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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 |
|---|---|
| S73.1.4 | Fratricide motivated by love-jealousy. (Cf. T257.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S73.2 | Person banishes brother (sister). Irish myth: Cross. |
| S73.3 | Man blinds brother. (Cf. S165.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S74 | Cruel nephew. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| S74.1 | Nephew (niece) kills uncle. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S100 | Revolting murders or mutilations. |
| S110 | Murders. Irish myth: *Cross; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S110.1 | Old people killed in famine. *Wesselski Märchen 237 No. 48; Fb "gammel" IV 174a; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S110.1.1 | Child condemned to be killed in famine. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S110.2 | Man kills all guests, hoping some day to kill rival. Dickson 83 n. 47. |
| S110.3 | Princess builds tower of skulls of unsuccessful suitors. Malone PMLA XLIII 414; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S110.3.1 | Princess makes necklace of heads of unsuccessful suitors. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S110.4 | Prince resolves to drive relatives from his domain. Kills many. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S110.5 | Murderer kills all who come to certain spot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S111 | Murder by poisoning. *Type 709; *Böklen 100ff.; *Child V 491 s.v. "Poisoning"; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 115f., Espinosa Jr. Nos. 143, 145; Missouri French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 80, 491, 510, |
| S111.1 | Murder with poisoned bread. *Type 709; *Böklen 102; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 80 No. 12. |
| S111.2 | Murder with poisoned lace. *Type 709; *BP I 450ff.; *Böklen 104. |
| S111.3 | Murder with poisoned comb. *Type 709; *BP I 450ff.; *Böklen 109. |
| S111.4 | Murder with poisoned apple. *Type 709; *BP I 450ff.; *Böklen 100; Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S111.5 | Murder with poisoned book. King wets finger to turn leaves and falls dead. *Chauvin V 276 No. 156 n. 3. |
| S111.6 | Murder with poisoned robe. Consumes wearer. Greek: Fox 115, *Frazer Apollodorus I 123; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S111.7 | Murder with poisoned slippers. Africa (Thonga): Junod 266ff., (Swahili): Baker FL XXXVIII 299ff. No. 16. |
| S111.8 | Murder by feeding poisonous snake. English ballad: Child No. 12 (Lord Randal); Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S111.9 | Murder by placing a poisoned fingernail on step. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S112 | Burning to death. (See notes to K955 and Q414.) Irish myth: *Cross; English: Wells 97 (Chevalere Assigne); Spanish Exempla: Keller; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 192 No. 28. |
| S112.0.1 | City burned with all inhabitants. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S112.0.2 | House (hostel) burned with all inside. Irish myth: *Cross; Marquesas: Handy 132; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 386; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 514. |
| S112.1 | Boiling to death. Often in pitch or oil. *Cosquin études 360ff.; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 83 No. 711A*; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 321 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S112.2 | Murder with hot iron. Bored through eye or nose. *Krappe Balor 4ff.; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 592, Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys.; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 52 No. 8. |
| S112.2.1 | Murder by hot iron through heart. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 592, Boberg. |
| S112.2.2 | Murder by driving red-hot iron spits through soles of feet and into shins. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S112.3 | Murder by hot lead poured into ear. (Cf. S115.1.) *Fb "øre" III 1180b, 1181a. |
| S112.4 | Attempted murder by live coals in garments. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S112.5 | Murder by feeding on over-hot food. Person forced to eat. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S112.6 | Murder by roasting alive in oven furnace). Jewish: *Neuman; Tonga: Gifford 190. |
| S112.7 | Son takes mother to woods and tries to burn her up while she sleeps. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S113 | Murder by strangling. See references to Q424. Irish myth: Cross; Chinese: Werner 267. |
| S113.1 | Murder by hanging. Dickson 186 n. 60; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| S113.1.1 | Slaves killed by hanging. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S113.1.2 | Prisoners taken in war (enemy's messengers) hanged. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S113.2 | Murder by suffocation. Irish myth: Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; West Indies: Flowers 575. |
