μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Scholars’ trail — 1reference

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

  • IndiaThompson-Balys.
Within the index

Filed under Hasty killing or condemnation (mistake).

6 finer motifs beneath it
Faithful servant guarding master's wife from danger falsely condemned for betraying his masterStumbling over bloody corpse brings accusation of murder. Man gets blood on himselfJealous and overhasty man kills his rescuing twin brotherFalse accusation overheard causes hasty killingAngry brother kills husband, thinking latter had killed wife (sister) and babyWoman mistakenly accused of cannibalism. She is seen biting off finger of corpse to get its ring
Filed beside it
Suicide in remorse over hasty condemnationKing hastily has 7,000 people put to death for stoning his judges to deathWoman wrongly condemned for drunkenness when seen to take one drinkMisunderstood message causes messenger to be killed (accused)Lover kills self believing his mistress dead. She has been frightened away by a lion. (Pyramus and Thisbe.)Father kills self believing that son is dead. The son forgets to spread white sails, the prearranged signal of his safety. (Told also of lovers.)The falcon of Sir Federigo. An impoverished suitor has only a falcon to catch birds with. His lady's sick son wants the falcon and she goes to ask for it. The suitor serves dinner for her – his falcon. When she makes her request it is too latePigeon hastily kills his mate for stealing wheat. It has merely dried out and no longer fills the nest. When the dampness later swells the wheat, he sees his mistake and kills himself in remorseInnocent man accidentally suspected of crime. (Cf. N342.2.)Jealous husband kills innocent wife. Suspicions aroused when villain leaves his handkerchief in her room. (Othello.)Hasty killing or condemnation – miscellaneous

wander