From The Types of the Folktale by Stith Thompson

Tale Type 552

552 The Girls Who Married Animals

I. Marriage to Animals. (a) A bankrupt man promises his daughters in marriage in return for safety and money to three animals (bear, eagle, whale); or (b) three girls despairing of marriage say that they will marry any one even if it is an animal (a bear, fox, squirrel, etc.). (c) The animals take the girls as wives.

II. Visit to Animal Brothers-in-law. (a) The girls' brother visits them and finds that the animals periodically become men. (b) The brothers-in-law give him parts of their bodies (eagle's feather, etc.) with which their aid may be summoned. -- (c) The girls' father visits them and finds food and other things magically provided. (d) The father tries the same method at home without success.

III. Help of the Animals. The brother receives the help of his animal brothers -- (a) in saving a princess from a monster (see Type 302 [I c]. 518); (b) in recovering a lost castle, wife, and magic objects (see Type 560). Cf. also Types 531, 553).

I.Marriage to Animals

S221.1. Bankrupt father sells daughters in marriage to animals.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern

B620.1. Daughter promised to animal suitor.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern
Marya Moryevna (Russian)

C26. Wish for animals and husband realized. Girl says she will marry a certain animal. later appears and carries her off.

B640. Marriage to person in animal form.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern
Marya Moryevna (Russian)

II. Visit to Animal Brothers-in-Law

D.620. Periodic transformation.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern

D621.1. Animal by day; man by night.

B501. Animal gives part of body as talisman for summoning its aid.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern

B505.1. Magic objects received from animal brother-in-law.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern

D532. Transformation by putting on claw, feather, etc. of helpful animal.

D2105. Provisions magically furnished.

J2411.3. Unsuccessful imitation of magic production of food.

III. Help of Animals

B314. Helpful animal brothers-in-law.

Three Sisters (Grimm)
Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern
Marya Moryevna (Russian)
The Navel of the Earth (Greek)

552A Three Animals as Brother-in-law. Three princesses are married to animals. The animals help thier brothers-in-law.

552B The Animal Sons-in-law and their Magic Food. The unsuccessful imitation.

"The Three Sisters"(Grimm)

"The Navel of the Earth"(Greek)

"The Tree that Reached up to the Sky" (Hungary)

Some comments on the Aarne-Thompson System

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