INI

Folktale Type Index (ATU Classification) - INI

The Folktale Type Index (ATU Classification) is an international folktale classification system established by Finnish folklorist Antti Aarne in 1910 and subsequently expanded and revised by Stith Thompson and Hans-Jörg Uther. It organizes folktales from around the world into major categories such as Animal Tales, Tales of Magic, Anecdotes and Jokes, and Formula Tales, assigning AT numbers (ATU numbers) to systematically classify each tale type. This classification system is widely used as the global standard in folklore studies and comparative literature, enabling comparative research of similar narratives across different cultural regions.

folklore folktales oral literature comparative literature narrative types ATU classification Aarne-Thompson

[item.animal-tales]
code=1-299
slug=animal-tales
name=Animal Tales
description=Classification for folktales featuring animals as main characters.
examples=["The Lion and the Mouse","The Fox and the Crow","The Bremen Town Musicians"]
subcategories=[{"code":"1-99","name":"Wild Animals"},{"code":"100-149","name":"Wild Animals and Domestic Animals"},{"code":"150-199","name":"Wild Animals and Humans"},{"code":"200-219","name":"Domestic Animals"},{"code":"220-299","name":"Other Animals and Objects"}]

[item.tales-of-magic]
code=300-749
slug=tales-of-magic
name=Tales of Magic
description=Folktales featuring supernatural elements, magic, and miracles.
examples=["Cinderella","Snow White","Little Red Riding Hood","Rapunzel","Bluebeard"]
subcategories=[{"code":"300-399","name":"Supernatural Adversaries"},{"code":"400-459","name":"Supernatural or Enchanted Relatives"},{"code":"460-499","name":"Supernatural Tasks"},{"code":"500-559","name":"Supernatural Helpers"},{"code":"560-649","name":"Magic Objects"},{"code":"650-699","name":"Supernatural Power or Knowledge"},{"code":"700-749","name":"Other Tales of the Supernatural"}]

[item.religious-tales]
code=750-849
slug=religious-tales
name=Religious Tales
description=Folktales dealing with religious themes such as God, saints, heaven, and hell.
examples=["Miracles of Saints","Heaven and Hell","Pact with the Devil"]
subcategories=[{"code":"750-779","name":"God Rewards and Punishes"},{"code":"780-791","name":"The Truth Comes to Light"},{"code":"800-809","name":"Heaven"},{"code":"810-826","name":"The Devil"},{"code":"827-849","name":"Other Religious Tales"}]

[item.realistic-tales]
code=850-999
slug=realistic-tales
name=Realistic Tales (Novelle)
description=Folktales set in the real world without supernatural elements.
examples=["The Clever Peasant Girl","Faithful John","Doctor Know-All"]
subcategories=[{"code":"850-869","name":"The Princess's Hand is Won"},{"code":"870-879","name":"The Woman Marries the Prince"},{"code":"880-899","name":"Proofs of Fidelity and Innocence"},{"code":"900-909","name":"The Obstinate Wife Learns to Obey"},{"code":"910-919","name":"Good Precepts"},{"code":"920-929","name":"Clever Acts and Words"},{"code":"930-999","name":"Tales of Fate"}]

[item.tales-of-ogre]
code=1000-1199
slug=tales-of-ogre
name=Tales of the Stupid Ogre (Giant, Devil)
description=Folktales about outwitting stupid giants, ogres, or devils through cleverness.
examples=["The Brave Little Tailor","Puss in Boots","Jack and the Beanstalk"]
subcategories=[{"code":"1000-1029","name":"Labor Contract"},{"code":"1030-1059","name":"Partnership between Man and Ogre"},{"code":"1060-1114","name":"Contest between Man and Ogre"},{"code":"1115-1144","name":"Man Kills Ogre"},{"code":"1145-1154","name":"Ogre Frightened"},{"code":"1155-1169","name":"Man Threatens Ogre's Life"},{"code":"1170-1199","name":"Man Outwits the Devil"}]

[item.anecdotes-and-jokes]
code=1200-1999
slug=anecdotes-and-jokes
name=Anecdotes and Jokes
description=Humorous tales about fools and clever people.
examples=["Tales of the Wise Men of Gotham","Trickster Tales","Baron Munchausen"]
subcategories=[{"code":"1200-1349","name":"Stories about Fools"},{"code":"1350-1439","name":"Stories about Married Couples"},{"code":"1440-1524","name":"Stories about Women"},{"code":"1525-1639","name":"The Clever Man"},{"code":"1640-1674","name":"Lucky Accidents"},{"code":"1675-1724","name":"The Stupid Man"},{"code":"1725-1849","name":"Jokes about Clergymen"},{"code":"1850-1874","name":"Anecdotes about Other Groups"},{"code":"1875-1999","name":"Tall Tales"}]

[item.formula-tales]
code=2000-2399
slug=formula-tales
name=Formula Tales
description=Folktales with formulaic structures such as cumulative or chain patterns.
examples=["The Rolling Rice Ball","The Enormous Turnip","This is the House that Jack Built"]
subcategories=[{"code":"2000-2100","name":"Cumulative Tales"},{"code":"2200-2299","name":"Catch Tales"},{"code":"2300-2399","name":"Other Formula Tales"}]

[item.unclassified-tales]
code=2400-2499
slug=unclassified-tales
name=Unclassified Tales
description=Folktales that do not fit into the above categories.
examples=["Regional folktales","Composite tales"]
subcategories=[]