Motif Index of German Secular Narratives                 
Published by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
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E. The Dead

Index of Motifs
A B C D E F
G H I J K L
M N O P Q R
S T U V W X
Y Z Back
E0–199 Resuscitation
E200–299 Malevolent return from the dead
E300–399 Friendly return from the dead
E 400–599 Ghosts and revenants–miscellaneous
E600–699 Reincarnation
E700–799 The Soul
E800–899 The Corpse
 

E. The Dead

E0–199 Resuscitation

1:   Person comes to life
MN: KKJB 505, KKJB 1091 (>1372)
RoA: HvNAp 2663 (1300)
15.2:   Resuscitation by sweating
HE: WDieB 690 (ca. 1250)
30:   Resuscitation by arrangement of members
CdG: UvTRW 36052 (>1243)
32:   Resuscitated eaten animal.
MdB: Merl 274 (>1300)
64.12:   Resuscitation by sacred relics
CdG: KM3 72 (1320/40)
90:   Tree of life
MdB: Lanc3 295, Lanc3 300 (<1250)
100:   Resuscitation by medicines
RoA: HvNAp 2663 (1300)
121.2:   Resuscitation by Christ [God]
MR: KvWE 6362 (<1260), ReivB 18075 (>1291)
121.4:   Resuscitation by saint
MdB: Merl 274 (>1300)
MN: KKJB 505, KKJB 1091 (>1372)
121.7:   Resuscitation by magician
MdB: HvAEr 5153 (>1180)
175:   Death thought sleep
MN: KKJB 505 (>1372)
178:   Resurrection at Judgment Day
MN: Musp 30 (<876)
182:   Dead body incorruptible
RoA: StrAlx 3546 (1170)

E200–299 Malevolent return from the dead

236.4:   Return from the dead because last will was not fulfilled
CdG: KM3 87 (1320/40)

E300–399 Friendly return from the dead

300:   Friendly return from the dead
MdB: Lohe 749 (>1285)
323.4:   Advice from dead mother [father]
RoA: HvVEn 33 (1170/74)
327:   Dead father’s friendly return
RoA: HvVEn 32 (1170/74)
334:   Non-malevolent ghost haunts scene of former misfortune, crime or tragedy.
MdB: WvGW 4658 (>1210/20)
341:   The grateful dead
MN: DanW 300 (1250-1270)
341.1:   Dead grateful for having corpse ransomed. Corpse is being held unburied because of non-payment of debt. Hero pays debt and secures burial of corpse.
MN: DanW 300 (1250-1270)
366.4:   (Bm) Revenant in dream advises king
MdB: Lanc3 721 (<1250)
367:   Return from dead to preach repentance
MR: Wuert 105, Wuert 395 (>1300)
390:   Friendly return from the dead–miscellaneous
HE: UvLFD 1451 (1255)
MN: VNo 499 (>1200)

E 400–599 Ghosts and revenants–miscellaneous

402:   Mysterious ghostlike noises heard
MdB: HvdTCr 14642 (>1225)
410:   The unquiet grave
MdB: Lanc1 562, Lanc1 563 (<1250)
412.3:   Dead without proper funeral rites cannot rest
RoA: TrojEl 121 (1375)
413:   Murdered person cannot rest in grave
MdB: WvGW 4658, WvGW 4782 (>1210/20)
419.6:   Lovers buried apart found in one grave each morning [Friends buried apart found united the following day]
CdG: KM3 26 (1320/40)
421.3:   Luminous [fiery] ghosts
MdB: WvGW 4510, WvGW 4592, WvGW 4782 (>1210/20)
MR: Wuert 297 (>1300)
422:   Living corpse
MdB: HvdTCr 14149, HvdTCr 29462, HvdTCr 29514 (>1225), Lanc1 565, Lanc2 630 (<1250)
423:   Revenant in animal form
MdB: WvGW 3840, WvGW 4592, WvGW 4782 (>1210/20)
425:   Revenant in human form
MR: Wuert 105 (>1300)
HE: EckL 21 (<1230), WDieAF 326 (ca. 1250)
451.2:   Ghost laid when penance is done.
MdB: WvGW 4782 (>1210/20)
452:   Ghost laid at cockcrow (dawn)
MR: Wuert 375 (>1300)
470:   Intimate relations of dead and living
MR: Wuert 105 (>1300)
481.1:   Land of dead in lower world
RoA: HvVEn 40 (1170/74)
481.2.2:   Boat to land of dead
RoA: HvVEn 42 (1170/74)
481.7:   Icy inferno
MN: AlbTund 591 (ca. 1190)
481.9:   King of world of the dead
RoA: HvVEn 49 (1170/74)
491:   Procession of the dead
MR: Wuert 105 (>1300)
492:   Mass, church service of the dead. (Held at midnight)
MdB: WCRPa 264 (1331-1336)
493:   Dead men dance
MR: Wuert 341 (>1300)
542:   Dead man touches living
MR: Wuert 341 (>1300)
545:   The dead speak
MdB: Lanc1 616, Lanc1 618, Lanc3 361 (<1250)
HE: WDieAF 310, WDieB 880, WDieD 51, WDieD 71 (ca. 1250)
545.10:   Corpse exclaims over miracle
HE: WDieAF 310, WDieB 880, WDieD 51 (ca. 1250)
545.19.2:   Proper means of addressing ghosts [the dead]
MR: Wuert 105 (>1300)
547:   The dead wail
MdB: WvGW 4295 (>1210/20)
587:   Ghosts walk at certain times
MR: Wuert 375 (>1300)

