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J1500. J1500. Clever practical retort.
J1510. J1510. The cheater cheated.
J1511. J1511. A rule must work both ways.
J1511.1. J1511.1. Make-believe eating, make-believe work. At table the peasant says, “We will only act as if we were eating.” At work the servant replies, “We will only act as if we were working.” *Type 1560.
J1511.2. J1511.2. Turnips called bacon: cat called rabbit. A peasant compels his servant to call turnips bacon. Under favorable circumstances the servant compels the master to call a cat a rabbit. Type 1565**.
J1511.2.1. J1511.2.1. Man bathing rich man uses sand instead of sandalwood: “Consider the sand of the Ganges to be sandalwood.” When man asks for his fee, other takes a frog and gives it to him: “Know that the frog of the Ganges is a cow.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1511.3. J1511.3. Eating cure becomes epidemic. A woman feigns periodic attacks of a sickness that can be cured only by eating a great number of delicacies. The husband feigns the same disease. Type 1372*.
J1511.4. J1511.4. Fits become epidemic. After dinner a servant feigns a fit and goes to sleep. The master thereupon feigns a fit and beats the boy, who is thus cured of his laziness. Type 1572*; Russian: Andrejev No. 1572A*.
J1511.5. J1511.5. The wine-spilling host rebuked. A host spills his customer‘s wine so that he must buy more. He consoles the guest with “It is a sign of the great abundance you shall have this year.” With the same remark the guest draws the spigot from the host’s wine cask. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 372; *Wesselski Mönchslatein No. 106; *Crane Vitry 269 No. 310.
J1511.6. J1511.6. The porter‘s revenge for the three wise counsels. A man offers a porter three wise counsels for carrying his goods. “When anyone tells you that hunger and satisfaction are the same, don’t believe him.” The second and third are similar and equally valueless. The porter throws down the load: “When anyone tells you that any part of this load is not broken, don‘t believe him.” *Basset 1001 Contes II 391; Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 260 No. 211; Chauvin VIII 139 No. 136; *Fb “sandhed”.
J1511.7. J1511.7. No clothes needed for Day of Judgment. Friends tell a man that the next day is the Day of Judgment and urge him to kill a lamb and give a feast. He apparently consents. He then burns up their clothes. They will not need clothes on the Day of Judgment. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 212 No. 31.
J1511.8. J1511.8. Forbidden to think. A husband forbids a wife to think. During his absence she roasts a chicken, eats it, and leaves two drumsticks on the table. The husband asks for the chicken. “Since you have forbidden me to think, I did not think of you.” The ban is lifted. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 145.
J1511.9. J1511.9. Master says that he has eyes in back of head: servant cheats him. Holds up food to master’s back and then not having objection raised, eats it. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1511.10. J1511.10. Counterfeit money burned up. A priest who has lent money to a Jew, but will not lend to a farmer, on being reproached by the latter, says that the money he lent the Jew was “false”. When the Jew gets to know of this, he claims that as soon as he heard the money was false he burnt it up. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1772.
J1511.11. J1511.11. Boy pretends to speak only Latin. Father, chastising his lazy son, also speaks in “Latin”. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *2423; Russian: Andrejev No. *2082.
J1511.12. J1511.12. The man in place of a watch-dog. The master orders his serf to watch the manor at night in place of the dog. When the thieves come, the serf barks: “Dress, dress .... They take, take .... They lead, lead .... ” The master does not understand the barking and pays no heed to it – is robbed of his property. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *2421.
J1511.13. J1511.13. Oisin‘s poor diet in Patrick’s house – pancake size of ivy leaf, measure of butter only size of rowan berry. Later Oisin gives Patrick quarter of a wild boar, servant ivy leaf and rowan berry. Irish myth: Cross.
J1511.14. J1511.14. Things on highway belong to the public. Man reproves another for picking his cherries that overhang the highway. He is told that things on the public highway belong to no one in particular. He invites the man to climb the tree for better cherries, drives off with his horse and buggy, giving the same answer about things in the public highway. U.S.: Baughman.