| S113.2.1 | Devil cuts off hand of woman and suffocates her. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 289; Scala Celi 57b No. 321. |
| S113.2.2 | Suffocating in bathroom. Icelandic: Boberg; Danish: Grundtvig No. 121; Lithuanian: M. Boehm u. F. Sprecht Lettische-Litauische Volksmärchen (Jena, 1924) 193 No. 11. |
| S113.2.3 | Murder by luring to feast and suffocating. All holes are stopped and house set afire. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S114 | Murder by flaying. *Fb "hud" I 661; Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman. |
| S114.1 | Skin of murdered person found in enemy's house. Koryak: *Jochelson JE VI 377. |
| S115 | Murder by stabbing. Heptameron No. 40; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 592; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S115.1 | Murder by stabbing in ear. (Cf. S112.3.) Koryak: Jochelson JE VI 236, 265; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 350 n. 264. |
| S115.2 | Murder by sticking needle through head. Italian: Basile Pentamerone V No. 9; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 52, Rasmussen III 65, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 185. |
| S115.2.1 | Murder by driving nail through head. West Africa: Nassau Fetischism in West Africa (London, 1904) 337ff. No. 2. |
| S115.3 | Murder by piercing with pins and needles. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S116 | Murder by crushing. (Cf. S167.) Irish myth: Cross; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 592, Boberg; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 168 No. 24. |
| S116.1 | Murder by grinding in mill. Irish myth: *Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S116.2 | Pregnant woman crushed beneath chariot. (Cf. S185.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S116.3 | Murder by breaking back. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S116.4 | Murder by crushing head. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S116.5 | Murder by crushing beneath falling tree. India: Thompson-Balys; Tonga: Gifford 184. |
| S116.6 | Murder by trampling of horses (elephants). English romance: Malory IX 25; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 647. |
| S117 | Death by dragging behind horse. *Fb "hest" I 599b; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S118 | Murder by cutting. |
| S118.1 | Murder by cutting adversary in two. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S118.2 | Murder by cutting throat. Africa (Cameroon): Mansfield 228. |
| S121 | Murder by slamming down chest-lid. Done while victim is looking into the chest. *Type 720; *BP I 412ff., 422; *Cox 479; *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 91b n. 36; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 6; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S122 | Flogging to death. (Cf. Q458.2.) Fb "piske" II 834; Icelandic: Boberg; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 152. |
| S123 | Burial alive. **Feilberg "Levende begravet" (Еrbog for dansk Kulturhistorie, 1892); *Liebrecht 284; *Fb "høj" I 741b, "levende" II 403a—404a, "jord" II 45b. — Irish: *Cross, O'Suilleabhain 74, Beal XXI 327; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 326 No. 4; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enterrement"; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. Nos. 203f.; Greek: Sophocles' Antigone; India: *Thompson-Balys; Society Islands: Henry Ancient Tahiti (Honolulu, 1928) 557; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 221, 232, Rasmussen II 94, III 53, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 171, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 639, (Mackenzie Area): Jenness 34, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 161, (Ungava): Turner RBAE VI 262. |
| S123.0.1 | Hostages buried alive. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S123.1 | Burial alive of drugged person. *Chauvin VI 15 No. 188 n. 1. |
| S123.2 | Burial of living husband or wife with dead spouse. Type 612; *BP I 126ff., 128; *Chauvin VII 20 No. 373D; Missouri French: Carrière. |
| S123.2.1 | Burial of living man with dead blood brother. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S123.3 | Living children buried with dead mother. Child I 180, 185, IV 450a (No. 15). |
| S123.4 | Avenger plans to let king starve in mountain chamber. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S123.5 | Burial alive of maiden to keep her safe from rival. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S123.6 | Enemies buried alive up to their necks and exposed to jackals. (Cf. Q456.1.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 570. |
| S125 | Immolation. Greek: Grote I 278f.; Jewish: Neuman; S. A. Indian (Inca): Rowe BBAE CXLIII (2) 317. |
| S125.1 | Self-immolation. Hindu: Tawney I 163, 398, 522, II 255, 490, 546, 558, 560, Panchatantra III 8 (tr. Ryder 334). |
| S127 | Murder by throwing from height. Greek: Grote I 278. |
