Learn to swim before going into the water.
The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Absurd lack of logic. · Other logical absurdities. · view the constellation · filed as J2226
Motif
Filed across the traditions
- Russian Andrejev No. 1292*.
- general Type 1293
Within the index
Filed under Other logical absurdities.
Filed beside it
How does he know? A rustic refuses to believe reports about hell from a priest who has not been there The inconvenience of having a father: The numskull to his father: "If you had never been born I would get my grandfather's estate." The thief as discoverer. The fool lies still as the thief enters the house, hoping that the thief may find something so that he can take it back from the thief Taking the seed out at night. Numskull plants seed in daytime and takes it out at night. "Man must guard his treasures" (or "Growing in the daytime is enough") Three reasons for not giving alms. (1) Student has only one eye: Aristotle says to beware of those whom nature has marked. (2) Student comes from Bremen: no one of consequence comes from there. (3) His name is Nicholas: no one with that name can succeed Let them eat cake. The queen has been told that the peasants have no bread Loss of eating contest because of weak legs. The sheep thinks that that is the reason for loss of the contest Why can't we have holidays the year round? Imitation and the real pig. Imitator of the pig's cries applauded. Fool brings real pig but fails Logically absurd defenses. Thief brought to judgment for breaking into house blames mason for building poor house. Mason blames maker of mortar, who blames potter, who blames pretty woman who diverted his attention. She blames goldsmith who caused her to go for her earrings. Goldsmith has no one to blame but he is too old to make a good execution. Hence a shopkeeper across the way is convicted "Is that you or your brother?" Would have shot himself. Fool shoots full of holes a garment left out at night to dry. "It is a good thing I did not have it on or I would have shot myself." Only fault with the house. The latrine is too small for the dining room table to go in The bathroom in the minaret. The fool can sing in the small bathroom but cannot be heard from the minaret. He wants a bathroom built on the minaret so that his voice will carry Book gives wisdom. A man believes himself wise because he has a book which he uses but does not understand The doctor no longer needed. As the fool starts for the doctor the wife changes her mind. He continues to the doctor so as to tell him about it and to say that now he need not come
Carried in tale types
- Learning to Swim · ATU 1293* 1 recorded variant
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