The constellation
J2478 The numskull buys water at market. He looks at bread. The merchant: "It is as good as butter." He decides on butter. The merchant: "It is as sweet as oil." He decides on oil. The merchant: "It is as clear as water." He decides on water
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
● motif
● tale type
● on the shelf
● attested
The same sky, in words
filed under
- Metaphors literally interpreted · J2470 entry
filed beside
- "Taking a pattern (picture) of conduct" from other people. Fool steals a picture from the church · J2471 entry
- "Skinning farmers". A master tells his servant that he is going to skin some farmers (i.e., cheat them). When a farmer inquires for a tanner, the servant directs him to his master · J2472 entry
- Peasant opens his mouth. He tells his wife about the good things he gets to eat at the rich man's house. The wife says, "Open your mouth for me once so that I may get some too." The peasant gets up after the next large meal and opens his mouth to the astonishment of all present · J2473 entry
- The hunter's mass. A count instructs his chaplain to read a hunter's mass (i.e., a short one). The chaplain searches the prayerbook in vain for a hunter's mass · J2474 entry
- "Greasing the judge's palms." The woman puts butter on his hands · J2475 entry
- The literal host: bread and salt. Guest finds that his host spoke literally when he invited him to share his bread and salt. Later, when the host threatens an importunate beggar, the guest advises the beggar to flee since the host means what he says · J2476 entry
- Christ has too many debts. St. Peter is to give Christ to a woman as husband. She hears people say, when they are asked for money, "When Christ pays me, I will pay you." The woman says that Christ has too many debts · J2477 entry
- The horse that went like a ship. Men have been assured that a horse will "go like a ship". When they spur the horse, it will not move. A man takes a pole and hits the horse. It goes. "See, it goes like a ship. It is started by a pole, not by spurs." · J2481 entry
- The fool is told that his son has given up the ghost. He wonders. He didn't know that the son had a ghost to give up · J2482 entry
- The house without food or drink. A fool and his son meet women mourning a dead man. "He goes to the place where there is darkness and nothing to eat or drink." The son: "They must be coming to our house." · J2483 entry