446 motifs match “back” — showing the first 100; narrow the words for the rest  ·  back to the chapters

• Three-bodied goddess. Hekate has three bodies standing back to back and looking in three directions. A123.1.1
• God carries brothers and sisters on his back in basket. A137.4.1
• Eldest god born in front, younger at back. (Cf. A112.7.) A161.5
• Rain-god and wind-god brought back in order to make liveable weather. Have been banished by sun-god. A287.0.1
• Culture hero can turn feet and knees backwards. A526.8
• Tree hanging from sky. A tree hangs upside down in the sky. By its branches men pass back and forth to the upper world. A652.2
• Sun falls but is lifted back to sky and tied to it. A721.5
• Sun sits on back of a male buffalo. A722.8
• Sun sets and refuses to rise: must be coaxed back from underworld. A739.6
• Earth from turtle's back. Earth erected on back of a turtle floating in primeval water. (Cf. A844.1.) A815
• God causes primeval sea to roll back and leave bare all the hills. A816.3
• Earth made by mud shaken from back of primeval boar. A822
• Earth rests on animal's back. A844
• Earth rests on turtle's back. (Cf. A815.) A844.1
• Earth rests on elephant's back. A844.7
• Causes of seasons – deities push sun back and forth at solstices. A1157
• Origin of death when early people put on new skins. Child fails to recognize mother, who puts old skin back on. A1335.4
• Death comes into the world by treachery of the gods: stick used by man for scratching his back is changed into cobra. A1335.14
• Theft of fire – trick exchange. Child of fire-owner is stolen and then given back in exchange for fire. A1415.3
• Gull from transformed cat. A cat catches a strong fish with her claws. The fish carries the cat on its back to the sea, where the gull originates from the cat. (Cf. A1710.) A1945.1
• Wolf falls out of nest: cause of straight back. (Cf. A2356.2.2.) A2211.3
• Tortoise pressed into earth: hence humpy back. (Cf. A2356.2.9.) A2213.2.2
• Baboon pressed on hot, flat rock: hence bald place on his back. (Cf. A2317.10.) A2213.2.3
• Bowl placed on turtle's back: hence his shell. (Cf. A2312.1.) A2215.3
• God throws diver's feet after him; hence his feet reach backward. (Cf. A2371.2.9.) A2215.6
• Chipmunk's back scratched: hence his stripes. As he is trying to escape, bear catches him with his claws and marks him permanently. (Cf. A2413.2.) A2217.2
• Jackal carries sun in bag on back; burns his back black. (Cf. A721.1, A2356.3.2.) A2218.2
• Spider steals thread from Christ: has thread in back of body. (Cf. A2356.2.8.) A2231.6
• Beaver borrows muskrat's tail and never gives it back. A2241.10
• Animal characteristics: lending and refusing to receive back. A2243
• Spider hands box to ant and refuses to take it back: hence ants carry huge loads. A2243.1
• Pegs driven into backs of baboons become tails. (Cf. A2378.9.2, A2378.1.1.) A2262.2
• Serpent steals from God's coat a stick for his back. (Cf. A2356.1.1.) A2262.3
• Jesus drives evil spirits into hogs: hence "toes" on back of foreleg. (Cf. A2371.2.2.) A2287.1.1
• Why baboon has bare place on back. (Cf. A2213.2.3.) A2317.10
• Why antelope's antlers reach backward. A2326.3.3
• Why munia wears his crop on the back of his neck. A2351.7
• Origin and nature of animal's back. A2356
• Origin of animal's back. A2356.1
• Origin of snake's back. From a stick. (Cf. A2262.3.) A2356.1.1
• Origin of shape of animal's back. A2356.2
• Why frog has hunchback. A2356.2.1
• Why wolf has straight back. (Cf. A2211.3.) A2356.2.2
• Why cat has arched back. A2356.2.3
• Why certain fish have bowed backs. A2356.2.4
