Folklore Database · Browse
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 |
|---|---|
| B431.3 | Helpful tiger. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Werner 263; Korean: Zong in-Sob 82, No. 45. |
| B431.4 | Helpful panther. Fable: Phaedrus III 2; Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 346), 127 (ST 357). |
| B433 | Helpful wild beasts—mustelidae. |
| B433.1 | Helpful otter. Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxliv, Irish myth: Cross. |
| B433.2 | Helpful badger. Jewish: Neuman; Japanese: Mitford 270ff. |
| B433.3 | Helpful ichneumon. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Nao): Held Märchen und Sagen der afrikanischen Neger 132ff. |
| B433.4 | Helpful mongoose. Chauvin II 100 No. 59; Bødker Exempler 299 No. 64; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B435 | Helpful wild beasts—canidae and other carnivora. |
| B435.1 | Helpful fox. *Types 506, 545, 550; *BP I 331, 503, III 487, 490ff.; Hdwb. d. Abergl. III 179.—Sébillot RTP III 394; *Fb "höj" I 741, "ræv" III 113b.—Irish myth: Cross; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux".—Missouri French: Carrière, Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.—Chinese: Werner 380f., Krappe CFQ III (1944) 126, Eberhard FFC CXX 29 No. 17.—Japanese: Mitford 261ff.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 342 n. 233.—Africa (Tonga): Gifford 123. |
| B435.2 | Helpful jackal. BP I 331; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B435.3 | Helpful wolf. *Type 428; *Fb "ulv" IV 971a.—English: Wells Manual of Writings 20 (William of Palerne) (werwolf).—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux".—Irish myth: Cross.—Italian Novella: Rotunda.—Jewish: Neuman. —Missouri-French: Carrière.—See also references for B535. |
| B435.4 | Helpful bear. *Fb "Bjørn" IV 42a, 43a.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| B435.5 | Helpful seal. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B435.6 | Helpful hyena. Spanish Exempla: Keller. |
| B437 | Helpful wild beasts—rodentia.—India: Thompson-Balys; N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 317 n. 147.—Tehuelche (Pategonia): Alexander Lat. Am. 335. |
| B437.1 | Helpful rat. *Fb "rotte" III 83b.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 180.—Korean: Zong in-Sob 28 No. 12.—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 214 No. 31, (Benga): Nassau 208 No. 33. |
| B437.1.1 | Helpful bandicoot. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B437.2 | Helpful mouse. *Type 75, cf. Type 560.—Jewish: Neuman; Penzer V 79 n. 2.—India: *Thompson-Balys, Bødker Exempler 290 Nos 45, 46; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Missouri-French: Carrière.—Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 268.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 85, Kidd 230 No. 2, (Basuto): Jacottet 190 No. 28. |
| B437.3 | Helpful squirrel. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges.—India: Thompson-Balys.—Chinese: Graham.—Africa (Fang): Trilles Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise de Geographie XVI 238ff. No. 23. |
| B437.4 | Helpful rabbit (hare). Fb "hare" IV 201a; Dh I 276ff.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux".—Japanese: Anesaki 318. |
| B441 | Helpful wild beasts—primata. |
| B441.1 | Helpful monkey. Penzer IX 47 n. 1; BP I 331.—Jewish: Neuman. —India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries' List No. 180.—Chile: Pino Saavedra 402, 404. |
| B441.1.1 | Helpful ape. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 180.—Africa: Rochemonteix Quelques Contes Nubiens 48ff. No. 4, 55ff. No. 5, Basset Contes populaires d'Afrique 133ff. No. 52, (Bambara): Travélé Proverbes et Contes Bambara 200f. No. 65, (Temne): Schlender 87ff. No. 7, (Swahili): Steere 13ff. |
| B443 | Helpful wild beasts—ungulata. |
| B443.1 | Helpful deer (stag, doe). *Fb "hjort", "hind".—Irish myth: Cross; Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlii—cxliv.—Jewish: Neuman.—India: *Thompson-Balys.—Korean: Zong in-Sob 22 No. 11.—Africa (Angola): Chatelain 159 No. 19. |
| B443.2 | Helpful antelope. Southeastern Africa: Macdonald FL III 352ff. No. 4. |
| B443.3 | Helpful elephant. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 649; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B443.4 | Helpful gazelle. BP I 331. |
| B443.5 | Helpful wild hog (boar). Madagascar: Sibree FLJ II 45ff., Renel Contes de Madagascar I 65ff. No. 9, 140ff. No. 25, Ferrand 102ff. No. 32. |
| B443.6 | Helpful hippopotamus. Africa (Ganda): Baskerville King of the Snakes 47f. |
