Motif-Index of Folk-Literature/Volume 1/A/2500

by Stith Thompson

A2500—A2599. Animal characteristics—miscellaneous.

A2500. Animal characteristics—miscellaneous.

A2510. Utility of animals.

A2510.1. Why reindeer has so many qualities. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 86 No. 58e.

A2511. Why flesh of animal is good.

A2511.1. Why black bears are better eating than grizzly bears. Kaska: Teit JAFL XXX 448.

A2512. Animal useful because of power of scenting.

A2512.1. Why dog can follow animal's scent. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2513. Why certain animals serve men. Dh III 249ff. — Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3108.

A2513.0.1. Eanstence of animals depends upon existence of man. Jewish: Neuman.

A2513.1. Origin of dog's service. Dog must serve and obey man for meager recompense. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 3109; India: *Thompson-Balys.

A2513.1.1. Dog looks for the most powerful master. Stays for good in man's service, since man fears no one. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *205.

A2513.2. How cat was domesticated. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2513.3. How pig was domesticated. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2513.4. Why goat lives with man. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2513.5. Why ox serves man. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2515. Animal useful for bearing burdens.

A2515.1. Why ox is draft animal. (See A2252.2.)

A2520. Disposition of animals.

A2521. Why animal is sad.

A2521.1. Why turtle-dove is sad. Sébillot RTP III 159.

A2522. Why animal is disliked.

A2522.1. Why sparrow is disliked. Sébillot RTP III 159.

A2522.2. Why shrike is disliked. Sébillot RTP III 159.

A2522.3. Why white ants are a pest. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 67 No. 7.

A2522.4. Why skunk is disliked. Inca: Krickeberg Märchen der Azteken und Inkaperuaner 254.

A2522.5. Why crow is disliked. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2522.6. Why wren is disliked. Irish myth: Cross.

A2522.7. Why fly is hated. Africa (Fang): Tressman 79ff.

A2523. Why animal is evil. Jewish: Neuman.

A2523.1. Why hog has evil spirit. (See A2287.1.)

A2523.2. Why snakes are proud. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2523.2.1. Why rattlesnake is dangerous. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 69.

A2524. Why animal is pugnacious (brave, bold).

A2524.1. Why grizzly bears are pugnacious. Kaska: Teit JAFL XXX 448.

A2524.2. Why sandpiper (machetis pugnax) fights. Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 54 No. 104**.

A2524.3. Why bears attack men. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2524.4. Why fish attack anything they find. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2524.5. Why lion is brave. Jewish: Neuman.

A2524.6. Why dog is bold. Jewish: Neuman.

A2525. Why animals are deceptive.

A2525.1. Why hare is deceptive. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 375 No. 1.

A2525.2. Why crab is cunning. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2525.3. Why fox is sly. Jewish: Neuman.

A2526. Why animals are unrestrained.

A2526.1. Why dog lacks restraint. Ojibwa: Jones JAFL XXIX 369.

A2527. Why animal is vain.

A2527.1. Why cock is vain and selfish. Jewish: Neuman.

A2527.2. Why peacock is vain. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 8.

A2528. Why animal is strong.

A2528.1. Why leopard is strong. Jewish: Neuman.

A2531. Why animal is harmless.

A2531.0.1. Wild animals lose their ferocity. Jewish: Neuman. (Cf. A2295.)

A2531.1. Why water serpents are not venomous. (Cf. A2532.1.) — India: Thompson-Balys; Pueblo: Parsons JAFL XXXI 250; Congo: Weeks 213 No. 9.

A2531.2. Why grizzly bear is peaceable. Calif. Indian: Gayton and Newman 95, (Joshua): Frachtenberg JAFL XXVIII 241.

A2531.3. Why elephant is peaceable. Congo: Weeks 214 No. 10.

A2531.3.1. Why elephant flees when cock crows. Africa (Dinka): Casati I 49.

A2532. Why animals are venomous.

A2532.1. Why snakes are venomous. (Cf. A2235.) — Choctaw: Alexander N. Am. 64; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman.

A2219.3. Only one serpent had sting.

A2532.2. Why hairy caterpillar is venomous. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2534. Why animal is timorous.

A2534.1. Why crab is afraid in dark. Jamaica Negro: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 259 No. 54.