• Why water-hen has broad back. A2356.2.5
• Why bear has hump on back. A2356.2.6
• Why ass has cross on back (shoulders). (Cf. A2221.1, A2239.6.) A2356.2.7
• Why spider has thread in back of body. (Cf. A2231.6.) A2356.2.8
• Why tortoise has humpy back. (Cf. A2213.2.2.) A2356.2.9
• Why alligator has rough back. A2356.2.11
• Why camel has humped back. A2356.2.13
• Origin of color of animal's back. A2356.3
• Why eagle's back is brown. A2356.3.1
• Why jackal has black back. (Cf. A2218.2.) A2356.3.2
• Why wolverine has peculiar marks on back. A2356.3.3
• Why spider has markings on back. A2356.3.4
• Why hog has "toes" on back of foreleg. Mark of devil's teeth. (Cf. A2287.1.1.) A2371.2.2
• Why diver (loon) holds legs backward. (Cf. A2215.6.) A2371.2.9
• Why mole's "hands" are turned backward. A2375.2.7
• Why ape has red back. A2411.1.5.1.1
• Why stork has black back. A2411.2.5.3.1
• Why louse has mark on his back. A2412.3.1
• Cross on crab's back. A2412.4.4
• Markings on tortoise's back. A2412.5.1
• Why toads have warts on their backs. (Cf. A2356.2.) A2412.5.2
• Why dog looks back at person who has beaten him. A2471.6.1
• Why ants no longer live on the back of the hare. A2584.2
• Smith outwits devil, is admitted to neither heaven nor hell. The devil gives him a light to find his way back in the dark; he is known as the will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern. A2817.1
• Saint's prayer causes wolf to bring back child. B256.8
• Whale raises back so that voyaging clerics can land to celebrate. B256.12
• Hero feeds own flesh to helpful animal. The hero is carried on the back of an eagle who demands food. The hero finally feeds parts of his own flesh. B322.1
• Insect having fallen on back grateful for being turned over. B364.3
• Escape from sea on fish's back. (Cf. B551.) B541.1
• Transportation to fairyland on griffin's back. B542.2.1
• Sea-beast allows voyager to land upon his back. B556
• Snake grows back together after it has been severed. B765.7.2
• Shipwrecked man repulsed by animals. As he floats to shore animals push him back into water. B772
• Tabu: giving garment back to supernatural (divine) wife. C31.10
• Tabu: looking back. C331
• Tabu: looking back over left shoulder. C331.1
• Travelers to other world must not look back. (Cf. all references to F81.1., Orpheus.) C331.2
• Tabu: looking back during flight. C331.3
• Compulsion: taking back talisman which opened treasure mountain. Hero takes treasure and forgets the talisman. C652
• Tabu: turning back after beginning a journey. C833.3
• Tabu: carrying child on one's back into house. C875
• Disenchantment of girl by carrying her on back. D732.1
• Magic sword returned to lake whence it was received. Taken back by lake spirit. (Excalibur). (Cf. D813.1.1.) D878.1
• Magic object stolen back. D882
• Stolen magic object stolen back by helpful animals. D882.1
• Stolen magic object stolen back by helpful cat and dog. They steal the ring from the thief's mouth. D882.1.1
• Magic object stolen back by servant. D882.3
• Stolen magic object stolen back by man in disguise. D882.4
• Magic (marvelous object) given back to placate crying child. D883
• Magic object causes humps to appear on back. (Cf. F344.1.) D1375.5
• Magic oath stops killer and sends invading army back. D1400.1.11.1
• Raja's guards magically transform stones and dry bones rained upon him by army of witches and turn them back. D1400.1.22
• Magic spindle brings back prince for heroine. (Cf. D1186.) D1425.1
• Magic hair draws back quiver from which it has been taken. (Cf. D991.) D1428.1
• Straw on horse's back restrains him. (Cf. D1276.) D1442.2