The Motif-Index of Folk-Literature is a six volume catalogue of motifs, granular elements of folklore, composed by American folklorist Stith Thompson (1932–1936, revised and expanded 1955–1958). Often referred to as Thompson's motif-index, the catalogue has been extensively used in folklore studies, where folklorists commonly use it in tandem with the Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index (ATU), an index used for folktale type analysis.
The motif-index and the ATU indices are regarded as standard tools in the study of folklore. For example, folklorist Mary Beth Stein said that, "Together with Thompson's six-volume Motif-Index of Folk-Literature, with which it is cross-indexed, The Types of Folktale constitutes the most important reference work and research tool for comparative folk-tale analysis.”Stein (2015:1). Alan Dundes, who was an outspoken critic, also said substantially the same thing, without confining the application to comparative studies: "[the indices] constitute two of the most valuable tools in the professional folklorist's arsenal of aids for analysis".Dundes (1997: 195)
Concise outlines of both indices appear in Thompson's The Folktale (1946).Thompson (1977 : 481-500)
Terminology In the context of the index, Thompson has defined motif as follows: "A motif is the smallest element in a tale having a power to persist in tradition. In order to have this power it must have something unusual and striking about it".Thompson (1977: 415).
But in the Motif-index itself, Thompson had also provided a more "cautious" definition:Benson (1999: 23) "[a]nything that goes to make up a traditional narrative ... When the term motif is employed, it is always in a very loose sense, and is made to include any of the elements of narrative structure".Motif-index 19
This use of the noun motif is specialized to the field of folklore studies. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, folkloristic use of the noun motif is not summed up in the definition for literary criticism ("Motif", def. 3a), but deserves its own separate sense of this definition ("Motif", def. 3b)."Motif". Def. 3a and 3b. 2008. Oxford English Dictionary Online Database. 3rd ed. Oxford, Oxford UP, 1989. Web. 10 December 2011. Similarly, the compound noun motif index is used in cultural anthropology to denote "an index of standard motifs, esp. those found in folk tales"."Motif Index". Def. C2. 2008. Oxford English Dictionary Online Database. 3rd ed. Oxford, Oxford UP. Web. 10 December 2011.
System Thompson discusses composing the Motif-Index of Folk-Literature in his autobiography, A Folklorist's Progress: Reflection of a Scholar's Life.Cf. Thompson (1996: 89, 100, 307). In producing the motif-index, Thompson built upon the research of Finnish folklorist Antti Aarne, who in 1910 published an index of European tale-types. Thompson himself had revised this in 1928 to cover the region from Europe to Asia: this is known as the Aarne-Thompson tale type index.Uther (2004: 284-286). In his Motif-Index, Thompson then compiled, classified, and numbered the traditional motifs of the mostly European folktale types in the tale-type index.Dundes (1997: 195-202).
Thompson's motif-index organizes thousands of motifs. Entries are first organized by an umbrella topic (for example, category S is "Unnatural Cruelty"). Entries are then divided into more specific subcategories. For example, entry S50 "Cruel relatives-in-law" contains the sub-entry S51.1 "Cruel mother-in-law plans death of daughter-in-law". Thompson's The Folktale includes the following overview of the motif-index:Thompson (1946: 488-).
A. Mythological motifs A0–A99 Creator A21 Creator from above A21.1 Male and female creators A100–A499 Gods A116 Twin gods A116.1 Twin gods – one mortal, other immortal A210 Sky god A500–A599 Demigods and culture heroes A515 Pair of culture heroes A515.1 Culture hero brothers A515.1.1.1 Twin culture heroes sired by two fathers A600–A899 Cosmogony and cosmology A716.1 Four suns at first: culture hero shoots three down A751 Man in the Moon A751.2 Man in the Moon a rabbit (or other animal) A773 Origin of the Pleiades A812 Earth Diver A900–A999 Topological A1000–A1099 World calamities A1100–A1199 Establishment of natural order A1115.2 Why the Sea is Salt: magic salt mill A1200–A1699 Creation and ordering of human life A1411 Theft of light A1415 Theft of fire A1700–A1799 Creation of animal life A2200–A2599 Animal characteristics A2600–A2699 Origins of trees and plants B. Animals B0–B99 Mythical animals B32 Phoenix B100–B199 Magic animals B100–B119 Treasure animals B120–B169 Animals with magic wisdom B170–B199 Other magic animals B200–B299 Animals with human traits B215.1 Bird language B300–B599 Friendly animals B300–B349 Helpful animals―general B350–B399 Grateful Animals B400–B499 Kinds of helpful animals B500–B599 Services of helpful animals B582.1.1 Animal wins wife for his master (Puss in Boots). B600–B699 Marriage of person to animal B640 Marriage to person in animal form B650 Marriage to animal in human form B700–B799 Fanciful traits of animals C. Taboo C0–C99 Taboo connected with supernatural beings C100–C199 Sex taboo C200–C299 Eating and drinking taboo C300–C399 Looking taboo C400–C499 Speaking taboo C900–C999 Punishment for breaking taboo C961.1 Transformation to pillar of salt for breaking taboo D. Magic D0–D699 Transformation D10–D99 Transformation of man to different man D100–D199 Transformation: man to animal D113.1.1 Werewolf D200–D299 Transformation: man to object D300–D399 Transformation: animals to person D361.1 Swan maiden D400–D499 Other forms of transformation D450–D499 Transformation: object to object D500–D599 Means of transformation D600–D699 Miscellaneous transformation incidents D700–D799 Repeated transformation D732 Loathly lady D735.1 Beauty and the beast: disenchantment by kiss D800–D1699 Magic objects D800–D899 Ownership of magic objects D900–D1299 Kinds of magic objects D990–D1029 Magic bodily members D1070 Magic ornaments D1076 Magic ring D1080 Magic weapons D1081 Magic swords D1081.1 Sword of magic origin D1470 Magic object as provider D1470.1.46 Magic hammer D1520 Magic object affords miraculous transportation D1521.1 Seven-league boots D1550 Magic object miraculously opens and closes D1552.2 Mountain opens to magic formula (Open sesame) D1600–D1699 Characteristics of magic objects D1700–2199 Magic powers and manifestations D1710–D1799 Manifestations of magic power D1711 Magician D1719 Possession of magic powers — miscellaneous D1719.5 Magic power of a fairy D1719.6 Magic power of a Holy Cross D1720 Acquisition of magic powers D1740 Loss of magic powers D1761 Magic results produced by wishing
