μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Within the index

Filed under Deception through pseudo-simple bargain.

11 finer motifs beneath it
Giant cheated in division of spoils of the chaseJackal cheats other animals of elephant they have killed togetherDeceptive crop division: above the ground, below the ground. Of root crops the ogre (stupid animal) chooses the tops; of other crops the roots. (Cf. J242.8.)Deceptive grain division: the corn and the chaff. The bear chooses the chaff because of its greater bulk. At the mill the fox's grain makes a different sound from the bear'sDeceptive nut and olive division: inside and outside. The clever man chooses the kernel of the nuts and the outside of the oliveDeceptive division of pigs: curly and straight tails. All with curly tails belong to the trickster, others to the dupeDeceptive division of animals for shearing. The trickster shears the sheep; the dupe the pigIn dividing the fish, the dupe gets the bonesDeceptive division of shared wife. Evil takes lower half of wife, Good takes upper half. Child begotten by Evil not permitted to nurse the top half which belongs to GoodBarber's and jackal's common garden: jackal pretends that garden has not yielded any fruit at allMonkey cheats fox of his share of bananas. Climbs on a tree and tosses peelings down upon fox
Filed beside it
Deceptive partnership between man and ogreAnger bargain. The trickster makes a bargain with his master that the first to become angry must submit to punishment. He thereupon heaps abuses on his master till the latter breaks out in anger and must take his punishmentDeceptive bargain: as much bread as he wants to eat. The baker fixes his price at the rate for twenty loaves. The trickster eats thirtyDeceptive bargain: a sack of corn as reward. Trickster has an enormous sack madeDeceptive bargain: three wishes. The ogre is to fulfill three wishes of the peasant. The latter wishes for all the tobacco and brandy in the world and then some more brandy in addition. The devil must admit failureDeceptive bargain: first to say "Good morning." The first to give the greeting shall have the disputed property. The trickster is early on the scene and witnesses the other's adultery. He may keep the property without saying good morningDeceptive bargain: fasting together. The servant girl eats secretly; the miser starvesDeceptive bargain: felling the tree. The ogre and the trickster agree to fell a large tree. The trickster purposely dulls his axe on a stone and then asks the ogre to exchange. Rather than work with a dull axe, the ogre does all the workDeceptive bargain: a peck of grain for each stack. The man who is to receive this share of the crop makes very small stacksDeceptive bargain: an ox for five pennies. A woman who has been left the ox on condition that she give the proceeds to the poor offers it for five pennies, but it must be bought along with a cock at twelve florins. She gives the five pennies to the poor and keeps the twelve florinsDeceptive bargain: the ogre and the copper coins. Every time the copper coin is paid out, the ogre must make a new one. The man buys an extensive property and pays with a large number of copper coins. He threatens to buy another and the ogre goes back on his contractDeceptive land purchase. (Dido.)Deceptive bargain with ogre: buying trees. Trees to be neither straight nor crookedStrokes shared. The boy promises the soldier what the king has promised to give him. The soldier receives a beating in place of the boyStealing only a small amount. A man promises in confession to steal only a small amount. He steals a rope with a mare on the end of itPeace between sheep and wolves. As hostages the dogs are handed over to the wolves; the young wolves to the sheep. The wolves then attack and kill the sheep

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