The story is on one level a folktale, belonging to the bridal quest "the giant's daughter" tale type[12] (more formally categorized as Six Go through the Whole World type, AT 513A).[13][14][15] The accompanying motifs (the strange birth, the jealous stepmother, the hero falling in love with a stranger after hearing only her name, helpful animals, impossible tasks) reinforce this typing.[16][12]