μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

The false bridegroom (substitute bridegroom). Takes the place of the true bridegroom.

Deceptions. · Deception through shams. · Impostures. · Marital impostors. · view the constellation · filed as K1915

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“For once they ought to get some one else. I am to sit on the chief’s bed in the middle of the lodge.” He told his mother, “Do not let these women go out.’”’ Then he went out, and the old woman guarded the door. When she was asleep, one of the girls said, “I will go out to look.’’ She stepped over the old woman, and went to the dance-lodge. Looking in, she saw the people dancing on the Loon’s rump.”

Tales of the North American Indians, Tale 49 · served from our shelf  receiptuncorrected OCR — being verified against the scan

Attested across traditions
Scholars’ trail — 6references

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.

  • Irish myth*Cross
  • Italian Novella*Rotunda
  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • N. Am. Indian*Thompson Tales 329 n. 189
  • Africa (Zulu)Callaway 181ff.
  • general Penzer IX 55
Within the index

Filed under Marital impostors.

3 finer motifs beneath it
Monk becomes husband to girl at night, so that his friend may have dowryThrough power of saint, man is caused to assume lover's form and sleep with princess. Lover plots death of saint, but is accidentally slain in his placeHandsome man substituted for ugly as bridegroom: wins bride
Filed beside it
The false bride (substituted bride). An impostor takes the wife's place without the husband's knowledge and banishes (kills, transforms) the wifeThe false virgin. Various deceptions practiced to mask bride as virginAbductor pretends to have been sent to fetch princess by loverRobber bridegroom. Robber marries girl under pretence of being a fine gentlemanPenniless bridegroom pretends to wealthMonster disguises and wins girl. Borrows wedding garments one by one; later returns them one by one and reveals monster formMarital impostors – miscellaneous
Keeps company with — shares receipted episodes
Magic spittleMagic excrementsMagic tearsMagic ornament provides treasureMagic building provides treasureOld man of the sea. Burr-woman. Ogre who jumps on one's back and sticks there magicallyQuest assigned because of feigned dreamHeat test. Attempt to kill hero by burning him in fireTree-pulling contestDeceptive eating contestEscape by shamming death: blood and brains. The trickster covers himself with paint (or the like) so that he will be thought to have bled to death (or with milk so that it will be thought that his brains have been knocked out)Substitute smoker. The hero is compelled to smoke a fatal pipe, but the helpful insect which he carries on his head smokes the pipe for him

wander