Search
Motifs
- Magic stairs. D1144
- Stairs to which person sticks. (Cf. D1144.) D1413.4
- Persistent beggar invited upstairs. A beggar will not come in but insists on the man coming down to the door. When he asks alms the man bids him come upstairs. Then he says he has nothing for him. "You made me come down for nothing; I make you come up for nothing." J1331
- The old man nods "Yes". A monk at an old man's deathbed asks if he hasn't promised this and that to the church. The old man from weakness rather than understanding nods "Yes". The son standing by asks, "Shall I throw this fellow down stairs?" The old man nods "Yes". J1521.2
- A fox or a hare? A servant is sent by his master to find a girl for him. If he returns with one he is to say, "I have a fox"; if without, "I have a hare." When he returns he has forgotten the agreement. "I don't know whether it is a fox or a hare, but the girl is down stairs. J2671.1
- Contest in jumping from the church tower. The devil is not to look behind him. The man runs downstairs (or otherwise cheats). K17.2
- Woman alone in house rolls cheeses down the stairs after calling names of men in the house. Attackers think the men of the house are rushing down the stairs. K548.1
- Robbers make stairs slippery so that bathing prince falls. K897.3
- Peas strewn on stairs so that person will slip. K1071
- Prophecy: man to be swallowed up by earth at the foot of his stairs. M341.2.25
- Adulteress caused to fall down stairs from which steps have been removed. (Cf. Q241.) Q469.1
- Penance: living under stairs as mendicant. Q523.4
- Man pulled down stairs by his two wives. T145.5
- Woman kicks lecherous monk down the stairs. T322.1
- Wager with overdressed youths that servant can carry a large bucket of water upstairs. They follow and are soaked when the servant purposely spills the dirty water. X32