A2536. Animals of good omen.

B147. Animal of ill omen.

A2536.1. Why swallow brings good luck. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 86 No. 84a.

A2536.2. Why ring-dove brings good luck. Ila (Rhodesia): Smith and Dale 353 No. 7.

A2536.3. Why spider brings good luck. Africa (Fang): Einstein 99. (Cf. A523.1.)

A2537. Why animal is stupid.

A2537.1. Why fish is stupid. Jewish: Neuman.

A2537.2. Why ass is stupid. Jewish: Neuman.

A2540. Other animal characteristics.

W154.3.1. Lion rescued from net by rat: eats rat.

A2541. Why animal is sacred.

A2541.1. Why bee is sacred. Dh I 215; Sébillot RTP III 158.

A2541.2. Why stork is holy. (See A2221.5.) — Dh III 286; Sébillot RTP III 128.

A2542. Why animal is cursed.

A2542.1. Why magpie is cursed. (See A2231.) — Sébillot RTP III 159.

A2542.1.1. Magpie refuses to get into ark, sits around outside, jabbering over drowned world, is unlucky. (Cf. A2232.4.) England: Baughman.

A2542.2. Why spider is cursed. (See A2231.5.)

A2545. Animal given certain privilege.

A2545.1. Why flies may eat anywhere. (See A2221.2.1, A2229.4.)

A2545.2. Why cat eats first. Lithuanian: Balys Legends No. 225; S. Carolina negro: Davis JAFL XXVII 244 (eats before washing).

A2545.3. Why dog eats first.

A2223.5. Dog guards master's life and wealth: may eat before other animals.

A2545.4. Dog granted proper food. Dh IV 112.

A2545.5. Why wild pigs ravage rice-fields. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2546. Animal granted patent of nobility.

A2546.1. Dog granted patent of nobility. Dh IV 117ff.

A2546.2. Wolf granted patent of nobility. Dh IV 125.

A2547. Why certain animal is king.

B240. King of animals.

A2547.1. Why certain bird is king of birds. India: Thompson-Balys; Ibo (Nigeria): Basden 281.

A2551. Why game is easy to hunt. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 218.

A2552. Why game animals are elusive. S. Am. Indian (Toba): Métraux MAFLS XL 59, (Cavina, Tumapasa): Métraux BBAE CXLIII (3) 448.

A2555. Why certain animals are swift.

A2555.1. Why sheep is a good runner. Tahltan: Teit JAFL XXXII 231.

A2561. Why certain animals are sterile.

A2561.1. Why mule is sterile. Sébillot RTP II 492. — Laguna and Zuñi: Parsons JAFL XXXI 259.

A2571. How animals received their names. *Dh III 186ff. — Marshall Islands: Davenport 222.

A2571.0.1. Adam gives name to all animals. Jewish: Neuman.

A2571.0.2. Adam names male animals, Eve, female. Jewish: Neuman.

A2571.0.3. God gives animals their name on first Sabbath. Jewish: Neuman.

A2571.0.4. Names of animals explained by their characteristics. Jewish: Neuman.

A2571.1. How the blackbird (merulus) received its name. Irish myth: Cross.

A2575. Quarrels introduced among animals. Africa (Congo): Weeks 205 No. 2.

A1599.11. Origin of quarrels.

A2576. Why monkeys do not fall from trees. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2577. Why tiger cannot come down a tree head foremost. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2578. Why animal has long life. Jewish: Neuman.

A2578.1. Why daddy-long-legs has long life. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2578.2. Why eagle has long life. Jewish: Neuman.

A2581. Why tiger lacks some qualities of cats: cat, his teacher, omitted to teach him all he knew. India: Thompson-Balys.

A2582. Why certain animals are plentiful.

A2582.1. Why pigs are plentiful. New Guinea: Ker 13.

A2584. Why particular animals are not found in certain place.

A2584.1. Why certain district is free of mosquitoes. Korean: Zong in-Sob 58, No. 32.

A2584.2. Why ants no longer live on the back of the hare. Korean: Zong in-Sob 33 No. 16.

A2585. Why there is enmity between certain animals and man. Jewish: Neuman.

A2585.1. Origin of enmity between serpent and man. Jewish: Neuman.