μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Husband (lover) arrives home just as wife (mistress) is to marry another.

Chance and fate. · Lucky accidents. · Other lucky accidents. · Lucky accidents – miscellaneous. · view the constellation · filed as N681

Filed across the traditions
  • Norwegian Solheim Register 21
  • Lithuanian Balys Index No. 509*
  • Livonian Loorits FFC LXVI No. 974(1)
  • Russian Andrejev No. 891*
  • Missouri French Carrière
  • French Canadian Barbeau JAFL XXIX 18
  • Spanish Boggs FFC XC 84, 107 Nos. 750A, 896, Espinosa II Nos. 133–135, Espinosa Jr. Nos. 63, 68
  • Italian Novella *Rotunda
  • India *Thompson-Balys
  • Indonesia v. Ronkel Catologus der Maleische Handschriften 263
  • N. Am. Indian *Thompson CColl 323ff., 334ff.
  • Jamaica Beckwith MAFLS XVII 278 No. 90.
  • general *Types 301, 400, 665
  • general **Splettstösser Der heimkehrende Gatte und sein Weib in der Weltliteratur
  • general *Chauvin V 108 No. 40
  • general **Rajna Romania VI 359ff.
  • general *Bolte Zs. f. Vksk. XII 59, XXVIII 74 n. 2
  • general *BP II 318ff., 335ff., IV 168 n. 6
  • general *Huet RTP XXXII 97, 145
  • general *Oesterley No. 193
  • general Deutschbein I 3, 187
  • general Herrmann Saxo II 84f.
  • general *Boje 105, 116
  • general *Child V 488 s. v. "marriage"

…and 5 more.

Within the index

Filed under Lucky accidents – miscellaneous.

5 finer motifs beneath it
Return home to one's own funeral Wife finds lost husband just as he is to marry another Ruler makes ready to abandon barren wife and marry another. He remains with her when he learns that she is with child Incest accidentally averted Son returns on day his mother is to be married to another (though her husband still lives)
Filed beside it
Lucky fool Series of lucky successes Prophecy of future greatness fulfilled when hero returns home unknown. Parents serve him Stranger accidentally chosen king. Picked up by sacred elephant Naked soldier becomes general. Stripped for bathing he takes his place as guard when the king unexpectedly arrives. King invites him to come naked to the castle, where he is chosen as husband by a general's daughter Fool passes as wise man by remaining silent Hero's (heroine's) identity established as he (she) is on the point of being executed Hero unwittingly helps fee's sons: rewarded What is in the dish: "Poor Crab". A sham wise man named Crab is put to a test of his powers of divination. He is to tell what is in a covered dish (crabs). In despair he says, "Poor Crab!" and is given credit for knowing Objects accidentally picked up used to overawe ogress Person reported lost joins unwittingly in search for himself Man sent away from battlefield to deliver message the only survivor of battle Apparently dead woman revives as she is being prepared for burial. Cf. Type 990 Passengers on a boat are terrorized by a cutthroat. He turns courteous and leaves them unharmed Fugitive in tree urinates from fright: pursuers think it rain and leave Hawk carries off necklace from bathing queen and drops it by lucky girl, who gets reward
Carried in tale types

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