Deceptions

3,871 motifs · page 7 of 20

• Escape by pretending to go for bath. K551.4.7
• Escape by pretending to return for hair ribbon. K551.4.8
• Girl makes toilet and calls help. When she sees robber under her bed she pretends not to see him and combs her hair at the window. She says, "When I am married my husband will come home from the tavern and seize me by the hair and I shall cry: "Help!" Rescue comes. K551.5
• Escape by asking to die on a horse. K551.6
• Escape by asking to ride on sacred buffalo. K551.6.1
• Captured animal asks respite while he gives war alarm. K551.7
• Wolf kept at door until children have been christened. He loses his feast. K551.8
• Let me live as long as this candle lasts. Man who has sold his soul to devil thus escapes. (Cf. G303.12.5.4.) K551.9
• Escape by asking a last kiss. Uses the opportunity to attack adversary. K551.10
• Ten (five) year respite given captive while he undertakes to teach elephant (ass) to speak. Captive explains to friends that in that time the captor, the elephant (ass), or himself is likely to die. K551.11
• Respite from death until muddy victim may dry self in sun. K551.12
• Respite from death until one pays a last visit. K551.13
• Respite from death until visit is finished. K551.13.1
• Respite from death until captive has taken six steps toward God. Takes prodigious ones and escapes. K551.14
• Respite from death until prisoner is healed by magic object. K551.15
• Woman escapes by ruse: must go to defecate. K551.16
• Respite from death for drink of water. K551.17
• Kidnapped woman escapes by asking for drink of water. K551.17.1
• Jackal persuades woman to untie his legs so that he may get a drink. K551.17.2
• Respite from death granted until wolf reads horse's passport. Wolf kicked to death. (Cf. J1608.) K551.18
• Respite from death granted while wolf counts hairs in horse's tail. Wolf kicked to death. K551.19
• Wolf is requested by tailor to be measured for suit of clothes; wolf beaten. K551.20
• Respite from death until minister shows king how to reap pearls. K551.21
• Definite respite from death granted. K551.22
• A year's time granted to settle affairs before death. K551.22.1
• God grants man twenty years more of life provided he plays no tricks. K551.22.2
• Crocodile grants boy five days respite from death. K551.22.3
• Escape by false plea: jackal asks to be able to clasp tree before crocodile kills it. K551.23
• Respite from death until hero climbs tree. He flies away in machine stored there. K551.24
• Escape from threatened captivity by pretending to send for object for captor. K551.25
• Turtle allowed to go to pool to pick flowers before death. Escapes. K551.26
• Respite from death until victim can fall asleep. K551.27
• Captors give captive respite in order to witness alleged marvel. K551.28
• "Wait till I get fat." Captured person (animal) persuades his captor to wait and fatten him before eating him. K553
• "Wait till I am fat enough to race you." Hero to be eaten by cannibals when he is fattened enough to beat them in a race. He runs away. K553.0.1
• Calf: "Wait till I grow up." K553.0.2
• "Let me catch you better game." Captured animal pretends to help captor bring more desirable victim. Escapes. K553.1
• "Wait till men come to take me from trap, then eat them." K553.1.1
• Wait for the fat goat. Troll lets the first two goats pass on the bridge so that he may eat the biggest one. He is thrown in the water. K553.2
• Dwarf persuaded to wait for ram. Lamb and ewe escape. Ram butts dwarf into river. K553.2.1
• Ram promises to jump into wolf's belly. Gives him a hard knock. The stunned wolf thinks he has swallowed the ram. (Cf. K579.5.1.) K553.3
• Wolf is requested by horse to start eating from the rear; kicked to death. K553.4
• "Soak me in the pond so that I will be juicy." K553.5
• Too dirty to eat. Trickster, cornered by leopard, leaps into swamp, then says he is too dirty to eat. Leopard smells of him and agrees. K553.6
• Executioner kept busy or interested until rescue comes. Sometimes until he changes his mind. K555
• Respite from death gained by long-drawn-out speech. K555.1
• Respite from death gained by tale of the preparation of flax. K555.1.1
• Respite from death gained by tale of the preparation of bread. K555.1.2
• Respite from death gained by long-drawn-out song. K555.2
