μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Dupe's food eaten and then blame fastened on him. Trickster eats the common food supply and then by smearing the mouth of the sleeping dupe with the food escapes the blame.

Deceptions. · Thefts and cheats. · Thefts. · Thief escapes detection. · view the constellation · filed as K401.1

Filed across the traditions
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Japanese Ikeda
  • Indonesia DeVries's list No. 21
  • Africa (Angola) Chatelain 173, 177, 179, (Zulu): Callaway 164, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 366 No. 17, (Hottentot): Bleek 18 No. 9, (Gold Coast): Barker and Sinclair 48 No. 5, (Basuto): Jacottet 10 No. 1, (Benga): Nassau 93 No. 4, (Kaffir): Theal 95, 96, 114, Kidd The Essential Kaffir (London, 1904) 384, (Fang): Tessman 57
  • American Negro (Georgia) Harris Remus 80 No. 17, Friends 147 No. 20, (South Carolina): Parsons JAFL XXXVIII 222
  • Jamaica *Beckwith MAFLS XVII 238. See all references to K372.
  • general *Type 15
Within the index

Filed under Blame for theft fastened on dupe.

1 finer motif beneath it
Trail of stolen goods made to lead to dupe. The crane in revenge for the loss of her young ones strews pieces of fish from the dwelling of the mongoose to that of the snake. The mongoose follows the trail and kills the snake
Filed beside it
Thief accuses his companion of having stolen the gold they have both stolen Stolen goods taken to dupe's house so that he is accused Stolen goods left in suitor's room. Impoverished lover falsely accused so as to be rid of him Thief makes believe that he has been robbed of money entrusted to him Thief successfully accuses owner of having stolen property he covets
Carried in tale types

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