μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Refusal to make sacrifice after need is past. In distress a person promises a sacrifice to a god (saint) but disregards the promise when the danger passes.

Deceptions. · Deceptive bargains. · Deception in payment of debt. · Other deceptions in the payment of debt. · view the constellation · filed as K231.3

ask the rhapsode about this motif →

Scholars’ trail — 9references

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.

  • Spanish ExemplaKeller
  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • West IndiesFlowers 501.
  • general Wienert FFC LVI 78f. (ET 438, 448), 139 (ST 442)
  • general Halm Aesop Nos. 49, 58
  • general *Crane Vitry 177 No. 102
  • general Herbert III 8, 36
  • general Scala Celi 56b. No. 316
  • general Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 305
Within the index

Filed under Debtor refuses to pay his debt.

5 finer motifs beneath it
Sailor offers saint a candle as large as a mast. But he knows that after the storm he will not try to find such a candleGolden lamb promised to goddess. Common lamb sacrificedThe sacrifice of the cock is at last carried out. Postponed until a hawk carries off the cock. Then the woman says, "O holy St. Martin, I have long owed you a living sacrifice. Take the cock as sacrifice, and may it be pleasing to you."Horse withheld as sacrifice to a saint refuses to move. The deceiver takes the horse to the church planning to remove him again, but the horse will not stir until a money equivalent has been paidSick man offers deity 100 bulls for recovery. When reminded that he does not own so many bulls he explains that he doesn't expect the deity to come to enforce payment
Filed beside it
Refusal to perform part in mutual agreementReward for accomplishment of task deceptively withheldPayment of money to the devil impossible, since debtor learns that the devil is deadDebt with worthless bond repudiatedFalse offer to return goods in place of paymentDebtor tells creditor that he has had his reward in the hope of paymentToad receives water from frog; refuses earth in returnServant refused payment because of single mistakeMan refuses to pay murderer for killing and kills himFish promised in return for bacon. Later: "Drink up the river, you shall then have fish. All the fishes there are mine."Debt to be paid "tomorrow". Tomorrow never comesAgreement to leave sum of money on coffin of friend. One puts on his share in cash; other makes out a check for the total amount and takes cash left by the otherTo pay beggar for standing in tank all night. Beggar sees lights in temple. Payment refused since beggar has thus warmed himselfTrickster cheats by pretending deafness. Palm rat, when asked to throw down nuts according to bargain, replies that he is deaf when eating
Carried in tale types

wander