μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
In our texts — keyword-matched, unreviewed
Scholars’ trail — 11references

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.

  • Icel.Boberg
  • JewishNeuman
  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • ChineseGraham.
  • general *Types 517, 670, 671, 672, 673, 670B*, 671*, BP I 132
  • general **Aarne FFC XV
  • general *Frazer "The Language of Animals" Archeological Review I (1888) 166 ff.
  • general *Chauvin VIII 49 No. 17
  • general Cox 496 n. 32. Wesselski Morlini 314 No. 71
  • general Gaster Exempla 248 No. 352
  • general Wesselski Märchen 221 No. 35
Within the index

Filed under Speaking animals.

8 finer motifs beneath it
Animal languages learned from eating animalAnimal languages learned from eating plantAnimal languages learned from ghosts (spirits)Animal languages learned from carrying churchyard mould in hatBird language learned by having ears magically cleansedAnimal languages learned by exchanging tongues with helpful dragonStone deity (image of) confers upon man powers of understanding animal languageLanguage of animals learned by Adam from Eve
Filed beside it
Person frightened by animals successively replying to his remarks. Example: Man riding horse and followed by dog tells horse to jump over a hole. Horse says, "I will not." Man turns to dog and says, "Isn't that strange – a horse talking!" The dog says, "Yes, isn't it." Often the man runs, meeting other animals which answer him, until he falls exhaustedTalking animal or object refuses to talk on demand. Discoverer is unable to prove his claims: is beatenFormerly animals and man spoke the same language. God took the power of speech from the animals because men refused to kill speaking beastsAnimal uses human speechAnimal understands human speechAnimal whistles (sings, etc.)Animal languages. The various animals have languages of their own. (Cf. B251.1.2.)Knowledge of animal languages. Person understands them
Travels with
Frog returned to spring: grateful. Teaches hero animals' language (Cf. B217)

wander