ABSTRACT
In cases where people are not recognized by sight, identity must be proved through common knowledge, such as telling a story known to both persons concerned, telling one's life history, ancestry, singing a song, or producing a token. A common theme of recognition is identification by matching parts of a divided token, commonly a broken ring whose two parts fit together. The broken token motif is also found in the tale of Bearskin, an unusual example of a hero enlisting the aid of the devil. Related to identification by tokens is S334, Tokens of royalty left with exposed child. The Grimms' title Children's and Household Tales reflects the multiple levels of significance contained in most of the stories in their pioneering collection, an observation that would apply equally well to most classic folktale collections. Shoes provide identification of a different kind in the Grimms' "The Blue Light" and "The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces".