D1800–D2199 Possession and means of employment of magic D1800–D1949 Lasting magic qualities D1830 Magic strength D1831 Magic strength resides in hair D1950–D2049 Magic characteristics D1960 Magic sleep D1960.2 Kyffhäuser or king asleep in mountain D2003 Forgotten fiancée D2050–D2099 Destructive magic powers D2100–D2199 Other manifestations of magic power D2100 Magic wealth E. The dead E0–E199 Resuscitation E200–E599 Ghosts and other revenants E215 The Dead Rider (Lenore) E251 Vampire E341 The grateful dead E491 Procession of the dead E501 Wild Hunt E600–E699 Reincarnation E700–E799 The soul F. Marvels F0–F199 Otherworldly journeys F200–F699 Marvelous creatures F535.1 Thumbling F700–F899 Extraordinary places and things G. Ogres (and Satan) G10–G399 Kinds of ogres G20 Ghouls; persons eat corpses G84 Fee-fi-fo-fum G100–G199 Giant ogres G200–G299 Witches G264 La Belle Dame sans Merci G300–G399 Other ogres G400–G499 Falling into ogre's power G500–G599 Ogre defeated H. Tests H0–H199 Identity tests: recognition H41.1 Princess on the pea H300–H499 Marriage tests H500–H899 Tests of cleverness H900–H1199 Tests of prowess: Tasks H1200–H1399 Tests of prowess: Quests H1337 Quest for sword of light J. The wise and the foolish J0–J199 Acquisition and possession of wisdom/knowledge J200–J1099 Wise and unwise conduct J1100–J1699 Cleverness J1185.1 Scheherazade: story with indefinite sequels told to stave off execution J1700–J2799 Fools (and other unwise persons) J1703 Town (country) of fools J2021 Numskulls cannot find their own legs J2100 Remedies worse than the disease (examples in Molbo story and Wise Men of Chelm) K. Deceptions K0–K99 Contests won by deception K100–K299 Deceptive bargains K112.2 "Soup stone" sold K300–K499 Thefts and Cheats K301 Master thief K445 The emperor's new clothes K500–K699 Escape by deception K700–K799 Capture by deception K800–K999 Fatal deception K1000–K1199 Deception into self-injury K1200–K1299 Deception into humiliating position K1300–K1399 Seduction or deceptive marriage K1400–K1499 Dupe's property destroyed K1400–K1599 Deceptions connected with adultery K1600–K1699 Deceiver falls into own trap K1700–K1799 Deception through bluffing K1800–K1899 Deceptions by disguise or illusion K1900–K1999 Impostures K2100–K2199 False accusations K2110.1 Calumniated wife K2111 Potiphar's wife L. Reversal of fortune M. Ordaining the future M223 Rash promise N. Chance and fate N411.1 Whittington's cat P. Society Q. Rewards and punishment R. Captives and fugitives S. Unnatural Cruelty T. Sex T80 Tragic love T83 Hero and Leander U. The nature of life V. Religion W. Traits of character X. Humor Z. Miscellaneous groups of motifs
Relation to tale-type index The idea has been expressed that a combined set of motifs (in the motif-index) may constitute a folktale narrative (cf. the description of the Motif-Index as "a huge catalogue of folk narrative elements that may variously combine to form whole folk narratives" by Jan Harold Brunvand).
This idea had already been anticipated by Alexander Veselovsky who wrote that a "cluster of motifs" constituted a "plot", influencing Russian formalists like Vladimir Propp, whose study prefigured Thompson's Motif-Index, as has been pointed out.Benson (1999: 23–24, 252–253 n9, 10)
In the book The Folktale, Thompson invokes this phrase "cluster of motifs" in several passages, as here, in connection with tales involving the dead helper:Thompson (1977:50).
But in this instance, Thompson is warning that the motif cluster is rather "only a framework for the adventures of the hero", containing "at least three different tales within".Thompson (1977:52).
Thompson also explains that a single motif may be found in numerous folktales "from all parts of the earth" (383).
Editions (print and digitised)
Print editions Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folk-Tales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books, and Local Legends, FF Communications, 106–109, 116–117, 6 vols (Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia/Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 1932–36)/Indiana University Studies, 96–97, 100–101, 105–106, 108–112, 6 vols (Bloomington, Ind, 1932–1936). Stith Thompson, Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folk-Tales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books, and Local Legends, rev. and enl. edn, 6 vols (Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Bagger, 1955–58).
Digitisations of the second edition (book format) Reissued on CD-ROM Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993.See further Allen Smith, 'JAL Guide to Software, Courseware and CD-ROM: Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk Literature', Journal of Academic Librarianship, 20, no. 4 (1994), 255.
Other motif indices Many folklorists have produced extensive motif and tale-type indices for culture areas not covered by Thompson, or covered only to a limited extent. For surveys, see Azzolina, David S. 1987. Tale type- and motif-indexes: An annotated bibliography. New York, London: Garland.