Index of Motifs

In this index, tales from Swapping Stories are identified according to their respective numbers in Stith Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature (1955-58). Motifs which end with asterisks "*" or lower-case letters in parentheses "(a)" refer to the supplemental numbers and titles that appear in Ernest W. Baughman's Type and Motif-Index of the Folktales of England and North America (1966). Thus, the following is a Thompson motif: X1301. Lie: the great fish; but this is a supplemental motif introduced by Baughman: X1301.5*(e). Fish leaps, causes tidal wave.

Motif number and international title Number and title of tale as it appears in Swapping Stories.
A930.1.1. Snake as creator of rivers and lakes. 192. How Bayou Teche Was Formed.
A1115.2. Why the sea is salt: magic salt mill. 204. Why the Ocean Is Salty.
A1131.0.1. Regulation of Rains 205. Why the Frog Croaks
A1427. Acquisition of spiritous liquors. 45,46. The First Meeting of the Indians and the Europeans.
A2034. Origin of mosquitoes. 201. The Legend of the Mosquito.
A2219.1. Animal has color spilled on him:
cause of his color.
203. Why the Crow Is Black.
A2356.2.9. Why tortoise has a humpy back. 38. The Turtle and the Rabbit Run a Race.
A2377. Origin of animal characteristics: wings. 197. How the Bat Got His Wings.
A2411.2.1.6. Origin of color of crow. 203. Why the Crow is Black.
A2411.2.6.7. Origin of color of peacock. 203. Why the Crow is Black.
A2412.5.1. Origin of spots on tortoise's back. 38. The Turtle and the Rabbit Run a Race.
A2413.4. Origin of stripes of tiger. 202. How the Tiger Got His Stripes.
B2. Animal totem.

191. A Chitimacha Flood Story.

44. The Deer and the Wildcat.

B53.1. Drowning man rescued by siren. 177. Lifesaving Sirens.
B98. Mythical frog. 205. Why the Frog Croaks.
B122.0.3. Wise owl. 39. Bel's Encounter with a Wise Owl.
B261.1. Bat in war of birds and quadrupeds.

38. The Turtle and the Rabbit Run a Race.

197. How the Bat Got Its Wings.

B512. Medicine shown by animal. 37, 199. Learning from the Bear.
B733. Animals spirit-sighted. 187. Mr. Blue and the Dog Ghost.
C401.3. Tabu: speaking while searching for treasure. 165. A Moaning Ghost and Buried Treasure.
C631. Tabu: breaking the Sabbath. 147. Ben Lily, Strongman of Morehouse Parish.
D113.1.1. Werewolf.

170. A Brush with the Loup Garou.

174. An Oyster-Culling Loup Garou.

176. Loup Garou as Shadow Companion.

D915. Magic river. 173. Two Mysteries of Bayou Go to Hell.
D950. Magic tree.

37, 199. Learning from the Bear.

185. A Holy Tree.

D1240. Magic waters and medicines. 123. A Priest with a Small Parish.
D1542.1. Magic object produces rain. 185. A Holy Tree.
D1652.3.1. Cow gives inexhaustible milk. 21. How the Farmer Saved His Pigs.
D1841.4.3. Walking upon water without wetting the soles or garments. 95. Walking on Water.
D1901. Witch induces love.

179. The Red-Headed Witch of Bogalusa Creek.

66. He Got the Pig and the Girl.

D2172.1. Magic repetition: person must keep on doing or saying thing until released. 179. The Red-Headed Witch of Bogalusa
Creek.
E1. Person comes to life.

18. The Mean Mountaineer.

201. The Legend of the Mosquito.

E113. Resuscitation by blood. 201. The Legend of the Mosquito.
E261. Wandering ghost makes attack. 178. The Silk Lady.
E265.2. Meeting ghost causes madness. 169. The Ghosts of Jean Lafitte's Pirates.
E272. Road-ghosts. 182. Headless Man of Black Bayou.
E291. Ghost protects hidden treasure. 164. The Haint Took It.
E338.1. Nonmalevolent ghost haunts house or castle. 180. The Hammering Ghost of Minden.
E402.1.1.3. Ghost cries and screams. 178. The Silk Lady.
E421.1.2. Ghost visible to horses alone. 187. Mr. Blue and the Dog Ghost.
E421.2 (a). Ghost scares horse. 178. The Silk Lady.
E422.1.1. Headless revenant.

