• Man in the moon. A man is said to be seen in the moon. Various explanations are given as to how he came to be there. A751
• Pseudo-scientific explanations of the flood. A1016
• Cold before theft of fire impedes speech: explanation of difficulty of certain languages. A1616.1
• Ant carries load as heavy as himself. Defeats bear, raven (or other bird). Various explanations. (Cf. A2435.3.3, A2486.1.) A2251.1
• Shepherd transformed to bird still calls sheep: explanation of bird cries. Usually told of hoopoe and bittern. (Cf. A1952, A1965.2, A2275.3, A2425, A2426.2.3, A2426.2.4.) A2261.1
• Explanation of duck's feet. A2375.2.8
• King about to kill foster-son due to his evil explanation of dream; both jump into sea and are drowned. F1041.16.7
• Explanation of enigmatic phenomenon. H614
• Explanation of phenomenon; a man who not only picks up wood but everything that lies in his path (a miser). H614.1
• Explanation of phenomenon: large pond emptying itself into several smaller pools (man may spend without getting any return). H614.2
• Riddles of explanation. H770
• Quest for explanation of dream. H1217.1
• Test of friendship: the imagined refusal. Man wonders if his friend would lend him his palfrey. Decides he would refuse. Imagines that he has actually asked for the palfrey and has been refused. Cools toward his friend. The owner of the horse asks for an explanation. He agrees to lend him the horse and they are reconciled. H1558.6
• "Rise earlier": counsel proved wise by experience. Man seeking explanation for being in debt arises earlier and catches his servants stealing. (Cf. H588.1.) J21.23
• To each his appropriate food. Woman gives morsel of various foods to each guest, with explanation. J81.2
• 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
• Priest preaches about bishop's amour. Bishop has fined priest for incontinence. Priest hides and witnesses amorous intrigue between bishop and abbess, hearing bishop refer to the abbess's charms in biblical similes. Priest incorporates overheard references in his introduction to the Mass and is asked for an explanation. Bishop returns his fine. J1211.1.1
• How the tower was built. Fool gives three explanations: (1) It was formerly a deep well; dug up and set out; (2) it was built by a very tall man; (3) it was built flat on the ground and then set up. J2711
• Seduction by feigned stupidity. Cautious farmer seeks laborer who knows nothing about sex. Trickster makes silly explanation of copulation of animals. When admitted into service, seduces both farmer's wife and daughter. K1327
• Death message softened by equivocations. Various false explanations are given to prepare the hearer. K2313

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