μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
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.

  • India*Thompson-Balys
  • West IndiesFlowers 506–8.
  • general *Wesselski Mönchslatein 126 No. 109
  • general Africa (Ibo, Nigeria): Basden 274
Within the index

Filed under Other means of theft.

12 finer motifs beneath it
Unique weapon got by misrepresenting to guardian use to which it is to be putFor the long winter. The numskull has been told to keep the sausage "for the long winter". When the trickster hears this, he claims to be Long Winter and receives the sausageRing to put on corpse's finger. A thief holds a corpse up to a lord's window. The lord shoots the corpse and leaves to bury it. The thief goes to the lady and gets a sheet to bury the corpse in and a ring to put on his fingerThe cup to be repaired. A thief poses as a messenger from a husband to his wife asking that a certain silver cup be sent for repairsTheft by posing as master of the house and learning where goods are hidden. Wife deceived in the darkHare in lion's skin gets meat from lionessDeposit money secured by false order to banker's wife. When banker refuses to redeliver deposit the owner presents false tokens to wifeTheft by forgery: signature forged to obtain moneyClerk mistranslates order given by master to maid, so that pie goes to clerksThe hood for the robe. Thief steals lawyer's scarlet robe. Later he returns and tells lawyer's wife that her husband had sent him for the hood for the robe. He obtains the hood and escapesGive him what he wants. (Cf. K437.5, K1354.1.) Thief sent to man's house for water, demands money. Man's wife refuses and thief shouts to the husband who replies, "Give him what he wants."Hero reports to king that his ancestors (in heaven) want him rewarded with gold
Filed beside it
Theft by disobeying orders: misappropriationPartner misappropriates common goodsTheft by confederateTheft by trickster's trained animalTrickster hides in food and eats itPlaying godfather. By pretending that he has been invited to be godfather, the trickster makes an opportunity to steal the provisions stored by him and the dupe for the winter. When he returns on successive occasions he reports the name of the child as "Just Begun," "Half Done," etc"Owner has refused to accept it." A rascal steals a priest's watch. He tells the priest that he has stolen a watch and offers it to him as a payment for a past favor. The priest refuses to accept stolen goods. Commands the thief to return the watch to the owner. "But the owner has refused to accept it." "Then you may keep it."[First Edition (Additions and Corrections): K374. Grave robbing to secure obols in mouth of death.]Trickster pretends to teach dance: flees with valuables. (Cf. K571.)Thieves steal chickens and have mock funeral to cover theftThe thieving kiss. Trickster kisses pile of money, taking some in his mouth with every kissFire stolen by swallowing it and then escapingHost robs guest

wander