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Motifs — first 20 of 25
- Culture hero spares certain evil spirits. Old Age, Cold, Poverty, and Hunger beg the culture hero not to destroy them because of their real usefulness to man. A531.1
- Culture hero creates useful animals. A1703
- Animal useful because of power of scenting. A2512
- Animal useful for bearing burdens. A2515
- Punishment for first murder: thistles, etc. Until murder was committed, only useful plants grew on earth; since then, thistles. (Cf. A2688.1.) A2631.1
- Riddle: what is most useful? H659.11
- What is most useful? Excellence. H659.11.1
- Choice between useful and ornamental. J240
- Useful wins contest over beautiful. J242
- Pine and thornbush dispute as to their usefulness. Beauty of form does not give worth; pine grows slowly but it will withstand storms. J242.2
- Usefulness better than speed. J243
- Useful and ugly preferred to expensive and beautiful. J245
- Wolf does not mind the dust. Told that dust from flock of sheep will annoy him; he finds it useful. J352.1
- Laurel and olive tree scorn thornbush as umpire in their dispute as to who is most useful. J411.7
- Senseless debate of the mutually useful. J461
- The belly and the members. Debate as to their usefulness. All mutually useful. J461.1
- Tail and head of serpent quarrel as to usefulness. J461.1.1
- Tobacco, pipe, and match debate usefulness to smoker. J461.3
- Deer, opossum, and snake each render indispensable aid to man. Foolishly debate their usefulness. J461.4
- Senseless debates about usefulness. J466