| B443.7 | Helpful wild ox. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B449 | Helpful wild beasts—miscellaneous. |
| B449.1 | Helpful hedgehog. Dh I 276ff.; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B449.2 | Helpful mole. Canadian: Gautier (B449.13). |
| B449.3 | Helpful bat. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 318 n. 151 b. |
| B450 | Helpful birds. *Köhler-Bolte I 185, 277; *Type 781; *Chauvin II 109 No 73, V 242 No. 142; *Basset 1001 Contes III 295; *Fb "fugl"; Wesselski Märchen 231.—Welsh: MacCulloch Celtic 101; Irish myth: Cross; English: Child Eng.-Scot. Pop. Ballads II 113 n., 356ff., 362f., 365f., III 4, 8; IV 412, 482, 485f.; V 234.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Missouri French: Carrière.—Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys Japanese: Ikeda.—Indonesian: De Vries' List No. 209.—Mono-Alu: Wheeler 20, 36, 46, 60f.—Papua: Ker 41, 45, 57, 64, 103.—New Hebrides: Codrington No. III 8. N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Alexander N. Am. 81.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 140 No. 16, (Ekoi): Talbot 233, (Angola): Chatelain 145 No. 14, (Kaffir): Theal 37, 47, 127, (Swahili): Steere 199, (Basuto): Jacottet 104 No. 15. |
| B451 | Helpful birds—passeriformes. |
| B451.1 | Helpful lark. Madagascar (Imerina): Ferrand Contes populaires Malgaches 102ff. No. 32. |
| B451.2 | Helpful nightingale. *Chauvin II 117 No. 97; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B451.3 | Helpful wren. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B451.4 | Helpful crow. India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.—Africa (Hausa): Tremearne FL XXII 464ff. No. 50, Hausa Superstitions and Customs 380 ff. No. 80. |
| B451.5 | Helpful raven. *Fb "ravn" III 23a; *Zingerle Sagen aus Tirol 588.—Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 36; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Bødker Exempler 290 Nos. 45, 46; Jewish: Neuman.—Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 53. |
| B451.6 | Helpful magpie. Chinese: Werner 190, Graham. |
| B451.7 | Helpful sparrow. Irish myth: Cross; Japanese: Anesaki 318. |
| B455 | Helpful birds—falconiformes. |
| B455.1 | Helpful vulture. Greek: Grote I 105; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B455.2 | Helpful falcon. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B455.3 | Helpful eagle. See references in B322.1.—*Fb "fjer", "ørn" IV 1183b; Köhler-Bolte I 545, 560, *561; Reinhard PMLA XXXVIII 433 nn. 24, 26; Gaster Exempla 186 No. 5; Fables: Halm Aesop Nos. 92, 120, Babrius No. 144, Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 338, 339), 127 (ST 353).—Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 118; Finnish: Kalevala rune 7; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "oiseau", "nid".—Missouri French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.—German New Guinea: Dixon 141f.; Africa (Vai): Ellis 242 No. 49. |
| B455.4 | Helpful hawk. Scottish: Campbell-McKay No. 1; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B455.5 | Helpful kite (bird). Hindu: *Penzer IV 192 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B457 | Helpful birds—charidriiformes. |
| B457.1 | Helpful dove. (Cf. B362.)—Fable: Halm Aesop No. 296, Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 201), 127 (ST 356); Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "talisman".—Missouri-French: Carrière, Italian Novella: Rotunda.—Jewish: Neuman; Irish myth: Cross; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B457.2 | Helpful pigeon. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B461 | Helpful birds—coraciiformes. |
| B461.1 | Helpful woodpecker. Africa (Shangani): Bourhill and Drake 43ff. No. 5, (Fjort): Dennett 74ff. No. 16. |
| B461.2 | Helpful owl. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B463 | Helpful birds—ciconiiformes. |
| B463.1 | Helpful sea-bird. Type 554*.—Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlvi; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B463.2 | Helpful heron. India: *Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Ceuici): Alexander Lat. Am. 304. |
| B463.3 | Helpful crane. India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda, Anesaki 323.—N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 340 n. 227. |
| B463.4 | Helpful stork. Hartland Science 194; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B469 | Helpful birds—miscellaneous. |
| B469.1 | Helpful grebe. Madagascar (Imerina): Ferrand Contes populaires Malgaches 102ff. No. 32. |
