Motif-Index of Folk-Literature/Volume 1/B/500

by Stith Thompson

B500—B599. Services of helpful animals.

B500. Magic power from animals. — Type 675; Fb "ønske" III 1179a. — Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Missouri French: Carrière; N. A. Indian: *Thompson Tales 317 n. 146c; Africa (Angola): Chatelain 71 No. 3. (Cf. B100—B199 Magic animals.)

B109.1.2. Dog whose skin turns water into wine. D684. Transformation by helpful animal. D810. Magic object a gift. D1720. Acquisition of magic power. D1834. Magic strength from helping animal. D1903. Power of inducing love given by animals. F405.5. Cat, dog, and mouse ward off evil spirit. Man takes these animals along with him as protection. F980. Extraordinary occurrences concerning animals.

B501. Animal gives part of body as talisman for summoning its aid. *Types 531, 552, 553; BP III 18ff., 424ff.; Malone PMLA XLIII 407; *Fb "fjer" I 301, "hâr" I 771b. — Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "talisman"; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 15; Missouri-French: Carrière; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys. — Persian: Carnoy 290, 331. — Africa (Kaffir): Theal 85, (Swahili): Steere 199; N. A. Indian (Pawnee): Dorsey MAFLS VIII 102.

D532. Transformation by putting on claw, feather, etc. of helpful animal. D1021. Magic feather. D1023. Magic hair of animal. D1421. Magic object summons helper. D2074.1. Animals magically called.

B501.1. Buffalo give hero horns for summoning them.

D1011.1. Magic animal horn. D1421.5.1. Magic horn summons army for rescue. D2074.1.1. Buffalo magically called.

B501.1.1. Merry horn and angry horn for summoning buffalo. When all is well hero is to blow on merry-horn; when in trouble on angry-horn. — India: Thompson-Balys.

B501.2. Kite teaches rhyme by which he may be summoned for help. India: Thompson-Balys.

D1273. Magic formula (charm). H12. Recognition by song (music).

B501.3. Animal gives jewel for summoning him when in need of help. India: Thompson-Balys.

B501.4. Birds give hero feather to burn if he is in difficulty. India: Thompson-Balys.

B505. Magic object received from animal. *Types 560, 561; *Aarne MSFO XXV 3—82; BP II 451ff., 537; Type 554*; *Köhler-Bolte I 440; Hartland Perseus III 199; Breton: Sébillot Incidents s.v. "talisman"; Missouri-French: Carrière. — India: *Thompson-Balys; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 37 No. 24. — Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman 221 No. 10, (Basuto): Jacottet 214 No. 31. See also references in B375.1.

D810. Magic object a gift. J130. Wisdom (knowledge) acquired from animals.

B505.1. Magic object received from animal brother-in-law. *Type 552. — N. A. Indian (Micmac): Thompson CColl II 409ff.

B314. Helpful animal brothers-in-law.

B505.2. Animal tells hero where to find magic object. (Cf. B560.) — French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule.

B505.3. Magic song received from fish. (Cf. B470.) — Chinese: Graham.

B510. Healing by animals.

D1342. Magic object gives health. D1500. Magic object controls disease. D2161. Magic healing power. F950. Marvelous cures.

B511. Animal as healer.

B511.1. Snake as healer. *Chauvin VII 25 No. 373 F note 5; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 648; Jewish: Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys.

B491.1. Helpful serpent.

B511.1.1. Snake creeps into man's mouth and heals him. Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV 132 No. 78; Finnish: Aarne FFC XXXIII 46 No. 78.

B511.1.2. Snake heals mutilated maiden with magic herbs. Italian Novella: Rotunda.

B511.1.3. Helpful hedgehog forces snake to suck out poison from bitten raja. India: Thompson-Balys.

B511.2. Pig as healer.

B183. Magic boar (pig).

B511.2.1. Magic pig heals wound its skin touches. Irish myth: Cross.

B183.9. Skin of magic pig heals wounds.

B511.2.2. Magic pig heals wounds by licking. Irish myth: Cross.

B511.3. Faithful horse pushes sleep thorn out of its master's head, so that he awakes. Icel.: Boberg.

D1364.2. Sleep-thorn. D1978.3. Waking from magic sleep by removal of enchanting instrument.

