88 motifs match “helps”  ·  back to the chapters

• God helps mortal in battle. A185.1
• Wren helps mankind restore prosperity to the world. A1348.1
• Buffalo helps tiger quench fire: white mark left on buffalo's neck where tiger held on while being ducked in water. A2211.12
• Blood from cross on robin redbreast: He helps Jesus; rewarded with red breast. (Cf. A2353.2.) A2221.2.2
• Ox helps patriarch who in joy kisses him on the lips: hence no hair on ox's lips. A2221.5.1
• Cat helps man build house: may occupy chimney corner. (Cf. A2233.2, A2433.3.1.) A2223.1
• Pike helps Christ cross stream: made king of fishes. A2223.4
• Why we know that the parrot comforts and helps man. A2493.35
• Rowan helps Thor out of river. A2711.5
• The four characteristics of wine. Devil helps Noah plant vineyard and kills various animals over it. These illustrate the four qualities of wine. peacock: brilliant colors; ape: jokes; lion: boldness; hog: drunkenness. A2851
• Dragon helps hero out of gratitude. B11.6.1
• Faithful dog helps open mistress' grave – dies on it. [Inadvertant duplication of B301.7.1.] B301.1.2
• Faithful dog helps open mistress' grave and dies on it. [Inadvertant duplication of B301.1.2.] B301.7.1
• Abused and pampered horses. Hero is ordered by ogre to feed and care for certain horse and to neglect other horse. Hero disobeys and feeds neglected horse. Latter is enchanted prince and helps hero. (Cf. B181.) B316
• Animal helps on quest for vanished wife. B543.0.1
• Animal helps men to wealth and greatness. B580
• Animal helps person to success in love. B582
• Dove helps deity draw his wife into a net. B582.2.5
• Fly helps loathly suitor pass suitor test. B587.2
• Animal helps man to wealth and greatness – miscellaneous. B589
• Animal helps saint by setting fire to neglected church. B596
• Animal helps person pass test. B599.2
• Animal mother of man helps him. B631.1
• Magic object to be chosen from among identical worthless objects. Insect helps in choice. D859.5
• Magic object helps fugitive. D1393
• Magic thorn-tree attacks pursuer and helps fugitive. D1393.5
• Magic object helps hero in trial. D1394
• Magic object helps win in law court. D1406
• Magic object helps gambler win. D1407
• Magic ring helps gambler win. (Cf. D1076.) D1407.1
• Magic game board helps win. D1407.3
• Magic object helps overawe captor. D1613
• Smith forges iron man, who helps him. D1620.1.3
• Dead husband returns, helps wife knit socks, piece quilts. She shows his work as proof. E321.2.1
• Fairy godmother helps girl escape. F311.1.1
• Fairy helps mortal with labor. F346
• Giantess daughter of giant and abducted maiden (therefore helps hero). F531.5.7.1.2
• Flea (magic) enters princess' throat and helps hero make her speak. F954.4.1
• Devil helps build Halberstadt Cathedral thinking a tavern is being built. G303.9.1.12
• The devil helps people. G303.22
• Devil helps man place cart wheel when it becomes unfastened. G303.22.4
• Devil exhibits benevolence to impious people (to people who make an alliance with him: gives them riches, helps them in need). (Cf. M212.) G303.22.5
• Devil helps person to steal. When thief blesses himself he is forsaken by the devil. (Cf. K365.) G303.22.6
• Devil helps ugly man win wife. G303.22.7
• Devil helps journeyman win wager with master. G303.22.8
• Captive woman in ogre's house helps hero. G535
• Bride helps suitor perform his tasks. H335.0.1
• Man helps traveler and makes riddling remarks. Gives him food, shares his coat in rain, and carries him over stream. Reproaches him with traveling without mother, house, or bridge (nourishment, shelter, or horse). H586.1
• Old woman helps on quest. H1233.1.1
• Old man helps on quest. H1233.1.2
• Tame fox helps dogs against wild foxes. Is no longer trusted by latter. J683.3
• Their assistance not asked. Knight attacks enemy contrary to orders. Part of army helps him and is killed. He disclaims responsibility since he had not asked their aid. J1169.3
• Cynic helps robber steal his money so he and robber can get sleep. J1392.3
• Numskull bales out the stream. He comes to a stream but not wishing to get his feet wet he sits down to wait for the stream to run down. He helps to bale the stream out with a hazelnut shell and keeps it up for months. J1967
• Numskulls cannot find their own legs. A stranger helps them with a switch. (Usually get them mixed up when they sit down to bathe their feet.) J2021
• Alleged healing letter sold. Woman sold a letter to wear around her neck which will prevent eye trouble. It helps only so long as she believes in it. K115.1
• The man helps the horse against the stag. The horse must agree to be saddled and bridled. The man then refuses to release him. K192
• Devil is made sick of his bargain. Devil helps shepherd boy become a minister on condition that he mention Satan by name each time he enters pulpit. Boy consents but does so in such a way that devil begs to abolish the agreement. K262.1
• Grain-thief's wagon falls into ditch: duped owner helps him. The thief makes the owner believe that the grain belongs to the thief. K405.1
• The bear helps the fox's mother get berries: the fox eats them. K461.1
• Confederate in disguise helps man escape. K649.7
• Confederate in disguise as beggar helps to escape. K649.7.1
• Helper dressed in bear's skin helps to escape. K649.7.2
• Confederate in disguise as "troll" frightens king's men, while his daughter helps prisoner to escape. (Cf. F455.) K649.7.3
• Ogre helps tortoise who snaps jaws to and catches him. K1111.3
• Sham wise man gives a purgative and helps find a lost horse. His pills get the credit. K1956.1
• Youngest brother helps elder. L31
• Only the youngest brother helps his sister perform dangerous task. L32
• Ugly sister helps pretty one. L145.1
• The devil helps man study for priesthood. For this, he must promise the devil his soul. Having become a great priest, the man finds means to save himself. M216.1
• Saint helps gambler. N6.3
• Angel helps to find lost pin. N211.3
• Child borne off by tiger, which is caught by griffin, which is killed by lioness, which rears child with her whelps. N215
• Friend lingering in the kitchen learns of friend's distress and helps him. N455.8
• Hero unwittingly helps fee's sons: rewarded. N687
• Giantess helps the man she loves. N812.4
• King helps princes in exile to avenge their father and take their homeland back. N836.3
• Robber helps king. N884.1
• Snake helps girl who permits it to wind itself around her body. Q82.1
• Disguised wife helps husband escape from prison. (Cf. R121.) R152.1
• Lovers' meeting: hero in heroine's father's prison from which she helps him to escape. T32.1
• Servant-girl helps prince if he will make her chief wife. T55.2
• Grateful dead man helps hero win princess. T66.1
• Man who has once been married helps groom to dress for wedding. T134.3
• Monster child helps mother. T550.1
• Child helps mother in severing his navel string. T584.8
• Saint helps with learning. V223.4
• Angel helps Peter to escape from prison. V232.8