| B469.2 | Helpful swan. Irish myth: Cross; Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlvi. —Hindu: Keith 108; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B469.3 | Helpful goose. *Köhler-Bolte I 347; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B469.3.1 | Helpful wild goose. Cheremis: Sebeok-Nyerges (B469.5); India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B469.4 | Helpful duck. Fb "and" IV 12b.—Japanese: Anesaki 321, Ikeda; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B469.4.1 | Helpful wild duck. Africa (Betsileo): Renel Contes de Madagascar I 140ff. No. 25, (Imerina): Ferrand 102ff. No. 32. |
| B469.5 | Helpful cock. *Type 670; *Aarne FFC XV 49ff.; Missouri-French: Carrière; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Fjort): Dennett 105 No. 29. |
| B469.5.1 | Helpful chicken. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B469.6 | Helpful guinea-fowl. Africa (Hottentot): Bleek 65 No. 28. |
| B469.7 | Helpful turkey. N. A. Indian (Zuсi): Cushing 54ff. |
| B469.8 | Helpful cuckoo. Lithuanian: Balys Index Nos. 454f. |
| B469.9 | Helpful parrot. Clouston II 196ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 252. |
| B469.9.1 | Helpful paroquet. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B469.10 | Helpful pheasant. Korean: Zong in-Sob 97 No. 53. |
| B470 | Helpful fish. See B375.1. and references.—*Fb "ring" III 61a, "fisk" I 296.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Missouri-French: Carrière.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux", Hartland Science 174; Arabian: Burton S V 326; Hindu: Keith 99; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen uit Oost Indië I No. 72 (also in some versions of No. 35).—Polynesian (Celebes): Dixon *72 n. 56; Indonesian, Japanese, N. Pacific Coast American Indian (Micmac): Dixon *157 n. 6; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 65 No. 3. |
| B470.1 | Small fish as helper. Marquesas: Handy 99. |
| B471 | Helpful shark. Fb "haj".—Tahiti: Dixon 64; Tonga: Gifford 76; Mono-Alu-Fauru: Wheeler 65. |
| B472 | Helpful whale. Irish myth: Cross; India: Thompson-Balys.—N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 327 n. 179.—Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 256ff. Nos. 38, 39, 275 No. 86.—Maori: Dixon 83. |
| B473 | Helpful dolphin. *Chauvin V 4 No. 2; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 868.—Jewish: Neuman; Greek: Fox 101. |
| B474 | Helpful salmon. *Type 675. |
| B475 | Helpful pike. *Fb "gjedde". |
| B476 | Helpful eel. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 478, 511. |
| B477 | Helpful octopus. Marquesas: Handy 76. |
| B480 | Helpful insects. India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; Chinese: Graham. |
| B481 | Helpful insects—hymenoptera. |
| B481.1 | Helpful ant. (Cf. B362.)—Fb "myre". Fable: Halm Aesop No. 296, Wienert FFC LVI 59 (ET 201), 127 (ST 356).—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "fourmi", "animaux".—Missouri-French: Carrière.—Africa (Fjort): Dennett 126.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesian: Dixon 217, De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 67, II No. 170; Chinese: Graham. |
| B481.2 | Helpful termite. Africa (Nao): Held 132ff. |
| B481.3 | Helpful bee. *Fb "bi" IV 36b.—Finnish: Kalevala rune 15; Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda, Anesaki 323. |
| B481.3.1 | Helpful bumblebee. Africa (Ganda): Baskerville 8ff. |
| B481.4 | Helpful wasp. *Type 559; Jewish: Neuman; Africa (Madagascar): Sibree FLJ I (1883) 45ff. |
| B481.5 | Helpful hornet. Type 559; Jewish: Neuman; N. A. Indian (Micmac): Rand 42 No. 6. |
| B482 | Helpful insects—coleoptera. |
| B482.1 | Helpful firefly. Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 35, II No. 170. |
| B482.2 | Helpful dungbeetle. Type 559; *BP II 454 n. 1. |
| B483 | Helpful insects—diptera. |
| B483.1 | Helpful fly. Type 772*; Dh II 214.—Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 209; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B483.1.0.1 | Fly warns saint against devil hidden in a cup with liquor. *Loomis White Magic 66. |
| B483.2 | Helpful flea. *Chauvin II 197 No. 29. |
| B484 | Helpful insects—lepidoptera. |
| B484.1 | Helpful caterpillar. French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule (B489.2). |
| B485 | Helpful insects—hemiptera. |
| B486 | Helpful insects—orthoptera. |
| B486.1 | Helpful locusts. Arabian: Burton S VI 9. |
| B486.2 | Helpful cricket. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B489 | Helpful insects—miscellaneous. |
| B489.1 | Helpful spider.1 *Dh I 144, II 66ff.—N. A. Indian (Jicarilla Apache): Russell JAFL XI 256; *Loomis White Magic 66; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen V 141; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B490 | Other helpful animals.2 |
