78 motifs match “letter”  ·  back to the chapters

• Creator uses particular formula (letters) to create universe. A611.0.1
• Adam's name composed of initial letters of four stars from the four quarters of the heavens. A1281.6.1
• Adam named from first letters of four stars. A1577.1
• Mythical bird running before the sun bears inscription of golden letters. B7.3
• Cobra writes letters on prince's tongue: "Having heard all kinds of creatures talk, you will understand them." B165.1.3
• Bird as letter carrier. (Cf. K131.) B291.1.0.1
• Magic object acquired by exchanging letters. (Cf. K511). D836
• Magic letters (amulets) guard against attack by wild animals or men. (Cf. D1266.1.) D1381.16
• Magic letter protects against attack. (Cf. D1266.1.) D1381.24
• Reading letter written by Christ protects against attack. D1381.24.1
• Magic flower pot bears plants with gold letters and leaves. (Cf. D965.) D1469.1
• Letter delivers self. (Cf. D1266.) D1601.32
• Letter from captive prince asking for help flies through the air to addressee. D1601.32.1
• Letter read by holy man stops emperor from devastating country. D2163.5.2.1
• Dead wife returns to another person to have him write a letter to her husband. E322.7
• Woman's hand rises from grave and gives man performing vigil letter of salvation. E373.3
• Flower from grave bears letters. These commemorate the buried person. E631.0.2
• Soul in purgatory sends letter bidding his son reward one who has prayed him from purgatory. E755.3.1
• Clouds take form of letters. F795.1
• Extraordinary writings (book, letter). F883
• Extraordinary letter (written on human skin). F883.2
• Letter shot into sky. F883.2.1
• Written scroll (letter) received from heaven. F962.12.4
• Enigmatic letter of king must be explained on pain of death. H587.0.1
• Symbolic meaning of numbers, letters, etc. H602
• Symbolic interpretation of letters. H602.2
• Tasks assigned at suggestion contained in letter borne by the victim. H918
• Task: letting king hear something that neither he nor his subjects have ever heard. (Reads a letter from a foreign king demanding a loan.) H1182
• Quest to other world to take letters to dead relatives. H1252.2
• Quest for vulture's egg figured with golden letters. H1332.2
• Take money instead of revenge. Fool advises uncle, in letter which he did not send, to take money from wife's paramour instead of revenge. J229.11
• Man desirous of traveling sent six miles to deliver a letter. Told that he has now seen the world, for he will never see more than valleys, hills, fields, meadows, water, streets, cities, and villages. J1076.1
• Literal pleading: letter of law has been met. J1161
• Fool weeps each time he reads a book to see how small letters have become: at school they were big and fat. J1746.1
• Fool sends letter home by a flooded river. J1881.1.7
• Boots sent by telegraph. A peasant hangs boots and an accompanying letter on a telegraph wire, expecting them to reach the city. J1935.1
• The messenger without the message. A fool is told that he is to go to a neighboring castle the next morning. He is to take letters, but the next morning without reporting for instructions the fool goes on the journey. He is given a bag of stones to carry back. J2192
• Carrying his own message. A man who is away from home writes a letter to his wife but can find no messenger. He delivers the letter himself and then goes on back to where he has been. J2242
• Scribe cannot write a letter because he has bad leg. Must carry letter in person since no one else can read it. J2242.1
• Fool writes letter very slowly: recipient cannot read fast. J2242.2
• Boy cannot read a book written with smaller letters than those he was reading at school. J2258
• Letter believed against clear evidence. Fool believes letter apparently reporting his uncle's death, though he has just seen uncle. J2528
• 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
• Alleged healing letter (charm) sold: to aid in childbirth. Actually works. When opened it contains nonsense. K115.1.1
• Pseudo-magic letter is found to contain insulting remarks. K115.1.2
• Pseudo-magic charm (letter): to ward off plague. Obscene contents. K115.1.3
• Pseudo-magic letter (charm): to aid in engendering offspring. Obscene contents. K115.1.4
• Rabbit sold as letter-carrier. Alleged to be a swift deliverer of letters. K131.1
• Devil is cheated by giving him task: counting the letters in the church Bible. He is unable to read the holy words. K211.1
• Forged letter used to obtain credit, consideration, and entertainment. K455.8.1
• Uriah letter changed. Falsified order of execution. A messenger is sent with a letter ordering the recipient to kill the bearer. On the way the letter is changed so that the bearer is honored. K511
• Man persuaded to hold out hand for alleged letter from king. Hand cut off. K825.4
• Uriah letter. Man carries written order for his own execution. K978
• Leper intercepts letter and takes paramour's place with princess. K1317.2
• Old woman intercepts letter and takes girl's place in man's bed. K1317.2.1
• Letter delivered to wrong man. He substitutes for the lover. K1317.2.2
• Man intercepts love letter and takes lover's place in elopement. K1317.9
• Altered letter of execution gives princess to hero. On his way robbers steal the letter and change it so that instead of being killed he is married to the princess. K1355
• Trickster sends letter ordering bearer detained and meanwhile steals bearer's wife. K1388
• Husband discovers paramour's love letter in his wife's purse after having made her drunk. K1557.1
• Substituted letter. A letter is changed on the way to its destination so as to falsify the message. K1851
• Forged letter: god of death replaced by another. K1851.1
• Love letter hidden in apple. K1872.3
• Slave poses as treasurer's son and carries letter purporting to ask for hand of merchant's daughter in marriage. K1917.8
• Impostor appears with letter authorizing that he be set on the throne. K1952.6
• Sham teacher. Pretends to read a document brought him as a letter. It is a tax receipt. K1958
• Calumniated wife: substituted letter (falsified message). The letter announcing the birth of her children changed on the way to the king, so that the queen is falsely accused. (Cf. K2115, K2116.) K2117
• Husband's letter ordering the calumniated wife to be treated well is altered into an order of execution. K2117.1
• Innocent man compelled to write treasonable letter. It brings about his death sentence. K2156
• Feast for those who have not known sorrow. Dying Alexander's letter to his mother orders such a feast. No one comes. N135.3.1
• Letter sent to the relatives from man punished in hell. Q564
• Letter falsified and elopement with false lover arranged. T92.4.2
• Marriage by royal order. Widow hesitates to marry. Queen sends her a letter ordering her to marry the bearer (a suitor). T122
• Lion buried in stone cave with gold letters. V61.9
• Letter (message) of Christ. V211.10
• Woman relieved of incurable malady by kissing letter from saint. (Cf. D1266.1.) V221.7
• Angel leaves letter (book) with instructions for saint. V246.0.1
• Young man plowing corn sees letters "P. C." formed by clouds. He explains situation to minister, asks to be ordained. The minister explains that the letters mean "plow corn" instead of "preach Christ". X459.1.1