J1511.15. J1511.15. Can drink only one kind of wine at a time. Priests come to an inn where host gives them good wine and bad. They insist on having all good since they must drink only one kind of wine. On their return he serves them with all bad. They claim to have had the rule changed. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 245.
J1511.16. J1511.16. “Eat spiritual food, not material,” say monks to lazy brother who criticizes them for working in the garden. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
J1511.17. J1511.17. Ox bought; buyer also claims load of wood attached. Later deceived man disguises and sells sharper another ox for “handful of coppers.” He is allowed by court to claim the hand as well. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1511.18. J1511.18. Priests say dying woman‘s unfulfilled request for mangoes must be paid in golden mangoes to them. Priests burned with iron since she had asked to be cauterized. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1511.19. J1511.19. Wife surrendered to king. Vizier advises doctor to give up his wife to love-sick prince since everything belongs to a sovereign. Doctor then tells him prince is in love not with his (the doctor’s) wife but with the vizier‘s. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1511.20. J1511.20. Goldsmith sells thinly plated gold; peasant retaliates: a pot of dirt with a little gyav on top. (Cf. J1556.1.) India: Thompson-Balys.
J1512. J1512. Impossible demand rebuked. Irish myth: *Cross.
J1512.1. J1512.1. Milk from the hornless cow. A king demands a hundred men’s drink from the milk of a hornless dun cow from every house in the land. Wooden cows are made and bog-stuff substituted for milk; the king must drink it. Irish: MacCulloch Celtic 26, *Cross.
J1512.2. J1512.2. To return the eye to the one-eyed man. “Let me have your other so that I can see whether the one I bring you matches.” India: *Thompson-Balys.
J1513. J1513. Healed with his own medicine.
J1513.1. J1513.1. “If he does not live, let him die.” The student as healer hangs this sign around the neck of a sick calf. Later as parson he is sick. It is proposed to heal him with the same remedy. *Type 1845.
J1515. J1515. You lead and I will follow: hard command thus evaded.
J1515.1. J1515.1. The father of an illegitimate child must walk in front of the cross. Condemned man insists that the priest, who is guilty also, shall lead the way. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 71.
J1516. J1516. Rogues exchange objects and cheat each other. India: *Thompson-Balys.
J1517. J1517. Thieves deceived by prearranged conversation which they overhear. (Cf. K420.)
J1517.1. J1517.1. Overheard conversation: “Mustard has advanced in price.” Thieves steal mustard and leave all else. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1517.2. J1517.2. Overheard conversation: “Money hidden in wall (field).” Thieves take box filled with stone (or dig up field). India: Thompson-Balys.
J1517.3. J1517.3. Overheard conversation: “My money is hanging in the tree.” Thieves stung by hornets. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1521. J1521. Swindler‘s plans foiled.
J1521.1. J1521.1. The shoes carried into the tree. Tricksters induce a numskull to climb a tree, planning to steal his shoes. He takes them in his belt with him. “Perhaps I shall find a nearer road home up there and shall need my shoes.” *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 233 No. 96.
J1521.2. J1521.2. 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”. *Wesselski Bebel I 154 No. 81; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 497.
J1521.2.1. J1521.2.1. Clever wife of king’s adopted son keeps king distracted on deathbed so that he cannot disinherit husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1521.3. J1521.3. Command would become permanent. A ruler receives gifts from his subjects and later demands them as he due. The fool sets the nobleman‘s bed on fire. When the nobleman commands him to put the fire out he refuses, since he would ever afterward have to be putting out fires. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 44.
J1521.4. J1521.4. Unjust oath countered by another. A woman entrusts three coins to a headsman. He denies her claim which she fails to substantiate in ordeal. She now claims more and happens to succeed with ordeal. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1521.5. J1521.5. Catching by words.
J1521.5.1. J1521.5.1. Bargain: to render service for “something”. Claimant has called dead cricket “something” and must be content. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1522. J1522. Rebuke to the stingy.