| B491 | Helpful reptile. |
| B491.1 | Helpful serpent. *Types 612, 670, 672, 673; *BP I 128, 131, II 463; Dh I 276ff. (cf. A2145.2), IV 147ff. (Type 560); *Fb "hugorm" I 666; "snog" III 436b, "blad" IV 44a; *Chauvin II 106 No. 71, VII 25 No. 373F n. 5; Köhler-Bolte I 440; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 648; *Ward Catalogue of Romances III 208; Oesterley Gesta Romanorum No. 141; *Warnke Quellen des Esope der Marie de France 221ff.; Dickson Valentine and Orson 53; *Penzer I 101 n. 1.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Missouri-French: Carrière.—Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 86 n. 2, 312 n. 2; Jewish: Neuman; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 305 No. 3; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 132 No. 78; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 46 No. 78.—Burmese: Scott Indo-Chinese Myth. 274; Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I No. 67.—Sumatran: Dixon 163; India: *Thompson-Balys; Korean: Zong in-Sob 95, No. 52.—Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 163 No. 32, (Zanzibar): Bateman 222 No. 10, (Benga): Nassau 208 No. 33. |
| B491.2 | Helpful lizard. Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "animaux".—India: Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Graham.—N. A. Indian (Jicarilla Apache): Russell JAFL XI 256. |
| B491.3 | Helpful crocodile. India: Thompson-Balys.—Africa (Madagascar): Sibree FLJ I 2-2ff., Larrouy RTP IV 305, (Temne): Schlenker Temne Traditions 87ff. No. 7. |
| B491.4 | Helpful worm. Chinese, Persian: Coyajee JPASB XXIV 197f.; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B491.4.1 | Helpful centipede. Chinese: Graham, Eberhard FFC CXX 30.—Africa (Benga): Nassau 208 No. 33. |
| B491.4.2 | Helpful angleworm. Chinese: Graham. |
| B491.5 | Helpful turtle (tortoise). Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 514; Tonga: Gifford 50; Africa (Fjort): Dennett 74ff. No. 16. |
| B493 | Helpful amphibian. |
| B493.1 | Helpful frog. *Type 402, 440, 670B*; *BP I 1ff. (Gr. No. 1), II 30ff. (Gr. No. 63).—Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys: Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 30, 180.—Chile: Pino Saavedra 405.—Africa (Zulu): Callaway 241, (Ba Ronga): Einstein 288, (Basuto): Jacottet 202 No. 30. |
| B493.2 | Helpful toad. Type 402; BP II 30ff. (Gr. No. 63).—Missouri-French: Carrière; Chinese: Graham. |
| B495 | Helpful crustacean. |
| B495.1 | Helpful crab. India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 41 No. 6. |
| B495.2 | Helpful lobster. Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 180. |
| B498 | Helpful mythical animal. |
| B498.1 | Helpful dragon. (Cf. B11.)—Italian Novella: Rotunda, Swiss Jegerlehner Oberwallis 328 No. 17; Chinese: Graham. |
| B500 | Magic power from animals.—Type 675; Fb "ønske" III 1179a.—Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri French: Carrière; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 317 n. 146c; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 71 No. 3. (Cf. B100—B199 Magic animals.) |
| B501 | Animal gives part of body as talisman for summoning its aid. *Types 531, 552, 553; BP III 18ff., 424ff.; Malone PMLA XLIII 407; *Fb "fjer" I 301, "hеr" I 771b.—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v "talisman"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys.—Persian: Carnoy 290, 331.—Africa (Kaffir): Theal 85, (Swahili): Steere 199; N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII 102. |
| B501.1 | Buffalo give hero horns for summoning them. |
| B501.1.1 | Merry horn and angry horn for summoning buffalo. When all is well hero is to blow on merry-horn; when in trouble on angry-horn.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B501.2 | Kite teaches rhyme by which he may be summoned for help. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B501.3 | Animal gives jewel for summoning him when in need of help. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B501.4 | Birds give hero feather to burn if he is in difficulty. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B505 | Magic object received from animal. *Types 560, 561; *Aarne MSFO XXV 3—82; BP II 451ff., 537; Type 554*; *Köhler-Bolte I 440; Hartland Perseus III 199; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "talisman"; Missouri-French: Carrière.—India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 37 No. 24.—Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman 221 No. 10, (Basuto): Jacottet 214 No. 31. See also references in B375.1. |