• Formula-tale (Ehod) saves girl from devil. Unsuccessful imitation. (Cf. Z20.) K555.2.1
• Escape by singing an endless song. The soldier's bargain with Death. K555.2.2
• Tiger persuaded by jackals to settle argument. Tricked. K555.3
• Death cheated by moving bed. The man who has chosen Death as his godfather has his bed turned around when he sees Death standing at the foot of his bed. He thus escapes death. K557
• Man allowed to pick out tree to be hanged on. Cannot find one. K558
• Escape by asking to die falling from a tree. K558.1
• Man asks to be beheaded standing in tank of water. He ducks and executioners kill each other. K558.2
• Escape by persuading captor to talk. K561
• Attempted escape by persuading captor to talk fails. K561.0.1
• Cat fails to be beguiled into releasing mouse. The mouse tells the cat a tale. The cat answers at last, "Even so, I eat you up." K561.1.1
• Animal captor persuaded to talk and release victim from his mouth. Usually cock and fox, fox and wolf, or mouse and cat. K561.1
• Frog escapes after telling crow to sharpen his bill before eating him. K561.1.2
• Sheep persuade the wolf to sing. Dogs are summoned. K561.2
• Crocodile persuaded to open his mouth. When he does, he shuts his eyes automatically and monkey escapes. K561.3
• Rat persuades cat to wash face before eating: escapes. K562
• Captive trickster persuades captor to pray before eating. Escapes. K562.1
• Hare persuades cat to perform two gallops before eating him: escapes. K562.2
• Escape because of plea that leaves means of egress open. K563
• Jackal in tiger's house has permission to sit with tail hanging down between bamboo stems. Enlarges gap thus made and escapes. K563.1
• Tortoise persuades tiger captor to put him in pocket with hole, escapes. K563.2
• Thumbling in animal's belly persuades latter to go to his father's house for plunder: rescued. K565
• Boy swallowed by fish that is thrown up on shore persuades tiger to cut it open with injunction not to look at him. K565.1
• Jackal entrapped in elephant's carcass tells passing God to show his magic power by making it rain. Elephant's hide swells; jackal escapes. K565.2
• Ass begs wolf to pull thorn out of foot before eating him: kicks wolf in mouth. K566
• Escape by pretending to perform errand (do work) for captor. K567
• Prince to giant: "Don't eat me up, and I'll prepare you a good dinner." K567.1
• Man persuades robbers to postpone killing him until he can show them his treasure. Leads them into marsh and escapes. K567.2
• Escape by pretending to dance so as to be untied. K571
• Hare promises to dance if doorway is left free: escapes. K571.1
• Escape from captor by means of flattery. K572
• Escape by asserting that captor will have ill luck after killing victim. K573
• Escape by asking girl about to murder him if she will have to assume all the guilt. She reconsiders. K573.1
• Escape by false prophecy: if corpses are buried in city, it will become a ruin: king releases condemned man. K575
• To get out of thieves' clutch, man reports high prices in another town. K576
• Escape by false plea – miscellaneous. K579
• Wife accused of plan to escape weeps and threatens suicide so as to allay suspicion and escape. K579.1
• Monkey in danger on bridge of crocodiles pretends that the king has ordered them counted. K579.2
• Escape from robbers by pretending to be going the same way but separating at the first opportunity. K579.3
• Escape from pursuers by pretending to be one of them. K579.3.1
• Monkey saved from trap by feigning marriage. K579.4
• Respite while captor acts as umpire between captives. K579.5
• Wolf acts as judge before eating the rams. They are to go to the end of the field and run to him. They run at him and kill him. K579.5.1
• Tiger to help foxes divide their young. Foxes escape into hole. K579.5.2
• Murder feigned to effect escape. Knight is refused permission to leave city. He rushes to city gates and pretends that he has just killed a public enemy. Is aided in his escape. K579.6
• A handy name. Thief is jailed for stealing a quarter of veal. Sends man named "Calf" to captor. "I took only one quarter of veal, but I am sending you a whole calf." Is set free. K579.7
• A plea for a larger audience. Fox asks cock to come down from a tree and sing for him. Cock asks fox to awake his companion, a dog, first. Dog kills fox. K579.8
