μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Poor man surpasses rich.

Reversal of fortune. · Unpromising hero (heroine). · The unpromising surpasses the promising. · view the constellation · filed as L143

In our texts — keyword-matched, unreviewed
Filed across the traditions
  • Irish Beal XXI 336, O'Suilleabhain 122
  • Spanish Espinosa Jr. Nos. 181, 201
  • Chinese Eberhard FFC CXX 256f.
  • general *Types 676, 1535
  • general *Hdwb. d. Märchens I 187b
Within the index

Filed under The unpromising surpasses the promising.

2 finer motifs beneath it
Poor girl chosen as wife in preference to rich Poor suitor makes good husband; rich suitor cruel
Filed beside it
Stupid person surpasses clever Pupil surpasses master Ignorant surpasses learned man Ugly preferred to pretty sister Neglected surpasses favorite child Tardy surpasses punctual Slowness surpasses haste Peasant girl outwits prince Daughter succeeds on quest where son fails Scorning stops when it turns out that the scorned has saved the king by fighting alone against four Disagreeable and disliked child surpasses the likeable one Unpromising hero kills those who scorn him

ask the rhapsode about this motif · search the shelf for “surpasses” · wander