Reversal of fortune

318 motifs · page 1 of 2

• Victorious youngest child. L0
• Victorious youngest son. L10
• Name of victorious youngest son. L10.1
• "Thirteen" as name of victorious youngest son. (Youngest of thirteen brothers.) L10.1.1
• Abused son of younger co-wife becomes hero. L10.2
• Fortunate youngest son. Always has good luck. L11
• Seal of humiliation put by youngest brother-in-law on the back of his rivals. L11.1
• Favorite youngest son. L12
• Compassionate youngest son. Kind to people or animals: rewarded. L13
• Youngest wife's son restores eyesight to blinded six wives of raja and reinstates his mother. L13.1
• Stupid youngest son becomes clever. L21
• Youngest brother helps elder. L31
• Only the youngest brother helps his sister perform dangerous task. L32
• Younger brother given birthright of elder. L41
• Victorious youngest daughter. L50
• Favorite youngest daughter. L51
• Abused youngest daughter. L52
• Compassionate youngest daughter. L54
• Youngest daughter agrees to marry a monster; later the sisters are jealous. L54.1
• Stepdaughter heroine. L55
• Abused stepdaughter. See references to L52 and L55. L55.1
• Clever youngest daughter. L61
• Youngest daughter suspects impostor. Elder have been deceived. L62
• Youngest daughter avoids seducer. Elder sisters have been deceived. L63
• Youngest of group victorious. L70
• Only the youngest of group of imprisoned women refuses to eat her newborn child. L71
• Youngest animal in group overcomes adversary. L72
• Unpromising hero (heroine). L100
• Unpromising hero (male Cinderella). Usually, but not always, the unpromising hero is also the youngest son. L101
• Unpromising hero: aged man. L101.1
• Unpromising heroine. Usually, but not always, the youngest daughter. L102
• Unpromising hero given great powers by deity. L103
• Types of unpromising heroes (heroines). L110
• Hero (heroine) of unpromising origin. L111
• Exile returns and succeeds. L111.1
• Banished youth becomes mighty king. L111.1.1
• Fugitive bull-calf returns when grown and defeats his father. L111.1.2
• Foundling hero. L111.2
• Future hero found in boat (basket, bushes). Legends of Moses, Cyrus, Beowulf and others. L111.2.1
• Future heroine found in hollow tree (calfshed, house "without door but only window and skylight"). L111.2.1.1
• Future hero found on shore. L111.2.2
• Future hero found on top of a tree. L111.2.3
• Future hero found in wolf den. L111.2.4
• Heroine found in harp. L111.2.5
• Widow's son as hero. L111.3
• Orphan hero. L111.4
• Orphan hero lives with grandmother. Avenges slaughtered kin. L111.4.1
• Orphan heroine. L111.4.2
• Orphan brothers as heroes. L111.4.3
• Mistreated orphan hero. L111.4.4
• Bastard hero. L111.5
• Anchorite's son as hero. L111.6
• Future hero (heroine) raised by animal. L111.7
• Heroes sons of wife not favorite of king. L111.8
• Heroine daughter of wife not favorite of king. L111.8.1
• Hero of story neglected grandson of raja. L111.9
• Unpromising fourth son succeeds. L111.10
• Hero (heroine) of unpromising appearance. L112
• Monster as hero. L112.1
• Loathly man father of supernaturally born boy. L112.1.1
• Very small hero. L112.2
• Deformed child as hero. L112.3
• Hero with deformed head. L112.3.1
• Dirty boy as hero. L112.4
• "Burnt-belly" as hero. L112.5
• "Scar-face" as hero. L112.6
• Skin-sore as hero. L112.7
• Leper hero. L112.7.1
• Lame child as hero. L112.8
• Ugly child becomes great poet. L112.9
• One-armed hero. L112.10
• Heroine born with pigeon's head. L112.11
• Hero (heroine) of unpromising occupation. L113
• Menial hero. L113.1
• Heroine endures hardships with menial husband. Rewarded by his success. L113.1.0.1
• Swineherd as hero. (Cf. P412.2.) L113.1.1
• Stable-boy as hero. L113.1.2
• Mad fisherman as hero. L113.1.3
• Shepherd as hero. L113.1.4
• Goatherd as hero. L113.1.5
• Cowherd hero. L113.1.6
• Cowherd's daughter (foster child) as heroine. L113.1.6.1
• Slave as hero. L113.1.7
• Menial heroine. L113.2
• Heroine has been goatherd. L113.2.1
• Poor weaver as hero. L113.3
