μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Bear mistaken for a foreigner. The strong man meets a bear in the forest, takes it for a German and struggles with it. Having strangled the bear, fears he has killed a man.

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd misunderstandings. · One thing mistaken for another. · Animal or person mistaken for something else. · view the constellation · filed as J1762.8

Filed across the traditions
  • Lithuanian Balys Index No. 1283*.
Within the index

Filed under Animal thought to be a person.

Filed beside it
Animals mistaken for messengers Goose mistaken for a tailor. In a ghost house he is thought to be a tailor who snips the devil with his scissors Bear on haywagon (on horse) thought to be the preacher Crab caught on tiger's tail thought to be pursuing man Deer thought to be man with basket on head Bees (wasps) mistaken for Jutlanders, etc Dressed up monkey thought to be a nobleman Lobsters mistaken for Norwegians Foolish wife believes goats' heads are human heads
Carried in tale types

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