μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Clever youth (maiden) answers king's inquiry in riddles. (Cf. H561.4.)

Tests. · Tests of cleverness. · Riddles. · Enigmatic statements. · view the constellation · filed as H583

Filed across the traditions
  • India Thompson-Balys.
  • general *Type 921
Within the index

Filed under Enigmatic statements. Apparently senseless remarks (or acts) interpreted figuratively prove wise.

10 finer motifs beneath it
King: What do you see? Youth: One and a half men and a horse's head. (Himself, the legs of the king on horseback in the door, and the horse's head.) King: What is your father doing? Youth: He is in the vineyard and is doing good and bad. (He prunes vines and sometimes cuts good and sometimes lets bad ones stay.) King: What is your brother doing? Youth: He hunts; he throws away what he catches and what he does not catch he carries with him. (Hunts for lice on his body.) King: What is your mother doing? Youth: She does for another what the latter cannot do for her. (Lays out a corpse.) King: What is your sister doing? Youth: She is mourning last year's laughter. (Nurses child, the fruit of last year's love affair.) King: What are you doing? Youth: I boil those which come and go. (Beans which keep rising and falling in water.) King: Where shall I tie my horse? Maiden: Between summer and winter. (Between wagon and sleigh.) Maiden (to king): The house has neither eyes nor ears. (No child at window nor dog in yard to announce king's approach: he therefore finds her not dressed to receive him.) Maiden (to king): Shall I feed you with loss or gain. (A slaughtered hen or milk.) Girl to king: Should it (the flood) come I shall not come; should it not come, I shall come
Filed beside it
Girl given enigmatic commands must do the opposite Three young men arrested tell who they are Riddling answers betray theft or adultery Other riddling answers Enigmatic conversation of king and peasant Riddling remarks of traveling companion interpreted by girl (man) at end of journey King gives enigmatic order to minister Enigmatic counsels of a father. Taken literally bring trouble, but when properly interpreted are valuable Extraordinary actions explained Enigmatic statement made clear by experience Suitors receive enigmatic answers. Girls answer in single words, which, when arranged in certain order, show that they accept Inhospitality reproved enigmatically Enigmatic welcome of host. Sounds very inhospitable but properly interpreted makes guests welcome Enigmatic counsels of relatives (other than father) Other enigmatic statements
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
King and clever youth. King asks questions; youth returns riddling answers

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