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Motifs — first 20 of 232
- God makes promises to mortal. A182.3.4
- God promises mortal prosperity for man and offspring. A182.3.4.2
- Deity promises to restore city. A185.8
- 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
- God's promise never to destroy world by water does not apply to local floods. A1011.3
- God promises never again to destroy world by water. A1113
- Man chosen as best gift by primeval women. In beginning only women on earth. Deity kills one by accident and promises anything as reparation. They choose man. A1276
- Bad women from transformed hog and goose. Peter, having only one daughter, foolishly promises her to three men. He asks the Lord to create two others. This request is granted. The first creature he meets on two successive mornings he is to greet, and they will be transformed. He meets a hog and a goose. His two new daughters have these characteristics. A1371.3
- Wedding of eagle and kite. Kite promises to secure ostrich as attendant. Fails and is put to shame. B282.2.1
- Fish promises to spare man in coming flood. (Cf. B375.1.) B527.1
- Daughter promised to animal suitor. B620.1
- Tabu: offending devil. A smith or priest continually insults the devil's statue or picture (cf. C13). The devil brings the offender into dangerous situation (suspicion of theft or murder), and saves him miraculously when he promises never again to abuse the devil's likeness. C45
- Tabu: breaking promise to fairy: death on twelfth day. C46.1
- Magic flight with the help of a he-goat. Speaking he-goat saves the girl promised to the devil. D674
- Disenchantment of monster when prince promises to marry the monster's mother. The prince imagines falsely that the mother is also a monster. D741
- Disenchantment by promise to marry. D742
- Disenchantment promised if girl may marry transformed man. D791.2.2.1
- Twig of a tree bows down and releases a bag with relics when the man makes a promise. D1648.1.2.2
- Return of the dead to keep promise and tell of land of the dead. Two friends promise each other that the first to die will do so. E374.1
- Naked ghost asks for shirt and promises luck on market for man. E412.3.2
Tale types
- ATU 111A* A Drunkard's Promise
- ATU 122D Caught Animal Promises Captor Better Prey (previously 'Let me Catch you Better Game')
- ATU 1440 The Substituted Animal (previously The Tenant Promises his Daughter to his Master against her will)
- ATU 1479* The Old Maid on the Roof (previously The Youth Promises to Marry the Old Maid)
- ATU 1585* The Farmer's Promise
- ATU 1634A* Fish Promised in Return for Food and Money (previously Fish Promised in Return for Bacon)
- ATU 1641B* Who Stole from the Church A man promises that in exchange for a good meal he will reveal who stole something from the church
- ATU 1743* The Promised Gift
- ATU 183* The Hare Promises to Dance
- ATU 1830 Producing the Weather (previously In Trial Sermon the Parson Promises the Laymen the Kind of Weather they Want)