| B505.1 | Magic object received from animal brother-in-law. *Type 552.—N. A. Indian (Micmac): Thompson CColl II 409ff. |
| B505.2 | Animal tells hero where to find magic object. (Cf. B560.)—French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule. |
| B505.3 | Magic song received from fish. (cf. B470.)—Chinese: Graham. |
| B510 | Healing by animals. |
| B511 | Animal as healer. |
| B511.1 | Snake as healer. *Chauvin VII 25 No. 373 F note 5; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 648; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B511.1.1 | Snake creeps into man's mouth and heals him. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 132 No. 78; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 46 No. 78. |
| B511.1.2 | Snake heals mutilated maiden with magic herbs. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B511.1.3 | Helpful hedgehog forces snake to suck out poison from bitten raja. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B511.2 | Pig as healer. |
| B511.2.1 | Magic pig heals wound its skin touches. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B511.2.2 | Magic pig heals wounds by licking. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B511.3 | Faithful horse pushes sleep thorn out of its master's head, so that he awakes. Icel.: Boberg. |
| B511.4 | Rat cures man of wound. S. A. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE 143 III 685. |
| B511.5 | Bird heals man. Chinese-Persian: Coyajee JPASB XXIV 185f.; Alu: Wheeler 60; Papua: Ker 103. |
| B511.5.1 | Vulture cures blindness. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B512 | Medicine shown by animal. It heals another animal with a medicine (herb, water, etc.) and thus shows the man the remedy. Sometimes the medicine resuscitates the dead. (The animal is most frequently the serpent. (Cf. B491.)—*Type 160, 303, 590, 612; *BP I 128; Chauvin II 106 No. 71; Kittredge Gawain 153 n. 4; Wesselski Märchen 239f. No. 50.—*Krappe Papers and Trans. of Jubilee Cong. of Folk-Lore Soc. 277ff.—*Fb "blad" IV 44a; *Frazer Apollodorus I 312 n. 2.—Icel.: Boberg, Völsunga saga ch. 8.; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 354 n. 279. |
| B513 | Remedy learned from overhearing animal meeting. The hero learns how to cure his own blindness and the sickness of the king (princess).—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys.—See references for B235. |
| B514 | Animal fetches remedy for man. Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| B514.1 | Grateful fox fetches fox liver as remedy. Japanese: Mitford 261ff. |
| B514.2 | Bee fetches balm from heaven to restore hero's speech. Finnish: Kalevala rune 15. |
| B514.3 | Snake gives man antidote for poison. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 163 No. 32. |
| B515 | Resuscitation by animals. *Types 300, 665. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B516 | Sight restored by animal. India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 31, Rasmussen I 312, III 203, Rink 100, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 169, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 169, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 626. |
| B520 | Animals save person's life. See also B540.—Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 372 n. 1 (horse).—Icel.: *Boberg; Missouri-French: Carrière; Panchatantra III 8 (tr. Ryder) 334; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1260; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 25, 28, 31, 84; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen 76. |
| B521 | Animal warns of fatal danger. India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; U.S.: Baughman; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen 75, (Fang): Trilles 138, (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109. |
| B521.1 | Animal warns against poison. Fable: Halm Aesop No. 120, Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 338), 127 (ST 353), (eagle).—India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 76 No. 12 (ox). |
| B521.1.1 | Horse advises hero not to wash in water (as his false wife told him to) or his eyes will pop out.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B521.1.2 | Animal warns man against drinking. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B521.2 | Animal warns against accident. |
| B521.2.1 | Eagle saves man from falling wall. The grateful eagle swoops down and takes the man's hat, and thus gets him away from the wall that is about to fall.—Fable: Babrius No. 144, Halm Aesop No. 92, Wienert FFC 70 (ET 339), 127 (ST 353). |
