30 motifs match “abbot”  ·  back to the chapters

• King and abbot. King propounds three riddles to abbot to answer on pain of death. Herdsman disguises as abbot and answers questions. H561.2
• How far is it from happiness to misfortune? One day; yesterday I was herdsman and now I am abbot. (Cf. H561.2.) H685.1
• Looking for the keys of the abbey. Monk goes about with downcast eyes until he is made abbot; then lives in luxury. He explains that he was looking for the keys of the abbey. Now he has them. J703.1
• "Eat small fish now if you wish larger ones later." Bishop refuses to eat small fish as he used to when an abbot. "Then I used small fish to catch big ones I have now!" J703.2
• Abbot to avoid vainglory receives judge in rags. J916
• The abbot's luxury and the cardinal's. Cardinal rebukes abbot for living in luxury beyond that of the founder of his order. Abbot asks cardinal if the cardinals of St. Peter traveled in the luxury he does. J1263.4.1
• Man calls Saints Peter and Paul fools for enduring poverty if rich abbots can reach heaven, too. J1263.4.2
• The same company of fools. An abbot calls the monks together and asks, "Whom from all you fools can I appoint as steward?" A monk answers, "That should not be difficult since an abbot was found from the same company of fools." J1265.3
• The abbot burns his mouth. Says that he is crying because so many have left the monastery. J1478.1
• A present or a retaining fee. An abbot presents a lawyer with a fine horse. Later the abbot comes to Rome and calls on the lawyer for help. The latter returns the horse. "I did not know that you had a lawsuit in Rome." J1559.1
• God as surety; the abbot pays. A young man is ransomed by giving God as surety for the ransom money. He fails to return as agreed. The creditor sees a wealthy abbot, who says that he is a servant of God. He robs the abbot and when the young man finally appears he tells the latter than the debt is already paid by God's servant. J1559.2
• Inhospitable host punished for hospitality. An abbot has his innkeeper treat his guests with the most shameful neglect. A guest retaliates by telling the abbot that he has been very sumptuously entertained. The innkeeper is discharged. J1561.2
• The abbot cannot find his needle. An undesirable abbot furnishes adequate grounds for his dismissal when he cannot find the needle that all monks are supposed to carry with them. If careless in little things he will be careless in great. J1651
• Abbot gives king unique concert. Separates hogs into tenors, bassos, etc. So arranges them that when he pricks them they render a tune. J1675.5
• Carpe diem. An abbot is planning to build a palace. The fool: "Why go to all that trouble? Just enjoy yourself with wine, women, and song." J2197
• Abbot escapes from his paramour's husband in disguise of priest. K521.6
• Discovery of abbot's (abbess's) incontinence brings permission to monks (nuns) to do likewise. K1274
• Virgin living disguised as a man and unrecognized in a monastery becomes abbot (St. Eugenia). K1837.7
• Man undertakes to cure fat abbot of stomach ailment. Starves him until he admits he can eat anything. K1955.1.1
• Sham abbot. K1961.5
• The stupid monk recovers the stolen flocks. A nobleman steals the abbot's flocks, saying that the monks have no use for them since they eat no meat. The most learned of the monks tries to recover them, but without success. The most stupid is then sent. Asked to dinner, he eats till he can hold no more. He tells the nobleman that he ate as much as possible since he could take back with him only what he had in his stomach. The nobleman pleased with the reply returns the flocks. L141.1
• Self-righteous monk rebuked by abbot. Abbot tells him to search his own heart to see if he is free of sin before attacking others. L435.1.1
• Monk who did not ask for position made abbot. He is given the bribe money paid by other ambitious monks. Q61.1
• Devil spares abbot because of humility. Q61.2
• Fire from heaven consumes adulterous wife who has slandered an abbot. (Cf. Q227, Q414.0.3.) Q552.13.3
• Thievish abbot to be eaten by wolves: curse by saint. Q556.12.1
• Man shows himself willing to sacrifice his child to prove his desire to follow God. He is prevented by abbot. S263.2.3
• Monk under pressure from abbot forgives the crucifix which has fallen and hurt him. He says that nevertheless there will always be hatred between them. U221
• Hell as a monastery – the devil, abbot; sinners, monks. V118.0.1
• Angel bars abbot from his cell because abbot has cast out a sinning monk. V235.3