ATU 756B
Robber Madej (previously The Devil's Contract)
Aarne–Thompson–Uther tale-type index · Religious Tales · The full type description is not served here; the number and name are the classification facts.
Motifs the recorded variants carry
- Journey to hell to recover devil's contract. 108 variants
- Succession of helpers on quest. One helper sends to another, who sends to another, etc. (Cf. H1241.) 108 variants
- Quest to devil in hell for return of contract. 108 variants
- Hermit as helper. 108 variants
- Man admitted to heaven as reward for penance. (Cf. Q520.) 108 variants
- Punishment for finding fault with God's forgiveness of sin. 108 variants
- Robber does penance. (Cf. Q212.) 108 variants
- Penance: crawling on knees and watering a dry staff until it blooms. 54 variants
- Penance: carrying water in mouth from a distance and watering dry staff until it blooms. 54 variants
- House of skulls. Murderer's abode. 36 variants
- Account of punishments prepared in hell brings about repentance. 36 variants
- Punishments being prepared in hell. 36 variants
- Man sells soul to devil. (Faust, Theophilus.) 6 variants
- Prince plans to kill wicked father for cruelty. 6 variants
- Child sold (promised) to devil (ogre). See also references to S220–S259, practically all of which apply here. 6 variants
- Woman promises her unborn child to appease offended witch. 6 variants
- Woman promises unborn daughter to snake as wife for ferrying her across stream. 6 variants
- Woman promises unborn child to tiger if he will spare her. 6 variants
- Sultan's daughter demanded by giant ogre as price for letting his subjects alone. 6 variants
- Childless couple promise child to the devil if they may only have one. 6 variants
- Robert the Devil. Childless couple wish for a child even if he comes from the devil. He is diabolical. 6 variants
- Maid pledged to devil dresses conspicuously. 6 variants
- Girl promises unborn child to devil if he will suffer the birth pangs. 6 variants
- Mother curses her unborn child. (Cf. M411.1.) 6 variants
- An old maid promises the devil her first born. She wishes to get a husband. 6 variants
- Childless couple promise one of two children to devil if they may only have them. 6 variants
- Child promised to devil for acting as godfather. (Cf. N411.) 6 variants
- Child promised to devil for help on road with broken wagon. 6 variants
- Child promised to devil for directions out of woods when father is lost. 6 variants
- Children unwittingly promised (sold). (Cf. S211.) 6 variants