| B521.3 | Animals warn against attack. Icel.: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 87. |
| B521.3.1 | Dogs warn against witch. Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 270 No. 82; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452. |
| B521.3.2 | Cackling geese spread alarm. *Frazer Fasti II 175 n. 5. |
| B521.3.3 | Flea's bite alarms king. Robber tells flea of plan to rob king. During the robbery the flea bites and awakens the king.—*Chauvin II 197 No. 29. |
| B521.3.3.1 | Prince awakened by fly on his nose in time to save himself from enemy. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B521.3.4 | Dog warns of pursuit. Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 536. |
| B521.3.5 | Owl warns other birds from limed net. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B521.4 | Animals warn wife of husband's danger. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 252. |
| B521.5 | Owl saves man from plunging over cliff. Flaps wings and arrests man's attention.—Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 124. |
| B521.6 | Birds warn of enemy's approach. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 390. |
| B522 | Animal saves man from death sentence. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman. |
| B522.1 | Serpent shows condemned man how to save prince's life. Bites the prince and then shows the man the proper remedy (cf. B512). By thus ingratiating himself the man is freed from false accusation.—*Type 160; Chauvin II 106 No. 71.—Spanish Exempla: Keller; Clouston Tales I 230; Bødker Exempler 304 No. 75; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.—Africa (Vai): Ellis 230 No. 39. |
| B522.2 | Kite steals jewels and thus saves condemned man. Innocent man in possession of stolen jewels, is about to be apprehended. Kite carries off the jewels and saves him.—*Penzer IV 192 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B522.3 | Woman slandered as adulteress is thrown into lion pit. Lions do not harm her.—Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B522.4 | Eagle carries off condemned child. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B522.4.1 | Circling cranes carry away girl. Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 480. |
| B523 | Animal saves man from pursuer. Missouri-French: Carrière. |
| B523.1 | Spider-web over hole saves fugitive. (Cf. A2221.5.)—Type 967*; *Dh II 66f.—*Wesselski Theorie 42.—Jewish: Neuman, Bin Gorion; Born Judas III 115ff., Grünbaum Neue Beiträge zur Semitischen Sagenkunde 195; Lappish: Qvigstad Lappiske Eventyr I No. 32, II No. 68.—India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Fang): Trilles 139. |
| B523.2 | Whale fights monster pursuing saint. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B523.3 | Great clam fights hero's pursuer. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 260. |
| B524 | Animal overcomes man's adversary. India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1 | Animals overcome man's adversary by force. English: Wells Manual of Writings 66 (Ywain and Gawain); Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 98 No. 327; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 493, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 187. |
| B524.1.1 | Dogs kill attacking cannibal (dragon). *Type 300; *BP I 547.—Irish myth: Cross; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 20.—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 56 No. 9, (Zulu): Callaway 51, (Kaffir): Kidd 226 No. 1. |
| B524.1.2 | Dogs rescue fleeing master from tree refuge. *Parsons Zs. f. Ethnologie LIV 1—29, MAFLS XVII 271 No. 82.—See also most of African references in B421. |
| B524.1.2.1 | Dogs break bonds and kill master's attacker. Type 327; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1.3 | Cat kills attacking rat. Japanese: Ikeda, Mitford 253ff. |
| B524.1.4 | Wolf defends master's child against serpent. Malone PMLA XLIII 420; Irish myth: Cross. |
| B524.1.4.1 | Dog defends master's child against animal assailant. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B524.1.5 | Helpful buffaloes tramp hero's enemies to death. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1.5.1 | Helpful buffaloes save hero from tiger. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1.6 | Helpful bird kills snake attacking master's wife and child. Africa (Mbundu): JAFL XXXV 136ff. No. 16. |
| B524.1.7 | Horse kills master's attacking enemies. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B524.1.8 | Shut in with elephants, blackbird orders ants to burrow themselves into the elephants' brains. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1.9 | Grateful hawk attacks hero's enemies. Chinese: Graham. |
