Animals

2,684 motifs · page 5 of 14

• Birds indicate the place where a town (castle) is to be built. B155.2.3
• Pursued animal indicates where city is to be built. B155.2.4
• Animal determines burial place of saint. B155.3
• Neighing of horse indicates important spot. B155.4
• Animal leads searchers. B157
• Whistling of bird leads searcher. B157.1
• Miscellaneous oracular animals. B159
• Birds drop quill when man requires pen. B159.1
• Horse lies down when grain of wheat falls from load. B159.2
• Cleric goes with saint whom his cow follows. B159.3
• Vulture's chicks will not eat dead hero's leg, since they know he has been treacherously murdered. B159.4
• Wisdom-giving animals. B160
• Wisdom from serpent. B161
• Power of soothsaying from serpents' licking ears. (Cf. B165.1.1., B176.) Frazer Apollodorus II 48 n. 2. B161.1
• Fortune learned from serpent. B161.2
• Wisdom from eating serpent. (Cf. B176.) B161.3
• Power of seeing whether the dead go to heaven or hell is gained from serpent. B161.4
• Wisdom from fish. (Cf. B175.) B162
• Supernatural knowledge from eating magic fish. (Cf. B175.) B162.1
• Wisdom from other animal. B163
• Wisdom from fox. B163.1
• Wisdom from eating fox's heart. B163.1.1
• Animal languages learned from animal. B165
• Animal languages learned from serpent (not eaten). (Cf. B176.) B165.1
• Animal languages learned by having ears licked by serpent. (Cf. B161.1.) B165.1.1
• Animal languages from stolen serpent's crown. (Cf. B176.) B165.1.2
• Cobra writes letters on prince's tongue: "Having heard all kinds of creatures talk, you will understand them." B165.1.3
• Animal languages learned from frog. B165.2
• Magic birds, fish, reptiles, etc. B170
• Magic chicken (hen, cock). B171
• Demi-coq. A cock is cut in two and is made magic. Carries robbers, foxes, and stream of water under wings. B171.1
• Magic cock carries great loads in his ear (load of grain, fox, tiger, bees, wasps, etc., also fire and water). B171.1.0.1
• Demi-coq crows in king's body, when the king eats him. B171.1.1
• Magic fighting cock. B171.2
• Magic bird. B172
• Magic bird petrifies those who approach. B172.1
• Magic bird's song. Brings joy and oblivion for many years. Wakes the dead. B172.2
• Magic bird's song brings sleep. B172.2.1
• B172.2. Magic bird's song dispels grief. B172.2.2
• Magic bird collects seeds. Sees that they are properly placed. Also carries off people's enemies. B172.3
• Bird with magic bones and feathers. B172.4
• Magic falcon gets water of life for hero. B172.5
• Magic birds lure hunters to certain places. B172.6
• Magic birds chained in couples. B172.7
• Magic osprey (transformed man) produces lightning. B172.8
• Magic birds cause hosts to sleep by shaking wings. B172.9
• Black birds. B172.10
• Innumerable birds (black birds) fly into and out of tower (steeple) of fire. B172.10.1
• Bird steals island. B172.11
• Magic fish. (Cf. B107.1, B124, B144.) B175
• Magic salmon carries hero over water. B175.1
• Magic tunny (grateful); carries out hero's wish. Later he saves him from drowning and restores his sanity. B175.2
• Magic reptile. B176
• Magic serpent. (Cf. B108, B112, B123, B161–165.) B176.1
• Serpent as deceiver in paradise. B176.1.1
• Magic snake can compress himself to minute size and expand to giant size. B176.1.2
• Magic amphibia. B177
• Magic toad. B177.1
• Magic toad under king's bed causes sickness. B177.1.1
• Magic frog. B177.2
• Magic sea-turtle sucks men to the bottom. B177.3
• Magic crustacean. B178
• Magic crab. B178.1
• Magic quadrupeds. B180
• Magic quadrupeds – felidae. B181
• Magic cat. (Cf. B211.8, B422.) B181.1
• Cat with remarkable powers of sight. B181.1.1
• Magic tiger. B181.3
• Magic quadrupeds – canidae. B182
• Magic dog. B182.1
• Toy (lap) dogs. B182.1.0.1
• Magic lap-dog. B182.1.0.1.1
• Magic dog transformed person. B182.1.0.2
• Magic dog transformed supernatural being. B182.1.0.3
• Magic dog vomits any liquor required of him. B182.1.1
• Magic hostile bitches issue from elf-mound. B182.1.2
• Dog sight of which renders game helpless. B182.1.3
• Magic whelp kills hound by springing down its throat. B182.1.3.1
• Dog that is hound by night and sheep by day. B182.1.4
• Dog that is hound by day and flame of fire by night. B182.1.5
• Magic dog fragrant. B182.1.6
• Magic bitches (in human form) enchanted by fairy music. B182.1.7
• Magic brazen dog. B182.1.8
• Magic bear. B182.2
• Magic quadrupeds – rodentia. B183
• Magic mouse. B183.1
• Magic mouse to be flayed. Mouse orders hero to flay him and to use skin for magic purposes. Later the skin is returned to the mouse. B183.1.1
• Magic mouse causes disease. B183.1.2
• Magic quadrupeds – ungulata. B184
• Magic horse. B184.1
• Horse (mule) with magic speed. B184.1.1
• Horse so fast fly cannot light on him. B184.1.1.1
• Horse as swift as a bird. B184.1.1.2
• Swiftest horse on earth. B184.1.1.3
• Magic horse goes underground. B184.1.2
• Magic horse from water world. B184.1.3
• Magic horse travels on sea or land. B184.1.4
• Breath of magic horse blows off or sucks in those he pursues. B184.1.5
• Flight on magic horse. B184.1.6
• Flight on invisible horse. B184.1.6.1
• Magic horse avenges hero's death. B184.1.7
• [First Edition: B181.8. Magic horse wins horse-race.] B181.8[1st ed.]
