Ordaining the future

851 motifs · page 1 of 5

• Judgments and decrees. M0
• Senseless judicial decisions. M1
• Inhuman decisions of king. M2
• Inhuman decision of king: sends man's sons to certain death and then murders man. M2.1
• Deity settles disputes between races. M4
• Irrevocable judgments. M10
• Irrevocable judgment causes judge to suffer first. Has decreed that no one enter a meeting armed. He forgets to remove his sword. Kills himself. M11
• Irrevocable sentence carried out even when innocence is proved. A knight condemned for murdering his comrade is met by the latter on the way to the gallows. A centurion leads them to the emperor, who condemns all three to death: first because he has been sentenced; second for causing by his absence the conviction of his comrade; third for delay in the execution. M12
• Sentence applied to king's own son. Those caught in adultery are to have eyes put out. When king's son is found guilty he insists on the punishment. He finally compromises by having one of his own and one of his son's eyes put out. M13
• Ruler has son beheaded for rape. M13.1
• Captain hangs own son for violating order not to enter enemy city. M13.2
• Gardener made king by minister decides against him in law case and returns lands to plaintiff. M13.3
• Irrevocable judgment of king upheld. King leaves laws that must be kept until his death. Years later he has his bones sent back to that land to let people know that he is dead and they are free. M14
• Short-sighted judgments. M20
• King Lear judgment. A king flattered by his elder daughters and angered by the seeming indifference, though real love, of the youngest, banishes the youngest and favors the elder daughters. M21
• Other judgments and decrees. M50
• Decree that hero must wed only a virgin. M51
• Judgment: pardon given if hero produces the lady about whom he has boasted. M55
• Judgment: thief to be pardoned if he can steal king's treasure without being caught. M56
• Judgments and decrees – miscellaneous motifs. M90
• Virgin Mary reverses judgments of church. M91
• Decision left to first person to arrive. M92
• Deity grants woman two sons, one to be wise and ugly and the other a fool and handsome. M93
• Vows and oaths. M100
• Punishment for broken oaths. M101
• False swearer not allowed to approach altar. M101.1
• Broken oaths cause of maimed people. M101.2
• Death as punishment for broken oath. M101.3
• Death caused by elements (exposure, drowning, etc.) as punishment for broken oath. M101.3.1
• Man offers to sacrifice bangles if he is given a son; when he takes bangles back, son dies. M101.3.2
• Broken oath causes girl's hand to wither. (Cf. D2062.) M101.4
• Punishment for broken oath: loss of the inheritance of earth or heaven. M101.5
• Equivocal oaths. M105
• Escape from vengeance caused by broken oaths. M106
• Vow fulfilled in next existence. M107
• Violators of oaths. M108
• Babylonians do not keep their oaths. M108.1
• Taking of vows and oaths. M110
• Swearing while one knows that his oath is rendered valueless. M110.1
• Oath is valid only when decreed in presence of ten. M110.2
• Oath uttered by pious when in danger of succumbing to temptation. M110.3
• Oaths taken over severed pieces of horse. Pieces are then buried. M111
• Oath taken on ring. M112
• Oath taken on arms. M113
• Oath taken on sword. M113.1
• Oath taken on sacred object. M114
• Oath on sacred book. M114.1
• Oath by Tora. M114.1.1
• Oath taken on holy stone. (Cf. M119.5.) M114.2
• Vows taken on holy swine. M114.3
• Swearing on sacred relics. M114.4
• Taking oath on cowdung. M114.5
• Oath by touching sacred thread. M114.6
• Only one oath binding. It must be by so and so or else it is worthless. M115
• Three-fold oath. M115.1
• Oath so heavy it dries up stream; oath so great it splits the rock in twain; oath so violent it makes the tree wither. M115.1.1
• Oath taken on hand of saint. M116
• Swearing on hand of king. M116.0.1
• Swearing by saint's bachall. M116.1
• Swearing by saint's bell. M116.2
• Vow to perform certain act unless cataclysm occurs. M117