| B524.1.10 | Helpful centipede kills ogre. Chinese: Graham. |
| B524.1.11 | Hero contests with demons, using fighting animals: cock, goat, bull, horse, wild bull, peacock.—India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.1.12 | Hero saved from ravaging snake by crab companion. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.2 | Animals overcome man's adversary by strategy. Type 545; BP I 325ff., III 487 (Gr. 33a, 214).—Icel.: Boberg; Indonesian: De Vries' list No. 48.—Africa (Kaffir): Kidd 230 No. 2, (Ekoi): Talbot 233, (Basuto): Jacottet 114 No. 27. |
| B524.2.1 | Helpful bees (hornets) sting opposing army. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: *Neuman, Bin Gorion Born Judas III 113ff.; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Anesaki 323. |
| B524.2.1.1 | Saint sends swarm of bees or wasps against enemies. *Loomis White Magic 65f. |
| B524.3 | Helpful snake protects man from attack. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.4 | Supernatural bird prevents mother from killing babe. Irish myth: Cross. |
| B524.5 | Broom, transformed into porcupine, drives away would-be ravisher. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.6 | Grateful hare raises animal army for hero. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.7 | Faithful dog kills would-be murderer of sleeping master. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B524.8 | Chicken picks out one of attacker's eyes. Jewish: Neuman. |
| B525 | Animal spares man he is about to devour. Spanish Exempla: Keller; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 851.—See all references to B381. |
| B525.1 | Tiger hides woman from all other tigers. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 155, 161, (Carib): ibid. 146. |
| B526 | Animal saves man from death by burning. |
| B526.1 | Helpful animals quench execution fire. Master is to be burned at stake.—Dh I 315. |
| B526.2 | Helpful mare cools boiling bath for master. Hero is made to bathe in boiling mare's milk. His mare blows on the milk and cools it.—*Köhler-Bolte I 468. |
| B527 | Animal saves man from death by drowning. Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxlvi (sea birds); Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 747. |
| B527.1 | Fish promises to spare man in coming flood. (Cf. B375.1.)—Hindu: Keith 99; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B527.2 | Helpful animal stops leak in Noah's Ark. Dh I 276ff. |
| B527.3 | Owl saves man from drowning: flaps wings to call attention to direction of land. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 125. |
| B529 | Animal saves person's life—miscellaneous. |
| B529.1 | Animals (sow, bitch, mare) hide boy in their belly to protect him. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B529.2 | Dragon swallows arrow (thunderbolt) intended for hero. Italian Novella: Rotunda. |
| B530 | Animals nourish men. Provide food, shelter, or other necessities.—India: Thompson-Balys.—Zanzibar: Bateman 85 No. 6 (ape, lion, snake). |
| B530.1 | Mythical frog as host to woman. S. A. Indian (Warrau): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 146. |
| B530.2 | Elephants look after ascetic in jungle. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 44. |
| B531 | Animals provide food for men. *Basset 1001 Contes III 295 (birds); *Wesselski Märchen 249 No. 57; Toldo Studien zur vgl. Littgsch. VIII 21; *Fb "hind" I 612 (deer); Alphabet Nos. 361. 636.—Irish myth: Cross, Saints' legend (Irish): Plummer cxliv (otter).—Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "nourriture" (bird, dog); French Canadian: *Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15 (dog); Missouri-French: Carrière; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Swiss: Jegerlehner Oberwallis 328 No 17 (dragon).—Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 217, II 655, 1158; Chinese: Graham; Africa: Stanley 329, (Angola): Chatelain 129 No. 19; Eskimo (Greenland): Rasmussen I 143, III 80, 198, Rink 227, 413, 462, Holm 84, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 222, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 638, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 176.—S. A. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 6, (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 155. |
| B531.1 | Infants fed by bees. *Pease Cicero De Divinatione 391 (Bk. I 79), 597; S. A. Indian (Kaiguá): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 139. |
| B531.2 | Unusual milking animal. |
