μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Executioner kept busy or interested until rescue comes. Sometimes until he changes his mind.

Deceptions. · Escape by deception. · Escape by false plea. · view the constellation · filed as K555

Within the index

Filed under Escape by false plea. A captive makes a request or proposes an action that permits him eventually to escape.

3 finer motifs beneath it
Respite from death gained by long-drawn-out speech Respite from death gained by long-drawn-out song Tiger persuaded by jackals to settle argument. Tricked
Filed beside it
Escape by equivocal oath. (Cf. K475.) Respite from death granted until particular act is performed "Wait till I get fat." Captured person (animal) persuades his captor to wait and fatten him before eating him Death cheated by moving bed. The man who has chosen Death as his godfather has his bed turned around when he sees Death standing at the foot of his bed. He thus escapes death Man allowed to pick out tree to be hanged on. Cannot find one Escape by persuading captor to talk Rat persuades cat to wash face before eating: escapes Escape because of plea that leaves means of egress open Thumbling in animal's belly persuades latter to go to his father's house for plunder: rescued Ass begs wolf to pull thorn out of foot before eating him: kicks wolf in mouth Escape by pretending to perform errand (do work) for captor Escape by pretending to dance so as to be untied Escape from captor by means of flattery Escape by asserting that captor will have ill luck after killing victim Escape by false prophecy: if corpses are buried in city, it will become a ruin: king releases condemned man To get out of thieves' clutch, man reports high prices in another town

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