Tasks imposed. A person's prowess is tested by assigning him certain tasks (usually impossible or extremely difficult) to be performed either to escape punishment or to receive a valuable reward

Motif

Tasks imposed. A person's prowess is tested by assigning him certain tasks (usually impossible or extremely difficult) to be performed either to escape punishment or to receive a valuable reward.

Tests. · Tests of prowess: tasks. · Assignment and performance of tasks. · Assignment of tasks. · Tasks imposed. · view the constellation · filed as H900

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“When Hercules called for wine, he said he feared to open the jar which belonged to the centaurs in common.? But Hercules, bidding him be of good courage, opened it, and not long afterwards, scenting the smell, the centaurs arrived at the cave of Pholus, armed with rocks and firs. The first who dared to enter, Anchius and Agrius, were repelled by Hercules with a shower of brands, and the rest of them he shot and pursued as far as Malea.”

— The Library (Bibliotheca), BOOK II, ch. V · served from our shelf uncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

On our shelf — the index’s citations, resolved to served chapters

GreekThe Library (Bibliotheca), BOOK II, ch. VThompson cites: Frazer Apollodorus I 184 n. 1 (Hercules), Fox 80ff. (Hercules), ibid. 98 (Theseus)

Scholars’ trail — 5references

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.

BretonSébillot Incidents s. v. "épreuves"
GreekFrazer Apollodorus I 184 n. 1 (Hercules), Fox 80ff. (Hercules), ibid. 98 (Theseus) → on our shelf: The Library (Bibliotheca), BOOK II, ch. V
N. Am. Indian**Lowie The Test Theme in North American Mythology (JAFL XXI 97ff.).
general *Penzer X 330 s. v. "tests"
general *Chauvin VI 200 No. 372. Irish myth: *Cross

Within the index

2 finer motifs beneath it

Tasks imposed on pain of death Task assigned the Gods

Travels with

Ghost is laid by giving it a never-ending or impossible task. (Cf. H900, H1010.)

Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes

Hound of hell. Cerberus (monstrous dog) guards the bridge to the lower world Two-headed dog Hydra: nine-headed monster. Middle head immortal Man-eating mares Centaur: man-horse. Trunk and head of man, body of horse Hind with golden horns Transformation to animal to seduce woman Magic goblet (glass)Transportation by magic goblet. (Cf. D1171.6.2.)Immortality exchanged. Wounded Centaur immortal but cannot be cured. He gives away his immortality to Prometheus and is thus allowed to die Person with three bodies. Body of three men grown together in one at waist but parted in three from flanks and thighs Task: cleaning Augean stable. Stable has not been cleaned in years. Must be done in one night. River turned through it

wander