Numskull tries to wash black hen white

Motif

Numskull tries to wash black hen white.

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd disregard of facts. · Absurd disregard or ignorance of animal's nature or habits. · view the constellation · filed as J1909.6

Cited in the index

general *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 246 No. 142.

Within the index

Filed under Absurd disregard of animal's nature or habits – miscellaneous.

Filed beside it

Fisherman fails to make fish dance to his flute. Later in his net they jump about without the aid of the flute Fool tries to shoot dead antelope until it will come to him Numskull tries to shake birds from tree like fruit Breeding fine horses from an ass. Fool says, "Just as soon as the body of a colt bred from this mare is in proper proportion to its ears you will have a fine horse." Sheep licking her lamb is envied by the wolf. He says, "Such is bad conduct. If I were to do that they would say that I was eating it." Fear that frog may drown or get dirty

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