Diving for reflection of beautiful woman

Motif

Diving for reflection of beautiful woman.

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 J1791.6

Filed across the traditions

N. Am. Indian *Thompson Tales 352 n. 270b.
general Indonesian, Melanesian: Dixon 227 n. 34

Within the index

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

3 finer motifs beneath it

Woman dives in water three times after reflected image of man peering down from a tree Ugly woman sees beautiful woman reflected in water and thinks it is herself. Prides herself on her beauty Ogre sees beautiful woman reflected in water. Attempts to drink the lake dry. (Cf. J1791.3.1.)

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

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