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Motifs — first 20 of 60
- Chipmunk's back scratched: hence his stripes. As he is trying to escape, bear catches him with his claws and marks him permanently. (Cf. A2413.2.) A2217.2
- Crocodile is punished for trying to attack man he is carrying: has only half tongue. A2239.7
- Tabu: trying to save provision for another day. C785
- Magic gate swallows axes trying to force it open. (Cf. D1146.) D1381.31
- Return from dead as punishment for trying to raise ghost. (Cf. E384ff., F491.7.) Ghost accuses man of stealing a trifle and thus has revenge. E235.3
- Ghost drives away his relatives who are trying to get estate from his wife. E236.6
- Trying to get a beam through a door crosswise in otherworld. F171.6.3
- Forest where unseen sword cuts off heads of those trying to escape. F812.5
- Gate swallows axes trying to force it open. F1009.2
- Devils have only one leg. They broke one leg when trying to run away from God's attack to protect himself from them. G303.4.5.1
- Devil in interior of earth. Banished there by God as punishment for trying to usurp God's rule of the world. G303.8.5
- Trying all night to catch an animal (really devil). G303.9.9.7
- Count only the waves before you. Fox sees man trying to count the waves. Advises him to count only those immediately before him and to pay no attention to those which have already passed. J311.1
- Miller, his son, and the ass: trying to please everyone. Miller blamed when he follows his son on foot; when he takes the son's place on the ass; when he takes the son behind him; and when he puts the son in front of him. J1041.2
- Futility of trying to teach the stupid. J1064
- Futility of trying to hide an obvious deed. J1082
- Three true faiths. Ruler trying to confiscate Jew's money asks him which is the true faith. "There are three, the one which the Lord knows is right and the two his children think are right." (Cf. H659.5.1, J462.3.1.) J1262.9
- Scolding priest says he is merely trying to get even for all the scolding he must undergo. J1269.4
- Removing chance for worry. A king noticing that a student has stolen a capon, asks, "Does not the Bible say that you should not worry about tomorrow?" "Exactly. I was trying to remove all chance of worry tomorrow." J1396
- Absurdity of trying to convert king to Hinduism – like making cow of donkey or black dog into white. J1536.2