J1522.1. J1522.1. Half price for half a shave. A man asks to be shaved at half price. The barber shaves one side. He must pay the other half for the rest of the shave. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 601.
J1522.2. J1522.2. Stingy man rebuked when his children are feasted in his absence. They think he has been responsible and honor him. He reforms. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1525. J1525. Poor girl outwits prince in fright-contest. He frightens her and later mocks her with her words of fright. She plays the same trick on him. Italian: Basile Pentamerone II No 3.
J1526. J1526. Soldier’s practical retort to officer.
J1526.1. J1526.1. Officer disarmed by sentry. Army major approaches sentry, takes away his rifle, and reproaches him for allowing himself to be disarmed. Sentry draws pistol from inside shirt, demands return of unloaded rifle. U.S.: Baughman.
J1527. J1527. Dream answered by dream. Priests misinterpret raja‘s dream and get his horses. Trickster advises raja to announce dream demanding cauterization of the priests. They return horses. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1530. J1530. One absurdity rebukes another. Brown JAOS XXIX 43 n. 40, Penzer III 241, 250f., V 64ff., IX 152, 155; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1531. J1531. Borrower’s absurdities. England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, U.S.: Baughman.
J1531.1. J1531.1. The transformed golden pumpkin. Borrower of golden pumpkin returns a brass pumpkin and claims that the gold has turned to brass. The lender takes the borrower‘s son and returns with an ape. He claims that the boy has turned into an ape. Köhler-Bolte I 533; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1531.1.1. J1531.1.1. Mill has given birth to horse. Jackal as judge comes late. “Tank of water caught fire.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1531.2. J1531.2. The iron-eating mice. Trustee claims that mice have eaten the iron scales confided to him. The host abducts the trustee’s son and says that a falcon has carried him off. *BP II 372; Chauvin II 92 No. 37; B[ö]dker Exempler; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; India: *Thompson-Balys, Penzer III 250, V 62, *64; Indonesian: DeVries‘s list No. 299.
J1531.2.1. J1531.2.1. The dog-eating bugs. Man keeps dog for boy, tells him when he comes for it that the chinch bugs have eaten it. The boy borrows a mule from the man, later tells him that a buzzard has carried it away. He gets his dog back. U.S.: Baughman.
J1531.3. J1531.3. The pot has a child and dies. A borrower returns a pot along with a small one saying that the pot has had a young one. The pots are accepted. He borrows the pot a second time and keeps it. He sends word that the pot has died. *BP II 372 n. 2; *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 213 No. 35; DeVries FFC LXXIII 273 n. 1; Rumanian: Schullerus FFC LXXVIII No. 1705*; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1532. J1532. Adulteress’s absurdity rebuked.
J1532.1. J1532.1. The Snow-Child. (Modus Leibinc.) A sailor‘s wife bears a son in his absence and says that it came from eating snow. Later the husband makes away with the boy who, he says, melted in the sun. *Type 1362; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 208; BP IV 130; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1533. J1533. Absurdities concerning birth of animals, or men. (Cf. J1531.3.) India: Thompson-Balys.
J1534. J1534. Deer captured in bird-net: water flows upstream. One partner claims a deer he has captured in his bird-net. The other pretends to be watching water flow upstream. Coster-Wijsman 32 No. 8.
J1536. J1536. Ruler’s absurdity rebuked.
J1536.1. J1536.1. Absurdity of entrusting military mission to bishop. Courtier rebukes king by asking that he be given an ecclesiastical post. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1536.2. J1536.2. Absurdity of trying to convert king to Hinduism – like making cow of donkey or black dog into white. India: *Thompson-Balys.
J1539. J1539. One absurdity rebukes another – miscellaneous.
J1539.1. J1539.1. Priest forbidden to have female servant ostentatiously washes his own clothes. Bishop reverses the order. Nouvelles Récréations No. 34.
J1539.2. J1539.2. Scholar given third egg. A scholar, showing his skill in logic, proves that two chickens (or eggs) on the table are really three. His father (or host) takes one chicken for himself, gives the other to the mother, tells son that he can have the third one. England: Baughman.