| S131 | Murder by drowning. Hdwb. d. Märchens I 346b nn. 130—46; English: Wells 96 (Chevalere Assigne); Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 651; Marquesas: Handy 53; Maori: Beckwith Myth 318; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 56, Rasmussen I 363, III 200, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 637; Africa (Fang): Einstein 153. |
| S131.1 | River carrier (whale, crocodile) throws passenger off and drowns him. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Madagascar): Renel II 207f. No. 119. |
| S132 | Murder by starvation. (Cf. R51.1, S123.4.) Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 287. |
| S133 | Murder by beheading. (Cf. Q421.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S135 | Murder by springing bent tree. Man bound to it is torn to pieces. (Cf. H1522.1.) Fb "træ" III 865b; India: Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S139 | Miscellaneous cruel murders. |
| S139.1 | Murder by twisting out intestines. (Cf. K1444, Q469.7.) *Fb "tarm" III 776a; Icelandic: *Boberg; Easter Island: Métraux Ethnology 66, 384. |
| S139.2 | Slain person dismembered. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus II 72 n. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.1 | Head of murdered man displayed before his own house. *Siberian and North Pacific Coast of America: Jochelson JE VI 381. |
| S139.2.1.1 | Head of murdered man taken along as trophy. Icelandic: *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; Philippine (Tinguian): Cole 43, 77. |
| S139.2.2 | Other indignities to corpse. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.1 | Heads of slain enemies impaled upon stakes. (Cf. Q421.1.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S139.2.2.1.1 | Heads (tongues) of slain enemies as trophies. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.1.2 | Impaled head used as target. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.1.3 | Custom: sitting upon head of slain enemy. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.1.4 | Heads of defeated enemies hung on conqueror's saddle. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.1.5 | Hand of slain enemy nailed to castle. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.1.6 | Heads brandished to intimidate foe. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.2 | Dead man gutted and filled with stones. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.3 | Dead dog buried with enemy. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.3.1 | Corpse buried face down as indignity. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.4 | Parts of corpses used in sport. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.4.1 | Head used as ball. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.4.2 | Brains of enemies fashioned into balls (as trophies for play). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S139.2.2.4.3 | Chess board and men made from bones of slain enemies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.5 | Corpses burned as fuel for cooking. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.6 | Corpse drawn asunder. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.2.2.7 | Ash (hazel) stakes thrust through bodies of slain warriors. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.2.2.8 | Ashes of murdered person passed through sieve and remains put to manure heap. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S139.3 | Captured women hanged and crucified. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.4 | Murder by mangling with axe. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S139.5 | Murder by cutting off uvula. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S139.6 | Murder by tearing out heart. India: Thompson-Balys; Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S139.7 | Murder by slicing person into small pieces. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 154; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (TpG. 3/912). |
| S139.8 | Murder by biting the throat. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S140 | Cruel abandonments and exposures. 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. |
| S141 | Exposure in boat. A person (usually woman or child) set adrift in a boat (chest, basket, cask). *Types 590, 675, 708, 930; BP I 489, II 236f., III 2; **Cosquin études 199ff., 215ff.; Chauvin VII 95ff.; *Hertel Zs. f. Vksk. XIX 83; *Aarne FFC XXIII 60; *Penzer II 4, VII 81 n. 1; Dickson 35 n. 16, 41f. nn. 40, 42, 169f. n. 23; *Krappe Balor 3ff., 17ff. nn. 57—60; *Sparnaay 31ff., 50; *Frazer Old Testament II 437ff.; *Fb "е" III 1187b, "bеd" IV 87a; *Schoepperle II 374 n. 4; Hibbard 276; *Basset 1001 Contes II 371. — Irish myth: *Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 14; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 116; Italian: Basile Pentamerone III No. 2, *Rotunda; Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 155, Grote I 86, *103, Fox 22, 33, 307; Egyptian: Müller 116; Babylonian: Spence 16; Jewish: *Neuman, bin Gorion Born Judas I 165, 372; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 103, 633; Japanese: *Ikeda; Chinese: Ferguson 192; Palaung tribe: Scott Indo-Chinese 276; Indonesian: DeVries's list No. 219; Tonga: Gifford 154; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45); Marquesas: *Beckwith Myth 502 n. 4; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 167, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 261; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 313 n. 131. |
