Owl as watchman goes to sleep: does not see by day. He is placed as watchman of wren who is imprisoned in a mousehole. (Cf. A2332.6.6.)

Motif

Owl as watchman goes to sleep: does not see by day. He is placed as watchman of wren who is imprisoned in a mousehole. (Cf. A2332.6.6.)

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Various causes of animal characteristics. · Animal characteristics as punishment. · view the constellation · filed as A2233.3

Cited in the index

general Type 221
general *Dh IV 172ff.

Within the index

Filed under Animal characteristics: punishment for laziness.

Filed beside it

Animals refuse to help dig well (make road) and are punished Dog will not help build house: must remain out of doors. (Cf. A2223.1, A2433.3.2.) Grasshopper builds no house for winter; ant strikes him blind: therefore born blind. (Cf. A2332.6.3.)

Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)

Why owl is blind by day. (Cf. A2233.3.)

Carried in tale types

Test: who can Go Deepest in Earth The birds agree that whichever of them can go deepest in the earth will be their king · ATU 221B 1 recorded variant

ask the rhapsode about this motif · search the shelf for “imprisoned” · wander