μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Why quail has no tail. Tricks crab into pulling out tail instead of killing her. Says that gripping her neck would not hurt but that pulling tail will be fatal.

Mythological motifs. · Animal characteristics. · Causes of animal characteristics: body. · Animal characteristics: extremities. · view the constellation · filed as A2378.2.1

Filed across the traditions
  • Jewish Neuman, India: Thompson-Balys.
  • general Dh III 54. Flemish: DeMeyer FFC XXXVII 87 No. 90a
Within the index

Filed under Why animals lack tail.

Filed beside it
How goats lost tails. (Cf. A2216.2.) How frogs lost tails. (Cf. A2231.4, A2236.3.) How bear lost tail. (Cf. A2216.1.) Why hydrax has no tail. (Cf. A2235.) How frog lost tail. (Cf. A2242, lent to squirrel.) How toad lost tail Why flies lack tail

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