31 motifs match “believes”  ·  back to the chapters

• The purchased cobold discarded. On way home man believes himself cheated, and throws box with fly or piece of charcoal away. Later passing same place he finds a heap of corn or money. F481.0.1.2.1
• "Never believe what is beyond belief": counsel proved wise by experience. Man believes when bird tells him that she has a precious gem in her body. (Cf. J21.12, K604.) J21.13
• Witness claims the borrowed coat: discredited. Trickster summoned to court on Jew's complaint refuses to go unless he has a new coat: Jew lends him his. In court the trickster says that the Jew is a liar: "He will even claim that I am wearing his coat." The Jew does so and no one believes him. J1151.2
• God in the puddle. A Jew objects to the doctrine that God could exist in the Virgin Mary. A disputant asks if he believes God is everywhere; then if God is in a mud puddle. The Jew agrees. The disputant condemns the Jew for believing that God could exist in a puddle and not in a pure virgin. J1262.2
• How the tail pointed. One who believes in auguries asks peasant woman if she has seen a bird. "Yes, a crow." And in what direction was his tail pointing?" Answer: "Toward the rear!" J1305
• Overcurious wife learns of the senate's deliberations. Husband (son) tells her that they have decided that each man may have many wives. Gullible wife believes it. J1546
• Author believes that his book must be stupid. Stupid people and gossipers are praising it. J1714.4
• Foolish wife believes goats' heads are human heads. J1762.9
• Fool believes realistic story. Inappropriate action. J1849.1
• Teaching chickens to talk. Fool believes they can be taught. J1882.1
• Fool believes that he has begot child with his sister by an earbox. J1919.7
• Fool at baths believes he is someone else. Sees everybody naked. Puts straw on his shoulder to identify himself. Straw floats to another bather. "You are me and I am you!" J2012.6
• Fool believes plea of not guilty even though he has seen man injure him. J2045
• The shepherd who cried "Wolf!" too often. When the wolf really comes no one believes him. J2172.1
• Book gives wisdom. A man believes himself wise because he has a book which he uses but does not understand. J2238
• Chanticleer believes that his crowing makes the sun rise. Disappointed when it rises without his aid. J2272.1
• Man believes he is to die when he breaks wind. Lies down for dead. J2311.1.1
• Man believes, he will die when water falls on his head. J2311.1.3
• Numskull believes he is dead when pumpkin falls on his head. J2311.1.3.1
• Man believes he will die when he gets a scarlet thread on his coat. J2311.1.4
• The "poisoned" pot. The wife tells the husband that a certain pot of preserves is poison. He decides to kill himself and eats the preserves. He believes that he is poisoned and lies down for dead. J2311.2
• Numskull believes that he is married to a man. Two men's hands joined in fun with words "I marry you." Fool thinks that he must get a bishop to annul the marriage. J2323
• Fool believes gold in bag turns to ashes because of child's urinating on it. Actually bag contained only ashes. J2325.1
• The woman who asked for news from home. Gets many impossible answers, which she believes. E.g., "The cock has become sexton." – "Yes, that is why he sang so well in the morning." J2349.4
• Letter believed against clear evidence. Fool believes letter apparently reporting his uncle's death, though he has just seen uncle. J2528
• Alleged healing letter sold. Woman sold a letter to wear around her neck which will prevent eye trouble. It helps only so long as she believes in it. K115.1
• The substituted porridge. In cooking dinner fox's porridge is light, bear's black. At dinner fox steals spoonful of bear's porridge and lets bear taste it. Bear believes that fox's porridge is as bad as his own. K471
• Lover hidden in chest with feathers. Husband believes he is a devil. (Cf. K1218.1.) K1517.4
• Father condemns daughter to death because he believes her unchaste. S322.1.3
• The parson sings like a goat. The parson sees an old woman weeping and believes that she is touched by his singing. When spoken to she says that she has been reminded of her old goat which she has lost. X436
• Liar comes to believe his own lie. He tells a lie so often that he believes it himself. (Cf. X611.) X902