• Captor persuaded into illusory punishment. K580
• Animal "punished" by being placed in favorite environment. K581
• Drowning punishment for turtle (eel, crab). By expressing horror of drowning, he induces his captor to throw him into the water – his home. K581.1
• Briar-patch punishment for rabbit. By expressing horror of being thrown into the briar patch he induces his captor into doing so. He runs off. K581.2
• Men double up hare's legs and throw him on the ground as punishment. He escapes. K581.2.1
• Burying the mole as punishment. K581.3
• Bird punished by being thrown into air. K581.4
• Birds caught in net fly away with it. K581.4.1
• Burning the jackal. He expresses horror of that punishment. Sets fire to village from his burning tail. Why he has burnt tip on tail. K581.5
• Thieving insect put in closely woven basket asks to be put in a loosely woven one so he cannot see. K581.6
• Punishment which proves fatal to captor. K582
• Turtle persuades an animal to swallow him: causes the animal's death and escapes. K582.1
• Wolf punished by being married. After debate it is decided that marriage is the greatest punishment. K583
• Thief begs for any punishment except the luxury of two wives. K583.1
• Throwing the thief over the fence. Thief, surprised at theft says: "Do your worst, only don't throw me over the fence." When thrown over, he escapes. K584
• Murderer or captor otherwise beguiled. K600
• Escape by posing as member of murderer's family or tribe. K601
• Escape by posing as preceptor of tiger's deceased father. K601.1
• "Don't eat your nephews." Giants thus dissuaded. K601.2
• "Noman." Escape by assuming an equivocal name. (Sometimes "myself.") K602
• Fairy child injured by man who says that his name is "Self". Child tells mother, "Self did it." K602.1
• "Bee is eating the sweets." Man has eaten sweets and says his name is B. K602.2
• Escape under ram's belly. By hiding under the belly of a ram the hero escapes under the legs of the blind ogre. K603
• The three teachings of the bird (fox). In return for release from captivity the bird (fox) gives the man three teachings. These usually mock the man for his foolishness in releasing what he has. (See for these counsels: J21.12, J21.13, J21.14.) K604
• Cannibal sent for water with vessel full of holes: victim escapes. K605
• Cannibal sent for water which magically recedes from him: victim escapes. K605.1
• Escape by singing song. Captive gradually moves away and at last escapes. K606
• Pursuer persuaded to sing while captive escapes. K606.0.1
• Escape by teaching song to watchman. K606.0.2
• Trickster, pretending not to see attacking enemy, sings song of friendship. K606.0.3
• Escape by playing music. K606.1
• Escape by playing magic music. Captor is compelled to dance while victims escape. K606.1.1
• Escape by playing sleep-bringing music. K606.1.2
• Escape by singing watchmen to sleep. K606.1.2.1
• Musician in hell playing for the devils, purposely breaks fiddle strings. Must return to earth to repair strings. K606.1.3
• Witch put off guard by playing on jew's harp. K606.1.4
• Escape by persuading captors to dance. K606.2
• Enemy in ambush (or disguise) deceived into declaring himself. K607
• The cave call. ("Hello, house!") An animal suspecting the presence of an enemy in his cave (house), calls and receives no answer. He then says, "Don't you know, O cave, that we have agreed that I must call you when I come from abroad and that you in turn must answer me?" The hiding animal answers and the other flees. K607.1
• Crocodile masking as a log obeys suggestion that he move upstream. He thus betrays himself. K607.2
• Crocodile in ambush betrays self by talking. K607.2.1
• Sham-dead man deceived into making gesture. Obeys suggestion as to how dead man should act and betrays himself. K607.3
• Sham-dead tiger betrayed by his live penis. K607.3.1
• Sham-dead deceived into moving by absurd action. K607.3.2
• Leopard concealed in bundle betrays self when threat is made to run spear through bundle. K607.3.3
• Escape by laughing and crying at same time. Captured bird cries in thinking of her little ones and laughs under pretext that the hunter is wasting his time instead of taking the treasure which she pretends is in her house. The hunter leaves her. K608
