97 motifs match “release”  ·  back to the chapters

• Sun-snarer: fast sun. The sun goes too fast to dry clothing. The hero snares the sun's legs with a rope as he is climbing up from the underworld. He releases the sun upon the promise to go more slowly. A728.2
• Sea released from tree-top. A924.3
• 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
• Night (darkness) in package. Released. A1174.1
• Hate released among mankind. A1388.1
• Hoarded game released. Animals are kept imprisoned by malevolent creature. Released by culture hero. A1421
• Hoarded plants released. A1423.0.1
• Origin of insects: released from sack. God places them in a sack and gives it to hare to carry to stream. He must not look in the sack. When he does so the insects escape. The hare laughs and this is the cause of his split lip. A2003
• Merman caught by fisherman (released). B82.6
• Captured goose warns tortoise: released in gratitude. B143.1.6
• Rain-withholding deer killed: rain released. B192.2
• Animal grateful for release of relative. B365.3
• Animal grateful to captor for release. B370
• Small animal released from jaws of large one: grateful. B371
• Lion spared mouse: mouse grateful. Later releases lion from net. (Cf. B363.) B371.1
• Other animals grateful for release. B374
• Release of animal by hunter (fisher). B375
• Bird released: grateful. B375.3
• Eagle released: grateful. B375.3.1
• Squirrel released: grateful and helpful. B375.4
• Monkey released: grateful. B375.5
• Rat released: grateful. B375.6
• Leopard released: grateful. B375.7
• Turtle released: grateful. B375.8
• Serpent released: grateful. B375.9
• Jackal released: grateful. B375.10
• Wasp released from vase full of honey: grateful. B376
• Bag of winds. Wind is confined in a bag. Man breaks prohibition against looking into bag and releases winds. C322.1
• Contents of forbidden receptacle are released. C915
• Disenchantment by taking off bridle. Man transformed to horse (ass) thus released. D722
• Twig of a tree bows down and releases a bag with relics when the man makes a promise. D1648.1.2.2
• Magic repetition. Person must keep on doing or saying thing until released. D2172.1
• Magic dancing. Enchanted persons dance till released. D2174
• Wild huntsman released from wandering. E501.17.7
• Wild huntsman released from wandering by mould from Christ's grave. E501.17.7.1
• Condemned soul released by God. E754.1.5
• Condemned soul released from hell by Christ. E754.1.6
• Condemned soul released because of tears of living. E754.1.8
• Captured water fairy promises to make ugly man beautiful in return for her release. F341.2.1
• Water-spirit returns kidnapped man in return for release of his long hair. Victim's father has wound the hair around his fingers. F420.5.2.2.1
• Dwarfs promise to emigrate if captured dwarfs are released. F451.9.1.5
• Underground kingdom reached in a box which was swallowed by a dragon and later released. F721.3.2
• Princess stands in middle of dried-up tank so serpent will release the water, which he had swallowed up completely. F914.1
• Extraordinary nature phenomena at prisoner's miraculous release. F960.5
• Demon must bring treasure to those who have released him. G514.0.1
• Wild man released from captivity aids hero. G671
• Question (on quest): When will a ferryman be released from his duty? Answer: When he is able to get out of the boat and leave the oar in another's hand. H1292.8
• Bent tree test. Bent tree is released so as to tear hero to pieces. H1522.1
• Sight of deformed witches causes man to release wife from spinning duty. They tell him that their deformity has come from too much spinning. J51
• Turtle released by man to carry him across stream. Threatens him midway. Fox to be judge. Feigns deafness and makes turtle come so near shore man jumps and saves self. J1172.4
• A fool releases a bear while the master is away. The bear plays havoc. The master threatens to cut off the ears of the meddler. The fool asks his dog not to tell on him. J2191
• 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 pounded in knapsack until he releases man. K213
• Devil to release man for performing seemingly impossible task. The task is performed by trickery. K216
