μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

The dead man in spite of himself. Neighbors who have heard of the numskull's death insist on the funeral although he is alive and well. He is persuaded and is carried on a bier. They meet a busy man whom they try to persuade to join them. He pleads business. The "dead" man speaks: "It's no use, friend, to try to dissuade them."

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Gullible fools. · Nature of gullibility. · view the constellation · filed as J2311.5

Filed across the traditions
  • Italian Novella Rotunda.
  • general *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 239 No. 121
Within the index

Filed under Person made to believe that he is dead.

1 finer motif beneath it
Supposed dead man on bier threatens his bearers
Filed beside it
Wife makes her husband believe that he is dead. (Cf. J2301.) Numskull is told that he is to die when his horse breaks wind three times. When this happens he lies down for dead The "poisoned" pot. The wife tells the husband that a certain pot of preserves is poison. He decides to kill himself and eats the preserves. He believes that he is poisoned and lies down for dead Sham revenant. A man takes refuge from robbers in an open grave. Robbers see him and ask what he is doing. "It is my grave. I went out to get a breath of air." The dead man speaks up. A numskull who has lain down thinking he is dead is carried off in a bier. The carriers lose their way. He speaks up, "I always went that way when I was alive." Sham-dead man punished. A numskull lies in an old grave to see the Day of Judgment. He hears bells and thinks that the Last Day has come. He is beaten by mule-drivers when he tells them that he is a dead man. He returns home and tells his wife that he returns from the dead. "How goes it in heaven?" "For one thing, avoid mule-drivers." Cold hands and feet for the dead man. His wife has told him that one tells a dead person by his cold hands and feet. He freezes his feet and hands and lies down for dead. Wolves eat his ass. "Lucky for you that his master is dead!" Parents made to believe that they are dead and are married to each other again Foolish peasants carry couple to burial; when "corpses" speak they flee in terror Drunken man insists that he be beheaded. Is struck with the flat of his sword. He thinks he is dead Idiot tells his mother he has been dead twelve years Supposed dead man roused with whip

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