μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Animals overcome man's adversary by force.

Animals. · Friendly animals. · Services of helpful animals. · Animals save person's life. · view the constellation · filed as B524.1

Filed across the traditions
  • English Wells Manual of Writings 66 (Ywain and Gawain)
  • Irish myth Cross
  • Spanish Boggs FFC XC 98 No. 327
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Eskimo (Bering Strait) Nelson RBAE XVIII 493, (Cumberland Sound): Boas BAM XV 187.
Within the index

Filed under Animal overcomes man's adversary.

12 finer motifs beneath it
Dogs kill attacking cannibal (dragon) Dogs rescue fleeing master from tree refuge Cat kills attacking rat Wolf defends master's child against serpent Helpful buffaloes tramp hero's enemies to death Helpful bird kills snake attacking master's wife and child Horse kills master's attacking enemies Shut in with elephants, blackbird orders ants to burrow themselves into the elephants' brains Grateful hawk attacks hero's enemies Helpful centipede kills ogre Hero contests with demons, using fighting animals: cock, goat, bull, horse, wild bull, peacock Hero saved from ravaging snake by crab companion. [Inadvertant duplication of B549.5.]
Filed beside it
Animals overcome man's adversary by strategy Helpful snake protects man from attack Supernatural bird prevents mother from killing babe Broom, transformed into porcupine, drives away would-be ravisher Grateful hare raises animal army for hero Faithful dog kills would-be murderer of sleeping master Chicken picks out one of attacker's eyes

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