The constellation
J1820 Inappropriate action from misunderstanding
A constellation is one motif’s neighborhood in the record — the story-shapes filed around it, the tale types that carry it, and the texts where it is witnessed, every line a receipted link. Click a motif to travel. Click a text to read it. The entry · wander
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● tale type
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● attested
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beneath it
- Swimming (fishing) in the flax-field. Peasants go to visit the sea. They see a waving flax-field, and, thinking it is the sea, jump in to swim · J1821 entry
- Sweeping with a stick instead of a broom · J1822 entry
- Misunderstanding of church customs or ceremonies causes inappropriate action · J1823 entry
- Fatal bread. Numskull refuses communion because his sister died shortly after eating the bread · J1824 entry
- Turkish ambassador misunderstands Christian ceremonies. Makes ridiculous report to his king · J1825 entry
- The falcon not so good as represented. A nobleman praises his falcon. His fool, supposing they were praising the falcon as food, kills the bird, but is disappointed in the taste · J1826 entry
- The king no priest's son. A pope in writing to a king says, "To our dear son Frederick." Upon hearing this the fool cries out, "That is a lie; he is no priest's son. I knew his father and mother and they were both honest people." · J1827 entry
- The obedient log. A fool sees a boat (with rowers) obedient to commands, "Right! Left!" etc. He asks what kind of wood the boat is made of. Later he gets a log of that wood and tries to make it obey commands · J1828 entry
- Numskull throws the dishes out. A landlord in anger throws a dish out the window. The numskull throws the rest out, thinking that the landlord wanted to eat outdoors · J1831 entry
- Jumping into the river after their comrade. Through misunderstanding one of the men jumps into the river. He calls out; the others think that he wants them to follow, and all jump in and are drowned · J1832 entry
- Numskull thinks the bishop's snoring is his death rattle. He strikes at a fly on the bishop's nose because it seems to be killing the bishop · J1833 entry
- Numskulls lose corpse and bury live person instead · J1834 entry
- Goat chewing cud angers fool, who thinks goat is mimicking him · J1835 entry
- Fool not recognizing coins lying on roadside leaves them · J1836 entry
- Man thinks own toe is snake's head and cuts it off. (Cf. J1782.8.) · J1838 entry
- Useless surgical operation from misunderstanding · J1842 entry
- Serfs congratulate their master. The delegate slips and falls, cursing: "The devil may take you!" The serfs outside think this was the congratulation, and all cry in chorus: "You and your family!" · J1845 entry
- Numskull prepares brother's wedding (father's funeral). On the way home from town he destroys his purchases. (Cf. J1851, J1856, J1871.) · J1846 entry
- Inappropriate action from misunderstanding – miscellaneous · J1849 entry