kill parents. N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 89. |
| A511.2.1.1 | Abandoned culture hero captured by use of net. S. Am. Indian (Amuesa): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 132. |
| S371 | Abandoned daughter's son becomes hero. *Dixon 130, 132 n. 2, 136 nn. 10, 11; Greek: Grote I 854; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| G25 | Abandoned infant lives by eating corpse of murdered father. (Cf. S350.) Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 385. |
| P361.5 | Abandoned maiden helped by her faithful nurse. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R143 | Abandoned man befriended by a Centaur. (Cf. B21.) Greek: Grote I 109. |
| S300 | Abandoned or murdered children. |
| S465 | Abandoned person in woods comforted by prophet and birds. (Cf. S143.) *Grünwald Hessische Blätter für Vksk. XXX—XXXI 315. |
| B535.0.5 | Abandoned prince grows up in eagle's nest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S351.2.1 | Abandoned princess, brought up by herdsmen, becomes wife of king. Irish myth: *Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 378. |
| S438 | Abandoned queen blinded. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| H155 | Abandoned queen invites all to forest, gives appropriate food to her persecutors, and is recognized. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S357 | Abandoned sister rescued by brothers. When she is refused entrance to house, she makes complaint in a song and brothers bring her clothes. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 883C*. |
| H105.5.4 | Abandoned son shows claws and tail of tiger to which his parents have exposed him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| E752.7.1 | Abandoned souls feed on spiders and night moths. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 154. |
| S445 | Abandoned wife hidden under a tub. Cox 501; Grimm No. 9. |
| H152.3 | Abandoned wife recognized among workers. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S144.1 | Abandonment alone on foreign coast. English: Wells 80 (Sir Tristrem). |
| S148 | Abandonment in bonds that cannot be loosed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S146.2 | Abandonment in cave. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 471. |
| S144 | Abandonment in desert. *Type 310; BP I 97ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M371.0.1 | Abandonment in forest to avoid fulfillment of prophecy India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S143 | Abandonment in forest. *Types 327, 450, 708, 872*; BP I 79ff., 115ff.; *Dickson 35 n. 16; *Sparnaay 41ff.; Roberts 128. — English: Wells 118 (Octovian); Icelandic: Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "abandon"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II 99-105, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 142 —45; Greek: Grote I 109; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S146 | Abandonment in pit. Chauvin VII 108 No. 379bis; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Lagerholm 161—63, Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Hebrew: Genesis ch. 37, *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 41. |
| S153 | Abandonment in stable. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S143.2 | Abandonment in tall tree. India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294, (Sherente): Lowie ibid. (1) 515. |
| S146.1 | Abandonment in well. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S140.1 | Abandonment of aged. Type 981*; *Encyc. Religion Ethics s.v. "Abandonment and exposure"; *F. Brouga-Brey Revista de dialectologia y tradiciones populares (Madrid) I 496—573; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 547; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 116; Japanese: Ikeda; Korean: Zong in-Sob 186 No. 82. |
| A511.2.1 | Abandonment of culture hero at birth. S. Am. Indian (Tupinamba): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 135, (Chiriguano): Métraux ibid. 142; Maori: Clark 29. |
| S145 | Abandonment on an island. (Marooning.) *Type 506, 890; BP III 490ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "abandon"; French Canadian: Morin JAFL XXX 147; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 53 n. 5; Papua: Ker 7, 112; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 358; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 56, Rasmussen III 200, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Central): Boas RBAE VI 637, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 163, 166; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 405ff. |
| S147.1.1 | Abandonment on cliff near nest of a bird. S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294. |
| S147.1 | Abandonment on cliff. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; Greek: Aeschylus Prometheus Bound; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S147 | Abandonment on mountain. *Type 675; Irish myth: Cross. |
| K1113 | Abandonment on stretching tree. A man is induced to get into a tree which magically shoots upward. N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 332 n. 199, (California): Gayton and Newman 70, 78; Africa (Jaunde): Nekes 236, (Benga): Nassau 176 No. 23. |
| J1264.9 | Abbess has twenty-four nuns for twelve monks: twelve nuns therefore for the guests. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 65. |
| K1273 | Abbess puts priest's trousers on her head. Suddenly called up while abed with the priest, she thinks to put on her coif. Discomfited by nuns whom she has denounced for incontinence. Boccaccio Decameron IX No. 2 (Lee 274); Mensa Philosophica No. 200; Italian Novella: *Rotunda. |
