Folklore Resources

The primary all purpose motif index is to allow researchers to look for folktales or stories by theme, organized by broad categories, such as Escape by Deception, and Magic Animals, then subdivided into more detailed or granular indexing. This allows folklore researchers to locate stories which share the same elements.

The primary tool for general motif index research is

Thompson, Stith, Motif-index of folk-literature; a classification of narrative elements in folktales, ballads, myths, fables, mediaeval romances, exempla, fabliaux, jest-books, and local legends. [Searchable as a collection in the HathiTrust]

often used in conjunction with

Uther, Hans-Jorg. The types of international folktales : a classification and bibliography, based on the system of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson

The Rutgers University Libraries also has several specialized motif indexes. Here are some examples:

Azzolina, David S. Tale type-and motif-indexes : an annotated bibliography

El-Shamy, Hasan M. A motif index of The thousand and one nights

Goldberg, Harriet. Motif-index of folk narratives in the Pan-Hispanic romancero

Kirtley, Bacil F. A motif-index of traditional Polynesian narratives

Neuland, Lena. A motif-index of Latvian folktales and legends

Stitt, J. Michael and Dodge, Robert J. A tale type and motif index of early U.S. almanacs

Tatum, James C. A motif-index of Luis Rosado Vega's Mayan legends