J1540. J1540. Retorts between husband and wife. (Cf. J1532.1.) Irish myth: *Cross.
J1541. J1541. Husband outwits his wife.
J1541.1. J1541.1. The good words. A man pledged to give his wife only good words hits her with a prayer book. *BP III 278.
J1541.1.1. J1541.1.1. Sharing joy and sorrow. Man pledged to do so with his wife follows instructions literally. Beats her – a joy to him and a sorrow to her. BP III 277f.
J1541.2. J1541.2. The flute makes more noise. A man overcomes his quarrelsome wife by playing the flute as long as she is scolding. *Wesselski Bebel I 228 No. 139; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1541.3. J1541.3. Woman repulses ugly husband‘s advances. He placates her by telling her that he wants a handsome child. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1541.4. J1541.4. Husband and wife separate and divide property. Man keeps the house, gives the wife the road. U.S.: Baughman.
J1545. J1545. Wife outwits her husband.
J1545.1. J1545.1. Will work when beaten. A wife whose husband has beaten her sends a rumor to the sick king that her husband is a skilled physician but will practice only when he is well beaten. He is seized and whipped. Wesselski Mönchslatein 117 No. 98; Mensa Philosophica No. 73.
J1545.2. J1545.2. Four men’s mistress. A husband disguises as a priest to hear his wife‘s confession. She says that she has been mistress of a servant, a knight, a fool, and a priest; i.e., her husband when he was her servant, and later her knight. He had then been a fool for demanding her confession, and was a priest because he had heard it. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 793; Wesselski Mönchslatein 109 No. 93; Boccaccio Decameron VII No. 5 (Lee 198); Scala Celi 49a No. 275; *Hibbard 41 n. 12; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No 78; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1545.3. J1545.3. Fault-finding husband nonplussed. The wife has cooked so many dishes that when he complains, she can always supply another. Finally he says, “I had rather eat dung.” She produces some. *Wesselski Theorie 175; Plattdeutsch: Wisser Plattdeutsche Volksmärchen (Jena 1922, 1927) II 98; India (Kashmir): Knowles 245.
J1545.3.1. J1545.3.1. Which does the more work. Wife shows that she does many more tasks in one morning than the husband. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1545.3.2. J1545.3.2. Where are the shoes? Fault-finding husband threatens to hit wife with shoes. She: “You will have to have some shoes first.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1545.3.3. J1545.3.3. Man who continually threatens to leave wife mortified when she tells him to go; pretends his buffalo is dragging him home (after he does leave). India: Thompson-Balys.
J1545.4. J1545.4. The exiled wife’s dearest possession. A wife driven from home is allowed by her husband to take her one dearest possession. She takes her sleeping husband and effects reconciliation. *Type 875; *DeVries FFC LXXIII 275 – 284 passim; *Fb “kjæreste” II 153a; *BP II 349; Fansler MAFLS XII 63; Jewish: *Neuman, *Gaster Exempla 224 No. 196; Japanese: Ikeda.
J1545.4.1. J1545.4.1. The besieged women‘s dearest possession. (Women of Weinsberg.) Permitted to carry from the city their dearest possession, they take their husbands. *DeVries FFC LXXIII 278ff.; *Gaster Germania XXV 285ff.; *Wehrhan Die Sage 31ff.; *Bolte Montanus Gartengesellschaft 615 No. 80.
J1545.5. J1545.5. Husband tells wife in indecent posture to “lock up shop”. She retorts that he has the key. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1545.6. J1545.6. Wife by cleverness wins back fortune overbearing husband has foolishly lost and humbles him. India: Thompson-Balys
J1545.7. J1545.7. Clever laughter and response of wife stops husband from fondling maid. Heptameron No. 54.
J1545.8. J1545.8. Corpse to be cut in two for easy carrying. Husband who feigns death hears wife propose this. He upbraids her; she replies: “If you had really died I should have given myself up to be burnt.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1545.9. J1545.9. Wife shows deep water. Husband declares that he will drown himself. The wife shows him a deep spot in the stream. England: Baughman.
