• In god's absence his function ceases. Death, reproduction, etc., suspended until the god's return. A173.1
• In absence of goddess of fertility, no reproduction of life. A431.1.1
• Devil in God's absence puts sickness in Adam's body. A1293
• Man commends wife to devil. Devil takes the charge seriously and guards woman's chastity during husband's absence. C12.4
• Tabu: man entering woman's quarters in her absence. C182.2
• Magic sword protects woman from fairy lover in husband's absence. (Cf. D1081, F301.) D1386.1
• Earthquake announces victorious return of hero after long absence. F960.9
• Witch may be recognized by absence of bleeding when she is pricked with pins. G259.3
• Woman transformed to flower is recognized by the absence of dew on petals. H63.1
• Feigned absence to test wife's faithfulness. H466.1
• Contest in lifelike painting: fly on saint's nose. Second artist in first artist's absence paints a fly on a saint's nose in a picture. On his return the first artist tries to drive away the fly. H504.1.1
• Fool given the truth on his back. He tells his master what the servants have done during his absence. The servants whip him on his bare back, saying at each blow, "That is the truth." When the master returns and tells the fool to tell the truth, the latter replies, "There is nothing worse on earth than the truth." J551.2
• Prostitutes wander. A woman having given her cook leave of absence for the next day asks her what day it is. "Saturday." "No, it is the day on which the prostitutes wander." The cook: "Yes, from one prostitute to another. Today I am with you, tomorrow with your sister." J1351.1
• Forbidden to think. A husband forbids a wife to think. During his absence she roasts a chicken, eats it, and leaves two drumsticks on the table. The husband asks for the chicken. "Since you have forbidden me to think, I did not think of you." The ban is lifted. J1511.8
• Stingy man rebuked when his children are feasted in his absence. They think he has been responsible and honor him. He reforms. J1522.2
• The Snow-Child. (Modus Leibinc.) A sailor's wife bears a son in his absence and says that it came from eating snow. Later the husband makes away with the boy who, he says, melted in the sun. J1532.1
• Foolish lover does not know that his mistress lacks an eye. Only after his return from an absence does he notice it. J1737.1
• Wolf thought to be colt. In the man's absence eats the mare. J1752
• Wife persuades husband that she has returned immediately. She goes to a neighbor's to cook a fish. She is gone a week. She gets a new fish and cooks it and returns home with the hot fish. She convinces her husband of her short absence. J2315
• Husband made to believe that his house has moved during his absence. The wife and her confederates transform the house into an inn with tables, signs, drinkers, etc. The husband cannot find his house. J2316

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