• Swearing on a skull. M118
• Taking of vows and oaths – miscellaneous. M119
• Swearing by the elements: sun, moon, stars, wind. M119.1
• Oath by River Styx. M119.1.1
• Swearing by (clan) gods. M119.2
• Vows taken as an old Norse custom at the festival of Yule. M119.3
• Vows taken by placing one's foot on a certain post in the hall. M119.4
• Swearing on a stone. (Cf. M114.2.) M119.5
• Swearing by "the Seven Things which they serve." M119.6
• Oath by placing hand on genitals. M119.7
• Oath taken by the life of a person. M119.8
• Swearing by one's father and mother. M119.8.1
• Swearing by life of father. M119.8.2
• Vows concerning personal appearance. M120
• Vow not to shave or cut hair until a certain time. M121
• Vow: woman not to bind hair till enemy is conquered. M122
• Vow not to change clothes till a certain time. M125
• Vow not to wash till a certain time. M126
• Vows concerning sex. (Cf. M151.2, M152.) M130
• Vow of chastity. M131
• Vow of virginity. M132
• Vow: man will love only a virgin. M133
• Prince vows to marry no woman unless he can beat her daily. M134
• Vow never to remarry. M135
• Vow not to marry till iron shoes wear out. M136
• Vow never to be jealous of one's wife. M137
• Woman requires husband free from jealousy. M137.1
• Vow to marry first person performing certain act. M138
• Vow to marry off two daughters to first two men father looks at on the following morning. M138.1
• Vow never to strive against a woman. M141
• Vow never to carry a woman. M142
• Vow to wed no man who cannot perform certain feat. M145
• Vow to wed no man who fears to saddle and mount a lion. M145.1
• Vow to marry a certain woman. M146
• Vow to marry queen of fairies and not to eat or drink inside kingdom until this is done. M146.1
• Boy vows to marry none but girl born under the same circumstances as he. M146.2
• Vow that magically conceived children shall marry (or be friends). M146.3
• Brother and sister arrange marriage of their unborn children to each other. M146.4
• Vow to marry none but daughter of certain man. M146.5
• Vow of enemy chief to marry princess of besieged city. M146.7
• Vows concerning sex – miscellaneous. M149
• Lovers vow to marry only each other. M149.1
• Vow to die rather than marry unwelcome suitor. M149.2
• Vow to kill more successful rival. M149.3
• Quarreling prince and princess vow that if they are married he will desert her on the wedding day and she will make him eat boiled rice and thin broth for six months. It so happens. M149.4
• Oath to marry daughters only into family with bridegroom for each daughter. M149.5
• Vow to get stubborn girl half-married only. M149.6
• Vow only to marry daughter to the man who kills snake by her house. M149.7
• Other vows and oaths. M150
• Vow not to eat before hearing of adventure. M151
• Vow not to eat before learning secret. M151.1
• Vow not to marry until quest is concluded. M151.2
• Vow not to reign and to starve to death unless picture's original is found. M151.2.1
• Vow not to take food or drink until manner of father's death is learned. M151.3
• Vow not to take food or drink until enemy is killed. M151.4
• Vow not to eat or sleep until certain event is brought to pass. M151.5
• Vow not to eat, drink, or move from position until dead anchorite comes himself to accept necklace. M151.5.1
• Vow not to eat or drink before knowing if king is alive. M151.6
• Heroine will not laugh till arrival of destined hero. (Cf. H341.) M151.7
• Vow not to eat until lost son is found. M151.8
• Vow not to see friends until quest is completed. M151.9
• Vow not to go to bed with wife till enemy is killed. M152
• Vow not to kiss anybody until father is revenged. M152.1
• Vow not to sit on father's high-seat until he is revenged. M152.2
• Vow to perform act of prowess. M155
• Vow to kill wild boar alone at night. M155.1
• Vow to find vanished sister. M155.2
• Vow never to flee from fire or weapon. M155.3
• Vow to watch at frightful place all night. M156
• Vow to ride the forest all night and slay all comers. M157
