Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) - Types of Folktales
425: The Search for the Lost Husband
Description
Cf. also Types 430, 432, and 441.
I. The Monster as Husband. (a) A monster is born because of a hasty wish of the parents. (b) He is a man at night. (c) A girl promises herself as bride to the monster, (c1) to recover stolen clothes or jewels, (c2)… Variants
425A. Search for the Lost Husband
The maiden on quest for her vanished bridegroom. Various introductions: Present from journey, father promises daughter or daughter promises self. Jephthah's vow. Attempt to evade promise. Sometimes: louse fattened (Cf. Type 621). Sometimes the…
425B. The Disenchanted Husband: the Witch's Tasks
Present from journey or other promise to supernatural husband, marriage. Tabu broken. Search for vanished husband leads to house of witch who has enchanted him. Heroine as servant, given difficult or impossible tasks. Sometimes visits to second witch…
425C. Beauty and the Beast
Father stays overnight in mysterious palace and takes a rose. Must promise daughter to animal (or she goes voluntarily). Tabu: overstaying at home. She finds the husband almost dead. Disenchants him by embrace. (No search, no tasks.) Analysis I b, c,…
425D. Vanished Husband Learned of by Keeping Inn
I. Introductions: (a) A prince learns from an old woman's malediction about his birth and his future [M301.2.1, S375]. He masks as stable boy at the palace [K1816.0.3]. He and the princess elope [T91.6.4]. A bird steals a jewel and he pursues,…
425E. Enchanted Husband Sings Lullaby
Enchanted husband (not animal) found in underground palace. Tabu: looking, keyhole or padlock on body which discloses strange objects. She cries out and awakens the husband. Search following ball of yarn [H1226.4]. She gives birth to child in a…
425G. Recognition When Heroine Tells Her Story
425H. Short form of the tale
Girl promised to animal: Jepththah's vow [S241]. Gift from the journey or king lost in forest. Girl rides away on animal's tail.
425J. Service in Hell to Release Enchanted Husband
Looking tabu. Various tests in hell.
425K. Search in Men's Clothing
Gift from the journey. Snake husband. At separation she is given magic hairs and a ring or jewel as life index. She wanders disguised as a man. Tested as to whether she is man or woman [H1578.1]. Attempted seduction by queen. Husband arrives at…
425L. The Padlock on the Enchanted Husband
Looking tabu. Padlock or keyhole in husband's body with extraordinary things within. Wife cries out and wakes him. At separation wife is pregnant. Spell broken at birth of child. Cf. 425E.
425M. Bathing Girl's Carments Kept
425N. The Bird Husband
Tabus: skin burning, looking, gossiping. Heroine in service at palace given difficult tasks (cf. Type 425B). Would-be seducers enchanted (cf. Type 313).
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