| S141.1 | Man springs ashore and pushes companion in boat out to sea. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S141.2 | Father saves himself in storm and forgets his two children. They are abandoned in a boat. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| S141.3 | Exposure astride a log of wood floated down river. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S142 | Person thrown into the water and abandoned. *Types 450, 506, 612, 667*, 707; *BP I 79ff., 126ff., II 380ff., III 490ff.; *Krappe Balor 12 n. 43; *Fb "spinde" III 492b; Dickson 86. — Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 167, *Cross; Icelandic: Boberg; Italian: Basile Pentamerone IV No. 7; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 526; Tahiti: Handy 408; Tonga: Gifford 122; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/45, 403, z-G. 3/1117). |
| 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. |
| S143.1 | Child abandoned in hollow tree. English: Wells 126 (Lai Le Freine); Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S143.2 | Abandonment in tall tree. India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294, (Sherente): Lowie ibid. (1) 515. |
| S143.2.1 | Tortoise placed in tall tree and left. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa: Weeks Congo 209ff. No. 6. |
| S143.3 | Mutilated man on horseback chased into the forest. Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S143.4 | Husband abandons wife in childbirth in jungle. (Cf. S430.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S144 | Abandonment in desert. *Type 310; BP I 97ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S144.1 | Abandonment alone on foreign coast. English: Wells 80 (Sir Tristrem). |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| S146.1 | Abandonment in well. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S146.2 | Abandonment in cave. Tuamotu: Beckwith Myth 471. |
| S147 | Abandonment on mountain. *Type 675; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S147.1 | Abandonment on cliff. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; Greek: Aeschylus Prometheus Bound; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S147.1.1 | Abandonment on cliff near nest of a bird. S. A. Indian (Mundurucú): Horton BBAE CXLIII (3) 294. |
| S148 | Abandonment in bonds that cannot be loosed. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S152 | Children abandoned in box in potter's kiln. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S153 | Abandonment in stable. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S160 | Mutilations. Nouvelles de Sens No. 24; Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S160.1 | Self-mutilation. (Cf. T327.1, T327.2, T333.) Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: Thompson-Balys; Hindu: Penzer III 21 n.; Chinese: Werner 314. |
| S160.2 | Jealous women mutilate her who is most attractive to men. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S160.3 | Fairies mutilate mortals. (Cf. F362.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S160.4 | Mutilation of envoys. (Cf. R51.3.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 701. |
| S160.5 | Moon mutilates his earth mistress. Eskimo (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 180. |
| S161 | Mutilation: cutting off hands (arms). Heptameron No. 48; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Keller, Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, Espinosa Jr. No. 137; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 710, 885; Eskimo (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 151. |
| S161.0.1 | Masons who build mausoleum of princess lose their right hands so they may never again construct so fine a building. (Cf. S165.7, W181.2.) India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S161.1 | Mutilation: cutting off fingers. *Fb "guld ring" I 514a; *Dickson 41 n. 41; Icelandic: *Boberg; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 22; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 17, Rasmussen III 58, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 168, (Ungava): Turner RBAE XI 262, (Labrador): Hawkes GSCan XIV 152, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 165, (Central): Boas RBAE VI 584, 586, 637. |
| S161.1.1 | Child's finger-ends cut off to give long life. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S162 | Mutilation: cutting off legs (feet). *Type 519; *Krappe Archiv f. d. Studium d. neueren Sprachen CLX 161ff.; Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 710, 885; Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 242. |
