μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

"Guilty man's stick will grow during night." Guilty man chops end off stick.

The wise and the foolish. · Cleverness. · Clever persons and acts. · Cleverness in the law court. · Cleverness in detection of truth. · view the constellation · filed as J1141.1.4

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

Filed under Guilty person deceived into gesture (act) which admits guilt.

Filed beside it
Largest part of a prize to go to the guilty man. In order to obtain the prize, he confesses the earlier crime "Thief has grease from stolen fowl on him": thief begins to feel his beard and is detected Creditor: "The destroyed bond was a cubit in size." Debtor: "That is a lie; it was only a span." "Thief has the feathers sticking on his head": guilty woman immediately passes her hand over her head To decide which is master and which servant they are to put heads through window and servant's head is to be cut off. Servant draws back Which is man and which demon in man's shape? Decision to go to whichever can go through end of reed Accused woman to go three times around building naked: guilty one begins to strip off her clothes Thief persuaded detective can read thoughts: confesses. (Cf. N275.) Queen flogs suspects telling them to produce stolen gem: thief promises to do so Confession of debt secured by having defendant dispute as to whether cat was present when debt was made B warns A not to tie his horse near B's. Horses fight and A's is killed. In court B plays dumb. A says B could talk the day before, and repeats conversation. Judge blames A for not taking advice
Carried in tale types

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