This site has lists some cautionary tales, but the one that was the most interesting was The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb.
“This story warns little children not to suck on their thumbs, a hard habit to break once they’ve started. The little boy in the story who sucks his thumb is named Conrad, and his mother warns him not to suck his thumb or a tailor will cut it off (44). However, the little boy doesn’t listen to his mother, hence the need for a cautionary tale, and Conrad is visited by this “great tall tailor”. The tailor proceeds to chase poor little Conrad with his giant scissors until he manages to cut off both of the little boy’s thumbs. This legend serves as an effective teaching method for misbehaved children, and a perpetual threat hanging over the heads of children who don’t follow the rules. The moral of the story, in addition to “don’t suck your thumb,” is to listen to your parents because there will be consequences if you don’t” (Badala, n.d.).
References:
Badala, T. (n.d.). CAUTIONARY TALES. Rhetoric of Mythology. Retrieved September 23, 2021, from https://rhetoricofmythology.weebly.com/cautionary-tales.html