| S162.1 | Fighting on stumps of legs after they have been cut off at knee. Child V 497 s.v. "stumps"; Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S162.2 | Hamstringing. E. H. Meyer Germanen 161f.; *P. Maurus Wielandsage in der Literatur (Müncher Beiträge zur rom. und eng. Philologie XXV [1902]); Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S162.3 | Mutilation: cutting off toes. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S162.4 | Mutilation: cutting off heelbone. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S162.5 | Mutilation: crushing feet and turning them backward. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S163 | Mutilation: cutting (tearing) out tongue. Often to prevent revelation of secret. Irish myth: *Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 67 No. 510, Keller; Greek: Fox 70 (Philomela), Grote I 181; India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Tuamotu: Stimson MS (T-G. 3/600); Koryak, American Indian: *Jochelson JE VI 372. |
| S164 | Mutilation: knocking out teeth. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S165 | Mutilation: putting out eyes. *Types 310, 533, 590, 613; *BP I 97ff., II 273ff., 468ff., III 1ff.; **Christiansen FFC XXIV 46ff.; *Cox 501; Gaster Thespis 332f. — Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: *Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "yeux"; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 63, 67 Nos. 455, 510, Espinosa II 99—103, 111—112, Espinosa Jr. No. 137; Greek: *Grote I 183, Fox 74 (Phineus); Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 111, 1163; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 250 No. 193; Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 251; Hawaii: ibid. 248; Eskimo (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 165, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 585; N. A. Indian: *Thompson CColl II 391ff. |
| S165.1 | Eyes of beheaded person gouged out. Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 278 n. 1. |
| S165.2 | Crane pecks out tiger's eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S165.3 | Blinding by thrusting needles into eyes. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S165.4 | Eyes torn out and filled with sand. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S165.5 | Necklace made of torn out human eyes. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S165.6 | Human eyes used as fishbait. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 245. |
| S165.7 | Artisan who has built palace blinded so he cannot build another like it. (Cf. S161.0.1, W181.2.) Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 489, 672. |
| S166 | Mutilation: skin cut from back. Hdwb. d. Märchens II 102a n. 140; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 447, Boberg; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa III Nos. 163—7; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S166.1 | Mutilation: beard torn off with the skin (and cheeks). (Cf. S187.1.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S166.2 | Mutilation: cheek and chin cut off, but held together by biting the beard. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S166.3 | Mutilation: shoulder-skin torn off in wrestling. Icelandic: Göngu-Hrуlfs saga 264. |
| S166.4 | Mutilation: cheeks cut off. (Cf. S166.2.) Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S166.5 | Mutilation: chin and lips cut off. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S166.6 | Blood-eagle cut on man's back by flaying and salting. Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 656, *Boberg. |
| S167 | Mutilation by crushing. (Cf. S116.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S167.1 | Mutilation: crushing victim's limbs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S168 | Mutilation: tearing off ears. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S172 | Mutilation: nose cut off or crushed. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S172.1 | Angry paramour bites off his mistress's nose. India: Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 318, 328. |
| S173 | Mutilation: breaking (two, three) ribs. Icelandic: *Boberg. |
| S175 | Horses mutilated: tails cut off and manes torn off with the skin in order to humiliate their owner. (Cf. J1169.5.) Icelandic: Boberg. |
| S176 | Mutilation: sex organs cut off. (Cf. Q241, Q451.10.) Icelandic: *Boberg; Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| S176.1 | Mutilation: emasculation. Irish myth: *Cross; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 270, III 293. |
| S180 | Wounding or torturing. |
| S181 | Wounding by trapping with sharp knives (glass). *Type 432; *BP II 261ff.; Italian: Basile Pentamerone II Nos. 2, 5; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S181.1 | Victim bound to a bladed wheel. (Cf. Q423.) *Loomis White Magic 118. |
| S182 | Girl fastened by hair to rafter. *Fb "hеr" I 771b. |
| S182.1 | Man hanged by hair to tree. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges. |
| S182.2 | Girl pulled about by her hair. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 706. |
