民間故事為人們喜聞樂道的往往是情節，故事靠情節推展，引人入勝。「情節單元」在故事結構中居前導敘事、核心情節或後置延續的角色，推動故事情節的開展。本文即對民間故事的「情節單元」與「故事類型」關係做一探討。在「情節單元」方面，首先對「情節單元」語詞作辨正；再論及從故事類型結構看情節單元的功能。「類型索引」將故事依型歸類，對流傳於各地的民間故事能駕簡馭繁，民間文學研究者藉由索引，不僅瞭解故事流傳的概況，更能跨越各國語文障礙，有更廣闊的研究視野。在「類型索引」方面，述評目前以中國民間故事為主編寫的艾伯華、丁乃通、金榮華等人的類型索引；其次辨正某些學者對金書的評述。金榮華先生的類型索引以中國民間故事的實際狀況，對湯普遜、丁乃通書作了若干修正與增補，並將中外民間故事依類型並列，不僅中國民間故事能與國際接軌，也能呈現中國的文化特色，採用此書作為後續編寫各類民間故事類型索引的歸類基礎，作法是更務實可行的。
Folktales for people are often interested in development of plot. Stories are dependent on plot promotion, fascinating. This article is discussing about the relationship between ＂Motif＂ and ＂Type＂. At first to identify and correct the meaning of word ＂Motif＂; and then discussed from structure of type in story to understand the function of plot units. Secondly the commentary type index which was based on Chinese folktales presently written by Wolfram Eberhard, Nai-Tung Ting and Yung-Hua King. Then to identify and correct about commentaries of Yung-Hua King-type index from some scholars. Yung-Hua King-type index was on basis of actual situation of Chinese folktales, which was made several amendments and additions for AT Classification. Chinese and foreign folktales were classified by type side by side. Not only Chinese folktales can be connected with international folktales, but also can appear the characteristics of China’s cultural. Adopt this book as a follow-up all kinds of folk tale type index classification based approach is more pragmatic and feasible.
