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Motifs
- The value of a blow. A judge awards damages of a penny against a friend of his for giving a blow. The defendant goes to get the money and is gone long. Meanwhile the plaintiff gives the judge a blow and tells him to use the penny as damages. J1193.2
- The sacrament for sale. Sick woman calls the parson but recovers meanwhile He insists on her taking the sacrament and charges for it. "Set it here on the table; perhaps I can sell it again." J1261.2.1
- The fish in the sleeve. A particularly obnoxious man delays others while he haggles over prices with a butcher. Meanwhile a parson takes the three fish the man has laid down and puts them into his large sleeves. The man is angry and searches in vain for them. The parson then shows them and advises him not to let people cheat him. J1604
- Helping the cuckoo. A numskull climbs a tree to help a cuckoo so that he may call louder than the one in the neighboring forest. Meanwhile his horse is eaten by a wolf. J1872.1
- Distress over imagined troubles of unborn child. (Clever Else.) Girl sent to cellar to get wine to serve the suitor begins weeping over the troubles of the child which she might have if she married the suitor. Her parents join her. Meanwhile the suitor leaves. J2063
- Whose duty to put out fire? Officers investigate; meanwhile fire burns town. J2183.6.1
- Not to sleep for three successive nights. The sleepy man: "I am just thinking, that on earth there are more crooked trees than straight ones ... more hills than plains ... more water than land ..." The devil goes to ascertain these things, meanwhile the man sleeps. Unsuccessful imitation by another man. K216.3
- Goat induces the camel to talk and meanwhile eats all the food. K334.2
- Thief places candles on crabs (bugs). When they are turned loose in the churchyard the parson and the sexton think that they are the souls of the dead. Meanwhile the thief steals from them. K335.0.5.1
- Thief frightens priest as the latter crosses cemetery. Meanwhile a confederate steals his chickens. K335.0.5.2
- Owner's attention distracted by man fishing in street. Meanwhile the man's confederates rob the dupe. K341.11
- The supposed magic spell. The thief orders the farmer to crawl into a tub and to sit there quietly and not look about, while he makes a magic spell (cure him of childlessness). Meanwhile, he steals all the farmer's property. K341.22
- Trickster sends letter ordering bearer detained and meanwhile steals bearer's wife. K1388
- Adulteress covers husband's eyes during incantation. Meanwhile paramour escapes. K1516.4
- The faithless wife asks her gullible husband how he would act if he were blind. The husband closes his eyes; meanwhile the lover escapes. K1516.6