J1546. J1546. Overcurious wife learns of the senate‘s deliberations. Husband (son) tells her that they have decided that each man may have many wives. Gullible wife believes it. *Crane Vitry No. 235; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 392; Herbert III 19; Alphabet No. 141; Gesta Romanorum No. 126; Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 46; Scala Celi 46b No. 260; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1550. J1550. Practical retorts: borrowers and lenders.
J1551. J1551. Imaginary debt and payment. *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 209ff.; Hindu: Penzer V 132 n. 2, 133, IX 155f.; cf. Nouvelles de Sens No. 9.
J1551.1. J1551.1. Imagined intercourse, imagined payment. A woman demands money for a visit which she dreams of having had from a merchant. She is shown the money in a mirror. *Chauvin VIII 158 No. 163; *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 810; *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 209; Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 113; India: *Thompson-Balys.
J1551.2. J1551.2. Imagined penance for imagined sin. A penitent confesses that a plan to sin had entered his mind. Priest tells him that the thought is as good as the deed. Assesses four florins as penance. Penitent says that he had only had it in his mind to give the florins; he must take the thought for the deed. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 298; *Wesselski Gonnella 110 No. 10; *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 210.
J1551.3. J1551.3. Singer repaid with promise of reward: words for words. *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 211; Nouvelles Récréations No. 3; Hindu: Penzer V 132.
J1551.4. J1551.4. Directions for getting pay given in return for directions for healing. *Fischer-Bolte Reise der Söhne Giaffers 211.
J1551.5. J1551.5. Substitute for candle repaid with substitute for money. A monk gives a man a stick instead of the candle the man has wanted to burn before a holy picture. The monk says that it will have the same effect as if the candle were burned. The man takes out his purse and lets the monk touch it. *Wesselski Arlotto I 186 No. 6.
J1551.6. J1551.6. The hare at third remove. A man receives a present of a hare. Later a crowd comes to him for entertainment saying that they are friends of the man who presented the hare. This happens a second time. He serves them clear water. “It is the soup from the soup of the hare.” *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 234 No. 97.
J1551.7. J1551.7. Imagined ownership: derived from a dream. Man claims ownership of bulls because he has dreamed of them. He is given their shadows. Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1551.8. J1551.8. Imagined color. Clerk tells person to imagine that blue cloth is green. The customer walks out without paying. The clerk asks for payment; the customer tells clerk to imagine he has been paid. England, U.S.: *Baughman.
J1551.9. J1551.9. Half of money thrown into tank. The monkey to the grocer: “You sold half water and half milk.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1551.10. J1551.10. The priest administers to a man sick with infectious disease. Shows him the Host through window, and says: “Have hope and imagine you receive it.” The man shows the priest a coin through the window, and repeats the same phrase. Lithuanian: Balys Index No. *1844.
J1551.11. J1551.11. “Here is half of picture and you must imagine other half.” Jester later redecorates house in fragments of pictures. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1552. J1552. Loans refused.
J1552.1. J1552.1. The ass consulted about the loan. A man wants to borrow an ass. The owner goes to see what the ass says. The ass is unwilling. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 223 No. 60.
J1552.1.1. J1552.1.1. The ass is not at home. A man wants to borrow an ass. The owner says that the ass is not at home. The ass brays and the borrower protests. “Will you believe an ass and not a graybeard like me?” *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 224 No. 65; L. Schmidt Oesterr. Zs. f. Vksk. 1954, 128; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1552.1.1.1. J1552.1.1.1. The bigger fool. When told by servants their master is not at home, man says it is a fool that goes out in such midday heat. Whereupon master sticks his head out of the window, saying “Thou who art moving about at this time art the big fool: I have been seated all day in my house.” India: Thompson-Balys.
J1552.2. J1552.2. Three reasons for refusing credit. A man asks for credit, although he has always paid cash before. He is refused on these grounds: either (1) he has never found anyone to trust him, (2) he has never bought anything, or (3) he is rich and does not need an extension of time. *Wesselski Bebel II 121 No. 65.