| S183 | Frightful meal. (Cf. Q478.) Irish myth: Cross. |
| S183.0.1 | Person forced to eat red-hot meal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| S183.1 | Person forced to eat hearts (flesh) of relatives (draw blood). Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S183.2 | Person forced to eat loathsome animal. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S185 | Cruelty to pregnant woman. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S185.1 | Co-wife forces pregnant woman to perform lowly tasks. (Cf. T257.2.) Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S185.2 | King demands intercourse with woman in childbed. Irish myth: *Cross. |
| S186 | Torturing by beating. Der Heiligen Leben und Leiden 100ff. (Santa Barbara); Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 587. |
| S187 | Torturing by scratching. |
| S187.1 | Torture by tearing out the sides (of a person). (Cf. S166.1.) Der Heiligen Leben und Leiden 100f. (Santa Barbara); Jewish: Neuman. |
| S187.2 | Hair combed with iron combs. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S191 | Driving insane by keeping awake. Nouvelles Récréations No. 68. |
| S200 | Cruel sacrifices. |
| S210 | Children sold or promised. *Type 930; Aarne FFC XXIII 54; BP I 98; Grimm Nos. 12, 31, 55, 92, 181; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. |
| S210.1 | Child sold into slavery. English: Wells 22 (Sir Beues of Hamtoun); Greek: Grote I 163; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 946. See also story of Joseph. |
| S210.2 | Child sold to be killed. Jewish: *Neuman. |
| S211 | Child sold (promised) to devil (ogre). See also references to S220—S259, practically all of which apply here. *Types 314, 400, 502, 756B, 810; BP II 329, III 463, 531; *Cosquin études 365, 542ff.; *Wesselski Märchen 242 No. 52; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 46; Sébillot France III 446, IV 127; Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352. — Lappish: Qvigstad FFC LX 42 No. 29AB; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 293 No. 1, 300 No. 2; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "enfant", "diable"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 17; Missouri French: Carrière; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103, Espinosa Jr. No. 66; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 147; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 210, 212; Africa: Werner African 214. |
| S211.1 | Child of woman and devil taken to his father. Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49. |
| S212 | Child sold to magician. *Type 325; *Cosquin études 523; BP II 60; Jones PMLA XXIII 567; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S213 | Child promised to wood-spirit. (Cf. F441.) Type 667*. |
| S214 | Child promised to mermaid. (Cf. B81.) Köhler-Bolte I 178; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S215 | Child promised to animal. (Cf. B620.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa: Werner African 223. |
| S215.1 | Girl promises herself to animal suitor. *Type 440; BP I 1ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S216 | Mothers exchange children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S220 | Reasons for promise (sale) of child. |
| S221 | Child sold (promised) for money. *Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50ff., 56ff., *223, 227 n., *230 n.; Fb "sælge" III 722a; *Ward II 661 No. 4 (wife sold); Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 65 No. 471B*, Espinosa II No. 117. |
| S221.1 | Bankrupt father sells his daughters in marriage to animals. (Sometimes to pay gambling debt.) (Cf. S215.) *Types 425C, 552A; *BP II 234ff., III 424ff.; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 65; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 149, II 1013. |
| S221.2 | Youth sells himself to an ogre in settlement of a gambling debt. (Cf. M211, S215.) *Type 313; BP I 442. |
| S222.1 | Woman promises her unborn child to appease offended witch. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No. 1. |
| S222.2 | Woman promises unborn daughter to snake as wife for ferrying her across stream. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S222.3 | Woman promises unborn child to tiger if he will spare her. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S222.4 | Sultan's daughter demanded by giant ogre as price for letting his subjects alone. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S223 | Childless couple promise child to the devil if they may only have one. *Type 756B; *BP III 107; *Wesselski Märchen 242 No. 52; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49, 52, *223ff.; Icelandic: *Boberg; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Swahili): Steere 379. |
| S223.0.1 | Robert the Devil. Childless couple wish for a child even if he comes from the devil. He is diabolical. *Wells 784; *Hibbard 49ff. (Sir Gowther); *Krappe Mod. Lang. Rev. XXIV (1929) 200ff.; Irish myth: Cross. |
| S223.0.2 | Maid pledged to devil dresses conspicuously. Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 14 No. 124. |
