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

• God created angels by striking one small stone with another. Lucifer created devils by imitation. A52.0.8
• Small-pox deity rides nude on an ass with the half of a winnowing fan for an umbrella and with a swing in one hand and a broom in the other. A137.8
• God (goddess) of smallpox. A478.2
• Making the earth smaller. Earth made too large. God learns from devil by trickery how to make it smaller. A852
• All countries burned while the wife of sun god pours fire from a small bowl. A1031.4.1
• Distribution of noses. The earlier comers receive big noses, the later small. A1316.1
• Origin of smallpox. A1337.7
• Why women laugh much. When Eve sees her first child she laughs over its smallness. A1372.2
• Ancient animal squeezed: hence small size. (Cf. A2302.) A2213.1
• Crab thrown to ground: breaks into small pieces. Hence crabs are small. A2214.4
• Diver eats nests of small birds: must not nest away from water. (Cf. A2431.3.2.) A2238.4
• Animal's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302
• Mouse's body made smaller. A2302.1
• Hazel-cock's body made smaller. (Cf. A2231, A2213.1.) A2302.2
• Squirrel's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302.3
• Eagle's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302.4
• Wolf's body made smaller. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2302.5
• Lice made smaller. A2302.6
• How snake got small head. (Cf. A2213.1.) A2320.1
• Why weaver bird's head is small. A2320.1.1
• Why caribou has small eyes. A2332.3.3
• Where reindeer got his small teeth. A2345.3
• Why animal has small waist. A2355.1
• Why spider has small waist. A2355.1.1
• Why ant has small waist. (Cf. A2214.2.) A2355.1.2
• Why sucker has small bones in body. A2367.1.1
• Why small ants live in houses while driver ants must live in bush. A2433.2.1.1
• Why tamarind leaves are small. A2769.1
• Why big trees have small fruit. A2771.9
• Why yams are small but plentiful in certain place. A2794.2
• Dragon develops from small worm placed on gold. It grows together with the gold. B11.1.3.1.1
• A small animal (hare, bitch) gives timely warnings to the hero about the trap prepared by his enemy. Animal warning about trap killed. B335.6
• Small animal released from jaws of large one: grateful. B371
• Small fish as helper. B470.1
• Tabu: uttering name of malevolent creature (Eumenides). To avoid the evil results of naming these creatures other names are substituted. The Furies are spoken of as Eumenides; rats and mice as "the large" and "the small". C433
• Person becomes magically smaller. D55.2
• Devil (troll) makes self small. D55.2.2
• Hero reduces in size small enough to get into mango seed. D55.2.6
• Small leaves become larger. D489.1
• Saint confined a large quantity of water in a small ditch. D491.3
• Iceflake made small by magic. D491.4
• Castle magically made smaller. D491.5
• Ship becomes small boat. D491.7
• Dogs large or small at will. D631.2.1
• Compressible tent. Large or small at will. D631.3.2
• Sword large or small at will. (Cf. D1081.) D631.3.3
• Cloth large or small at will. D631.3.6
• Bed large or small at will. D631.3.7
• Spear large or small at will. D631.3.8
• Laughing fish reveals unjust judgment. A severe judgment is rendered for a small offence. As the convicted man is being led away, a dead (dried) fish is heard to laugh. The fish reveals that he has laughed at the foolishness of the judge who, while he punishes minor offences severely, is unable to see the capital crimes in his own household. (Cf. D1281.) D1318.2.1
• Magic carpenter constructs bed and stool that can become big or small, luxurious or otherwise. D1620.3.2
• Miraculous increasing of small quantity of victuals or drinks to feed a great number of people. D1652.1.0.1
• Elfshot. (F360.) Magic shooting of small objects into a person's (or animal's) body. D2066
• Man makes all waters of spring flow into a small brass pot. D2151.6.2
• Revenant as small man. E422.3.1
• Life in land of dead contrary to ours. People grow younger and smaller till they become nothing and are reborn. E489.2
• Soul leaves body as small point of light. E722.1.3
• Soul as small replica of body. E747.1
• Fairy as a small pretty girl with blond hair. F232.4.1
• Fairies are the size of small children. F239.4.2
• Spirit as small black man. F403.2.2.6
• Water-spirit as small gray man. Has green eyes and gray hair. F420.1.1.3
• Water-spirits work as servants for mortal for small compensation. F420.5.1.4
• Dwarf. (Underground spirit.) The dwarf, especially in Northern Europe, is considered an underground spirit. He is to be distinguished from the other conception of dwarf, viz., a very small person, pigmy, or thumbling (F535). [Note: For help in the preparation of this item I am indebted to Mr. Alfred Thomas of Chicago. For full titles of references see F420.] F451
• Dwarfs are small. (Cf. F239.4.3, F441.5.1.) F451.2.1.1
• Dwarf with small body and large head. F451.2.1.3
• Person has small animal within his body. F529.4
• Exceptionally large or small men. F530
• Giant eats whales as small fry. F531.3.4.3
• Giants large or small at will. F531.6.5.2
• Pygmy. Remarkably small man. Also called "dwarf". To be distinguished from the dwarfs who live in the woods and inhabit underground places (F451). F535
• Thumbling hides in small place. F535.1.1.10
• Man so small he can go through eye of needle. F535.2.2
• Man so small he dances in spider web. F535.2.3
• Man so small he can put his head through a mote in a sunbeam. F535.2.4
• Man so small that he rides on an ant. Ant treads him underfoot. F535.2.5
• Small child beats giant challenger. F611.3.2.5
• Devil becomes smaller and smaller. G303.3.5.2
• The devil has two books – one book small for sins of clerics, erased by confession; the other large for unconfessed sins of lay folks. G303.24.1.9
• Ogre in shape of small boy. G376
• Only one man can lift small pot from ground. H31.4
• Princess brought to laughter by small animals. H341.2
• Suitor test: to live on small amount of food. H351
• Explanation of phenomenon: large pond emptying itself into several smaller pools (man may spend without getting any return). H614.2
• Task: making many kinds of food from one small bird. H1022.6
• Quest for the smallest of dogs. H1307
• The wine needs no further water. Guests asks small daughter of innkeeper for water to put into his wine. She says, "You will not have to do that for mother poured a whole tubful into the cask today." J125.1
• Choice: small injustice permitted rather than to cause troubles of state. J221
• King chooses small inconvenience of personal troubles to great troubles for his kingdom. He suffers to help realm. J221.2
• Choice: a big piece of cake with my curse or a small piece with my blessing. J229.3
• The smaller the evil the better. Therefore choose the smallest woman possible for a bride. J229.10
• Choices: small inconvenience, large gain. J350
• Small inconvenience, large gain – miscellaneous. J369
• Socrates builds himself a little house. Criticized for its smallness he says, "I wish I had true friends enough to fill it." J401.1
• Little men preferred to big men. Preacher prefers small men because the intellect has difficulty in reaching to one's heels. J493
• Ruler interrupts meeting of Senate to amuse his small son. When rebuked for making him a whistle he says: "I would have blown it for him had he asked me to do so." J553.2
• Monk discouraged by large amount of work to be done persuaded to undertake but a small amount each day. The small task will be done; the large one will merely discourage. J557.1
• King improves kingdom before leaving it to his sons. He leaves it smaller but much stronger and richer. J701.2
• "Eat small fish now if you wish larger ones later." Bishop refuses to eat small fish as he used to when an abbot. "Then I used small fish to catch big ones I have now!" J703.2
• Priest refuses small bribe: only for large sum will he sell himself to devil. J1263.2.3