| K521.6 | Abbot escapes from his paramour's husband in disguise of priest. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| J1675.5 | Abbot gives king unique concert. Separates hogs into tenors, bassos, etc. So arranges them that when he pricks them they render a tune. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| J916 | Abbot to avoid vainglory receives judge in rags. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| F322.4 | Abducted bride hidden in fairyland. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| R41.5 | Abducted princess fettered in hall with 100 doors. Bridal bed for her and giant in the midst. (Cf. R111.2.3.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| R35 | Abducted princess gives birth to child. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| K1227.10.1 | Abducted princess tells her abductor to wait for her menstrual period of 12 years to terminate. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| N425 | Abducted princess wishes that she were with rejected suitor; discovers that she is. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| R165.3 | Abducted wife brought back by fakir. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| C986 | Abduction by animal for breaking tabu. India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| R13 | Abduction by animal. Chinese: Graham. |
| R13.2.3 | Abduction by cat. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| R11.2.2 | Abduction by demon. India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 507, 1053; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1386). |
| R11.2 | Abduction by devil. |
| R13.2 | Abduction by domestic beast. |
| R11.2.2.1 | Abduction by Echo. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R16.5 | Abduction by elephant-man. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.1.10 | Abduction by elephant. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.1.11 | Abduction by fox. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K755.1 | Abduction by fraudulently giving signal of husband's return. (Cf. K1354.3.2.) Chinese: Graham. |
| R11.3 | Abduction by giant. (Cf. F531, G100.) English romance: Malory V 5; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 166 No. 72; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Benedict II 334. |
| R22.1 | Abduction by giving soporific and rolling up in a cloak. *Chauvin V 23 No. 13 n. 2. |
| R22 | Abduction by giving soporific. Irish myth: Cross. |
| R13.2.3.1 | Abduction by goddess's cat. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.1.9 | Abduction by leopard. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R39.1 | Abduction by magician. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R22.2 | Abduction by means of sleep-giving music. Irish myth: Cross. |
| R13.1.7 | Abduction by monkey. |
| R11 | Abduction by monster (ogre). (Cf. G440.) **Feilberg Bjærgtagen (København, 1910); Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 133—135, III Nos. 141f.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 129, 1060; S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 39. |
| R39.2 | Abduction by old woman. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R12 | Abduction by pirates. |
| R13.1.8 | Abduction by rabbit. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.3.1 | Abduction by ravens. Irish myth: Cross. |
| R18 | Abduction by rejected suitor. Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| R13.4 | Abduction by reptile. |
| R13.4.1 | Abduction by snake. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| R32 | Abduction by stealing clothes of bathers. Africa (Cameroon): Lederbogen Märchen II 122f. No. 9. |
| R16.4 | Abduction by tiger-man. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.1.4 | Abduction by tiger. |
| R16 | Abduction by transformed person. |
| R17 | Abduction by whirlwind. (Cf. D1520.28.) Hartland Science 175; Icelandic: Boberg; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 160 No. 23. |
| R13.1 | Abduction by wild beast. |
| R10.4.1 | Abduction of bridegroom and killing of his bride planned as giantess's revenge. Icelandic: Lagerholm 56—58, Boberg. |
| F389.2 | Abduction of Christianized fairy woman by fairies prevented by saint. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| R11.1.1 | Abduction of girl by half bestial man (hair on body, nails of dog). India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| R13.1.4.2 | Abduction of woman by tiger. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham; S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 142. |
| Q213 | Abduction punished. (Cf. Q411.8, Q595.2, R10.) Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| R25 | Abduction through underground passage. |
| R23 | Abduction with aid of magic mask which renders invisible. (Cf. D1361.32.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| R39 | Abduction—miscellaneous. |
| R10 | Abduction. **Feilberg Bjærgtagen (København, 1910), Nissens Historie; **Hdwb. d. Märchens I 541ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; N. A. Indian (California): Gayton and Newman 86, (Zuсi): Benedict II 334. |
| R24 | Abductor in disguise. (Cf. K1310.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1914 | Abductor pretends to have been sent to fetch princess by lover. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K624 | Abductors tricked into running race while captive escapes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A661.0.1.4 | Abersetus as guardian of river of fire at one of the doors of heaven. Irish myth: Cross. |
| H1573.6.1 | Ability to cross bridge as test of righteousness. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| D2188.1 | Ability to disappear or appear at will. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1825.3.4.1 | Ability to see angel of God. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| D1825.3.4 | Ability to see heavenly beings. Jewish: Neuman. |
