μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

A hole to throw the earth in. Numskull plans to dig a hole so as to have a place to throw the earth from his excavation.

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd disregard of facts. · Absurd disregard of natural laws. · view the constellation · filed as J1934

Filed across the traditions
  • Jewish Neuman.
  • general *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 227 No. 480
  • general Christensen DF XL VII 201 no. 37
Within the index

Filed under Absurd disregard of natural laws.

Filed beside it
Money tested by throwing it into a stream to see if it will swim. Good coins are supposed to swim, counterfeit to sink Absurd practices connected with crops Numskull tries to dig up a well (spring). He wants to take it home Articles sent by telegraph How he looks in his sleep. A man stands before mirror with his eyes shut to see how he looks in his sleep Absurd ideas about the dead Porridge in the ice hole. They put meal in the boiling current of the ice hole and then, one after another, they jump in to taste the porridge How far his voice will reach. A numskull cries from a tower and then runs away to see how far his voice will reach Holding in the heat. A numskull ties yarn around the stove to keep the heat from escaping Examining the sundial by candle-light. Numskull tries to find the time of night Trying to get fruit from fruitless tree Warming hands across the river. Numskull stretches out his hands toward the fire across the river As tired as if he had walked. So says the numskull after riding to town on his stick horse Drying snow to make salt Fire and water mixed to make sacrifice. Fool told that he needed only the two Demand that murderer restore life to victim
Carried in tale types

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