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Motifs
- Standing up for the friendless. Preacher in backwoods asks congregation members who are friends of Jesus to rise. No one rises. "What, are there no friends of Jesus in this house?" A cowboy rises to his feet: "Stranger, I don't know who this man Jesus is. I never heard of him before, but I'll stand up for any man who hasn't got any more friends than he has." J1738.5
- Escape by singing an endless song. The soldier's bargain with Death. K555.2.2
- Endless sleep given Endymion. M433
- Spirit in hell must bathe people endlessly. (Cf. Q578.) Q501.9
- Endless tales. Hundreds of sheep to be carried over stream one at a time, etc. The wording of the tale so arranged as to continue indefinitely. Z11
- Endless tale: corn carried away grain at a time. Z11.1
- Endless tale: hundreds of birds in snare fly away one at a time. Z11.2
- The crow on the tarred bridge. His beak and tail alternately stick. (Endless.) (Cf. Z11.) Z39.3
Tale types