Counterquestions. Riddles answered by a question that reduces the riddle to an absurdity

Motif

Counterquestions. Riddles answered by a question that reduces the riddle to an absurdity.

Tests. · Tests of cleverness. · Riddles. · Means of solving riddles. · view the constellation · filed as H571

Scholars’ trail — 4references

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.

JapaneseIkeda.
general *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 275 No. 299
general Wesselski Arlotto I 215 No. 59
general Anderson FFC XLII 346

Within the index

Filed under Means of solving riddles.

1 finer motif beneath it

Counterquestion: "What is difference between you and an ass? What is difference between you and a cushion."

Filed beside it

Reductio ad absurdum of riddle: stallions of Babylon. "Why is my mare restless when stallions of Babylon neigh?" Hero beats cat for having strangled a cock last night in Babylon (impossible distance away)Answer to riddle found by trickery Riddles solved with aid of propounder's wife. (Cf. G530.2, H335.0.1, H974.)Accidental discovery of answer to riddle

wander