μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Within the index

Filed under Persistent bad luck.

6 finer motifs beneath it
Stag escapes from hunters to be eaten by lionAss gets progressively worse masters. Finally the farmer beats him living and will not spare his hide when he is deadHalcyon builds nest on sea-cliff to escape land hazards. Tempest blows nest awayFugitive slave takes refuge in mill house, where he must work harder than everDaw fleeing from captivity caught in trees by thread around foot. StarvesOld man burns self with gunpowder, and then burns himself worse when he pours hot water over his body
Filed beside it
Bad luck follows man who shoots storkPersecution by bad luck. Wishing to escape it, the luckless couple build themselves a new home. Scarcely do they establish themselves in the new home, when bad luck addresses them from the hearth: "I have already waited for you here three days."Persecution by a god so that will of deity can be followedBad luck banished and freed. The poor man in some way banishes his bad luck and becomes prosperous. Out of envy his rich brother sets it free; it then follows himPerson pursued by misfortune. (Placidas, Eustacius.) His goods are destroyed, his wife carried off by a ship captain and his children by animalsMessengers announce successive misfortunesSafety in shadow of wall. After many misfortunes the man is apparently safe. The wall falls on himUnlucky classesTrain of troubles from lost horseshoe nail. Master tries to go on in spite of the lossTrain of troubles from sparrow's vengeance. A man runs over the dog, friend of the sparrow. Through the sparrow's vengeance the man loses his horse, his property, and finally his lifeWhether man begs all day or for an hour he gets only a small basket of grainPerson brings bad luck to others

wander