• Escape by putting captor off guard. K611
• Escape by pretended lousing. Captive pretends to louse the captor but deceives him by cracking berries in the teeth (or the like). K611.1
• Escape by pretended cooking. Girl pretends to be cooking meal for animal husband: escapes. K611.2
• Escape from madman by sending him for cooking water. (Cf. K605.) K611.2.1
• Escape on ship on wheels after having deceived the captor into laying away sword and helm to receive pretended gift. K611.3
• Man in devils' power makes them believe he will return and is permitted to leave. Deceives them. K611.4
• Prisoner released on promise to wed guard (captor). K612
• Prisoner released on promise of life-long allegiance. K613
• Animal captor appeased by being fed captive's family. K614
• Boy in hole escapes descending log by digging hole. K615
• Murderer or captor beguiled – miscellaneous. K619
• Cannibals advised to be absent while hero is being cooked; else he will not taste right. Hero escapes. K619.1
• Cleanest girl to be eaten by ogress: clever girl shakes sesame into fire to simulate sound of burning lice. K619.1.1
• Pursuer persuaded to put oil on a tree when he wants to climb after fugitives. K619.2
• Trickster persuades pursuers to play fatal deceptive game. K619.3
• Escape by deceiving the guard. K620
• Escape by blinding the guard. Pepper or tobacco thrown into his eyes. K621
• Red ants' nest broken and thrown down on ogre's head. K621.1
• Escape from animals by blowing ashes into their faces. K621.2
• Captive plays further and further from watchman and escapes. K622
• Escape by pretended debate as to which must be judged. Jackals thus induce leopard to permit them to enter their cave, while he waits in vain. K622.1
• Escape from captor by throwing objects to great distance which captor tries to procure. K622.2
• Watchman outwitted by having rope stretched across the road while fugitives escape. K623
• Abductors tricked into running race while captive escapes. K624
• Escape by giving narcotic to guards. K625
• Escape of girl foiled by hero's refusal to take narcotic. K625.1
• Escape by making the watchmen drunk. K625.2
• Escape by bribing the guard. K626
• Escape by throwing money (treasure) so that guards fight over it. K626.1
• Escape by deceiving the guard – miscellaneous. K629
• Escape by pretended bathing of guard. Boiling water used. K629.1
• Man and woman escape by sending the she-bear to bring the woman's "forgotten" comb. K629.1.1
• Guardian enticed away. K629.2
• Tiger enticed away to gather berries: victims escape. K629.2.1
• Tiger enticed away by slain pig. K629.2.2
• Escape by disarming (making pursuit difficult). K630
• Captor induced to disarm himself. K631
• Captive dodges when captor tries to cut off his hand; the hatchet sticks in a log and the captor is disarmed. K631.1
• Disarming by a shooting test. The captor is thus induced to fire all his shots. K631.2
• Person holds hat just outside shelter; enemies shoot at it, either giving away their position or putting themselves at a disadvantage in having to reload. K631.3
• Mice gnaw enemies' bow strings and prevent pursuit. K632
• Army of mice save kingdom from enemy invading force by gnawing their provisions, ammunition, etc., to shreds. K632.1
• Captor's powder is removed, ashes substituted: gun does not discharge. K633
• Escape by arranging captor's clothes so as to delay him. K634
• Escape by throwing captor's clothes on the fire. K634.1
• Master thief persuades captors to dive into water: steals their clothes. K634.2
• Sleeping enemies' hair tied to an object prevents pursuit. K635
• Hair of sleeping maiden tied to tree so that she is not able to rise. K635.1
• Holes bored in enemies' boats prevent pursuit. K636
• Paddles broken in enemies' boat prevent pursuit. K636.1
• Cutting thongs of sleds prevents pursuit. K637
• Captive tied to captor escapes by tying end of rope to a post. K638
• Escape by help of confederate. K640
• One animal saves another by frightening enemy away. K641
• Free animal saves its captured friend. K642
• Crow and rat release deer from snare. K642.1
• Confederate sings and delays pursuers so that fugitive escapes. K643
• Monkey attracts attention of mowers until young birds can fly away from the harvest field. K644
• Monkey saves condemned birds through feigned dream. K645