μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Wolf unjustly accuses lamb and eats him. When all the lamb's defenses are good the wolf asserts the right of the strong over the weak. (Usually accused of stirring up water from lower in stream.) (Cf. U141.)

The nature of life. · Life's inequalities. · Rights of the strong. · view the constellation · filed as U31

Filed across the traditions
  • Italian Novella Rotunda
  • Indonesia DeVries's list No. 83 (monkey and goat).
  • general Wienert FFC LVI 50 (ET 97), 148 (ST 526)
  • general Halm Aesop No. 274
  • general *Crane Vitry 191 No. 135
  • general Herbert III 12
  • general Alphabet No. 631
  • general Jacobs Aesop 199 No. 2
Within the index

Filed under Rights of the strong.

2 finer motifs beneath it
Cat unjustly accuses cock and eats him. Although all the cock's defenses are good the cat tells him that she can no longer go hungry and eats him Crow exercises rights of strong over dove who cannot defend self. Dove at crow's request sings to save her brood which crow kills after song
Filed beside it
Smallness of offense no excuse when hunter prepares to kill lark. She has stolen but a single grain of wheat Cock killed by his captors in spite of his plea of usefulness to man Nobleman murders one of the people. Goes unpunished Rich man (king) seizes poor widow's (nun's) cow Lion cub killed by bull gives lioness no right to complain Wolf as commander orders all booty divided, but keeps his own Ruler exiles subject for trivial remark Ruler forces bishop to ordain ignorant priest Praise what your master likes and scorn what he dislikes
Travels with (Thompson’s cf.)
Enmity between fisherman and dweller on the river. Fishing stirs up the water and makes it unfit for drinking. (Cf. U31.)
Carried in tale types

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