μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Tasks assigned suitors. Bride as prize for accomplishment. (For nature of tasks see H1000ff.)

Tests. · Marriage tests. · Suitor tests. · Suitor tests. · view the constellation · filed as H335

Filed across the traditions
  • Icelandic *Boberg
  • Finnish Kalevala runes 7, 8, 13, 14, 19 → on our shelf: The Kalevala, Rune VII
  • Italian Novella *Rotunda, Basile Pentamerone II Nos. 5, 7
  • Greek Frazer Apollodorus I 87 n. 3, II 61 n. 3, Fox 107 → on our shelf: The Library (Bibliotheca), BOOK I, ch. IX
  • Jewish Neuman
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Indonesian De Vries's list No. 168
  • Indo-Chinese Scott Indo-Chinese 290
  • Chinese Graham
  • Japanese Anesaki 262
  • Tuamotu Stimson MS (z-G. 13/174, 13/203, 13/276, 13/317, 13/441, 13/499, 13/730, 13/243, 13/1241)
  • Easter Island Métraux Ethnology 57
  • N. Am. Indian *Thompson Tales 324 n. 170
  • Africa (Mpongwe) Nassau 31 No. 4, (Benga): Nassau 134 No. 15
  • West Indies Flowers 458. Cf. Wünsche Teufel 33 (devil).
  • general *Types 313, 502, 513, 514, 518, 570, 577
  • general BP II 87ff., III 267ff., 424ff.
  • general Hibbard 275ff. (Sir Eglamour). Irish myth: *Cross
Within the index

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

11 finer motifs beneath it
Bride helps suitor perform his tasks Girl assigns tasks to her suitors Devil as suitor assigned tasks Suitor tasks announced by inscription on statue Goddess assigns task to her mortal suitor Suitor task: avenging bride's father's death before marriage Suitor task: cutting open magic gourd Suitor task: killing ferocious animal Suitor task: to defeat enemies Suitor task: to bring back food as a marriage present Suitor task: making weather calm. (Cf. D2141.0.8.1.)
Filed beside it
Tests for hero, husband of supernatural (divine) wife Brother unwittingly qualifies as bridegroom of sister in test Inspection test for suitors. Suitors for princess's hand must present themselves for public inspection. (Cf. H362, T55.7.) Physical and mental requirements for suitors Suitor test: obedience and humility before bride Suitor's sincerity tested Suitor test: to whom the princess turns. Rival suitors sleep with princess. The one she turns to is to have her. They vie in enticements Suitor test: apple thrown indicates princess's choice. (Often golden apple.) Long term of service imposed on suitor Suitor preferred who will pay enormous sum for bride Suitor test: hiding from princess. She has magic sight Suitor test: finding princess Suitor test: learning girl's name Suitor test: choosing princess from others identically clad Suitor test: skill Suitor test: cleverness and learning
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Task: uprooting man-devouring tree. (Cf. H335.) Princess sets hero tasks. (Cf. H335.)
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Sleepless dragon Brazen-footed, fire-breathing bulls. (Cf. B15.6, B15.5) Animal languages learned from serpent (not eaten). (Cf. B176.) Bird language Grateful animals Helpful eagle. See references in B322.1 Helpful serpent Eagle carries man to safety Tabu: falsely claiming the powers of a god Tabu: looking up Transformation and disenchantment at will Power of self-transformation received from a god
Carried in tale types

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