μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Animal characteristics result of contest between God and devil.

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Various causes of animal characteristics. · Animal characteristics from miscellaneous causes. · view the constellation · filed as A2286.2

Within the index

Filed under Animal characteristics established by deity.

4 finer motifs beneath 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.) 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.)
Filed beside it
God makes serpent ugly. (Cf. A2402.1, A2494.) Creation interrupted since God must go to a fire
Carried in tale types

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