94 motifs match “defeat”  ·  back to the chapters

• Prophecy of defeat in battle as sign of end of the world. A1084
• Impounded water. Water is kept by monster so that mankind cannot use it. A hero defeats the monster and releases the water. (The monster is sometimes a giant frog.) A1111
• Stag defeated by snail vomits his gall-bladder. A2211.13
• Ant carries load as heavy as himself. Defeats bear, raven (or other bird). Various explanations. (Cf. A2435.3.3, A2486.1.) A2251.1
• Cow whose bellowing defeats army. B741.3
• Transformation to defeat enemies. (Cf. D615.) D651
• Queen transforms herself to defeat god of death. D651.1.3
• Disenchantment by defeating enchanter in single combat. D763.2
• Lance sounds when knocked on shield, except when its owner will be defeated. D1311.17.3
• Magic staff defeats enemies. (Cf. D1254.) D1400.1.7
• Saint's bachall defeats enemies. (Cf. D1277.) D1400.1.12
• Magic feather defeats enemy. (Cf. D1021.) D1400.1.19
• Magic (human) head defeats enemy. (Cf. D992.) D1400.1.20
• Storm raised to defeat enemy. D2141.2
• Earth darkened because of Sun's defeat in race against Coyote. D2146.2.4
• Defeating or ridding oneself of fairies. F380
• Fairies otherwise defeated. F389
• Fairy defeated by druid's magic. F389.5
• Remarkably strong women defeats man in arrow and spear contest. F610.0.1.1
• Witch defeated. G275
• Seven-headed witch defeated by throwing egg at each head. G275.4
• Devil challenges boys to play a disc-game. Can be defeated only with rowan-sticks. (Cf. D950.9.) G303.9.9.9
• Granary now haunted because of devil's defeat. G303.15.2
• Rakshasa can be defeated by hero who has rakshasi blood in his veins. G369.1.2
• Ogre defeated. G500
• Defeated giant gives his daughter to victor. (Cf. G512.0.3.) G510.1
• Defeated giant becomes friend and helper of victor. G510.3
• Ogress with knife tail defeated by hunter. G510.5
• Ogre defeated with divine help. G537
• Ogre defeated with help of goddess. G537.1
• Suitor test: to defeat bride in game. H332.1.2
• Suitor test: to defeat bride at dice. H332.1.2.1
• Suitor test: to defeat bride in harping. H332.1.3
• Suitor task: to defeat enemies. H335.4
• Suitor task: to kill (defeat) unwelcome suitor. H335.4.4
• Princess offered to man who can defeat her in repartee. H507.1
• Princess defeated in repartee by means of objects accidentally picked up. E. g., Hero: What red lips you have! Princess: There is fire inside. – Hero: Then boil this egg (producing egg). H507.1.0.1
• King defeated in repartee by boy, who thus wins girl. Boy: "Who would give a man a bath, feed him his rice, and then bring him the tamal-pan to chew?" King: "No one but a wife." Boy claims minister's daughter. H507.1.0.2
• Princess offered to man who can defeat her in argument. H507.1.1
• Task: defeating a certain old woman. (She is Old Age.) H1149.3
• Man with magic knowledge defeats his competitors in quest by misinforming them about the character of country they will be traveling (for a place where there is no water he makes them bring loads of wood; for a place where water is he makes them bring along loads of water). H1239.4
• Contest in generosity. Ruler vies with minister in generosity. Minister declared loser and condemned to die. Pardoned on acknowledging defeat. H1552.2
• Minister's clever daughter-in-law uses wisdom to defeat Brahmin's wealth. J185.1
• Frogs fear defeated bull. See two bulls fighting; know that the loser will take refuge in their marsh. J613.2
• Hector warns Trojans against attacking the stronger Greeks. Warning disregarded. Disastrous defeat. J652.4.1
• Foxes desert their allies, the hares, when they foresee defeat by the eagle. J682.1
• Clever person's defeat pleases inferior. J885
• Dog leader fears defeat because his forces are of different breeds. Wolves are all of one kind. J1023
• United cocks defeat partridge. When they quarrel they are defeated. J1025
• Cranes fighting as allies defeat all enemies. If they quarrel they are doomed. J1025.1
• Poem for poem: all for all. A poet gives the emperor a poem, hoping for a reward The emperor later gives the poet a poem in return. The poet thereupon sends the emperor two pennies, saying that this is all the money he has. The emperor, seeing that he is defeated in the exchange, laughs and becomes the poet's friend. J1581.1
• Wrestling between porcupine and deer. Deer defeated but always pleads illness. K12.5
• Boxing match: fatal boxer defeated. All comers are challenged and all are killed until the hero defeats the challenger. (Argonauts and Amycus.) K13
• Boar in duel with tiger cakes mud on body: defeats tiger. K97.1
• Men ordered to dance before being killed. Dance figure arranged so as to defeat captors. K551.3.6.3
• Girl plays at dice with her suitors: locks them up when they are defeated. K1237
• Bees carried in drum attack and defeat attacking army. K2351.2.1
• Women spread shawls on enemy's path and entangle them. They are easily defeated. K2352
• Women throw ashes in eyes of attacking soldiers, so that they are defeated. K2356
• Enemies defeated by setting forest afire. K2364.1
• City is falsely promised to enemy. When they enter they are attacked and defeated. K2366
• Trickster admits defeat: enemy and friends invited to fort for ceremony and then attacked. K2366.1
• Fugitive bull-calf returns when grown and defeats his father. L111.1.2
• Little strong man defeats giant in race. L312
• Fish pricks monster with fins and defeats him. L315.8
• Falcon attacks eagle repeatedly and defeats him. L315.9
• Lizard defeats leopard. L315.11
• Hedgehog defeats tiger by jumping into tiger's mouth and tormenting him. L315.13
• Offended rats gnaw saddle girths of king's horses so that he is defeated in battle. L316
• King, defeated in battle, obliged to flee without money. L410.2
• Defeated king must be peddler or beggar. L410.4
• Opponents agree not to fight and are thus undefeated. M237.1
• Prophecy: first side to slay in battle will be defeated. M356.1.3
• Wager: bullock to defeat elephant. Elephant is frightened and flees. N77
• Treasure from defeated giant. (Cf. F531.6.7, G610, D838.6.) N538.2
• Defeated enemy turns true friend. (Cf. P311.1.) P310.5
• Robbers defeated and killed. P475.2
• Defeat in battle. P555
• Submission indicated by defeated lying with conqueror's sword between teeth. P555.1
• Berserks banished because of defeat. Q431.14
• Defeated giants imprisoned in lower world. Q433.2
• Defeated warriors go into the conqueror's service. R74
• Defeated enemy turns conqueror's best friend. R74.1
• Defeated enemy's son turns conqueror's man. R74.2
• Defeated enemy holds rank and country when he promises to pay tax to conqueror. R74.3
• Defeated surrender their city. R75.1
• Heads of defeated enemies hung on conqueror's saddle. S139.2.2.1.4
• Queen banished when she defeats king in argument. S416
• Victor demands defeated king's daughter (widow) in marriage. T104.2
• Bride's monster-father tries to kill husband, but is defeated. T172.3
• Invaders miraculously defeated by saints. V229.7
• Conqueror returns defeated man's wife and family to him. W11.5.4
• Stingy king will not hire soldiers: defeated. W152.6
• Defeat personified. Z132.2