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Motifs — first 20 of 85
- Cuckoo delivers other birds from their cruel king: they agree to hatch out cuckoo's young. A2229.5
- Animals ring bell and demand justice. A king has a bell which petitioners for justice may ring and thus summon him. The bell is rung by a serpent which is being menaced by a turtle (or by an old horse who wishes to complain against a cruel master). B271.3
- Tabu: unusual cruelty. C867
- Magic object makes person cruel. D1357
- Eating ferocious animal's heart makes person cruel. (Cf. D1015.1, D1335.1.2.) D1357.1
- Wild huntsman wanders because of cruelty. E501.3.1
- Flying Dutchman sails because of cruelty. E511.1.1
- Cruel woman reborn as firefly. E692.5
- Extraordinary nature phenomena at cruel treatment of innocent person. F960.7
- Tasks set by cruel sisters-in-law to get tigress. H939.3
- Enemies can be won more by kindness than cruelty. Romans learn this by experience. J26
- Wisdom from robbers (thugs) who disguise selves and show cruel princess how she should treat her husband. J178
- Old woman prays for safety of cruel tyrant for fear a worse one will succeed him. J215.2.1
- Kind foster-parents chosen rather than cruel parents. (Cf. J325.) J391
- Youth will answer question only when king places him on throne: then youth calls executioners to punish cruel king. J1189.1
- Sea foolishly accused of cruelty. Sea says that it is calm itself, but the wind blew it up and broke the ship. J1891.3
- Cruel king lured to enemy's power by invitation to false execution. He comes to see a girl die and is killed himself. K811.3
- A man in place of a cuckoo. A cruel master commands his serf to climb a tree and imitate the cry of the cuckoo; he shoots the "cuckoo." K1691.1
- Treacherous relatives. Distinction between treacherous relatives and cruel relatives (S0–S99) is frequently impossible to make. Relatives whose treachery seems to be uppermost have been listed here; those usually possessing power over their charges and exercising their power in a cruel fashion have been listed under cruel relatives. K2210
- Poor suitor makes good husband; rich suitor cruel. L143.2