J1552.3. J1552.3. Man refuses to lend horse: sued for consequent damages. The would-be borrower gets one from another neighbor. He overworks the horse and renders him useless. The owner of the horse sues the man who had refused to lend his animal. Reasoning: “If he had lent his horse this would not have happened to mine.” Settled by compromise. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1552.4. J1552.4. Better to donate half of what is asked than lend all. Two farmers ask a priest to lend two measures of grain to each of them. The priest refuses to lend them any but donates one measure to each. Thus he saves two measures. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1556. J1556. Lender repays borrower for deceptive loan.
J1556.1. J1556.1. Borrower of butter receives pot of cowdung with little butter on top: repays by lending wooden sword covered with thin iron. (Cf. J1511.20.) India: Thompson-Balys.
J1559. J1559. Miscellaneous retorts concerning borrowing and lending.
J1559.1. J1559.1. A present or a retaining fee. An abbot presents a lawyer with a fine horse. Later the abbot comes to Rome and calls on the lawyer for help. The latter returns the horse. “I did not know that you had a lawsuit in Rome.” Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 126.
J1559.2. J1559.2. God as surety; the abbot pays. A young man is ransomed by giving God as surety for the ransom money. He fails to return as agreed. The creditor sees a wealthy abbot, who says that he is a servant of God. He robs the abbot and when the young man finally appears he tells the latter than the debt is already paid by God’s servant. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 59; Alphabet No. 503.
J1559.3. J1559.3. Too large a payment. A student leaving the university sends back a small coin to pay for the knowledge he is carrying away, although he says that he is really paying too much. Wesselski Bebel II 114 No. 45.
J1560. J1560. Practical retorts: hosts and guests.
J1561. J1561. Inhospitality repaid. Irish myth: *Cross; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1561.1. J1561.1. Clothes thrown into the cooking food. A trickster when told that food cooking is clothes being boiled retaliates by throwing his dirty hose into the pot. *Wesselski Arlotto II 247 No. 153; *Wesselski Gonnella 130 No. 23; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 240.
J1561.2. J1561.2. Inhospitable host punished for hospitality. An abbot has his innkeeper treat his guests with the most shameful neglect. A guest retaliates by telling the abbot that he has been very sumptuously entertained. The innkeeper is discharged. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 60; Scala Celi 104a No. 565; Alphabet No. 357.
J1561.3. J1561.3. Welcome to the clothes. A man at a banquet is neglected because of his poor clothes. He changes clothes, returns, and is honored. “Feed my clothes,” he says, “for it is they that are welcomed.” *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 416; Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 222 No. 55; *Prato RTP IV 167; Herbert III 70; Italian Novella: Rotunda; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1561.3.1. J1561.3.1. Poor suitor served good supper prepared for rich one. Recites a satirical rhymed grace. North Carolina: Brown Collection I 702.
J1561.4. J1561.4. Servant repays stingy master (mistress). Type 1561**; India: Thompson-Balys.
J1561.4.1. J1561.4.1. Hostess says that she has no spoons. Otherwise she would be glad to give something to eat. A joker brings along the necessary spoons. Type 1449*.
J1561.4.2. J1561.4.2. The boy “loses his sight.” No butter on the bread. Type 1561*.
J1561.5. J1561.5. Father causes inhospitable daughter to spoil her feast by deceptive advice about cooking. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1561.6. J1561.6. A box connection. Man refused hospitality tells rich man he is a relative. Asked for the “connection,” he tells him there is a box connection. Rich man not understanding, man explains his cart is made of box wood and is tied to a rich man‘s box tree. Rich man, ashamed, entertains him with all due respect. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1561.7. J1561.7. Grace said in name of the host. Neglected guest thus gets his portion of food. Jewish: *Neuman.
J1562. J1562. The greedy host.
