Originator of death first sufferer. After the culture hero has instituted death, his own child dies and he repents in vain

Motif

Originator of death first sufferer. After the culture hero has instituted death, his own child dies and he repents in vain.

Deceptions. · Deceiver falls into own trap. · Deceiver falls into his own trap – miscellaneous incidents. · view the constellation · filed as K1681

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“Then he went out and along the course that the racers were to go over, and hid himself, leaving his head just sticking out of a hole. By this time all the racers had started, and among them Coyote’s son. He was Coyote’s only child, and was very quick. He soon began to outstrip all the runners, and was in the lead. As he passed the spot where Rattlesnake had hidden himself, however, Rattlesnake raised oe en and bit the boy in the ankle.”

— Tales of the North American Indians, Tale 8 · served from our shelf receiptuncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

Attested across traditions

North American IndigenousTales of the North American Indians, Tale 8 receipt
North American IndigenousTales of the North American Indians, Tale 9 receipt

Scholars’ trail — 2references

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.

N. Am. Indian*Thompson Tales 285 n. 52, (California): Gayton and Newman 59, 64
AfricaWerner African 162.

Within the index

Filed under Deceiver falls into his own trap – miscellaneous incidents.

1 finer motif beneath it

Inventor of death machine is first to use it

Filed beside it

Substituted caps cause ogre to kill his own children. The hero and heroine change places in bed with the ogre's children and put on them their caps so that the ogre is deceived Message of death fatal to sender. (Gang nach dem Eisenhammer.) A man is sent by the king to burners of a kiln who have been instructed to throw the first arrival into the fire. The intended victim goes elsewhere and the king's son (or the man's accuser), who next arrives, is burned instead Poisoner poisoned with his own poison Father delivering daughter to be eaten by cannibal is himself eaten Ogre's own moccasins burned. The ogre plans to burn the hero's moccasins while they are camping together, but the hero exchanges the moccasins Marooned man reaches home and outwits marooner Substituted arrows. Hero given arrows with soft points and sent after dangerous enemies. The deception discovered and the enemy discomfited Deceiver in swinging contest killed. Old woman planning to kill hero in swinging game by cutting rope is killed when hero cuts the rope first Tiger in sheep's clothing stolen by sheep-thief Thief climbing rope discovered and rope cut. He has tricked the guardian of the food-supply in the tree (by imitation of the owner's voice or the discovered pass-word) to let down the rope Lawyer agrees to pay debt on winning his first case. He refuses to plead so as not to pay. Debtor sues him for double the amount due him. If he wins he has to pay and if he loses he has to pay double. He settles debt Woman who engages false bridegroom for her daughter has plans go astray. Daughter is seduced Monkey instead of girl in floating basket: hermit made laughing-stock. He has persuaded girl's foolish father to place her in the basket. Prince takes girl and leaves monkey in her place. (Cf. K1333, K1674.)Would-be killers killed Sons have servant impersonate dead father and falsify his will. Servant deceives them by favoring himself The bribed boy sings the wrong song. The sexton steals the priest's cow. The next day the sexton's son sings, "My father stole the priest's cow." The priest pays the boy to sing the song in church. But the sexton teaches the boy a new song, "The priest has lain with my mother," and this is sung in church

Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes

Hierarchy of worlds. A series of worlds, one above the other World-tree. Tree extending from lowest to highest world. (Cf. A878.)World-columns. Four (two, etc.) columns or supports sustain the earth Atlas. A man supports the earth on his shoulders Deluge. Inundation of whole world or section Flood from fluids of the body Flood from belly. It flows from pierced belly of monster World-fire. A conflagration destroys the earth. Sometimes (as with the flood legends) the tradition is somewhat local and does not refer to an actual destruction of the whole earth; sometimes the fire marks the end of the world Creation of man Confusion of tongues. Originally all men speak same language. Because of a sin they come to speak different languages Origin of death Distribution of tribes

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