Conclusion

Abstract

In his survey-essay, “Classifying Tales: Remarks to Indexes and Systems of Ordering” (2009), Hans-Jörg Uther offers a short discussion of the concepts of the tale type and the motif. “Although the definition of the tale type as a self-sufficient narrative, and of a motif as the smallest unit within such a narrative have often been criticized for their imprecision,” Uther notes, “they are nevertheless useful terms to describe the relationships among a large number of narratives with different functional and formal attributes from a variety of ethnic groups, time periods and genres.”¹ Nonetheless, Uther also believes that “narrative units must not be analyzed arbitrarily but according to structural considerations”.² Essentially, Uther does no more than repeat the verdicts of the two major traditions of folktale scholarship. From Thompson, Uther takes the existing imprecise definitions of the tale type and motif; from Propp and his successors, Uther takes the need for a properly structuralist analysis.