| S223.1 | Girl promises unborn child to devil if he will suffer the birth pangs. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 40 No. 31**; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3254, Legends Nos. 370ff. |
| S223.2 | Mother curses her unborn child. (Cf. M411.1.) *Type 756B; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 49. |
| S223.3 | An old maid promises the devil her first born. She wishes to get a husband. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 391. |
| S223.4 | Childless couple promise one of two children to devil if they may only have them. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S224 | Child promised to devil for acting as godfather. (Cf. N411.) *Types 314, 502, 756B; *BP II 319ff., 329; Andrejev FFC LXIX 50; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "filleul". |
| S225 | Child promised to devil for help on road with broken wagon. Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 56, 228 n. |
| S226 | Child promised to devil for directions out of woods when father is lost. *Andrejev FFC LXIX 51, 58, 229 n.; BP II 483f. |
| S227 | Child promised to devil in exchange for a good catch of fish. *Andrejev FFC LXIX 51, 60, 230 n.; Irish: O'Suilleabhain 38, Beal XXI 314. |
| S228 | Daughter promised to monster as bride to secure flower (bird) she has asked for. *Type 425C; *Tegethoff 12, 18; *BP II 229ff., *232 n. 2; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S232 | Daughter promised to tiger in marriage for help in carrying load. (Cf. B620.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S233 | Children given in return for being taught magic. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S234 | Children sold in exchange for food. Africa (Wakweli): Bender 60. |
| S235 | Angry man gives away his daughter to a beggar. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 248 No. 193. |
| S240 | Children unwittingly promised (sold). (Cf. S211.) *Types 314, 400, 710, 756B; *BP II 329; *Fb "frugtsommelig" I 376, "ufødt" III 926a; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50ff., 56ff., 223; *MacCulloch Childhood 418; Irish: Baughman; Italian: Basile Pentamerone I No. 8. |
| S240.1 | Girl promised unwittingly by her parents to ogre. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S241 | Child unwittingly promised: "first thing you meet." (Jephthah's vow.) *Types 425, 810; *BP II 329, 483; *Fb "først" I 404, "møde" II 647a; Wünsche 34f.; *Tegethoff 18; *Cox Cinderella 511; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 62, 228 n.; Johnston MLN XXII 233. — French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 17; Spanish: Espinosa Jr. No. 66; N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Boas JAFL XXXV 66 No. 2. |
| S241.1 | Unwitting bargain with devil evaded by driving dog over bridge first. The child has been unwittingly promised (the first thing that goes over the bridge). Kittredge Witchcraft 206, *518 n. 19; Hazlitt Shakespeare Jest Books I 86f. No. 67; Mensa Philosophica No. 11. |
| S241.2 | Devil is to have last one who leaves "black school". Fb. "fanden" I 267b; Scotland, England: Baughman. |
| S241.3 | Princess promised unwittingly to madman: "what you ask for." India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S242 | Child unwittingly promised: "what you have at home." The man thinks it is a cat (dog). *Types 316, 710; *BP I 21; Köhler-Bolte I 312; *Andrejev FFC LXIX 50, 62, 228 n.; Finnish-Swedish: Wessman 54 No. 455; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103. |
| S242.1 | Child unwittingly promised: "What you wife has under her belt." BP I 98f.; Danish: Grundtvig No. 33. |
| S243 | Child unwittingly promised: Nix-Naught-Nothing. The child born while the father is away is named Nix-Naught-Nothing. Köhler-Bolte I 279; English: Jacobs English Fairy Tales 33. |
| S245 | Child unwittingly promised: what is born on your farm. Two women agree that what is born on the farm of each belongs exclusively to the owner. The child of one is born on the farm of the other. Africa (Fjort): Dennett 58 No. 11. |
| S247 | Daughter unwittingly promised to dog rescuer. (Cf. B620.1.) Without knowing that a dog has rescued her, the father offers her in marriage to her rescuer. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 421; Japanese: Ikeda: |
| S250 | Saving the promised child. Missouri French: Carrière. |
| S251 | Virgin Mary rescues child promised to the devil. *Meyer Romania XXXIII 163ff.; Ward II 632 No. 29, Herbert III 504; Spanish: Espinosa II Nos. 99—103. |
| S252 | Vain attempt to save promised child. |
| S252.1 | Vain attempt to save promised child by use of substitute. *Type 425. |
| S252.2 | Vain attempt to save promised child by evasions. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| S255 | Deity saves person about to be sacrificed. (Cf. S263.2.1.) India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| S255.1 | Deity promises deliverance of promised child to mother in dream. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
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