B511.4. Rat cures man of wound. S. A. Indian (Cashinawa): Métraux BBAE 143 III 685.

B511.5. Bird heals man. Chinese-Persian: Coyajee JPASB XXIV 185f.; Alu: Wheeler 60; Papua: Ker 103.

B511.5.1. Vulture cures blindness. India: Thompson-Balys.

B512. Medicine shown by animal. It heals another animal with a medicine (herb, water, etc.) and thus shows the man the remedy. Sometimes the medicine resuscitates the dead. (The animal is most frequently the serpent. (Cf. B491.) — *Type 160, 303, 590, 612; *BP I 128; Chauvin II 106 No. 71; Kittredge Gawain 153 n. 4; Wesselski Märchen 239f. No. 50. — *Krappe Papers and Trans, of Jubilee Cong. of Folk-Lore Soc. 277ff. — *Fb "blad" IV 44a; *Frazer Apollodorus I 312 n. 2. — Icel.: Boberg, Volsunga saga ch. 8.; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. N. A. Indian: Thompson Tales 354 n. 279.

D955. Magic leaf. D965. Magic plant. D1500.1.18. Magic healing water. D1505.5. Magic water restores sight. E80. Water of life. E105. Resuscitation by herbs (leaves). E181. Means of resuscitation learned. N452. Secret remedy overheard in conversation of animals (witches). W154.8. Grateful animals; ungrateful man.

B513. Remedy learned from overhearing animal meeting. The hero learns how to cure his own blindness and the sickness of the king (princess).— Spanish Exempla: Keller; Missouri-French: Carrière; India: Thompson-Balys. — See references for B235.

B235. Secrets discussed in animal meeting. B561. Animals tell hero their secrets.

B514. Animal fetches remedy for man. Missouri-French: Carrière.

B514.1. Grateful fox fetches fox liver as remedy. Japanese: Mitford 261ff.

B441. Helpful fox.

B514.2. Bee fetches balm from heaven to restore hero's speech. Finnish: Kalevala rune 15.

B514.3. Snake gives man antidote for poison. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 163 No. 32.

D1317.0.1. Magic object detects poison. D1383. Magic object protects from poison. D1515. Magic antidote for poison.

B515. Resuscitation by animals. *Types 300, 665. Italian Novella: Rotunda; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.

E0. Resuscitation.

B516. Sight restored by animal. India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Greenland): Holm 31, Rasmussen I 312, III 203, Rink 100, (Smith Sound): Kroeber JAFL XII 169, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 169, (Central Eskimo): Boas RBAE VI 626.

B520. Animals save person's life. See also B540. — Greek: Frazer Apollodorus I 372 n. 1 (horse). — Icel.: *Boberg; Missouri-French: Carrière; Panchatantra III 8 (tr. Ryder) 334; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 1260; Chinese: Eberhard FFC CXX 25, 28, 31, 84; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen 76.

D699.1. Eyes of hero's buffalo friend turn into two powerful dogs that protect his wife. K528.1. Substitute smoker. K640. Escape by help of confederate. K645. Monkey saves condemned birds through feigned dream. K644. Monkey attracts attention of mowers until young birds can fly away from the harvest field. K2351. Animals help in military victory. R243. Fugitives aided by a helpful animal.

B521. Animal warns of fatal danger. India: *Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman; U.S.: Baughman; Africa (Duala): Lederbogen Märchen 75, (Fang): Trilles 138, (Loango): Pechuël-Loesche 109.

B140. Prophetic animals. R243. Fugitives aided by a helpful animal.

B521.1. Animal wams against poison. Fable: Halm Aesop No. 120, Wienert FFC LVI 70 (ET 338), 127 (ST 353), (eagle). — India: Thompson-Balys; Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 76 No. 12 (ox).

B131.5. Peacock's feathers ruffled in presence of poison. D1317.0.1. Magic object detects poison. D1383. Magic object protects from poison. D1515. Magic antidote for poison.

B521.1.1. Horse advises hero not to wash in water (as his false wife told him to) or his eyes will pop out. — India: Thompson-Balys.

B521.1.2. Animal warns man against drinking. India: Thompson-Balys.

B521.2. Animal warns against accident.

