μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Scholars’ trail — 7references

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

  • Irish myth*Cross
  • IcelandicMacCulloch Eddic 53, 83–84, 179, *Boberg
  • French CanadianSister Marie Ursule
  • IndiaThompson-Balys
  • ChineseGraham.
  • general Types 306, 851
  • general BP I 188
Within the index

Filed under Tasks imposed. A person's prowess is tested by assigning him certain tasks (usually impossible or extremely difficult) to be performed either to escape punishment or to receive a valuable reward.

3 finer motifs beneath it
Tasks imposed on pain of death of relative (friend, hostage, etc.)Bird must bring orphan to king or bird will be killedHeads placed on stakes for failure in performance of task. Unsuccessful youths are beheaded and heads exposed. Hero sees them when he sets out to accomplish his task
Filed beside it
Task assigned the Gods

wander