μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif
Scholars’ trail — 2references

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.

  • U.S.Baughman.
  • general *Type 1833
Within the index

Filed under Jokes on parsons.

5 finer motifs beneath it
"What says David?" – Boy: "Pay your old debts." Variants: (a) What evil did Adam do? – He (shoemaker) made my shoes too small. (b) What kind of man was Moses? He was a day laborerParson "Where did the father stay?" – "He stayed to hold the oxen."Parson: Where was Christ when he was neither in heaven nor on earth? – He was in the willow-grove looking for a stick to beat those who ask foolish questionsNames of persons in the Trinity. The priest's example: the three cows. The boy: "The Holy Ghost has just had a calf."Sermon about the rich man. A boy rides with a rich man. Goes into church and leaves his coat lying on the sled. When the parson preaches about the rich man who went to hell, the boy calls out, "Then he took my coat along!"
Filed beside it
Parson put to flight during his sermonTame bear tied to church bells. Rings alarmOne-eyed parson in dimly lighted church joins the wrong couples. Marries the old man to the girl and the old woman to the boyParson rides ox into church. He wants to show how Christ rode into Jerusalem. Sexton sticks ox with needleThe hog in church. Locked in church all week by mistake. When the congregation comes, the hog runs between the parson's legs and carries him outParson preaches so that half the congregation weeps and half laughs. Has clothes torn in the back. Those that see this laugh. He wins the wagerParson smears his hand with butter. Rascals have spread butter on the altarbread. The parson preaches, "What is the life of man?" and therewith brings his hand down on the altar-bread: "Pure butter!"Parson is to let a dove fly in the church. It dies in his pocketAt the blessing of the grave the parson's ox breaks loose: "Now the devil has him."The corpse with his feet cut off. The coffin-maker has fitted him to the coffin. The parson: "On the last day he will arise." One of the coffin-makers: "Did I say that?"The devil in the cemetery. A sexton hears thieves in the cemetery cracking nuts and thinks it is the devil cracking bones. With the gouty parson on his back he comes upon the thieves who, thinking it is their companion with the sheep, call out, "Is he fat?" The sexton: "Fat or lean, here he is!"The parson who said there is no devil. The bear-showman lets the bear climb up the pulpit. The parson thinks the bear is the devilIf his son were only a fool he would let him study to be a priest. So says the innkeeperA bad year for priests: few funerals. All but the priest rejoice over the good health of the community. He bemoans his loss of income from burialsEnmity between priests and monks: chickens and eggs. Monks eat eggs and make chickens expensive; priests eat hens and make eggs highThe hungry parson and the porridge-pot. Overnight at the peasant's house. The hungry parson hunts the porridge in the dark, guided by a rope the sexton has given him. Series of accidents
Carried in tale types

wander