μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Old Hildebrand. Hidden cuckold reveals his presence by rhymes. He responds to the rhymes made by the wife and paramour concerning their entertainment.

Deceptions. · Deceptions connected with adultery. · Husband outwits adulteress and paramour. · view the constellation · filed as K1556

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Scholars’ trail — 5references

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.

  • SpanishEspinosa II No. 93, III No. 193.
  • general *Type 1360C
  • general **Anderson Der Schwank vom alten Hildebrand (Dorpat, 1931)
  • general *BP II 373
  • general Hdwb. d. Märchens I 188a nn. 164–5
Within the index

Filed under Husband outwits adulteress and paramour.

1 finer motif beneath it
Adulteress binds husband's eyes and causes him to sing incantations concerning the adultery
Filed beside it
Husband discovers wife's adulteryAdulteress detected by food she prepares for paramourHusband returns home secretly and spies on adulteress and loversHusband feigns blindness and avenges himself on his wife and her paramourThe husband sets house afire and ousts hidden paramourHusband carries off box containing hidden paramour. Latter exposed (otherwise discomfited)Husband discovers wife's adultery by riddling conversation. In this indirect manner the wife confesses and promises reformThe husband prepares to castrate the crucifix. The artist's wife's paramour poses as a crucifix when caught. When he sees the husband's preparations, he flees nakedThe husband meets the paramour in the wife's place. Beats him (or cuts off privates)Husband catches paramour in pitfall. The wife sends her maid to investigate. The maid falls in and finally the wife herself. The husband calls the neighborhood to see themHusband (god) traps wife and paramour with magic armor. (Vulcan, Mars, Venus.)Husband proves intrigue by secretly blacking paramour's mouth. When he returns, his wife's face is blackBlades (broken glass) to wound and detect wife's lover. (Often on window.)Cuckolded man shuts wife's paramour in chest and lies on the chest with latter's wifeHusband tricks wife into riding a mule which has been denied water. On fording a stream the mule plunges into the water. Wife drowns. (Sometimes also paramour.)Husband in disguise begs food of his wife's suitors
Travels with
Trickster as sham magician buys chest containing hidden paramour. (Cf. K1515, K1542, K1555, K1556.)
Carried in tale types

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