54 motifs match “literal”  ·  back to the chapters

• Enigmatic counsels of a father. Taken literally bring trouble, but when properly interpreted are valuable. H588
• Cum grano salis. Instructions of mother followed literally by one daughter when she marries. All goes wrong. Second daughter follows them in conformity with her father's explanations and all is well. J555.1
• Literal pleading: letter of law has been met. J1161
• Pound of flesh. (Fleischpfand.) Literal pleading frees man from pound of flesh contract. Contract does not give the right to shed blood. Impossible, therefore, to carry out. J1161.2
• Literal penance: boy outwits pope. For three years not to drink wine, not to lie in bed, nor sleep with a prostitute. He goes to a convent, sleeps on eider down, and sleeps with the nuns. (God's daughters). When the pope condemns him he says he will go to his brother-in-law (Christ: he has wedded God's daughters). (Cf. J1764.5.) J1161.5
• Thief makes it fall out that he has but taken what has been given him (he has followed literal instructions). J1161.11
• Sharing joy and sorrow. Man pledged to do so with his wife follows instructions literally. Beats her – a joy to him and a sorrow to her. J1541.1.1
• Literal fool. J2450
• Literal obedience. J2460
• Literal following of instructions about actions. J2461.1
• Literal numskull drags jar (bacon) on string. He has sent a pig home alone. Told that he should have led it by a string. J2461.1.1
• Literal numskull is gay at a fire. He has wept at a wedding and been told to be gay. J2461.1.2
• Literal numskull sings entertaining songs on approach of death. J2461.1.2.1
• Literal numskull throws water on roasting pig. Told that he should have thrown water in the fire when the house burnt. J2461.1.3
• Literal numskull cuts peas into four parts. Told that he should have cut up the pancakes which he has eaten whole. J2461.1.4
• Literal fool is told to cook a few peas for five persons. Cooks five peas. Next time he is told to cook an abundance. Cooks half-bushel. J2461.1.4.1
• Literal fool puts three empty measures in pot. Told to put in three measures of rice to boil. J2461.1.4.2
• Literal fool strangles the hawk. On last trip he has lost the gloves and has been told that he should have put them in his bosom. He puts the hawk inside his shirt. J2461.1.5
• Literal fool carries the harrow in his hand. He has killed a sparrow by his stupidity and has been told that he should have carried it in his hand. J2461.1.6
• Literal numskull destroys inherited property since his sister has instructions not to object to his actions. J2461.1.8
• Literal following of instructions about greetings. Numskull gives wrong greeting and is told how to give the correct one. When he tries it, however, the conditions are wrong. J2461.2
• Literal numskull kisses a pig. Told that he should have kissed the old woman. J2461.2.1
• Literal numskull laughs at his child's death. J2461.3
• Literal fool: fool told to follow his nose in a journey, runs head against tree, climbs it. J2461.6
• Foolish bridegroom follows instructions literally. J2462
• Foolish bride gives away dowry. While her parents are away from home, a matchmaker and a suitor come to the foolish girl. By following her mother's advice literally, she gives away her dower to the tricksters. J2463.1
• Cutting at the plow. Literal fool told to cut at plow if it sticks on roots cuts at bullock's legs. J2465.8
• Literal following of the count. J2466
• Instructions followed literally – miscellaneous. J2469
• Literal fool – something you have never experienced. J2469.5
• Literal fool feeds dogflesh to visitor to follow father's advice: "Feed him on food you have never eaten in your life." J2469.5.1
• Literal obedience: soldier breaks woman's oil pot in two with sword when she asks him to show her something she never has seen in life. J2469.5.2
• Metaphors literally interpreted. J2470
• The literal host: bread and salt. Guest finds that his host spoke literally when he invited him to share his bread and salt. Later, when the host threatens an importunate beggar, the guest advises the beggar to flee since the host means what he says. J2476
• Metaphors literally interpreted – miscellaneous. J2489
• "Keep locks of everyone in your hand" (keep control of them). Fool interprets literally. J2489.2
• "Bite the ear" (speak secretly). Fool interprets literally. J2489.3
• Literal fool – miscellaneous. J2490
• Names of dogs literally interpreted. The names are "The Shepherd" and "Get the stick". When the man calls his dogs to dinner, the thief thinks that he is telling the shepherd to get a stick. J2493
• Religious words or exercises interpreted with absurd literalness. J2495
• Literal fool – additional motifs. J2499
• Conventional greeting phrase taken literally: "Come and share it." J2499.6
• Directions followed literally to the sorrow of the giver. J2516
• Literal misconstruction of order. Hero gets revenge. J2516.0.1
• Think thrice before you speak. The youth obeys literally the precept even when he sees the master's coat on fire. J2516.1
• Horse which will not go over trees. Salesman tells buyer that he is selling the horse because it eats too much and will not climb trees. On the way home the horse bites everyone and refuses to cross a bridge. Seller is literally correct. K134.1
• Owner trades a blind horse. He gives a description that is literally correct. K134.5
• Selling by trickery: literal bargain. (Cf. K134.1.) K196
• Literal payment of debt (not real). K236
• Literal fulfillment of marriage contract. Man to be released when earth is placed at his head (buried). Dies in grave. K236.4
• Deceiver falls into his own trap (literally). Arranges a trap or pitfall but is himself caught. K1601
• Oath literally obeyed. K2312
• Oath literally obeyed: to tell no Christian. Woman thus sworn to secrecy talks to her unchristened child. K2312.1
• Saint with tongue of fire (literally). V229.11