μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Animal characteristics: punishment for discourteous answer to God (saint). (Cf. A2411.2.6.)

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Various causes of animal characteristics. · Animal characteristics as punishment. · view the constellation · filed as A2231.1

Filed across the traditions
  • Jewish Neuman
  • Maori Clark 53.
Within the index

Filed under Animal characteristics: punishment for impiety. (Cf. A2221, A2311.8, A2422.2, A2302.2, A2355.1.2, A2542.1.)

4 finer motifs beneath it
Discourteous answer: why cow (horse) is always eating. When God (Peter) wants to use the cow (horse) the excuse is made that she (he) is eating. Curse: "May you always be eating!" (Cf. A2472.1, A2478.) Discourteous answer: flounder's crooked mouth. When God asks him where he is going, instead of answering he turns to go toward God. His mouth becomes crooked. (Cf. A2341.1.) Discourteous answer: why crab has eyes behind. (Cf. A2332.4.1.) Discourteous answer: tortoise's shell. Zeus celebrates a wedding and invites the animals. Tortoise is late. Why? "I like my house." "May you bear your house always." (Cf. A2312.1.)
Filed beside it
Animal characteristics: punishment for hostility at crucifixion. (Cf. A2221.2.) Animal characteristics: punishment for working on holy day Frog fails to honor infant Jesus: loses tail. (Cf. A2221.1, A2378.2.3 Spider vies with Virgin Mary in spinning: cursed Spider steals thread from Christ: has thread in back of body. (Cf. A2356.2.8.) Animal harmful to holy person cursed Toad refuses to weep over its dead children: dries up when dead. Cursed by Virgin Mary. (Cf. A2234.4, A2468.2.) Fish in deluge deride God: are flattened with blow. They mock God for his powerlessness over them. (Cf. A2213, A2305.1, A2354.1.) Crab beats deity's forbidden drum: eyes lift out of body. (Cf. A2332.4.2.) Beetle demands return of gold from God: must hum. In his overweening pride he hits fence and ever afterward has hummed. (Cf. A2426.3.1.) Buffaloes fail to come at god's leavetaking: now are killed by tigers Loris refuse to look at sun who comes out when they are dancing: hence never looks at sun
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Color of raven. (Cf. A2237.1, A2234.1, A2231.1, A2218.1) Origin of color of other birds

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