μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Unexpected meeting of father and son.

Chance and fate. · Accidental encounters. · Accidental reunion of families. · view the constellation · filed as N731

Filed across the traditions
  • Irish myth *Cross
  • Missouri French Carrière Italian Novella: *Rotunda
  • Jewish Neuman
  • India Thompson-Balys.
Within the index

Filed under Accidental reunion of families.

4 finer motifs beneath it
Unknown son returns to father's court Father-son combat. Neither knows who the other is. (Sohrab and Rustem.) Father unexpectedly meets abandoned son and reinstates him At execution block condemned man discovered to be king's unknown son
Filed beside it
Accidental meeting of father and daughter Accidental meeting of brothers Accidental meeting of brother and sister Accidental meeting of mother and son Accidental meeting of mother and daughter Accidental reunion of lovers Accidental meeting of nephew and uncle. Hero takes refuge unwittingly at his uncle's court Unexpected meeting of husband and wife Accidental meeting of sisters Accidental meeting of seeker of exiled prince with prince at meal. Messenger in pilgrim garb invites unknown prince to eat with him. Recognition Accidental meeting of cousins
Carried in tale types

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