Wisdom of hidden old man saves kingdom. In famine all old men are ordered killed. One man hides his father. When all goes wrong in the hands of the young rulers, the old man comes forth, performs assigned tasks, and aids with his wisdom

Motif

Wisdom of hidden old man saves kingdom. In famine all old men are ordered killed. One man hides his father. When all goes wrong in the hands of the young rulers, the old man comes forth, performs assigned tasks, and aids with his wisdom.

The wise and the foolish. · Acquisition and possession of wisdom (knowledge). · Other means of acquiring wisdom (knowledge). · view the constellation · filed as J151.1

Filed across the traditions

Lithuanian Balys Index No. *995
Russian Andrejev No. 981*
Estonian Aarne FFC XXV No. 995*
Rumanian Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 910F*
Spanish Exempla Keller
Italian Novella Rotunda
Jewish *Neuman
India *Thompson-Balys
Chinese Eberhard FFC CXX 115ff. No. 71.
general Type 981*
general *Anderson FFC XLII 182 n. 1
general *DeVries FFC LXXIII 220ff.
general *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 446, cf. No. 538
general Fb "gammel" IV 174a
general Scala Celi No. 281
general *Paudler FFC CXXI. Irish myth: *Cross

Within the index

Filed under Wisdom from old person.

Filed beside it

Old men preferred as councillors Wisdom from god as old (one-eyed) man Wisdom from old man: always say, "if it pleases God."

Carried in tale types

Wisdom of Hidden Old Man Saves Kingdom · ATU 981 1 recorded variant

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