• Peasant as hero. L113.4
• Woodcutter hero. L113.5
• Smith as hero. L113.6
• Quack-doctor as hero. L113.7
• Barber becomes king. L113.8
• Tailor as hero. L113.9
• Flute player as hero. L113.10
• Hero (heroine) of unpromising habits. L114
• Lazy hero. L114.1
• Spendthrift hero. L114.2
• Unruly hero. L114.3
• Cheater as hero. L114.4
• Hero with disgusting habits. L114.5
• Successful foolish son. L115
• Insane hero (heroine). L116
• Stupid hero. (Cf. Z253.) L121
• Half-wit successful. L121.1
• Unsophisticated hero. L122
• Pauper hero. L123
• Penniless hero. Loved by a courtesan, he proves later to be a great man. L123.1
• Dumb hero. L124
• Child silent till seventh year. L124.1
• Famous poet does not speak until he is fourteen (four, seven) years old. L124.1.1
• Silent hero. L124.2
• Abode of unpromising hero (heroine). L130
• Hearth abode of unpromising hero (heroine). L131
• Ashes abode of unpromising hero. L131.1
• Pig-sty abode for unpromising hero (heroine). L132
• Unpromising son leaves his home and goes into the world. L133
• Unpromising hero must live in hut. L134
• The unpromising surpasses the promising. L140
• Stupid person surpasses clever. L141
• The stupid monk recovers the stolen flocks. A nobleman steals the abbot's flocks, saying that the monks have no use for them since they eat no meat. The most learned of the monks tries to recover them, but without success. The most stupid is then sent. Asked to dinner, he eats till he can hold no more. He tells the nobleman that he ate as much as possible since he could take back with him only what he had in his stomach. The nobleman pleased with the reply returns the flocks. L141.1
• Simpleton's naive answer to robbers makes them think he knows their secret. They share their loot with him. L141.2
• Hero stupid at games but fleet of foot. L141.3
• Inept child eventually surpasses others. L141.4
• Pupil surpasses master. L142
• Pupil surpasses thieves in stealing. L142.1
• Pupil surpasses magician. L142.2
• Son surpasses father in skill. L142.3
• Poor man surpasses rich. L143
• Poor girl chosen as wife in preference to rich. L143.1
• Poor suitor makes good husband; rich suitor cruel. L143.2
• Ignorant surpasses learned man. L144
• Ignorant steward straightens his master's accounts. The educated stewards have always cheated. The ignorant puts his belongings in one box, his master's in another. Both master and steward gain. L144.1
• Farmer surpasses astronomer and doctor in predicting weather and choosing food. L144.2
• Ugly preferred to pretty sister. L145
• Ugly sister helps pretty one. L145.1
• Neglected surpasses favorite child. L146
• Ape tries to flee with favorite child; neglected child saves himself. The favorite child is killed through the mother's overanxiety. L146.1
• Tardy surpasses punctual. L147
• Tardy bird alone succeeds at bird convocation. L147.1
• Slowness surpasses haste. L148
• If you hasten you will not get there. In spite of the saint's advice the teamster hastens and breaks his wagon. L148.1
• Peasant girl outwits prince. L151
• Daughter succeeds on quest where son fails. L152
• Scorning stops when it turns out that the scorned has saved the king by fighting alone against four. L154
• Disagreeable and disliked child surpasses the likeable one. L155
• Unpromising hero kills those who scorn him. L156
• Lowly hero overcomes proud rivals. L156.1
• Success of the unpromising hero (heroine). L160
• Lowly hero marries princess. L161
• Marriage of poor boy and rich girl. L161.1
• Fool wins beautiful woman as wife. L161.2
• Mercenary soldier (exile) accepted lover of princess. L161.3
• Lowly heroine marries prince (king). L162
• Lowly boy becomes king. (Most references to L161 apply here). L165
• Lowly successful hero invites king and humbles him. L175
• Lowly successful soldier invites general and humbles him. L175.1
• Despised boy wins race. L176
• Despised boy wins gambling game. L177
• [First Edition: L190. Unpromising hero (heroine) – miscellaneous.] L190[1st ed.]
