μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
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Within the index
17 finer motifs beneath it
The silence wager. A man and his wife make a wager as to who shall speak first (close the door). The man (woman) becomes jealous and scolds; loses the wagerThe fool and the visitor's large nose. The fool asks where he got the large nose. Is removed from the room. He comes back to mend matters. He says, "What a small nose you have!" He is again taken from the room. The third time: "What difference does it make whether you have a nose or not?"Plenty of holy water. A fool hearing of the effectiveness of holy water for the forgiveness of sins pours the whole supply over himselfSickle bought at great cost given back. In a land where the sickle is not known the new sickle cuts off the head of a man and is thereupon given back to the original ownerDirections followed literally to the sorrow of the giverCouldn't wait to dress. The overzealous visitor rides naked to see his friendsAbsurd extreme of discouragementExtreme pruderyBreaking the glassware to prevent others from doing so. A king thus removes temptation from his subjectsThe obedient husband: the leave of absence. His wife says, "You may go away for a little while." He stays away for days and then sends a messenger to his wife asking if he has been away long enoughFool liking salt decides to eat nothing elseFool will not drink from a river because he cannot drink it allEqual share in the bed. Wishing to prove their equality twelve fools sleep on the ground and put their feet on the one bed provided for the chiefThief out of habit robs from his own purseLetter believed against clear evidence. Fool believes letter apparently reporting his uncle's death, though he has just seen uncleBureaucrats debate as to who shall put out palace fire: meantime palace burns"Don't eat too greedily." Fool starves himself at table. Later hunts food in house and gets into trouble

wander