μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Escape by substituting another person in place of the intended victim.

Deceptions. · Escape by deception. · Death escaped through disguise, shamming, or substitution. · view the constellation · filed as K527

Filed across the traditions
  • Irish myth *Cross
  • Icelandic *Boberg
  • Spanish Exempla Keller
  • Italian Novella *Rotunda
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Korean Zong in-Sob 126 No. 60
  • Indonesia DeVries's list No. 149
  • Tuamotu Stimson MS (z-G. 3/1314)
  • Africa (Benga) Nassau 89ff. No. 4, (Ila, Rhodesia): Smith and Dale II 382 No. 2, (Ekoi): Talbot 33, (Wute): Sieber ZsES XII 188, (Fang): Tessman 46, (Bankon): Ittman, ZsES XVII 9
  • West Indies Flowers 512.
  • general *Type 953
Within the index

Filed under Death escaped through disguise, shamming, or substitution.

5 finer motifs beneath it
Poisoned food (drink) fed to animal instead of to intended victim. Animal perishes Escape by substituting brother for intended victim, namely self Exchange of clothes between master and his servant Two rival parties of fifteen each on ship. When food is exhausted, it is agreed that half the company be thrown overboard, "every ninth man as they stood to be selected." Clever sister of leader of one party arranges men so that enemies are chosen and so drowned Man calls animal by his son's name so he can sacrifice it instead of his son
Filed beside it
Escape by disguise Escape by shamming death Escape by shamming illness Escape by use of substituted object. The object is attacked rather than the intended victim Captor's bag filled with animals or objects while captives escape Substitute in ordeal. An ordeal (usually dangerous) is escaped by deceptively providing a substitute Escape from battle by magic invisibility Escape under mantle of invisibility Escape by successive disguises Escape by reversing shoes (boat) Captors deceived into believing captive is planning to stay with them: vigilance relaxed. Captured general orders heavy boxes taken into the temple. These are thought to be gold and it is concluded that he will not try to leave. He escapes Princess cuts hair to escape captor who holds her hair in hand while sleeping with her
Carried in tale types

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