The ATU Index Explained: How Folklorists Classify Fairy Tales
What is the ATU index? A beginner's guide to the Aarne-Thompson-Uther tale type system, its categories and the ATU numbers of famous fairy tales.
In this article
The Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) index is a catalog that classifies folk tales and fairy tales by their plot. Each tale type gets a number. For example, Cinderella is ATU 510A, Little Red Riding Hood is ATU 333 and Snow White is ATU 709. The system lets folklorists compare versions of the same story told in different countries and centuries, even when the characters and names change completely.
It's one of the most useful tools for anyone curious about why the same stories seem to appear all over the world.
A Short History of the ATU Index
| Year | Contributor | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | Antti Aarne (Finland) | Published the first index of tale types, based mainly on Northern European tales |
| 1928, 1961 | Stith Thompson (USA) | Expanded and revised it into the Aarne-Thompson (AT) system |
| 2004 | Hans-Jörg Uther (Germany) | Major revision covering more world traditions: the ATU index |
Stith Thompson also created a separate Motif-Index of Folk-Literature, which catalogs smaller story elements, such as a magic object or a forbidden room, rather than whole plots.
Tale Types vs. Motifs
This distinction confuses many readers:
- A tale type is a complete plot pattern, such as "a persecuted heroine is helped by her dead mother, attends a ball, loses a shoe and is found by a prince." That's ATU 510A.
- A motif is a smaller building block that can appear in many different tale types, such as a glass slipper, a talking animal, a wicked stepmother or a sleep spell.
A single tale might contain dozens of motifs but belongs to one main tale type.
The Main ATU Categories
| ATU numbers | Category | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1–299 | Animal tales | Wolf and the seven kids, the Bremen Town Musicians |
| 300–749 | Tales of magic (fairy tales) | Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel |
| 750–849 | Religious tales | Stories involving God, saints, the devil |
| 850–999 | Realistic tales (novelle) | Clever riddles, faithful wives, tests of wit |
| 1000–1199 | Tales of the stupid ogre (giant, devil) | Contests where a hero outwits an ogre |
| 1200–1999 | Anecdotes and jokes | Fools, numskulls, tall tales |
| 2000–2399 | Formula tales | Cumulative tales like "The House That Jack Built" |
Most of the stories people call "fairy tales" live in the 300–749 range, the "tales of magic."
ATU Numbers of Famous Fairy Tales
| Tale | ATU type | Type name |
|---|---|---|
| Hansel and Gretel | 327A | Hansel and Gretel |
| Little Red Riding Hood | 333 | Little Red Riding Hood |
| Rapunzel | 310 | The Maiden in the Tower |
| Bluebeard | 312 | Maiden-Killer (Bluebeard) |
| Sleeping Beauty | 410 | Sleeping Beauty |
| Beauty and the Beast | 425C | Beauty and the Beast |
| The Frog Prince | 440 | The Frog King |
| Rumpelstiltskin | 500 | The Name of the Supernatural Helper |
| Cinderella | 510A | Cinderella |
| Puss in Boots | 545B | Puss in Boots |
| Snow White | 709 | Snow White |
You can explore several of these in depth: Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Rumpelstiltskin.
Why the ATU Index Matters
It reveals how stories travel
Using the index, scholars can map how a tale type spreads. Cinderella-type tales have been recorded across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Researchers can ask: did these stories spread from one origin, or did similar plots develop independently?
It enables new science
In 2016, researchers Sara Graça da Silva and Jamshid Tehrani used ATU types and techniques from evolutionary biology to estimate the age of tales. Their results suggested some, like "The Smith and the Devil" (ATU 330), might be thousands of years old.
It helps writers
If you're writing a retelling, the index shows you the core structure of a tale, separate from the surface details. Change the setting, names, era and genre, and as long as you keep the type's key beats, readers will still recognize it. See our guide on how to write a fairy tale retelling.
Criticisms of the ATU Index
The system isn't perfect:
- It began with a strong focus on European tales, so non-European stories were sometimes squeezed into categories that didn't fit.
- Older versions listed female-led tales under male-centered type names.
- Some tales fit several types at once.
Uther's 2004 revision addressed some of these issues, but folklorists continue to debate how universal any classification can be.
Beyond Europe
Many cultures have their own classification systems. There are tale-type indexes for Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Arabic and African tales. For examples of tales from other traditions, explore our world folklore section, from Japanese folktales to the Panchatantra and One Thousand and One Nights.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ATU stand for?
Aarne-Thompson-Uther, after the three folklorists who created and revised the index: Antti Aarne, Stith Thompson and Hans-Jörg Uther.
What is the ATU number for Cinderella?
ATU 510A, "Cinderella," which falls under the larger group 510, "Persecuted Heroine."
What is the difference between a tale type and a motif?
A tale type is a whole plot pattern, while a motif is a smaller recurring element, such as a magic object or a talking animal.
Which ATU numbers are fairy tales?
Most classic fairy tales are "tales of magic," numbered 300–749.
Is the ATU index still used?
Yes. It's a standard reference for folklorists worldwide, though scholars acknowledge its limits.
