μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

The hen lays an egg, the mouse breaks it. Sorrowing over this mishap, all show extraordinary behavior; the master puts an end to it. Final formula: hen strips off feathers, rubbish heap catches fire, oak falls to ground, hare drowns self, magpie twists leg, ox breaks horns, river flows blood, maid breaks pails, housewife scatters dough. Master locks up wife and maid, goes to seek people more foolish.

Miscellaneous groups of motifs. · Formulas. · Cumulative tales. · Chains involving a single scene or event without interdependence among the individual actors. · view the constellation · filed as Z39.5

Filed across the traditions
  • Lithuanian Balys Index No. 2022*
  • Russian Andrejev No. 241 III*
  • Rumanian Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 1963*.
Within the index

Filed under Chains involving other events without interrelation of members.

Filed beside it
The goat who would not go home. One animal after another tries in vain to persuade the goat to go home. Finally a wolf (bee) bites him and drives him home There was a wee wee woman who had a wee wee cow, etc The crow on the tarred bridge. His beak and tail alternately stick. (Endless.) (Cf. Z11.) Where have you been, goose? – In the fields. – What have you in your beak? – A knife. – etc. (Tile, water, ox, firewood, old woman, friars, mass, shirt.) Mother ties bell on child; cat cuts it off. – Why did you cut off the bell? – Why did you lay the block here? – etc Girl left in tree by sisters: asks monkey, ape, bear, and tiger to put her down or else bite her. All refuse. Panther comes and devours her Small grain-measure runs away when her husband beats her: succession of suitors Series of things acquired by mouse – "You cannot have this but you may have that instead," – etc. Clod – fish – cakes – kid – goat – drum – girl. Girl kills mouse accidentally
Carried in tale types

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