• Magpie tells man he is to die next day: no tongue and long tail. God pulls out his tongue and makes his tail long for doing this forbidden thing. (Cf. A2344.2.6, A2378.3.1.) A2236.4
• Son accidentally kills father, who returns to life as cuckoo and tells people when to sow grain. A2275.6
• Man tells Jesus he is sowing stones. "You shall get stones." Why peas do not soften in boiling. A2721.3.1
• Farmer tells begging monk that potatoes are hard as stones: why potatoes are hard. A2721.3.2
• Truth-telling dog tells of incest. B134.1.1
• Person frightened by animals successively replying to his remarks. Example: Man riding horse and followed by dog tells horse to jump over a hole. Horse says, "I will not." Man turns to dog and says, "Isn't that strange – a horse talking!" The dog says, "Yes, isn't it." Often the man runs, meeting other animals which answer him, until he falls exhausted. B210.1
• Animal tells hero where to find magic object. (Cf. B560.) B505.2
• Flea's bite alarms king. Robber tells flea of plan to rob king. During the robbery the flea bites and awakens the king. B521.3.3
• Tabu: hunting birds. Supernatural lover (king of birds) tells woman that son must not do so. C841.2
• Magic object tells how another fares. D1310.4
• Magic ring tells how another fares. (Cf. D1076.) D1310.4.1
• Magic speaking reed (tree) betrays secret. King has whispered secret to hole in the ground. Reed growing from this hole tells the secret. D1316.5
• Banana tree tells who cut its branches. (Cf. D950.) D1612.1.2
• Magic object tells where it is hidden. D1612.4
• Magic cloth tells where it is hidden. (Cf. D1051.) D1612.4.1
• Magic shirt tells owner when it is stolen. (Cf. D1056.) D1612.5.1
• Dream tells of safety of absent person who has been in danger. D1810.8.2.4
• Wizard tells location of stolen property. D1817.0.1.2
• Forgotten fiancée reawakens husband's memory by detaining lovers through magic. Heroine takes up residence near home of her forgetful husband. She is apparently going to permit a lover to sleep with her when she detains him by having him try to place some magic birds on their roost. They continue to fall down throughout the night. (Or the lover is left magically sticking to a calf's tail or other object.) The thwarted lover tells of his experience, and in this way the attention of the husband is gained. D2006.1.1
• "If I were not your next of kin." Ghost tells man that otherwise he would tear him into pieces. E229.1

all 247 in the index →

• ATU 1355B 'I Can See the Whole World!' (previously Adulteress Tells her Lover, 'I Can See the Whole World')
• ATU 181 The Man Tells the Leopard's Secret (previously The Man Tells the Tiger's Secret)
• ATU 237 The Talking Parrot (previously Magpie Tells why Sow is Muddy)