μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Suitor tests. A suitor is put to severe tests by his prospective bride or father-in-law.

Tests. · Marriage tests. · Suitor tests. · Suitor tests. · view the constellation · filed as H310

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“So Wemicus lay down and the man started to pick the lice. He took the cranberries from inside his shirt and each time he pretended to catch a louse, he cracked a cranberry and threw it on the ground, and so Wemicus got fooled a second time that day. Then they went home and Wemicus said to his son-in-law, “There are a whole lot of eggs on that rocky island where the gulls are. We will go get the eggs, come back, and have an egg supper.’’”

Tales of the North American Indians, Tale 46 · served from our shelf  receiptuncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

Attested across traditions
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.

  • Irish myth*Cross
  • Icelandic*Boberg
  • EnglishWells 16 (Guy of Warwick)
  • WelshMacCulloch Celtic 187
  • Italian NovellaRotunda
  • Jewish*Neuman
  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • ChineseGraham
  • N. Am. Indian*Thompson Tales 324 n. 170, 328 n. 186
  • AfricaWerner African 153f., (Benga): Nassau 227 No. 34.
  • general S. Am. Indian (Tropical Forests): Lowie BBAE CXLIII (3) 55, (Carib): Alexander Lat. Am. 264
Within the index
35 finer motifs beneath it
Tests for hero, husband of supernatural (divine) wifeBrother unwittingly qualifies as bridegroom of sister in testInspection test for suitors. Suitors for princess's hand must present themselves for public inspection. (Cf. H362, T55.7.)Physical and mental requirements for suitorsSuitor test: obedience and humility before brideSuitor's sincerity testedSuitor test: to whom the princess turns. Rival suitors sleep with princess. The one she turns to is to have her. They vie in enticementsSuitor test: apple thrown indicates princess's choice. (Often golden apple.)Long term of service imposed on suitorSuitor preferred who will pay enormous sum for brideSuitor test: hiding from princess. She has magic sightSuitor test: finding princessSuitor test: learning girl's nameSuitor test: choosing princess from others identically cladSuitor test: skillSuitor test: cleverness and learningSuitor test: power of enduranceSuitor contests: bride offered as prizeSuitor in contest with bride or member of her familyGirl demands suitor's life (or mutilation)Tasks assigned suitors. Bride as prize for accomplishment. (For nature of tasks see H1000ff.)Suitors assigned questsSuitor test: faithfulnessSuitor test: making princess laugh. Sadfaced princess has never laughed +11 more
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Loathly bridegroom. Woman disenchants loathsome man by embracing himMeans of inducing magic sleep. (Cf. D1364.)Hero hidden and ogre deceived by his wife (daughter) when he says that he smells human bloodToboggan test. Attempt to kill hero on dangerous tobogganTrapping contest won by deceptionOgre's own moccasins burned. The ogre plans to burn the hero's moccasins while they are camping together, but the hero exchanges the moccasinsMarooned man reaches home and outwits maroonerImpostors claim reward (prize) earned by heroFortunate youngest son. Always has good luckHero (heroine) of unpromising occupation

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