μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Numskull prepares brother's wedding (father's funeral). On the way home from town he destroys his purchases. (Cf. J1851, J1856, J1871.)

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd misunderstandings. · Inappropriate action from misunderstanding. · view the constellation · filed as J1846

Filed across the traditions
  • Lithuanian Balys Index No. 1677*
  • Russian Andrejev No. 1681 I*
  • Prussian Plenzat 75.
Within the index

Filed under Inappropriate action from misunderstanding.

Filed beside it
Swimming (fishing) in the flax-field. Peasants go to visit the sea. They see a waving flax-field, and, thinking it is the sea, jump in to swim Sweeping with a stick instead of a broom Misunderstanding of church customs or ceremonies causes inappropriate action Fatal bread. Numskull refuses communion because his sister died shortly after eating the bread Turkish ambassador misunderstands Christian ceremonies. Makes ridiculous report to his king The falcon not so good as represented. A nobleman praises his falcon. His fool, supposing they were praising the falcon as food, kills the bird, but is disappointed in the taste The king no priest's son. A pope in writing to a king says, "To our dear son Frederick." Upon hearing this the fool cries out, "That is a lie; he is no priest's son. I knew his father and mother and they were both honest people." The obedient log. A fool sees a boat (with rowers) obedient to commands, "Right! Left!" etc. He asks what kind of wood the boat is made of. Later he gets a log of that wood and tries to make it obey commands Numskull throws the dishes out. A landlord in anger throws a dish out the window. The numskull throws the rest out, thinking that the landlord wanted to eat outdoors Jumping into the river after their comrade. Through misunderstanding one of the men jumps into the river. He calls out; the others think that he wants them to follow, and all jump in and are drowned Numskull thinks the bishop's snoring is his death rattle. He strikes at a fly on the bishop's nose because it seems to be killing the bishop Numskulls lose corpse and bury live person instead Goat chewing cud angers fool, who thinks goat is mimicking him Fool not recognizing coins lying on roadside leaves them Man thinks own toe is snake's head and cuts it off. (Cf. J1782.8.) Useless surgical operation from misunderstanding
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Gift to animal or object Food given to object. (Cf. J1871.) Filling cracks with butter. Numskull sees cracks in the ground and feels so sorry for them that he greases them with the butter he is taking home

ask the rhapsode about this motif · search the shelf for “brother's” · wander