Which way the sheep shall return. One man plans to buy sheep; another says that he shall not drive them across the bridge. They quarrel over the sheep, which have not yet been acquired. A third numskull to convince them of their foolishness pours all his meal out in the water so as to show them the empty sack. "How much meal is in the sack?" he asks. "None." "There is just that much wit in your heads." — Mythoi

Motif

Which way the sheep shall return. One man plans to buy sheep; another says that he shall not drive them across the bridge. They quarrel over the sheep, which have not yet been acquired. A third numskull to convince them of their foolishness pours all his meal out in the water so as to show them the empty sack. "How much meal is in the sack?" he asks. "None." "There is just that much wit in your heads."

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd short-sightedness. · Absurd plans. · view the constellation · filed as J2062.1

Filed across the traditions

England Baughman.
general *Clouston Noodles 26
general Field Pent Cuckoo 2

Within the index

Filed under Foolish illustration of argument.

Filed beside it

Foolish logician upsets ghee in argument. "Does the ghee protect the saucer, or the saucer the ghee?" How was the town burned?

Carried in tale types

Emptying the Flour Sack · ATU 1327 1 recorded variant

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