The Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index, or ATU Index, is a system used to classify folktales by their basic plot. Each recognized tale type receives a number, allowing researchers to group and compare stories that share the same narrative structure.
| Full name | Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | ATU Index |
| Also called | ATU tale-type index; formerly the Aarne–Thompson or AT Index |
| Used for | Classifying and comparing folktales |
| First published | 1910 |
| Current major revision | Hans-Jörg Uther, 2004 |
What does the ATU Index classify?
The ATU Index classifies tale types. A tale type is a traditional plot that can be told as a complete story and recognized across multiple versions.
Names, characters, settings, and individual episodes may change while the underlying story remains recognizable. The Cinderella known from the Brothers Grimm is not identical to versions told elsewhere, but many belong to the same general tale type: ATU 510A.
An ATU number therefore identifies a family of related stories, not one official text.
Examples of ATU tale types
| ATU number | Tale type | Familiar example |
|---|---|---|
| ATU 327A | The Children and the Ogre | Hansel and Gretel |
| ATU 328 | The Boy Steals the Ogre’s Treasure | Jack and the Beanstalk |
| ATU 333 | Little Red Riding Hood | Little Red Riding Hood |
| ATU 425C | Beauty and the Beast | Beauty and the Beast |
| ATU 500 | The Name of the Supernatural Helper | Rumpelstiltskin |
| ATU 510A | Cinderella | Cinderella |
| ATU 709 | Snow White | Snow White |
Letters distinguish related types within a larger group. ATU 510A covers Cinderella stories. ATU 510B covers the related type commonly called Donkeyskin or Catskin.
How is the ATU Index organized?
Tale types are arranged in broad numbered categories:
- ATU 1–299: Animal tales
- ATU 300–749: Tales of magic
- ATU 750–849: Religious tales
- ATU 850–999: Realistic tales
- ATU 1000–1199: Tales of the stupid ogre or giant
- ATU 1200–1999: Anecdotes and jokes
- ATU 2000–2399: Formula tales
Each category is divided into smaller groups. Tales of magic, for example, include stories about supernatural enemies, enchanted spouses, magical helpers, difficult tasks, and transformations.
Who created the ATU Index?
The system is named for the three folklorists responsible for its major editions:
- Antti Aarne, a Finnish folklorist, published the first index of tale types in 1910.
- Stith Thompson, an American folklorist, translated and expanded Aarne’s index in 1928 and revised it again in 1961. This version became known as the Aarne–Thompson Index.
- Hans-Jörg Uther, a German folklorist, published a revised and expanded classification in 2004. The system then became known as the Aarne–Thompson–Uther Index.
How do folklorists use ATU numbers?
Folklorists use ATU numbers to locate related stories and compare their variations. If tales from several countries are classified as ATU 510A, a researcher can examine what those Cinderella-like stories share and where they differ.
The classification may help researchers study:
- where versions of a story have been recorded;
- how characters and events change between cultures;
- which parts of a plot remain stable;
- how oral and written versions relate to one another; and
- which tales may belong to the same narrative tradition.
What is the difference between a tale type and a motif?
A tale type is the structure of a complete traditional story. A motif is a smaller recurring element within a story, such as a magic ring, a forbidden room, an animal helper, or an impossible task.
The ATU Index catalogs tale types. Stith Thompson’s separate Motif-Index of Folk-Literature catalogs individual narrative elements. Researchers often use the two systems together.
What are the limitations of the ATU Index?
The index began with European tale collections, and that history still shapes it. Uther’s revision broadened its coverage, particularly in southern and eastern Europe, but the system does not represent every storytelling tradition equally well.
Classification also simplifies stories. An ATU number can identify a shared plot, but it cannot capture a storyteller’s voice, the meaning a community gives the tale, or every feature that makes one version distinct.
Related terms
Sources
- Uther, Hans-Jörg. The Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography, Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. 3 vols., Folklore Fellows Communications nos. 284–286, Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 2004.
- Aarne, Antti, and Stith Thompson. The Types of the Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography. Second revision, Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 1961.
- Thompson, Stith. Motif-Index of Folk-Literature: A Classification of Narrative Elements in Folktales, Ballads, Myths, Fables, Mediaeval Romances, Exempla, Fabliaux, Jest-Books, and Local Legends. Revised and enlarged edition, 6 vols., Indiana University Press, 1955–1958.
- Harvard Library Research Guide for Folklore and Mythology: Indices.
Last reviewed: September 2026.