ATU 954 The Forty Thieves

ATU 954

The Forty Thieves

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

Mountain opens to magic formula (Open Sesame). (Cf. D1273.) 2 variants
Thieves hidden in oil casks. In one cask is oil; in the others the robbers are hidden. The girl kills them. 2 variants
Secret formula for opening treasure mountain overheard from robbers (Open Sesame). 2 variants
Foolish attempt of second man to overhear secrets (from animals, demons etc.). He is punished. 2 variants
Secret wealth betrayed by money left in borrowed money-scales. 2 variants
Underground treasure chambers. 1 variant
Treasure in underground chamber (cavern). 1 variant

Type numbers and names after Aarne–Thompson–Uther, via Hagedorn, trilogy (2022), CC-BY-NC-SA; motif links weighted by the dataset’s recorded tale variants. Served as classification facts with attribution.