B521.2.1. Eagle saves man from falling wall. The grateful eagle swoops down and takes the man's hat, and thus gets him away from the wall that is about to fall. — Fable: Babrius No. 144, Halm Aesop No. 92, Wienert FFC 70 (ET 339), 127 (ST 353).

B521.3. Animals warn against attack. Icel.: Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Africa (Zulu): Callaway 87.

B133.1. Horse warns of danger. B141.1. Bird gives warning. D1317. Magic object warns of danger.

B521.3.1. Dogs warn against witch. Jamaica: *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 270 No. 82; Eskimo (Greenland): Rink 452.

G250. Recognition of witches.

B521.3.2. Cackling geese spread alarm. *Frazer Fasti II 175 n. 5.

B576.1. Animal as guard of person or house.

B521.3.3. Flea's bite alarms king. Robber tells flea of plan to rob king. During the robbery the flea bites and awakens the king. — *Chauvin II 197 No. 29.

B521.3.3.1. Prince awakened by fly on his nose in time to save himself from enemy. India: Thompson-Balys.

B521.3.4. Dog warns of pursuit. Irish myth: Cross; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 536.

B521.3.5. Owl warns other birds from limed net. India: Thompson-Balys.

B521.4. Animals warn wife of husband's danger. Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 252.

B521.5. Owl saves man from plunging over cliff. Flaps wings and arrests man's attention. — Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 124.

B521.6. Birds warn of enemy's approach. Hawaii: Beckwith Myth 390.

B522. Animal saves man from death sentence. India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman.

J1130. Cleverness in law court.

B522.1. Serpent shows condemned man how to save prince's life. Bites the prince and then shows the man the proper remedy (cf. B512). By thus ingratiating himself the man is freed from false accusation. — *Type 160; Chauvin II 106 No. 71. — Spanish Exempla: Keller; Clouston Tales I 230; Bødker Exempler 304 No. 75; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda. — Africa (Vai): Ellis 230 No. 39.

W154.8. Grateful animals; ungrateful man.

B522.2. Kite steals jewels and thus saves condemned man. Innocent man in possession of stolen jewels, is about to be apprehended. Kite carries off the jewels and saves him. — *Penzer IV 192 n. 1; India: *Thompson-Balys.

N352. Bird carries off ring which lover has taken from sleeping mistress' finger. He searches for the ring and becomes separated from her.

B522.3. Woman slandered as adulteress is thrown into lion pit. Lions do not harm her. — Italian Novella: Rotunda.

B443. Helpful lion. D1714. Magic power of chaste woman. F980. Extraordinary occurrences concerning animals. H413. Special powers of chaste woman. K2110. Slanders.

B522.4. Eagle carries off condemned child. Irish myth: Cross.

B552. Man carried by bird. R122. Miraculous rescue. R131. Exposed or abandoned child rescued.

B522.4.1. Circling cranes carry away girl. Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 480.

B523. Animal saves man from pursuer. Missouri-French: Carrière.

B521.3.4. Dog warns of pursuit. D1393. Magic object helps fugitive. R246. Crane-bridge.

B523.1. Spider-web over hole saves fugitive. (Cf. A2221.5.) — Type 967*; *Dh II 66f. — *Wesselski Theorie 42. — Jewish: Neuman, Bin Gorion Born Judas2 III 115ff., Grünbaum Neue Beiträge zur Semitischen Sagenkunde 195; Lappish: Qvigstad Lappiske Eventyr I No. 32, II No. 68. — India: Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa (Fang): Trilles 139.

B523.2. Whale fights monster pursuing saint. Irish myth: Cross.

B472. Helpful Whale.

B523.3. Great clam fights hero's pursuer. Tahiti: Beckwith Myth 260.

B524. Animal overcomes man's adversary. India: *Thompson-Balys.

D2156.8.1. Saint sends tigers against murderers. H1588. Contest of dogs. Two opponents test their powers by having their dogs fight.

B524.1. Animals overcome man's adversary by force. English: Wells Manual of Writings 66 (Ywain and Gawain); Irish myth: Cross; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 98 No. 327; India: *Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (Bering Strait): Nelson RBAE XVIII 493, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 187.

B17. Hostile animals. B187.3.3. Magic whelp kills hound by jumping down its throat. B776.1. Venomous sheep destroy enemy.

