TSV

Motif-Index of Folk-Literature - TSV

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.