• 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
• Vulture sent out as scout to see whether earth has cooled from world-fire. (Cf. A1021.2.) A1039.1
• Squirrel's call: asks whether viper (who ate up his children) is his friend. A2426.1.2.1
• Power of seeing whether the dead go to heaven or hell is gained from serpent. B161.4
• Swan Maiden. A swan transforms herself at will into a maiden. She resumes her swan form by putting on her swan coat. (It is difficult to tell in most Swan Maiden tales whether the primary form is swan or maiden: the incident may belong at D161.) D361.1
• Magic water. (Note: here are included all references to magic water, whether as a remedy or as another type of magic agent). D1242.1
• Magic power to see whether girl is virgin. D1825.4.2
• Ghosts haunt house. (It is sometimes hard to tell whether haunters are supposed to be ghosts or familiar spirits of some kind.) E281
• Revenant with hat of birch. Note: in the motifs immediately following, it is frequently impossible to tell whether the spectral ghost (E421) or the living corpse (E422) is thought of. E422.4.1
• Dwarfs referred to as "gray", not specifying whether as to dress or hair. (Cf. F236.1.4, F420.1.6.6.2.) F451.2.7.3
• Physician, by examining wound can tell whether it was inflicted by a man or a woman and describe him or her in detail. F956.4
• Ordeal by crocodiles (snakes). Judgment depends on whether person is devoured or rejected by crocodiles. H224
• Test of death: to see whether person is dead or feigning. H248
• Guessing: whether more of a certain stone is above or below ground. A test set by heathen king for a saint. H527
• Quest to the other world to learn whether father is in heaven or hell. H1252.1.2
• "When a man attacks you, kill him whether he be king or prince": counsel proved wise by experience. J21.52.6
• Doctor loses a horse for the sake of the truth. Overlord asks two doctors whether he is entitled to all the possessions of his retainers. One doctor unrighteously answers yes and receives a horse. The other who tells the truth receives nothing. J551.3
• Confession of debt secured by having defendant dispute as to whether cat was present when debt was made. J1141.1.11
• Servants would not have left the coats. Merchants complain to nobleman that his servants have robbed them of money. Nobleman asks whether merchants had on those good coats when the robbery took place. When told yes, he said that the robbers were not his servants, for they would never have left good coats. J1179.5
• "Better a live confessor than a dead martyr." So answers a preacher when asked whether he preferred to stay at home and confess his flock or go to war against the infidels. J1261.9

all 44 in the index →