| B531.2.1 | Does, tigresses, she-wolves milked into pond, which becomes a pond of milk. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B531.3 | Helpful animal recovers magic food-producing skin from river bottom. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B531.4 | Helpful animal drops magic food. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B531.5 | Birds save man from hunger by pitching themselves to roast in fire he has made. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535 | Animal nurse. Animal nourishes abandoned child.—*Frazer Fasti II 369ff., especially 369 n. 3, 375; Dickson Valentine and Orson 36, 103, 107, 112, 169; *Liebrecht Zur Volkskunde 17ff.; *Nutt FLR IV 1ff.; Penzer II 294; *Fb "ulv" III 971 a (Wolf); *BP II 317, III 60ff.—Irish myth: Cross; Greek: Fox 22 (doe), 56 (bear), 118, 155 (goat, crow, sow), 280, Frazer Apollodorus I 397, II 47 n. 2, Roscher s.v. "Achilleus"; Roman: Fox 307 (Romulus and Remus) (wolf); Persian: Carnoy 330; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "chien" (dog); Missouri-French: Carrière; McCartney Papers of Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters IV (1924) 15—42; Wesselski Theorie 19; Icel.: Þiðriks saga I 302—03 (hind), Boberg; English: Wells 118 (Octovian) (lion); Chinese: Ferguson 41.—N. A. Indian: Thompson CColl II 387 (Mt. 707), Thompson Tales 316 n. 146b; S. A. Indian (Brazil): Ehrenreich International Congress of Americanists XIV 662.—Indonesian: De Vries Volksverhalen I Nos. 22, 89; India: *Thompson-Balys;—Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 104 No. 15, 190 No. 28, (Wakweli): Bender 49f. |
| B535.0.1 | Cow as nurse cares for children. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.1.1 | Bison as nurse for child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.2 | Bandicoot (large rat) as nurse. Cares for children.—India: *Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.3 | Goat as nurse for child. Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.4 | Dog as nurse for child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.5 | Abandoned prince grows up in eagle's nest. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.6 | Frog as nurse for child. India: Thompson-Balys; S. A. Indian (Warrau): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 146. |
| B535.0.7 | Bird as nurse for child. Chinese-Persian: *Coyajee JPASB XXIV 188. |
| B535.0.7.1 | Stork as nurse for child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.7.2 | Crane as nurse for child. India: Thompson-Balys. |
| B535.0.8 | Tiger as nurse for child. S. A. Indian (Chiriguano): Métraux RMLP XXXIII 161, (Amuesa): ibid. 129. |
| B535.0.9 | She-wolf as nurse for child. *Loomis White Magic 60; Roman myth: Fox 307. |
| B535.0.10 | Sheep and oxen protect exposed child. Chinese: Coyajee JPASB XXIV 188. |
| B535.0.11 | She-wolf cares for baby exposed in the forest. *Loomis White Magic 60. |
| B535.0.12 | Eagle cares for baby while mother works in field. Africa (Fang): Tessman 134. |
| B535.0.13 | Crab as nurse for child. S. A. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE 143 III 684. |
| B535.0.14 | Serpent as nurse for child. Greek: Grote I 44; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 529. |
If you wish to get access to data for projects and research, then please contact us, we do our best to help
How to cite: Fielder-White, Jonathan (2026). The Folklore Database. https://folkloredatabase.com
0009-0006-1672-4451
Please cite the relevant sources, catalogues, and classification systems, including the Folklore Database, Berezkin-Duvakin Catalogue, ATU, Thompson, alongside the page accessed and the last time accessed. Please respect copyright and licenses.
Editorial annotations and database enhancements © Jonathan Fielder-White licensed under CC BY 4.0. Berezkin-Duvakin derived narrative and metadata licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Full rights information can be found here.
All rights are reserved in the database structure, selection, arrangement, metadata, classifications, software, interface design, and original editorial content.
Important: The Folklore Database expressly reserves all rights in relation to text and data mining, automated extraction, scraping, machine learning, dataset creation, and the training, development, validation, or improvement of artificial intelligence technologies or systems. No part of this website or database may be scraped, copied, reproduced, harvested, downloaded in bulk, or otherwise used for AI training or commercial data extraction without prior written permission.
Designed and Developed by Jonathan Fielder-White.
© 2024–2026 Crecganford / Jonathan Fielder-White. All rights reserved.