Heads of slain enemies impaled upon stakes. (Cf. Q421.1.)

Motif

Heads of slain enemies impaled upon stakes. (Cf. Q421.1.)

Unnatural cruelty. · Revolting murders or mutilations. · Murders. · view the constellation · filed as S139.2.2.1

Scholars’ trail — 2references

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
Icelandic*Boberg.

Within the index

Filed under Other indignities to corpse.

6 finer motifs beneath it

Heads (tongues) of slain enemies as trophies Impaled head used as target Custom: sitting upon head of slain enemy Heads of defeated enemies hung on conqueror's saddle Hand of slain enemy nailed to castle Heads brandished to intimidate foe

Filed beside it

Dead man gutted and filled with stones Dead dog buried with enemy Parts of corpses used in sport Corpses burned as fuel for cooking Corpse drawn asunder Ash (hazel) stakes thrust through bodies of slain warriors Ashes of murdered person passed through sieve and remains put to manure heap

Travels with

Heads on stakes. Punishment by beheading and placing the heads on stakes

wander