182. Headless Man of Black Bayou.

183. Evie Sees the Headless Man.

E721.1. Soul wanders from body in sleep. 170. A Brush with the Loup Garou.
403.2.2.1. Familiar spirit in animal form. 175. The Shadow Companion.
F403.2.2.3. Familiar spirit equivalent to man's soul.

175. The Shadow Companion.

178. Loup Garou as Shadow Companion.

F610. Remarkably strong man. 147. Ben Lily, Strongman of Morehouse Parish.
F628.1.1.4. Strong man kills bear. 147. Ben Lily, Strongman of Morehouse Parish.
F652. Marvelous sense of smell. 147. Ben Lily, Strongman of Morehouse Parish.
F685. Marvelous withstander of cold. 147. Ben Lily, Strongman of Morehouse Parish.
F687. Person's remarkable odor. 92. They Couldn't Fool a Polecat.
F696. Marvelous swimmer. 149. Shine and the Titanic.
G219.4. Witch with very long hair. 179. The Red-Headed Witch of Bogalusa Creek.
G224.4. Person sells soul to devil in exchange for witch power. 179. The Red-Headed Witch of Bogalusa Creek.
H215.4. Ineradicable handprint proves innocence. 145. The Traveling Salesman.
H1114.1. Task: securing three eggs from top of glass tower. 51. Les trois jobs.
J814.4. Flattering the wicked to avoid being beaten or killed. 84. He Was Definitely Out.
J1086. Ignoring the unpleasant. 90. For Better or for Worse.
J1761. Animal thought to be object.

40. Bel's Encounter with the Rabbit and Cow.

43. Rabbit Rolls into a Ball.

J1803. Learned words misunderstood by uneducated. 85. How to Save on Heating Costs.
J1805.1. Similar sounding words mistaken for each other. 77.That's One Tourist Who'll Never Come Back
J1813. Cooking processes misunderstood. 80. Swapping Stories.
J2413. Foolish imitation by an animal. 44. The Dear and the Wildcat.
J2425. The bungling host. 42. How the Buzzard Got a Pierced Nose.
K11.1. Race won by deception: relative helpers.

38. The Turtle and the Rabbit Run a Race.

194. La tortuga y el conejo.

K581.2. Briar-patch punishment for rabbit.

49. Bouki, Lapin, et Rat de Bois.

190. Bouki and Lapin in the Garden.

200. Brer Rabbit and Tarbaby.

K741. Capture by tar baby.

33. Le petit bonhomme en Coal Tar.

49. Bouki, Lapin, et Rat de Bois.

190. Bouki and Lapin in the Garden.

200. Brer Rabbit and Tarbaby.

K1813. Disguised husband visits his wife. 153. La vuelta del marido.
K1955. Sham physician. 42. How the Buzzard Got a Pierced Nose.
N534. Treasure discovered by accident. 159. Family Misfortunes.
N650. Life saved by accident. 148. The Legend of the Brooch.
N741. Unexpected meeting of husband and wife. 153. La vuelta del marido.
N741.4. Husband and wife reunited after long separation and tedious quest. 153. La vuelta del marido.
Q451. Mutilation as punishment. 42. How the Buzzard Got a Pierced Nose.
S123. Burial alive. 22 .They Buried Her Too Soon.
S172. Mutilation: nose cut off or crushed. 42. How the Buzzard Got a Pierced Nose
X137. Humor of ugliness. Hunter's ugliness fatal to animals. 128. Looks Can Kill.
X459. Jokes on parsons.

117. The Persimmoned Parson.

123. A Priest with a Small Parish.

X1061. Lie: great boat or ship of remarkable man. 155. La pesca del camarón.
X1061.1. Lie: remarkable size of great ship. 155. La pesca del camarón.
X1130.2. Lie: fruit tree grows from head of deer shot with fruit pits. 134. The Alligator Peach Tree.
X1150.1. Lie: the great catch of fish.

126. That Squirrel Could Really Fish.

155. La pesca del camarón.

X1286. Remarkable mosquitoes. 127. Mosquitoes Save a Life.
X1286.5(a). Deadly bite of mosquito: Mosquitoes are so deadly that people bitten by mosquitoes have rattlesnakes bite them to counteract the mosquito venom. 127. Mosquitoes Save a Life.
X1301. Lie: the great fish.

26. The Big Fish of Corney Creek

129. A Tale about a Catfish.

130. Does He Drive, Too?

X1301.5* (ha). Scales of big fish are used for shingles. 27. Another Big Fish Story.
X1633.3.1*. Lizards carry chips to sit down on.  24. It Was So Hot.