μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Bringing the devil an unknown animal. The man sends his naked wife on all fours in tar and feathers. The devil has never seen such an animal.

Deceptions. · Deceptive bargains. · Deception in payment of debt. · Devil cheated of his promised soul. · view the constellation · filed as K216.2

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Scholars’ trail — 4references

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.

  • LithuanianBalys Legends Nos. 755f.
  • general *Type 1091
  • general *BP I 411, III 358
  • general *Fb "pige" II 816a, "kjende" II 140, "tjære" III 811a
Within the index

Filed under Devil to release man for performing seemingly impossible task. The task is performed by trickery.

1 finer motif beneath it
Guessing name of devil's secret plant. The man's wife in tar and feathers overhears the devil tell the secret name of the crop he has discovered (tobacco). The devil says to the supposed animal, "Get out of my tobacco!"
Filed beside it
The evil woman in the glass case as the last commodity. The man is to belong to the devil as soon as he has sold his goods. If he has any goods that no one will buy, he is to be free. The man puts an evil old woman in a glass case. When the devil sees her, he recognizes her. "Whoever knows her will refuse to buy her." The man goes free[First Edition (Additions and Corrections): K216.3. Devil's riddles answered: man is freed.]Not to sleep for three successive nights. The sleepy man: "I am just thinking, that on earth there are more crooked trees than straight ones ... more hills than plains ... more water than land ..." The devil goes to ascertain these things, meanwhile the man sleeps. Unsuccessful imitation by another man
Travels with
Tar and feathers as punishment. (Cf. K31.1, K216.2.)
Carried in tale types

wander