μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Scholars’ trail — 7references

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.

  • IcelandicMacCulloch Eddic 93, Boberg
  • Missouri FrenchCarrière
  • general *Dh IV 46ff.
  • general *BP III 339ff.
  • general *Von den Steinen Zs. f. Vksk. XXV 275
  • general *Fb "væddeløb"
  • general N. Am. Indian (Southern Ute): Lowie JAFL XXXVII 70 No. 40.
Within the index

Filed under Athletic contest won by deception.

10 finer motifs beneath it
Man challenges devil to race. Cheats himRace won by deception: relative helpers. One of the contestants places his relatives (or others that resemble him) in the line of the race. The opponent always thinks the trickster is just ahead of him. (Told of animals or of men; often of the hare and the turtle.)Race won by deception: riding on the back. One contestant rides on the other's back. (Cf. K25.1.)Hare and tortoise race: sleeping hare. In a race between the fast and the slow animal, the fast animal sleeps on the road and allows the slow animal to pass himRace won by deception: chariot disabled. A rival in a chariot race inserts linchpins of wax instead of those of bronze in the hero's chariot. The latter is dragged to deathRace won by deception: sham-sick trickster. The trickster feigns lameness and receives a handicap in the race. He then returns and eats up the food which is the prizeRace won by deception: rabbit as "little son" substitute. A man challenged by an ogre to a running race persuades the ogre to race with his little son instead. By this he means a rabbit. (Cf. K12.2, K15.1.)Race won by deception: blinding opponent by spitting pepper into faceRace won by deception: bow and arrow. Certain goal to be touched. Man shoots arrow and winsObstacle race between deer and hare. Hare accused of removing obstacles from his course
Filed beside it
Wrestling match won by deceptionBoxing match: fatal boxer defeated. All comers are challenged and all are killed until the hero defeats the challenger. (Argonauts and Amycus.)Rowing contest won by deception. The boat is already sawed throughClimbing match won by deceptionDiving match won by deceptionJumping contest won by deceptionThrowing contest won by deceptionDeceptive tug-of-war. Small animal challenges two large animals to a tug-of-war. Arranges it so that they unwittingly pull against each other (or one end of rope is tied to a tree)Deceptive shinny matchDeception in swinging contestFlying contest won by deceptionBlowing contest won by deceptionRiding contest won by substitutionTournament won by deception on borrowed horse

wander