E600–699 Reincarnation

631.0.1:   Twining branches grow from graves of lovers
MdB: AlbJT 5808 (<1272/1294), EvOTr 9446 (1175/80), HvFTr 6753 (>1280), UvTTr 3478 (<1234)

E700–799 The Soul

721.2:   Body in trance while soul is absent
MdB: Lanc1 112 (<1250)
MN: AlbTund 171 (ca. 1190), TundFr1 1 (ca. 1200)
721.7:   Soul leaves body to visit hell (heaven)
MN: AlbTund 544 (ca. 1190)
722:   Soul leaves body at death
MN: VNo 560 (>1200)
722.2:   Manner of soul’s leaving body
CdG: StrKG 7646 (1220/50)
722.2.10:   Soul taken away by God (angel)
MdB: Lanc3 382, Lanc3 783 (<1250)
CdG: KM5 78, KM5 139 (1320/40), PKRL 6759 (1172), UvTRW 36426 (>1243)
727:   Relations of body to soul
MN: Musp 30 (<876)
728:   Evil spirit possesses person
MdB: WCRPa 804 (1331-1336)
742:   Soul as light
MR: ReivB 27010 (>1291)
750.0.1:   Soul cannot enter heaven till body is buried [before acts of charity are not accomplished by relatives and friends]
CdG: KM3 87 (1320/40)
751:   Souls at Judgment Day
MN: Musp 30 (<876)
751.1:   Souls weighed at Judgment Day
CdG: KM6 6 (1320/40)
752:   Lost souls
MR: Wuert 159 (>1300)
MN: Musp 1 (<876)
752.1:   Soul in jeopardy after leaving body
MN: AlbTund 344 (ca. 1190)
752.2:   Soul carried off by demon (Devil)
CdG: KM5 16 (1320/40), PKRL 341 (1172), StrKG 846 (1220/50)
HE: WDieD 33 (ca. 1250)
MN: VNo 560 (>1200)
754:   Saved souls
CdG: KM6 2, KM6 6 (1320/40), UvTRW 25831 (>1243), WvEW 91 (1210/20)
MN: Musp 1 (<876)
754.1.5:   Condemned soul released by God
MN: AlbTund 284, AlbTund 344 (ca. 1190)
754.2.2:   Souls carried to heaven by angels
CdG: KM5 139 (1320/40), PKRL 6759 (1172), UvTRW 36426 (>1243)
OR: SaMor 778 (>1200)
755.2:   Souls in hell (Hades)
MR: Wuert 159 (>1300)
RoA: HvVEn 47 (1170/74), UvEAlx 24859, UvEAlx 24979 (1278/83)
755.2.5:   Icy hell
MdB: Lanc1 562 (<1250)
MN: AlbTund 591 (ca. 1190)
RoA: UvEAlx 24979 (1278/83)
755.2.7:   Devils torment sinners in hell
MN: AlbTund 544, AlbTund 591 (ca. 1190)
RoA: UvEAlx 24859 (1278/83)
755.2.8:   Series of hells
MR: Wuert 417 (>1300)
755.3:   Souls in purgatory
MdB: Lanc1 616 (<1250), WvGW 4658, WvGW 4782 (>1210/20)
756.1:   Angels and devils contest for man’s soul
MN: Musp 1 (<876)
756.4:   Saint wrests souls from demons
CdG: KM6 6 (1320/40)
761.3:   Life token: tree (flower) fades
RoA: StrAlx 5331 (1170)
761.7:   Life token–miscellaneous
HE: SigJu 15 (ca. 1250)
761.7.4:   Life token- light goes out
MR: ReivB 27010 (>1291)
781:   Eyes successfully replaced
MR: FvS 4216 (>1314)
783.1:   Head cut off and successfully replaced
MdB: HvdTCr 13075 (>1225), WCRPa 50 (1331-1336)

E800–899 The Corpse

800:   The Corpse
MdB: Lanc1 562, Lanc1 563, Lanc2 524 (<1250), WvGW 9946 (>1210/20)
CdG: KM3 44, KM5 122 (1320/40), PKRL 6232 (1172), StrKG 8357, StrKG 10844 (1220/50), UvTRW 8612, UvTRW 13830, UvTRW 22896, UvTRW 35816 (>1243), WvEW 72, WvEW 91, WvEW 125 (1210/20)
HE: NL 17 (1191/1204)
MN: GvMFa 51 (>1270), KKJB 455 (>1372), UBEd 57 (ca. 1345)
820:   Phenomena emanating from corpse
CdG: PKRL 6519 (1172)
821:   Sweet smell from corpse
MdB: WCRPa 399 (1331-1336)
CdG: UvTRW 9170, UvTRW 35841, UvTRW 36426 (>1243), WvEW 31 (1210/20)