• Literal fulfillment of marriage contract. Man to be released when earth is placed at his head (buried). Dies in grave. K236.4
• The priest as surety. Feasters are imprisoned because of failure to pay for the food. They name the priest as surety and are released. The priest has been told that the host is possessed and agrees to come to heal him in two weeks. The host loses the money. K455.5
• Bribed executioner releases culprit. K513
• Animal captor persuaded to talk and release victim from his mouth. Usually cock and fox, fox and wolf, or mouse and cat. K561.1
• Escape by false prophecy: if corpses are buried in city, it will become a ruin: king releases condemned man. K575
• The three teachings of the bird (fox). In return for release from captivity the bird (fox) gives the man three teachings. These usually mock the man for his foolishness in releasing what he has. (See for these counsels: J21.12, J21.13, J21.14.) K604
• Prisoner released on promise to wed guard (captor). K612
• Prisoner released on promise of life-long allegiance. K613
• Crow and rat release deer from snare. K642.1
• Jackal eating into elephant's dead body becomes a prisoner when it dries up; is released when storm moistens hide. K1022.1.1
• Woman deceived into sacrificing honor. Ruler promises to release her brother (husband) but afterward refuses to do so. K1353
• Tiger made to believe that his captor has eaten many crabs. Tiger fears crabs and releases him. K1715.13
• Vow not to devastate country or take revenge after release. M168
• Devil at gallows repudiates his bargain with robber. Ring turns to rope. The judge cannot find a rope and is about to release the thief because of the miracle. But the ring in the box presented by the devil as a bribe turns out to be a rope. The man is hanged. M212.2
• Ogre released in return for his magic girdle. M242.3
• Release from curse with birth of child. M421
• Release from curse by burning vomit. M429.1
• Release from curse by putting pins around horse's heart and then boiling it. M429.2
• Release from curse by burning animal in straw pile. M429.3
• Release from curse by heating the colter of the plow in the stove. M429.4
• Release from curse by pricking louse and hanging it on wall. M429.5
• Release from curse by putting a five cent piece in the churn. M429.6
• Release from curse by putting a piece of silver in the gun. M429.7
• Prisoners released as celebration of king's success. P14.1
• Slaves released after definite term. P178.2
• Release from execution at a woman's request (by marriage to her). P512.1
• Complacent judge disregards the confession. He has put the criminal to torture without success. When he releases him, the criminal says, "In a moment I should have confessed all." The judge lets him go nevertheless. P521
• Reward: release from hell. Q174
• Release from hell as reward for repentance. (Cf. Q36.) Q174.1
• Boy reaches into bird's nest for pigeon's eggs. A stone in the nest holds his hand for three days and nights. He is finally released by prayers. Q285.1.2.1
• Payment for ransom disappears when prisoner is not released. Q552.18.3
• Certain number of souls released from hell every Saturday through virtue of saint. Q560.2.2
• Imprisoned king's son released when he promises to be a faithful subject and pay tax. R74.3.1
• Saint appears to captor in vision and demands prisoner's release. (Cf. R165.) R121.6.1
• Boon granted after prayer and widow's son is released from prison. R123
• Demon enclosed in bottle released. R181
• Demon imprisoned in tree released. R181.1
• Man gives daughter in return for his release. (Cf. S222.) T69.3
• Man in hell declares that life there is much better than on earth with his wife. Bargain with the devil: should the latter not be able to endure life with his wife for three years, the man would be released from hell. The devil is the loser. T251.1.2.2
• Masses release souls from hell (purgatory). V42
• Captive released because of ability to recite beginning of Genesis. (Cf. J1185.) V151.1
• Saint threatens to take place of homicide in hell unless soul is released. W28.4
• Cumulative tale: bird who seeks carpenter to release young caught in closed tree. Beetle bites calf, calf bites cow, cow hoofs carpenter, carpenter beats wife, hunters save carpenter's cow, carpenter releases birds. Z49.7