μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

King cannot destroy the city. A philosopher of the city came to him asking mercy for it King said he would do nothing he asked. Philosopher then asked him to destroy the city. This saves the city.

The wise and the foolish. · Cleverness. · Clever verbal retorts (repartee). · Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.). · view the constellation · filed as J1289.10

Filed across the traditions
  • Spanish Exempla Keller.
Within the index

Filed under Repartee with ruler (judge, etc.) – miscellaneous.

Filed beside it
Not a locksmith. A judge asks a pseudo-prophet to prove his powers by opening a difficult lock. "I am a prophet, not a locksmith." Bishop and prince. Peasant tells bishop, who rides by with forty horses, that he wonders if St. Kilian at Würzburg is also riding with forty horses. Bishop excuses extravagance by saying that he is also a prince and that it is the prince, not the bishop, who is using the horses. "If the prince should become a fool, what would the bishop do then?" Will not try to correct them. Pope calls persistent courtier a fool. Latter says that there are people who call the pope the same thing and that he for one will not try to correct them The needy philosopher. Philosopher asks ruler for money Ruler says that philosophers do not need money. Philosopher: "If I am rewarded, I will say that you are right; I will no longer need money." Wearing all his clothes. Shivering king (rich man) to tattered peasant: "Aren't you cold?" Peasant: "No, if you wore all your clothes as I do, you wouldn't be cold either!" The prince's excuse. King to son who has been accused of rape: "I never did anything like that." Prince: "Your father was not king!" King: "Your son will never be one if you keep that up!" Shoemaker speaks ill of lord's rule. Lord takes his tools away from him. Shoemaker begs for them saying that he cannot carry on his business without them. Ruler: "I thought ruling was your business so I took your tools to learn shoemaking." One ear saved for other litigant. Judge stops up one ear while first litigant presents his case. He is saving one ear for the second litigant Seek harmony in your own house. King brought to sense of duty by philosopher who tells him to seek harmony in his own house before inquiring about the harmony in his kingdom Man, fined for sabbath-breaking, asks for receipt, explains that if God asks for it, he will not have to journey to hell to get it from the judge Man is arrested for drunkenness; he is so drunk that trial must be postponed. When he is tried later, he is told how at the earlier trial he had kept repeating that the judge was a very wise judge. When he hears this he admits that he must have been very drunk Weaver hearing of tax for every doorway of weavers takes his door to the khan: will not return for the sidewalls of his house Gem offered by monarch to one who can first go around the kingdom. Trickster goes around king and says king is kingdom Thief serves king buffaloes he has killed in hunt and lost; thus reproaches king's wastefulness Hairless palms from giving and receiving gold. Jester flatters prince for bounty Emperor: "What people have the biggest bellies?" Jester answers: "The landlords."
Carried in tale types

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