μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Severed limb prevents detection.

Deceptions. · Thefts and cheats. · Thefts. · Thief escapes detection. · view the constellation · filed as K407

Filed across the traditions
  • India Thompson-Balys.
Within the index

Filed under Thief escapes detection.

3 finer motifs beneath it
Thief has his companion cut off his head so that he may escape detection Companion's arm allowed to be cut off so as to prevent detection. Thief has had his arm cut off as he enters a hole in a wall. He lets his companion also enter and have his severed Elephant cuts piece from own leg and puts it on shelf, lest he be accused of stealing meat
Filed beside it
Blame for theft fastened on dupe 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 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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