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Motifs
- King and peasant: the plucked fowl. The king gives riddling questions to a peasant, who always interprets them right. The king says that he will send the peasant a fowl which he shall pluck. The king gives the same questions to his courtiers, who cannot interpret them. They pay the peasant good money for the answers. Peasant tells king that he has plucked the fowl. H561.6.1
- Riddle of king and courtiers. H731
- Riddle: king in red; courtiers in white. (Sun and its rays.) H731.1
- Riddle: king in white; courtiers in white. (Moon and stars.) H731.2
- Riddle: king in red; courtiers in different colors. (Spring and flowers.) H731.3
- Liar rewarded by the apes. King of apes asks visitors how they like his children (courtiers). Truthful visitor tells that they are very ugly, and is punished. Liar praises their beauty and receives reward. J815.1
- Trickster artist hoodwinks king: cuckold's eyes cannot see picture. King pretends to see the picture. Courtiers reveal that there is no picture. J1492
- The emperor's new clothes. An impostor feigns to make clothes for the emperor and says that they are visible only to those of legitimate birth. The emperor and courtiers are all afraid to admit that they cannot see the clothes. Finally a child seeing the naked emperor reveals the imposture. K445
- Jealous courtiers shake king lion's confidence in his councillor, the virtuous jackal, by accusing the jackal of stealing the lion's food. K2141
- King pardons person who has made mistake of addressing one of his courtiers as king. P15.1.2
- Queen intervenes for condemned courtiers. P21
- Jealous husband spends all his earnings as skillful smith bribing courtiers not to talk to his wife, and at last locks her up in hut in the forest. T257.9
- Wasp seeking fame stings courtiers: killed. W116.5