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Motifs — first 20 of 24
- Snake and turtle exchange head for fangs. Explains snake's fangs and snake-like head of turtle. (Cf. A2320.2, A2345.5.) A2247.2
- Animal's seeking attitude from ancient loss. The ancient animal loses something. Its descendants are forever seeking for the lost object. This explains the characteristic bearing of certain animals. (Cf. A2471.) A2275.5
- Giants throw tools back and forth. Explains rocks, etc. F531.3.2.3
- Devil (gentleman) invites traveler into his wagon. Explains that his horses are Earl X, etc. (Cf. G303.25.17.1.) G303.7.1.2.2
- Hermit explains why anger is sin. J153.2
- Angel explains to hermit why God lets a sinner die in peace and have big funeral while holy hermit is slain by a wild beast. J225.0.1.1
- Looking for the keys of the abbey. Monk goes about with downcast eyes until he is made abbot; then lives in luxury. He explains that he was looking for the keys of the abbey. Now he has them. J703.1
- Choosing his confessor. Ruler explains: "I want a lying priest so that if he repeats my confession he will not be believed." J1263.6
- Plea for a good father. Mother of twelve on deathbed explains to family that not all her children are legitimate. Gives the paternity of each child. Youngest leaves his food to say: "Please, mother, give me a good father!" (Cf. J325.) J1279.1
- Man, fined for sabbath-breaking, asks for receipt, explains that if God asks for it, he will not have to journey to hell to get it from the judge. J1289.11
- Hungry son gets cherries. He slaps another son, and explains that the other boy was saying that he would not get any of the father's cherries. The father shares the cherries. J1341.9
- The cynic's wish. When he learns that a woman has hanged herself from a tree he explains: "Would that all trees bore such fruit!" J1442.11.1
- Why he was thin. Philosopher explains that with his own blood he was nourishing as large a population as that of the Roman Emperor (lice). J1452
- Listening to the debate. A lazy youth explains his late rising by saying that he lay abed to hear the argument between industry and laziness. J1486
- A box connection. Man refused hospitality tells rich man he is a relative. Asked for the "connection," he tells him there is a box connection. Rich man not understanding, man explains his cart is made of box wood and is tied to a rich man's box tree. Rich man, ashamed, entertains him with all due respect. J1561.6
- King's capriciousness censured: the ass in the stream. A nobleman seeing an ass letting water in a river remarks that it reminds him of his king. He explains to the king that just as the ass puts water where it is already plentiful, so the king awards wealth where it is not needed. The king says that it is all in the nature of the nobleman's fate. Subsequent events prove this. J1675.3
- More than twenty commandments. Numskull asked the number of commandments replies that there are twenty. He explains to another that he knows there must be more than twenty because the minister would not accept his answer. J2213.5.1
- Sick man offers deity 100 bulls for recovery. When reminded that he does not own so many bulls he explains that he doesn't expect the deity to come to enforce payment. K231.3.5
- Ten (five) year respite given captive while he undertakes to teach elephant (ass) to speak. Captive explains to friends that in that time the captor, the elephant (ass), or himself is likely to die. K551.11
- Paramour unwittingly drinks sleeping potion. Is thought dead and placed in a chest. Chest is stolen. When he escapes he is accused of being a robber. He is saved by his mistress's maid who explains all, transferring the role played by her mistress to herself. K675.1