B524.1.1. Dogs kill attacking cannibal (dragon). *Type 300; *BP I 547. — Irish myth: Cross; French Canadian: Barbeau JAFL XXIX 20. — Africa (Basuto): Jacottet 56 No. 9, (Zulu): Callaway 51, (Kaffir): Kidd 226 No. 1.

B11.11. Fight with dragon. B11.11.2. Hero's dogs (horse) prevent dragon's heads from reJoining body. B187. Magic dog. G275.2. Witch overcome by helpful dogs of hero.

B524.1.2. Dogs rescue fleeing master from tree refuge. *Parsons Zs. f. Ethnologie LIV 1—29, MAFLS XVII 271 No. 82. — See also most of African references in B421.

G275.2. Witch overcome by helpful dogs of hero. R251. Flight on a tree, which ogre tries to cut down.

B524.1.2.1. Dogs break bonds and kill master's attacker. Type 327; India: Thompson-Balys.

B524.1.3. Cat kills attacking rat. Japanese: Ikeda, Mitford 253ff.

B524.1.4. Wolf defends master's child against serpent. Malone PMLA XLIII 420; Irish myth: Cross.

B524.1.4.1. Dog defends master's child against animal assailant. Irish myth: Cross.

B331.2. Llewellyn and his dog.

B524.1.5. Helpful buffaloes tramp hero's enemies to death. India: Thompson-Balys.

B524.1.5.1. Helpful buffaloes save hero from tiger. India: Thompson-Balys.

B524.1.6. Helpful bird kills snake attacking master's wife and child. Africa (Mbundu): JAFL XXXV 136ff. No. 16.

B524.1.7. Horse kills master's attacking enemies. Irish myth: Cross.

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B589. Animal helps man to wealth and greatness — miscellaneous.

B589.1. Eagle regains throne for deposed king. India: Thompson-Balys.

B590. Miscellaneous services of helpful animals.

A34. Birds as creator's servants. A165.1.1. Birds as messengers of the gods. A165.1.2. Cock as ambassador of god. A812. Earth diver. A1021.2. Bird scouts sent out from ark. A1415.2. Theft of fire by animals. A2221.2.1. Flies on Christ's body rewarded. B292. Animal in service to man.

B591. Animal avenges murder. Jewish: Neuman.

B301.2. Faithful animal at master's grave avenges his murder. Q211. Murder punished. Q557. Miraculous punishment through animal.

B591.0.1. Animals refuse to devour Cain to avenge murder of Abel. Jewish: Neuman.

B591.1. Lion kills wolf who has killed mistress' sheep. Africa (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 131 No. 24.

B591.2. Horse kicks to death master's murderer. India: Thompson-Balys.

B592. Animals bequeath characteristics to man. Horse gives him the characteristics of youth (fiery), cow of middle age (avaricious), and the dog of old age (fractious). — Fable: Halm Aesop No. 173; BP III 290; Köhler-Bolte I 42ff.; Babrius No. 74; Wienert FFC LVI *70 (ET 347), 127 (ST 358).

A1321. Man and animals readjust span of life. Man is given a portion of animals' lives.

B593. Animal as house-spirit.

A411. Household gods. F480. House-spirits.

B593.1. Snake as house-spirit. *Fb "snog" III 436b.

B594. Animal rejuvenates person.

D1338. Magic object rejuvenates. D1880. Magic rejuvenation.

B594.1. Bird rejuvenates person (Cf. B172). — *Chauvin VI 73f. No. 239.

B596. Animal helps saint by setting fire to neglected church. Irish myth: Cross.

B597. Cow gives marvelous supply of milk through virtue of saint. Irish myth: Cross.

B109.4.3. Cow gives milk without cessation. B182. Magic cow. D1652.3. Cow with inexhaustible milk.

B598. Animal as confederate of adulterous wife.

K1591. Seventy tales of a parrot prevent a wife's adultery.

B598.1. Boar as confederate of adulterous wife. India: Thompson-Balys.

B598.2. Deer as confederate of adulterous wife. India: Thompson-Balys.

B599. Other services of helpful animals.

B599.1. Cock and hen build pyre for benefactor. India: Thompson-Balys.

B599.2. Animal helps person pass test. India: Thompson-Balys.

H162. Recognition of disguised princess by bee lighting on her.

B599.3. Elephant draws plow to mark boundaries of empire. Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 528.