Plea for a good father. Mother of twelve on deathbed explains to family that not all her children are legitimate. Gives the paternity of each child. Youngest leaves his food to say: "Please, mother, give me a good father!" (Cf. J325.)

Motif

Plea for a good father. Mother of twelve on deathbed explains to family that not all her children are legitimate. Gives the paternity of each child. Youngest leaves his food to say: "Please, mother, give me a good father!" (Cf. J325.)

The wise and the foolish. · Cleverness. · Clever verbal retorts (repartee). · Repartee concerning the parentage of children. · view the constellation · filed as J1279.1

Filed across the traditions

Italian Novella *Rotunda.

Within the index

Filed under Repartee regarding the parentage of children – miscellaneous.

Filed beside it

Even God can overdo it! Returning sailor finds his hovel transformed into a fine house. "Where does all this come from?" Wife: "God's bounty." Illegitimate child greets mother. Same question, same answer. Sailor: "I don't want God to help me so much!" Suitor hesitates to marry girl as immature (or too delicate). Girl's father protests, saying that she has had three children In numbers there is strength. The children of the Genoese are strong because there is more help

Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)

Children choose father they know rather than real father they do not yet know. Woman confesses that child is not by her husband. Child, however, chooses to keep the father he knows. (Cf. J391, J1279.1.)

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