Search
Motifs — first 20 of 81
- Thunderbird. A mythical giant bird usually thought of as a thunder-god. A284.2
- Raising of the sky. Originally the sky is near the earth (usually because of the conjunction of the sky-father and earth-mother). It is raised to its present place. A625.2
- Sun as man who left earth. Man, usually of supernatural birth, ascends to the sky and becomes the sun. A711
- World catastrophe. The world is destroyed. The incidents are usually the same whether a final destruction is thought of or a destruction which may be overcome by a renewal of the earth. A1000
- Insects from body of slain monster. Usually the monster is burnt; sometimes the insects come from his head, sometimes from his body as it burns. (Cf. A1716.1.) A2001
- Shepherd transformed to bird still calls sheep: explanation of bird cries. Usually told of hoopoe and bittern. (Cf. A1952, A1965.2, A2275.3, A2425, A2426.2.3, A2426.2.4.) A2261.1
- Basilisk hatched from cock's egg. Usually, a seven-year-old cock. Egg must lie in manure. (Cf. B11.1.1.) B12.1
- Animal usually harmless has horns. B15.3.4
- Congenital helpful animal. Born at same time as master and (usually) by same magic means. B311
- Tabu: kissing. Usually causes disenchantment or magic forgetfulness. (Cf. D735, D2003.) C120
- Werwolf. A man changes periodically into the form of a wolf. He is usually malevolent when in wolf form. D113.1.1
- Transformation to lure hunters to certain place. Usually fairyland. D659.10
- Bathing hair in buffalo milk makes it unusually long. D1337.1.3.1
- Sleepless watcher magically put to sleep. Usually has a magic watchful eye, which remains awake while his many other eyes sleep. (Argus). D1961
- Tormenting by sympathetic magic. Person (usually witch) tormented by abusing an animal or object. The usual methods of abuse are burning or sticking with pins. D2063.1.1
- Person charged with keeping birds from the crops confines them in barn (usually roofless) by magic while he goes to town. D2072.0.2.2.1
- Magic spinning. Usually performed by a supernatural helper. D2183
- Resuscitation by dismemberment. (Cf. E30, E32.) (Usually combined with burning; cf. E15.) E14
- Resuscitation by shooting arrow. (Usually combined with E25.) E61
- The Dead Rider (Lenore). Dead lover returns and takes sweetheart with him on horseback. She is sometimes saved at the grave by the crowing of the cock, though the experience is usually fatal. E215