Aarne-Thompson Index of Fairy Tale Types
The Aarne-Thompson Index is a scholarly catalogue of folktale types, published in German by Finnish folklorist Antti Aarne (1910) and later expanded and translated into English by American professor Stith Thompson (1928). It classifies traditional tales according to recurring plots, motifs, and narrative patterns found across cultures. The Index is an essential tool for folklorists, used along with Thompson's Motif-Index of Folk-Literature. In the world of Agency Grimm, Matilda is in close contact with Professor Thompson and uses advance copies of his work. It is sometimes seen as "ATU Index" following Uther's 21st Century additions. Hover over any tale name to view its full description.
Click Here to see by KHM Number
Notes on Notation
KHM = Kinder- und Hausmärchen (e.g. KHM 81 would mean the 81st tale in Grimms' Fairy Tales, according to the 1850 Edition). German or English titles of the Grimm tales given where appropriate.
KHM 62a = Appeared as the 62nd tale in the First Edition (1812), but was later redacted.
330A = Subtype A of Type 330
WARNING!
This page is under construction. Please enjoy the existing entries while the rest of it is filled out. Note that this is not intended to be a complete replication of the Index, only a cursory list of the Aarne-Thompson types.
Type
Name
| Animal Tales | 1-299 |
1
The Theft of Fish
2
The Tail-Fisher
3
The Fox Pretends to Pull Cheese from the Water
4
Getting a Ride by Pretending to Be Injured
15
Stealing the Partner’s Butter
41
Overeating in the Pantry
47A
Catching a Horse by the Tail
105
The Cat's Only Trick
123
The Wolf and the Kids
130
The Animals in Night Quarters
151
Music Lessons for Wild Animals
152A
The Scalded Wolf
157
Learning to Fear Man
173
Men, Animals, and the Span of Life
221
The Wren Becomes King of the Birds
222
The War between the Birds and the Beasts
227
The Geese's Eternal Prayer
236
Imitating Bird Sounds
250A
The Flounder's Crooked Mouth
275A
The Race between the Hedgehog and the Hare
285
The Child and the Snake
| Tales of Magic | 300-749 |
300
The Dragon Slayer
301
The Three Stolen Princesses
302
The Ogre's / Devil's Heart in the Egg
303
The Twins or Blood Brothers
304
The Hunter
306
The Danced out Shoes
307
The Princess in the Coffin
310
The Maiden in the Tower
311
Rescue by the Sister
312
The Giant killer and his Dog - Bluebeard
313
The Girl as Helper
314
The Youth Transformed to a Horse
315
The Faithless Sister
316
The Nix of the Mill pond
317
The Tree That Grows up to the Sky
318
The Faithless Wife
325
The Magician and his Pupil
326
The Youth Who Wanted to Learn What Fear Is
327
The Children and the Ogre
327A
Hansel and Gretel
328
The Boy Steals the Giant's Treasure
329
Hiding from the Devil
330
Entering Heaven by a Trick
330A
The Smith and the Devil (Death)
330B
The Devil in the Sack
331
The Spirit in the Glass Bottle
332
Godfather Death
333
The Glutton (Red Riding Hood)
334
At the Witch's House
360
The Three Apprentices and the Devil
361
Bearskin
363
The Vampire
365
The Dead Bridegroom Carries off his Bride (Lenore)
400
The Man on a Quest for his Lost Wife
401
The Princess Transformed into Animal
401A
The Enchanted Princess in Her Castle
402
Animal as Bride (Mouse, Cat, Frog, etc.)
403
The Black and the White Bride
405
Jorinde and Joringel
407
The Girl as a Flower
410
Sleeping Beauty
425
The Animal as Bridegroom
425C
Beauty and the Beast
426
The Two Girls, the Bear, and the Dwarf
430
The Ass/The Donkey Bridegroom
431
The House in the Wood
432
The Prince as Bird
433
The Prince as Serpent
440
The Frog King or Iron Henry
441
Hans my Hedgehog/Animal Bridegroom
450
Little Brother and Little Sister
451
The Maiden Who Seeks her Brothers
461
Three Hairs from the Devil's Beard
467
The Quest for the Wonderful Flower or Jewel
470
Friends in Life and Death
471
The Bridge to the Other World
475
Heating Hell's Kitchen
480
The Spinning-Women / The Kind and the Unkind Girls
500
The Name of the Helper
501
The Three Old Women Helpers
502
The Wild Man
503
The Gifts of the Little People
505
Dead Man as Helper
506
The Rescued Princess
510
Cinderella/The Persecuted Heroine
511
One-Eye, Two-Eyes, Three-Eyes
513
The Extraordinary Companions
513A
Six Go through the Whole World
513B
The Land and Water Ship
516
Faithful John
517
The Boy who Learned Many Things
518
Quarreling Giants Lose Their Magic Objects
530
The Princess on the Glass Mountain
531
Ferdinand the True and Ferdinand the False
533
The Speaking Horsehead
545
The Cat as Helper
550
Search for the Golden Bird
551
The Sons on a Quest for a Wonderful Remedy for their Father
552A
The Girls Who Married Animals
554
The Grateful Animals
555
The Fisherman and his Wife
559
Making the Princess Laugh/Dungbeetle
560
The Magic Ring
561
Aladdin
562
The Spirit in the Blue Light
563
The Table, the Ass, and the Stick
564
The Magic Providing Purse and 'Out, Boy, out of the Sack!'
