“what” — Mythoi

Motifs — first 20 of 404

God makes things and tosses them into the air; what he catches is good for mankind, what opponent catches is bad. A67
Origin of stones: punishment for discourtesy. Jesus asks a man what he is sowing. He answers, "Stones." Jesus turns the crop to stones. This is how stones originate. A973
World-fire. A conflagration destroys the earth. Sometimes (as with the flood legends) the tradition is somewhat local and does not refer to an actual destruction of the whole earth; sometimes the fire marks the end of the world. A1030
Origin of physical defects. Wicked people entering heaven on rope fall to earth and are injured. St. Peter misunderstands what God says and lets them fall. A1338
What animals are to be eaten by man. A1422.0.2
Caste determined by what kind of tree one catches while crossing a river. A1651.2
What creature has sweetest blood: gnat's tongue torn out. Assembly to decide who has the sweetest blood so that it may be the food for the serpent. Gnat discovers that man has the sweetest blood. Rather than let him tell this secret, swallow tears out his tongue. Gnat can only buzz. (Cf. A2344.2, A2426.3.2.) A2236.1
Animal characteristics because creator had not enough time to finish what he began. A2286.1.0.1
What parrot says. A2426.2.11
What hawks are looking for. A2471.7
Birds as reporters of sights and sounds. Sit on Odin's shoulder and report what they see and hear. B122.2
Christ asks woman what she is cooking; she replies that she is boiling stones to make her children think they are peas and that they will have food. Christ changes the stones to peas. D452.1.6.1
Magic antimony, rubbed on hero's eyes, will make whatever he looks at become far or near, as he desires it. (Cf. D1246.) D1331.3.3
Magic rod pierces whatever directed against. (Cf. D1254.2.) D1404.1
Magic arrow sets fire to whatever it hits. (Cf. D1092.) D1566.1.1
Self-grinding mill. Grinds whatever owner wishes. (Cf. D1263, D1470.) D1601.21
Magic powder makes objects speak what owner wants them to. (Cf. D1246.) D1610.0.1
Magic knowledge of what is to happen to himself after death. (Cf. G283.1.) D1812.0.5
What religious ascetic sees as gold, ordinary people see as scorpions. D1825.8
Power to hit whatever one aims at. D1923

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