μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

The emperor's new clothes. An impostor feigns to make clothes for the emperor and says that they are visible only to those of legitimate birth. The emperor and courtiers are all afraid to admit that they cannot see the clothes. Finally a child seeing the naked emperor reveals the imposture.

Deceptions. · Thefts and cheats. · Other cheats. · Other cheats. · view the constellation · filed as K445

Filed across the traditions
  • Spanish Exempla Keller
  • Italian Novella Rotunda
  • India Thompson-Balys.
  • general *Type 1620
  • general **Taylor MPh XXV 17
  • general *Chauvin II 156 No. 32, VIII 130 No. 120
  • general *Wesselski Gonnella 133 No. 33
Within the index

Filed under Other cheats.

2 finer motifs beneath it
God to reveal self to those of legitimate birth. All afraid to admit not seeing God Whoever hears singing snake must die. Killed by deaf man. (Cf. B214.1.10.)
Filed beside it
Double reward successfully claimed False claim of reward Money (or other things) acquired by blackmail Dream bread: the most wonderful dream. Three pilgrims agree that the one who has the most wonderful dream shall eat the last loaf. One eats it and declares that he dreamed that the others were dead and would not need it The heller thrown into others' money. A rascal sees robbers dividing their booty. He puts a red string through his only coin (a heller) and slips it into the others' money. He claims the money as his and says that he has marked it with a heller having a red string through it. The robbers divide Contraband gold discovered when king offers large price for gold Cheater marks coveted object with his name and later claims it. [Inadvertant duplication of J1162.3.] Unjust umpire as trickster's confederate. (Cf. K455.7.) Unjust umpire misappropriates disputed goods Cheating through knowledge of the law Deception into giving false credit Trickster takes goods given in charity to his family Eavesdropping sexton duped into giving suppliant money. The trickster prays to the Virgin for a certain sum of money and promises repayment of double at the end of the month. The sexton throws the money to him, but never receives it back Owner bids on his own goods at auction. Rival buyer pays extravagant price The substituted porridge. In cooking dinner fox's porridge is light, bear's black. At dinner fox steals spoonful of bear's porridge and lets bear taste it. Bear believes that fox's porridge is as bad as his own Sham blood and brains. Fox covers his head with milk and says that his brains have been knocked out. Frightens bear
Carried in tale types

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