• Immortal horse. B184.1.8
• Magic horse mysteriously recognized by everyone. B184.1.9
• Magic horse makes prodigious jump. B184.1.10
• Magic invulnerable horse. B184.1.11
• Magic horse goes through fire. B184.1.12
• Magic cow (ox, bull). B184.2
• Magic white cow. B184.2.0.1
• Magic white cows with red ears. B184.2.0.1.1
• Magic cow. B184.2.1
• Magic cow gives extraordinary milk. B184.2.1.1
• Magic cow gives red milk. B184.2.1.1.1
• Magic cow gives impossible quantity of milk. B184.2.1.1.2
• Magic soldier-producing cow. B184.2.1.2
• Cow grants all desires. B184.2.1.3
• Magic ox. (Cf. B154.) B184.2.2
• Magic ox from unusual sexual union of animals. B184.2.2.1
• Magic cow (ox, bull) from water world. B184.2.2.2
• Magic bull. B184.2.3
• Magic bull to be flayed. The bull orders the hero (heroine) to flay him and to use his skin for magic purposes. (Cf. B192, B335, B411.1.) B184.2.3.1
• Magic bull can be milked. B184.2.3.2
• Indra sends down buffalo whose milk is offered to the saints. B184.2.3.3
• Magic ox. B184.2.4
• Magic calf. B184.2.5
• Magic swine. B184.3
• Magic swine issue from elf-mound. B184.3.0.1
• Magic swine disappear underground. B184.3.0.2
• Magic red swine. B184.3.0.3
• Magic swine transformed person. B184.3.0.4
• Herd of magic swine that cannot be counted twice with the same result. B184.3.0.5
• Magic boar. B184.3.1
• Magic boar drowns houndpack. B184.3.1.1
• Magic pig. B184.3.2
• Magic invisible pig. B184.3.2.1
• Magic pig turns water into wine for nine days. B184.3.2.2
• Skin of magic pig heals wounds. B184.3.2.3
• Magic deer. B184.4
• Magic goat. B184.5
• Magic fighting goat. B184.5.1
• Magic sheep. B184.6
• Wethers leap from well; payment for saint's baptism. B184.6.1
• Magic animals: miscellaneous motifs. B190
• Animal as magician. (Cf. B154.) B191
• Weasel as conjurer. B191.1
• Ox-demon as magician. B191.2
• Tiger as magician. B191.3
• Rat gives magic medicine. B191.4
• Hedgehog builds castle. B191.5
• Bird as magician. B191.6
• Serpent as magician. B191.7
• Magic animal killed. B192
• Magic birds die when owner is killed. B192.0.1
• Magic pig burned to prevent resuscitation. B192.1
• Rain-withholding deer killed: rain released. B192.2
• Treasure-producing bird killed to please a paramour. B192.3
• Otter carries flaming wood in mouth. B193
• Magic animal used by hero in contest grows bigger with every round. B195
• Animals with human traits. See in general the literature dealing with fables, with the Romance of Reynard, with the bear-fox cycle of Europe, with the rabbit fox cycle of America, etc. B200
• Speaking animals. B210
• Person frightened by animals successively replying to his remarks. Example: Man riding horse and followed by dog tells horse to jump over a hole. Horse says, "I will not." Man turns to dog and says, "Isn't that strange – a horse talking!" The dog says, "Yes, isn't it." Often the man runs, meeting other animals which answer him, until he falls exhausted. B210.1
• Talking animal or object refuses to talk on demand. Discoverer is unable to prove his claims: is beaten. B210.2
• Formerly animals and man spoke the same language. God took the power of speech from the animals because men refused to kill speaking beasts. B210.3
• Animal uses human speech. B211
• Animals speak, praising God, on the night of Christ's Nativity. B211.0.1
• Speaking beasts – domestic. B211.1
• Speaking sheep. B211.1.1
• Speaking ram. B211.1.1.1
• Ram stung by hornet on Sabbath says, "Damn!" Pious owner resolves to sell it next day. B211.1.1.1.1
• Speaking goat. B211.1.2
• Speaking horse. B211.1.3
• Speaking ass. B211.1.3.1
• Speaking mule. B211.1.3.2
• Speaking hog. B211.1.4
• Boar sings song. B211.1.4.1
• Speaking cow. B211.1.5
• Speaking ox. B211.1.5.1
• Speaking buffalo. B211.1.5.2
• Speaking bullock. B211.1.5.3
• Speaking yak. B211.1.5.4
• Speaking calf. B211.1.5.5
• Speaking camel. B211.1.6
• Speaking dog. B211.1.7
• Dog sings song. B211.1.7.1
• Speaking cat. B211.1.8
• Speaking beast – wild. B211.2
• Speaking stag. B211.2.1
• Speaking lion. B211.2.2
• Speaking tiger. B211.2.2.1
• Speaking jaguar. B211.2.2.2
• Speaking bear. B211.2.3
• Speaking wolf. B211.2.4
• Speaking fox. B211.2.5
• Speaking hare (rabbit). B211.2.6
• Speaking sea-beast. B211.2.7
• Speaking seal. B211.2.7.1
• Speaking mouse. B211.2.8
• Speaking rat. B211.2.9
• Speaking monkey. B211.2.10
• Speaking bird. B211.3