God changes color (tails) of devil's cows. Devil makes all animals of same color (or all tailless). When God makes them of different colors (or with tails) devil no longer recognizes them. (Cf. A2378.1.)

Motif

God changes color (tails) of devil's cows. Devil makes all animals of same color (or all tailless). When God makes them of different colors (or with tails) devil no longer recognizes them. (Cf. A2378.1.)

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Various causes of animal characteristics. · Animal characteristics from miscellaneous causes. · view the constellation · filed as A2286.2.4

ask the rhapsode about this motif →

Scholars’ trail — 2references

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

EsthonianAarne FFC XXV 146 No. 47
LithuanianBalys Index No. 3083, Legends Nos. 134–137.

Within the index

Filed under Animal characteristics result of contest between God and devil.

Filed beside it

Devil's animals devour God's. God makes white fish, devil a pike to eat it up; God a worm, devil a frog to eat it, etc. (Cf. A1751.)Devil gives horse four eyes; God reduces them to two Devil's cows one-horned; God makes them two-horned. (Cf. A2326.3.1.)

Travels with

Why animals have tail. (Cf. A2286.2.4.)

wander