μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Instructions followed literally – miscellaneous.

The wise and the foolish. · Fools (and other unwise persons). · Literal fools. · Literal obedience. · view the constellation · filed as J2469

Within the index

Filed under Literal obedience.

5 finer motifs beneath it
A lentil in the soup. You said you wished a lentil soup; so I put one in. If you had wished more lentils you should have said so Taking the prescription. The fool eats the paper with the prescription on it Dividing all they have. So advised, they cut their beds, houses, etc. in two. (Cf. M241.) Boy asked to do something to cool women's ears breaks vessels they carry so milk in them can cool their ears off Literal fool – something you have never experienced
Filed beside 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 punished Foolish bridegroom follows instructions literally The foolish bride The 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 instructions Literal following of the count

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