Diving for cheese. Man (animal) sees moon reflected in water and, thinking it a cheese, dives for it

Motif

Diving for cheese. Man (animal) sees moon reflected in water and, thinking it a cheese, dives for it.

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd misunderstandings. · One thing mistaken for another. · Shadow mistaken for substance. · view the constellation · filed as J1791.3

Filed across the traditions

Spanish Espinosa III Nos. 206f.
N. Am. Indian *Thompson Tales 295 n. 81
Africa (Zulu) Callaway 357 (cf. J1791.4).
general *Type 34
general *Dh IV 230f.
general *Fb "øst"
general *Clouston Noodles 44
general *Field Pent Cuckoo 18
general Köhler-Bolte I 107
general Christensen DF XLVII 217–18 no. 78

Within the index

Filed under Reflection in water thought to be the original of the thing reflected.

4 finer motifs beneath it

Wolf tries to drink well dry to get cheese Dogs by river try to get food in river by drinking the river dry Moon's reflection thought to be gold in water. Fools dive for it Jackals jump into well after drums and are killed

Filed beside it

Drinking the moon. The numskull sees a cow drink from a pool where the moon is reflected. The moon goes under a cloud. He thinks the cow has eaten the moon and slaughters her to recover it Rescuing the moon. A numskull sees the moon in the water and throws a rope in to rescue it, but falls in himself. He sees the moon in the sky. At least the moon was saved! Dog drops his meat for the reflection. Crossing a stream with meat in his mouth he sees his reflection; thinking it another dog with meat he dives for it and loses his meat Diving for reflected enemy Diving for reflection of beautiful woman Man does not recognize his own reflection in the water Goose dives for star, thinking it a fish. The next day when she sees fish, she lets it escape Fools see bee's nest reflected in water: try to carry off the well Fool sees golden-crested bird reflected in water. Thinks it is gold Diving for reflected fruit. Meantime rascal steals the fruit itself Elephant frightened at agitated reflection of moon in water

Carried in tale types

Diving for Cheese · ATU 1336 1 recorded variant
The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese · ATU 34 1 recorded variant

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