Deity cares for favorite individuals.
Show referencesWind-god.
Show referencesThe Fates.
Show referencesDragon spews venom.
Show referencesFlying dragon, »flugdreki«.
Show referencesDragon guards treasure.
Show referencesFight with dragon.
Show referencesEagle as omen of victory.
Show referencesDog made king.
Show referencesObstacle flight. Fugitives throw objects behind them which magically become obstacles in pursuer's path.
Show referencesMagic storm (»gerningahríð«, »galdrahrið«, »kyngiveðr«).
Show referencesMagic shirt (cloak, armor) gives invulnerability.
Show referencesMagic love-philtre.
Show referencesMagic unpierceable (horn) skin protects against attack.
Show referencesHat which turns the sun.
Show referencesMagic object answers for fugitive. Left behind to impersonate fugitive and delay pursuit.
Show referencesFinns (or Fins or »Bjarmar«) as magicians.
Show referencesReverse magic. Magic results obtained by imitating reverse of desired results.
Show referencesFuture revealed in dream.
Show referencesBad dream as evil omen.
Show referencesMagic invulnerability.
Show referencesMagic illusion.
Show referencesSword magically dulled.
Show referencesMagician shoots an arrow of each finger against enemy.
Show referencesStorm produced by magic.
Show referencesDead body incorruptible.
Show referencesFairy takes revenge for slaying of his relatives.
Show referencesGiants live in mountains or caves.
Show referencesAmazons. Woman warriors. Icelandic: »skjaldmær«.
Show referencesRemarkably strong man. (Strong John).
Show referencesWarrior of special strength (berserk).
Show referencesTwelve berserks.
Show referencesFighting with berserks.
Show referencesFighting with twelve berserks (tröll).
Show referencesBerserk killed in combat about maiden.
Show referencesHero's precocious strength.
Show referencesStrong man kills bear.
Show referencesMan holds bear with own hands, till it is killed. Skioldus:
Show referencesUnderground house.
Show referencesExtraordinary sword.
Show referencesMen senseless from grief at hearing of father's death: one doesn't feel that he cuts himself with his knife (spear); the other presses dice so that he bleeds.
Show referencesDecision by single combat or holmgang of who is to marry girl.
Show referencesOrdeal by hot iron.
Show referencesOrdeal by creeping under a sod partially detached from the earth without its falling down, »ganga undir jarðarmen«.
Show referencesTest of friendship: to go with one to death.
Show referencesHolmgang. Single combat on an island.
Show referencesClever deduction by eating, smelling, drinking, etc. cf. F647.
Show referencesLoki released from captivity by the giant Geirröðr on condition that he brings Thor without hammer and magic girdle. Thor borrows another strength-giving girdle and gloves of giantess and kills Geirröðr and his daughter.
Show referencesUriah letter changed. Falsified order of execution. A messenger is sent with a letter ordering the recipient to kill the bearer. On the way the letter is changed so that the bearer is honored.
Show referencesCompassionate executioner: substituted heart. A servant charged with killing the hero (heroine) substitutes an animal, whose heart he takes to his master as proof of the execution.
Show referencesHoles bored in enemies' boats prevent pursuit.
Show referencesEnemies invited to banquet (visit) and killed.
Show referencesGods in disguise visit mortals.
Show referencesDisguise with hood dropping low over the face.
Show referencesWoman slandered as adulteress (prostitute). (Usually by unsuccessful suitor).
Show referencesSparrows of Cirencester.
Show referencesDisguise as woman to enter enemy's camp (castle).
Show referencesCovenant confirmed by marriage.
Show referencesThree fates, »norns« prophesy at child's birth.
Show referencesMan falls into jar of honey and is drowned.
Show referencesFather causes death of innocent son, believing him guilty of adultery with father's wife.
Show referencesKing is superior to all in strength, beauty, largeness, etc., and usually has victory.
Show referencesOld king attacked.
Show referencesAttempt to kill old king by suffocating him in bathroom. He prefers to die in battle.
Show referencesTwo brothers follow and help each other on piracy, etc.
Show referencesThree brothers.
Show referencesLiving king's or nobleman's son as foster-son of his father's friend; considered an honor for the foster-father.
Show referencesFoster-father as constant helper.
Show referencesCombatants become sworn brethren.
Show referencesBlood-brotherhood. Friends take oath of brotherhood by means of mixing their blood.
Show referencesA wedge-shaped column in the form of a hog's snow.
Show referencesBattle-cairn. Losses reckoned by number of stones remaining in pile after each survivor has removed one.
Show references»Publication of slaying«. Heads of slain enemies displayed.
Show referencesPunishment: stoning to death (usually because of witchcraft since witches and magicians are supposed to be invulnerable to weapons).
Show referencesThrowing into pit of snakes as punishment.
Show referencesPrincess (maiden) abducted.
Show referencesPrincess (maiden) abducted by monster (ogre, giant).
Show referencesPrincess (maiden) rescued from undesired suitor.
Show referencesPrincess rescued from giant's cave where she is fettered to a chair by the hair.
Show referencesObstacle flight - Atlanta type. Objects are thrown back which the pursuer stops to pick up while the fugitive escapes.
Show referencesCruel stepmother.
Show referencesFratricide.
Show referencesPrisoners taken in war (enemy's messengers) hanged.
Show referencesMurder by cutting adversary in two.
Show referencesMurder by twisting out intestines.
Show referencesMutilation: cutting off legs (feet).
Show references»Blood-eagle« cut on man's back by flaying and salting.
Show referencesChildless couple promise child to the devil if they may only may have one.
Show referencesLove-sickness.
Show referencesWooing by emissary.
Show referencesTwo or more weddings at one time as the end of a tale.
Show referencesWife's corpse kept after death.
Show referencesMaiden queen prefers to fight instead of marrying. She usually scorns or even kills her suitors or sets them difficult tasks.
Show referencesWorship of wooden idols, »skurðgoð«, »trémenn«.
Show referencesOx (bull) as sacrifice.
Show referencesBurial in grave-mound.
Show referencesDrinking festival in memory of the dead, »drekka erfi«.
Show referencesChristian hero overthrows heathen idals.
Show referencesMunificent monarch.
Show referencesStinginess.
Show referencesFormulistic number: three.
Show referencesFormulistic number: seven.
Show referencesFormulistic number: nine.
Show referencesFormulistic number: twelve.
Show referencesUnique deadly weapon.
Show referencesGiant ogre can be killed only with his own sword.
Show references