ATU 1534A The Innocent Man Condemned to Death (previously The Innocent Man Chosen to Fit the Stake [Noose])

ATU 1534A

The Innocent Man Condemned to Death (previously The Innocent Man Chosen to Fit the Stake [Noose])

Aarne–Thompson–Uther tale-type index · Anecdotes And Jokes · The full type description is not served here; the number and name are the classification facts.

Motifs the recorded variants carry

Logically absurd defenses. Thief brought to judgment for breaking into house blames mason for building poor house. Mason blames maker of mortar, who blames potter, who blames pretty woman who diverted his attention. She blames goldsmith who caused her to go for her earrings. Goldsmith has no one to blame but he is too old to make a good execution. Hence a shopkeeper across the way is convicted. 8 variants
Man chosen for execution because he is fat. 8 variants
Greedy disciple decides to remain in city despite learned teacher's warning and is condemned to take the place of a thief. 8 variants
In spite of master's advice disciple stays in country where everything has cheap price. Gets into trouble. 4 variants
King substitutes for condemned man when he is told that whoever is executed that day is destined to become king in his next birth. 4 variants
Substitute for execution obtained by trickery. Report that man executed just then will be king in heaven. 4 variants
Raja substitutes himself for condemned man. Made to believe that this will take him to heaven. 4 variants
Dupe persuaded to be killed in order to go to heaven. 4 variants
Lie: land where all things are sold for the same price. 4 variants

Type numbers and names after Aarne–Thompson–Uther, via Hagedorn, trilogy (2022), CC-BY-NC-SA; motif links weighted by the dataset’s recorded tale variants. Served as classification facts with attribution.