μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Question (on quest): When will a certain water-animal be freed from an annoyance? (Various answers).

Tests. · Tests of prowess: quests. · Nature of quests. · Quests to the other world. · Quests to the other world – miscellaneous motifs. · view the constellation · filed as H1292.9

Filed across the traditions
  • Italian Basile Pentamerone IV No. 8
  • India *Thompson-Balys.
  • general Types 460, 461
  • general *Aarne FFC XXIII 136ff.
Within the index

Filed under Answers found in other world to questions propounded on the way. (Cf. H1278, H1282, H1283, H1284.)

Filed beside it
Question (propounded on quest): Why has spring gone dry? Answer: Animal to be removed from its water-vein Question (propounded on quest): Why does not a certain tree flourish? Answer: Gold is hidden under it (or a serpent is under its roots) Question (propounded on quest): Why do the live stock die? (Various answers.) Question (propounded on quest): How can the prince be cured? Answer: He must remove stone which he has spit out in the church Question (on quest): How can the girl thus far avoided by suitors marry? (Various answers.) Question (on quest): Where is the lost key? (Various answers.) Question (on quest): Where is the lost princess? (Various answers.) Question (on quest): When will a ferryman be released from his duty? Answer: When he is able to get out of the boat and leave the oar in another's hand Question (on quest): How can mice rid themselves of cats? (Answer: tie on bell.) Question (on quest): How can ants secure longer life? (Answer: by doing without wings.) Question (on quest): Where does Bras-de-Fer (Ver-sous-Terre) live? Question (on quest): Have you see my prince? Question (propounded on quest): Why can't the dragon king ascend to the sky? Question (propounded on quest): Why can't the child talk or the dog bark? Question (propounded on quest): Why is the cow so severely beaten every day by her calf? Answer: in her last birth she had been the young of her present calf and had treated it the same way Question (propounded on quest): Is a poor shepherd known to God? Answer: He had been a very generous god-fearing person in his last birth and God had not forgotten him

ask the rhapsode about this motif · search the shelf for “water-animal” · wander