• Vow never to refuse food to any man. M158
• Vow never to flee in fear of death. M161
• Vow to attack (kill) the enemy or die. M161.1
• Vow to revenge (king, friends, father) or die. M161.2
• Vow to live and die with the king. M161.3
• Vow rather to die (on a spear) than to accept grace. (Cf. M165.) M161.4
• Rather die than go in the enemy's service. M161.5
• Rather die in battle than in bed. M161.6
• Vow not to be killed by a single opponent. M162
• Vow never to make a nocturnal assault. M163
• Bard vows that none of his profession will make a request of any man. M164
• Vow to ask nobody for peace, grace. (Cf. M161.4.) M165
• Other vows about fighting. M166
• Vow never to give more than one blow in a fight and never to beat a fallen enemy nor take his weapons. M166.1
• Vow rather to be cut in pieces than permit oneself to be bound. M166.2
• Vow to kill anyone who touches his beard. M166.3
• Vow: never to fight with brother. M166.4
• Oath not to fight relatives of king. M166.5
• Vow to serve only the most generous of all kings. M167
• Vow not to devastate country or take revenge after release. M168
• Vow not to deceive the man who spared one's life. M168.1
• Vow never to accept a man who does not know any sport. M171
• Vow not to touch certain thing. M172
• Vow never to touch money and to give what anyone begs for. M172.1
• Vow not to touch certain tree. Later cannot cross bridge made of this wood. M172.2
• Pledge to say but a single phrase. In carrying out this agreement the men innocently confess a crime. M175
• Vow to change religion. M177
• Vow to become a Christian. M177.1
• King swears to become Christian if he wins battle. M177.1.1
• Oath not to be christened until he has fought in seven battles for Jesus. M177.1.2
• Prince vows that he will always be servant of a goddess (Kali). M177.2
• Vow not to enter any house before reaching one's own. M182
• Religious vows. (Cf. M177.) M183
• Vow to build shrine. M183.1
• Vow to bathe in the Ganges. M183.2
• Vow to find Holy Grail before returning to Round Table. M183.3
• Vow to become monk should he escape execution. M183.4
• Vow if queen bears another girl she and child will both be killed. M184
• Vow that no daughter born to chief's wife will be allowed to live until she bears a son. M184.1
• Vow to abide by laws. M185
• Vow never to pass over demarcation line into other's property. M186
• Oath to abide by results of lot drawing. M187
• Oath not to mention what has been seen. M188
• Vow to put to death every king that comes his way unless engaged in marrying a lady at the time he sees them. M192
• Vow to destroy kingdom by austerities. M193
• Bargains and promises. M200
• Making of bargains and promises. M201
• Bargain with God (by holy man). M201.0.1
• Covenant between Israel and God. M201.0.1.1
• Covenant between heathen and Israelites. M201.0.2
• Blood covenant. Contract written (or signed) with blood. M201.1
• Blood of contractors mixed to seal bargain. M201.1.1
• Pact with devil signed in blood. (Theophilus.) (Cf. M211.) M201.1.2
• Covenant confirmed by eating together. M201.2
• Spitting of all parties into vessel to seal bargain. M201.3
• Covenant between saints confirmed by cutting off their thumbs. M201.4
• Covenant confirmed by marriage. M201.5
• Covenant confirmed by hostages. M201.6
• Fulfilling of bargain or promise. M202
• Bargain or promise to be fulfilled at all hazards. M202.0.1
• Promise to be fulfilled when iron shoes wear out. M202.1
• Prisoner would be set free only after he has used up a pair of harmed shoes. M202.1[.1]
• Man keeps word to return to enemy if his mission to his people fails. M202.2
• King's promise irrevocable. M203
• King punishes one of his men who robs someone to whom the king has given safe conduct. M203.1
• King kills self to carry out own promise. M203.2
• King sells self and family into slavery to keep promise. M203.3
• Demanding of promised boon postponed. M204
• Demanding of promised boon postponed until an auspicious moment. Granted anything he may ask, the recipient waits to announce his choice. M204.1