| D1825.3.4.2 | Ability to see messengers of Pluto. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T550.2 | Abnormally born child has unusual powers. *Fb "ufødt" III 961b; Japanese: Ikeda; West Indies: Flowers 578. |
| E480.1 | Abode of animal souls. (Cf. E730.1.) Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E481.3 | Abode of dead in mountain. Patch PMLA XXXIII 614 n. 48; Icelandic: *Boberg; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 335b s.v. "Geister"; Gaster Oldest Stories 156. |
| E481.3.1 | Abode of the dead in hills, barrows. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| E481.3.2 | Abode of the dead in stones. Icelandic: MacCulloch Eddic 312. |
| E489 | Abode of the dead—miscellaneous. |
| E480 | Abode of the dead. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman. |
| E706 | Abode of unborn souls. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| L130 | Abode of unpromising hero (heroine). |
| T572.2.2 | Abortion by eating. Child I 341, 343f., 352, 354, III 387, 393, IV 456; Gaster Oldest Stories 121. |
| T572.2.4 | Abortion by fasting. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T572.2.6 | Abortion by long bathing. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| T572.2.1 | Abortion by vomiting up embryo. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 84, *Cross. |
| T572.2.5 | Abortion caused by fear. Irish myth: Cross. |
| T572.2 | Abortion. *Encyc. Rel. Ethics VI 54ff.; *Penzer II 229; Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| A873 | Above and below the earth are great clouds. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| M301.7.3 | Abraham as prophet. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| Z42.2 | Abraham learns to worship God. At nightfall Abraham worships a star, then the moon, then the sun, and finally gives up idolatry. *Taylor JAFL XLVI 85 No. 2031B; Hdwb. d. Märchens II 184b; Köhler-Bolte I 578; Koran Surah 6, 75—78; *Basset RTP VII 397; Jewish: Neuman. |
| Q430 | Abridgment of freedom as punishment. |
| T52.8 | Absent man's wife demanded in law court in payment of debt by creditor. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| K1881 | Absent person seems to be present. Hdwb. d. Abergl. II 246 s.v. "Doppelgänger"; Icelandic: FSS 38, Boberg; Irish: Plummer clxix, *Cross; Danish: Kristensen Danske Sagn VI (1900) 3ff. |
| J2175.3 | Absent-minded nurse lets child down into well instead of bucket. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| J2040 | Absurd absent-mindedness—miscellaneous. U.S.: Baughman. |
| J2270 | Absurd astronomical theories. |
| J1908 | Absurd attempt to change animal nature. Wienert FFC LVI 45ff. (ET 31, 37, 38, 39, 54, 241, 420, 422), 87ff. (ST 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 504); Halm Aesop Nos 149, 360, 373, 374, 375; Pauli (ed. Bolte) Nos. 427, 430. |
| K69 | Absurd contest won by deception—miscellaneous. |
| K60 | Absurd contest won by deception. |
| X1739 | Absurd disregard of anatomy—miscellaneous. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1720 | Absurd disregard of anatomy. (Cf. X1202, X1203, X1204.) |
| J1909 | Absurd disregard of animal's nature or habits—miscellaneous. |
| J1959 | Absurd disregard of natural laws—miscellaneous. |
| J1930 | Absurd disregard of natural laws. |
| X1740 | Absurd disregard of natural laws. |
| X1761 | Absurd disregard of the nature of holes. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| X1760 | Absurd disregard of the nature of non-material things. |
| X1750 | Absurd disregard of the nature of objects. U.S.: *Baughman. |
| J1900 | Absurd disregard or ignorance of animal's nature or habits. |
| J2518 | Absurd extreme of discouragement. |
| J2214 | Absurd generalization from a particular incident. U.S., England: *Baughman. |
| J1937 | Absurd ideas about the dead. |
| J1905 | Absurd ignorance about milking animals. (Cf. J1903.2.) |
| J1906 | Absurd ignorance about slaughtering animals. |
| J1903 | Absurd ignorance concerning animal's eating and drinking. |
| J1904 | Absurd ignorance concerning place for animal to be kept. |
| J1902 | Absurd ignorance concerning the hatching of eggs. |
| J1901 | Absurd ignorance concerning the laying of eggs. |
| J1745 | Absurd ignorance of sex. |
| J1748 | Absurd ignorance of the use of spectacles. Christensen DF XLVII 226 No. 89. |
| J1749 | Absurd ignorance—miscellaneous. |
| J1730 | Absurd ignorance. |
| J2030 | Absurd inability to count. Christensen DF XLVII 181ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| J2200 | Absurd lack of logic—general. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| J2060 | Absurd plans. Air-castles. *Type 1430; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 249 No. 163; *Chauvin V 162 No. 85. |
| J1932 | Absurd practices connected with crops. Christensen DF XLVII 207. |
| J1214 | Absurd pretence, when allowed, puts pretender out of countenance. |
| J2215 | Absurd reasoning about God. |
| J2371 | Absurd scientific speculations. |
| J2260 | Absurd scientific theories—general. |
| J1920 | Absurd searches for the lost. |
| J2050 | Absurd short-sightedness. *Wienert FFC LVI 108 (15*). |
| J2199 | Absurd shortsightedness—miscellaneous. |
| X1727 | Absurd stories about beards. |
| J1879 | Absurd sympathy for animals or objects—miscellaneous. |
| J1870 | Absurd sympathy for animals or objects. |
| J2277 | Absurd theories about clouds. |
| J2274 | Absurd theories about the earth. |
| J2275 | Absurd theories about the stars. |
| J2271 | Absurd theories concerning the moon. |
| J2273 | Absurd theories concerning the sky. |
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