μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Lover kills self believing his mistress dead. She has been frightened away by a lion. (Pyramus and Thisbe.)

Chance and fate. · Unlucky accidents. · Hasty killing or condemnation (mistake). · view the constellation · filed as N343

Filed across the traditions
  • Irish myth *Cross
  • Italian Novella Rotunda
  • Greek Fox 201, **G. Hart Ursprung und Verbreitung der Pyramus und Thisbe-Sage (1889)
  • general Köhler-Bolte I 4
  • general *C. de Boer Pyramus et Thisbe (Amsterdam, 1911).
Within the index

Filed under Hasty killing or condemnation (mistake).

4 finer motifs beneath it
Mistress kills self, believing her lover dead Wife dies, believing husband dead Woman feigns death to meet exiled lover. It leads to his death. Lover hears of her supposed death, returns and submits to execution Lover commits suicide on finding beloved dead
Filed beside it
Suicide in remorse over hasty condemnation King hastily has 7,000 people put to death for stoning his judges to death Woman wrongly condemned for drunkenness when seen to take one drink Misunderstood message causes messenger to be killed (accused) Hasty condemnation of man who accidentally becomes suspected of crime 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 late Pigeon 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 remorse Innocent 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
Carried in tale types

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