Skip to Main Content

Folklore Reference Collection at Indiana University

This guide will introduce you to indexes, bibliographies, encylopedias, and dictionaries useful for research in folklore and ethnomusicology.

How to find folktales

Type- and Moif-Indexes are the specialized tools of the folklorist. With these tools you can locate variants of any international folktale.  Use the links below for further help on how to use these indexes.  

Specialised type and motif-indexes also exist for ballads, legends, and special topics.  Consult Azzolina's Tale Type and Motif Indexes: An Annotated Bibliography to find many more than the ones listed here. 

Motif and Type Indexes

Type- and motif-indexes are folklorists' tools for locating variants of folk literature texts. For more indexes based on this system, look on the Folk Literature tab.