Markdown
Motif-Index of Folk-Literature - Markdown
The Motif-Index of Folk-Literature is a six-volume catalogue of folk-literature motifs compiled by American folklorist Stith Thompson. The first edition was published between 1932 and 1936, with a revised and expanded edition released from 1955 to 1958. It classifies motifs found in folktales, legends, myths, ballads, fables, medieval romances, exempla, fabliaux, jest-books, and local legends from around the world into 23 categories from A to Z (excluding I, O, and Y), containing thousands of motifs. It is widely used as an international standard tool in comparative folklore studies.
folklore
folktales
motif
folk-literature
comparative studies
classification system
Thompson
| code | slug | name | description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A | mythological-motifs | Mythological Motifs | Motifs related to creators, gods, demigods, cosmogony, and establishment of natural order. |
| B | animals | Animals | Motifs concerning mythical animals, magic animals, and relationships between humans and animals. |
| C | tabu | Tabu | Motifs of taboos related to supernatural beings, sex, eating, looking, speaking, and punishments for breaking them. |
| D | magic | Magic | Motifs of transformation, magic objects, and magical powers and their manifestations. |
| E | the-dead | The Dead | Motifs concerning resuscitation, ghosts and revenants, reincarnation, and the soul. |
| F | marvels | Marvels | Motifs of otherworldly journeys, marvelous creatures, and extraordinary places and things. |
| G | ogres | Ogres | Motifs concerning ogres, giants, witches, devils, and other monsters. |
| H | tests | Tests | Motifs of identity tests, marriage tests, wisdom tests, tasks, and quests. |
| J | the-wise-and-the-foolish | The Wise and the Foolish | Motifs of acquiring wisdom, wise acts, foolish acts, cleverness, and folly. |
| K | deceptions | Deceptions | Motifs of deception for victory, fraudulent bargains, theft, and trickery. |
| L | reversal-of-fortune | Reversal of Fortune | Motifs of humble heroes triumphing, fall of the proud, and unexpected changes in fortune. |
| M | ordaining-the-future | Ordaining the Future | Motifs of prophecies, vows, bargains, curses, and other acts that determine the future. |
| N | chance-and-fate | Chance and Fate | Motifs of good luck, bad luck, chance discoveries, and the power of fate. |
| P | society | Society | Motifs concerning royalty, nobility, occupations, family relations, and social institutions. |
| Q | rewards-and-punishments | Rewards and Punishments | Motifs of rewards for good deeds, punishments for evil deeds, and karmic justice. |
| R | captives-and-fugitives | Captives and Fugitives | Motifs of captivity, escape, pursuit, and rescue. |
| S | unnatural-cruelty | Unnatural Cruelty | Motifs of cruel relatives, abandonment of children, persecution, and inhumane acts. |
| T | sex | Sex | Motifs of courtship, marriage, sexual relations, birth, and domestic life. |
| U | the-nature-of-life | The Nature of Life | Motifs concerning truths about life, nature of the world, and philosophical insights. |
| V | religion | Religion | Motifs of religious acts, saints, miracles, and faith. |
| W | traits-of-character | Traits of Character | Motifs of virtues, vices, and character traits. |
| X | humor | Humor | Motifs of jokes, jests, comic situations, and satire. |
| Z | miscellaneous-groups-of-motifs | Miscellaneous Groups of Motifs | Motifs not classified elsewhere including formulistic elements, cumulative tales, and symbolic numbers. |