565
The Magic Mill
566
The Three Magic Objects and the Wonderful Fruits - Fortunatus
567
The Magic Bird-Heart
569
The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn
570
The Rabbit-herd
571
'All Stick Together'
580
Beloved of Women
590
The Magic Belt/The Prince and the Arm Bands
592
The Dance Among Thorns
593
Fiddevav
610
Fruit to Cure the Princess
611
The Gifts of the Dwarfs
613
The Two Travelers - Truth and Falsehood
650
The Strong Youth
650A
The Young Giant
652
The Boy Whose Wishes Always Come True
653
The Four Skillful Brothers
654
The Three Brothers/Test of Skill
660
The Three Doctors
665
The Man Who Flew like a Bird and Swam like a Fish
670
The Animal Languages
672B
The Toad's Crown
675
The Lazy Boy
676
Open Sesame
700
Tom Thumb
706
The Maiden Without Hands
707
The Three Golden Sons
709
Snow-White
710
Our Lady's Child
712
Crescentia
720
The Juniper Tree (My Mother Slew Me; My Father Ate Me)
725
The Dream
726
The Oldest on the Farm
735
The Rich Man's and the Poor Man's Fortune
| Religious Tales | 750-849 |
750A
Good Wishes and Foolish Wishes
751G
Bread Turned to Stone
753
Christ and the Smith
753A
The Unsuccessful Resuscitation
756A
Green Leaves on a Dry Stick
766
The Magic Sleep
767
Food for the Crucifix
769
A Child Returns from the Dead
779
Divine Rewards and Punishments
785
Who Ate the Lamb's Heart?
810
The Devil Loses a Soul That Was Promised Him
812
The Devil's Riddle
815
Keeping Watch at a Rich Man's Grave
| Realistic Tales | 850-999 |
850
The Princess's Birthmarks
851
Winning the Princess with a Riddle
859
The Penniless Wooer
870
The Entombed Princess
884
The Forsaken Fiancée
921D
Witty Answers
922
The King, the Abbot, and the Shepherd
923
Love Like Salt
952
The King and the Soldier
960
The Sun Brings All to Light
980
The Ungrateful Son
980D
A Toad in the Face of an Ungrateful Son
987
False Magician Exposed by Clever Girl
| Tales of the Stupid Ogre (Giant, Devil) | 1000-1199 |
1030
Man and Ogre Share the Harvest
1049
The Heavy Ax
1051
Springing with a Bent Tree
1053
Shooting Wild Boars
1061
Biting Stones
1130
A Boot Full of Money
1159
Catching the Would-Be Musician in a Crack
| Anecdotes and Jokes | 1200-1999 |
1202
Harvesting Grain with a Cannon
1231
Planning the Attack on a Hare
1248
Loading a Beam Crosswise on a Wagon
1281
Burning the Barn to Destroy an Unknown Animal
1290
A Fool Mistakes a Flax Field for a Lake
1297
Fools Walk into a River and Drown
1313
The Man Who Thought He Was Dead
1321
Fools Are Frightened
1384
A Man Seeks Someone as Stupid as His Wife
1385
A Woman Accepts Her Own Cow as Security
1430
Air Castles
1451
A Suitor Chooses the Thrifty Girl
1452
Choosing a Bride by How She Cuts Cheese
1476A
Praying to the Statue's Mother
1525A
Stealing the Count's Horse, Sheet, and Parson
1535
The Rich Peasant and the Poor Peasant
1539
Tricksters and Their Victims
1540
The Man from Paradise
1650
Three Brothers Inherit a Rooster, a Scythe, and a Cat
1651
Dick Whittington and His Cat
1681B
The Fool as a Housekeeper
1689A
Two Presents for the King
1696
What Should I Have Said?
1737
Trading Places with the Trickster in a Sack
1741
The Guest Flees to Save His Ears
1876
Chickens on a String
1889K
A Rope Made of Chaff
1930
Schlaraffenland
1940
Extraordinary Names
1950
A Contest in Laziness
1960A
The Giant Animal
1960D
The Giant Vegetable
1960G
The Giant Plant
1963
Sailing in a Bottomless Boat
2021A
The Cock Seeks Help for the Choking Hen
2039
The Lost Horseshoe Nail
2075
Imitating Animal Sounds
2411
Counting Imagined Wealth
Navigating the Index
The AT Index lists the basic plots or central motifs of a vast number of folktales from various cultures categorized by overall plot type, each given an AT Number.
The seven main categories are:
| Animal Tales | 1-299 |
| Tales of Magic | 300-749 |
| Religious Tales | 750-849 |
| Realistic Tales | 850-999 |
| Tales of the Stupid Ogre (Giant, Devil) | 1000-1199 |
| Anecdotes and Jokes | 1200-1999 |
| Formula Tales | 2000-2399 |