μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Scholars’ trail — 3references

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • IndonesiaDeVries's list No. 282.
  • general Gaster Oldest Stories 167
Within the index
8 finer motifs beneath it
Disastrous following of misunderstood instructions. (To burn land, then sow seed. Opposite done.)What should I have done (said)? The mother teaches the boy (the man his wife) what he should say (do) in this or that circumstance. He uses the words in the most impossible cases and is always punishedFoolish bridegroom follows instructions literallyThe foolish brideThe servant to improve on the master's statements. The wooer makes boasts to the girl and the servant always doubles the master's boast. Finally the master says, "I have poor eyesight." – The servant, "You don't see at all." (Or the master coughs and apologizes; the servant says that he coughs all night.)Disastrous following of instructionsLiteral following of the countInstructions followed literally – miscellaneous

wander