μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Blame for theft fastened on dupe.

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

Filed across the traditions
  • Italian Novella Rotunda
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Indonesia DeVries's list No. 129.
  • general *Penzer IV 191f. n. 1
  • general Boccaccio Decameron VIII No. 6 (Lee 257)
Within the index

Filed under Thief escapes detection.

6 finer motifs beneath it
Thief accuses his companion of having stolen the gold they have both stolen 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 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
Filed beside it
The lamb without a heart. Accused of eating the lamb's heart, the thief maintains that it had no heart Thief claims to have been transformed into an ass. While the owner sleeps the thief steals his horse, hitches himself to the wagon, and claims that he is the horse transformed into a man Thief escapes by leaving animal's severed tail and claiming that the animal has escaped and left his tail Thief successfully claims that stolen goods are his own Stolen animal disguised as person so that thief may escape detection Severed limb prevents detection The stolen cow successively pawned. In one night a thief pawns a cow four times, always stealing it immediately and finally delivering it back to its owner Thief presents alibi. Plays all night for dance while confederate commits actual theft Detection of theft of bull escaped by putting boots on bull Thieves stretch chain across road and evade pursuers Quartered thief's body sewed together to escape detection Marked culprit marks everyone else and escapes detection Repentant thief pretends to have found stolen cow. Upbraids owner for not guarding her better Thief swallows stolen goods to escape detection The owner is duped by thief who gives him the task of solving a riddle about the theft just accomplished Thief escapes detection – miscellaneous

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