• Modesty brings reward. L200
• Modest choice best. L210
• Modest choice: three caskets type. Objects from which choice is to be made are hidden in caskets (or the like). The worst looking casket proves to be the best choice. L211
• Choice among several gifts. The worst horse, armor, or the like proves best. L212
• Saint, offered any gift from God, chooses (virginity and) wisdom. L212.1
• Solomon, offered any gift from God, chooses wisdom. Granted wisdom and wealth. L212.2
• Hero prefers fame to long life. L212.3
• "Fame (honor) is more enduring than life." L212.3.1
• Modest choice proves good (simple unique privilege). Girl offered reward of five villages chooses rather to be only one on certain night to be allowed to have light in her house and to keep all animals who enter as hers. All kinds of livestock come. L212.4
• Poor girl chosen rather than the rich. Treasure follows. L213
• Modest choice best: wife chosen from crowd of women – only one poorly dressed. L213.1
• Choice of ugliest girl as bride. L213.2
• Old chosen rather than new. Fortunate choice. L214
• Unpromising magic object chosen. Hero refuses to take one that cries out "take me!" L215
• Poor game proves rich. L216
• Accustomed rags preferred to new garments. A Brahmin returns home to find a palace instead of a cottage; he recognizes his wife only after she throws off her jewels and ornaments to stand before him in her old rags. L217
• Former poverty chosen over new riches. Weaver laments loss of water vessel. Offered many new, but prefers old and modest life. L217.1
• Modest request best. L220
• Modest request: present from the journey. Asked what her father shall bring her as a present, the heroine chooses a modest gift. It is usually a flower but sometimes does not turn out to be such a simple gift after all (golden cloak, golden apple). L221
• Present from the journey: what you first see. L221.1
• Modest choice: parting gift. Small gift with blessing preferred to large gift with parent's curse. L222
• Modest choice for parting gift – money or counsels. Counsels chosen. L222.1
• Modest parting gift best – meat or bones. Bones thrown to pursuing dogs delay them and allow escape; not so with meat. L222.2
• Modest choice for parting gift: when offered money man takes magic stick. L222.3
• Modest choice of parting gift: magic iron measure chosen. L222.4
• Hero refuses reward. Rides away without it. L225
• Modest business plans best. L250
• Beggar with small bag surpasses the one with the large. Latter refuses all but large donations; gets none. L251
• Modesty brings reward – miscellaneous. L290
• Prosperity forever or for a day? King asks prince whether he has secret of prosperity forever or a day. Prince says "forever" and is captured. Later his wife, asked same question, says "for a day" and is honored. L291
• Triumph of the weak. L300
• Hermes distributes wit. Gives everyone the same measure of wit, so that the smaller are more clever than the large. L301
• Weak overcomes strong in conflict. L310
• Weak (small) hero overcomes large fighter. L311
• Sick hero overcomes antagonist. L311.1
• Poorly-armed hero overcomes well-armed by strategy. L311.2
• Poor prince overcomes king. L311.3
• Little innocent girl is able to drive giant out of land. L311.4
• Small boy overcomes enraged gorilla. L311.5
• Little strong man defeats giant in race. L312
• Small animal overcomes large. L315
• Bird flies into large animal's ear and kills him. L315.1