J1562.1. J1562.1. Turning the plate around. A cuts the meat and puts all the good things on his side. B turns the plate around: “See how all things turn about in this world.” A turns it back: “However the world may turn, with good friends like us the plate will always remain the same.” *Wesselski Arlotto II 222 No. 89; Lithuanian: Balys Index No. 1568*; Estonian: Aarne FFC XXV No. 1568*.
J1562.2. J1562.2. The peasant’s share is the chicken. He serves small birds and a roast chicken to his guests. Guests each take a small bird, leaving only the chicken when the plate reaches the host. He takes the whole chicken saying: “Since everyone has a bird, I must have one too.” Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 583.
J1562.3. J1562.3. Host hides meat in his clothing. It attracts his dog and he is exposed. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1563. J1563. Treatment of difficult guests.
J1563.1. J1563.1. The guest who could not keep warm. He keeps calling for more bed clothes. The host finally piles a ladder, a trough, etc., on top of him until he calls for help. Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 259 No. 200; Wesselski Arlotto I 130 No. 51.
J1563.2. J1563.2. Guests make impossible demands of host: host‘s representative forces guests to leave by sending them on difficult quest. Irish myth: *Cross.
J1563.3. J1563.3. Bread baked with onions for an undesirable guest. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.4. J1563.4. Proper food for ox and ass. Guests call each other ox and ass. Host offers green grass for the first and fodder for the second. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.5. J1563.5. Guests frightened away by housewife. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.5.1. J1563.5.1. Wife prepares the pestle. Tells guests husband uses it against guests. They flee. Tells husband they left because she refused to give them pestle. Husband pursues to give them the pestle, but they run the faster. (Cf. K2137.) India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.5.2. J1563.5.2. Servants touch cooking pot. Food being considered unclean then, guests depart empty but unwitting of true reason. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.6. J1563.6. When hints do not get rid of unwelcome guests, force must be used. Thus man treats his sons-in-law. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.7. J1563.7. A sham fight to frighten away the guests. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1563.8. J1563.8. Priest frightens away parasitic guests. Tells them he has that morning confessed man with plague. French: Irwin No. 161.
J1564. J1564. Talker keeps person from eating.
J1564.1. J1564.1. Trickster‘s interrupted feast revenged. He is asked a question by his master each time he tries to eat a date, so that he always has to spit out the date. He revenges himself that night when the master tries to carry on an intrigue with his wife’s maid. He comes with his answers at embarrassing moments. *Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin II 242 No. 537.
J1564.2. J1564.2. Revenge by interrupting feast. A rabbi who has been inhospitably treated is afterwards invited to dinner. He keeps the guests so amused by his jokes that they fail to eat and the feast is spoiled. Jewish: *Neuman, *Gaster Exempla 226 No. 212.
J1565. J1565. Inappropriate entertainment repaid. Irish myth: *Cross.
J1565.1. J1565.1. Fox and crane invite each other. Fox serves the food on a flat dish so that the crane cannot eat. Crane serves his food in a bottle. *Type 60; Wienert FFC LVI 54 (ET 141), 98 (ST 123); Halm Aesop No. 34; *Crane Exempla 202 No. 165; Africa (Mpongwe): Nassau 64 No. 13.
J1565.2. J1565.2. Bugs unable to eat honey at banquet of bees, and bees unable to eat dung at bug‘s dinner. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
J1565.3. J1565.3. Crop division between parrot and cat: they try to cheat each other by inviting to a dinner in turns every day. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1566. J1566. Luxury of host rebuked.
J1566.1. J1566.1. Philosopher spits in king’s beard. It is the only place he can find at the royal table not covered with gold and jewels. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 475; *Crane Vitry 195 No. 149; Scala Celi 140a No. 784; *Krappe Bulletin Hispanique XXXIX 29, Spanish Exempla: Keller; Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1566.2. J1566.2. Ruler refuses hospitality from subject who spends more than he earns. Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1573. J1573. Host rebukes negligent servant.
J1573.1. J1573.1. A step-ladder for setting the table. Servant who leaves off the salt is instructed to bring in the step-ladder so as to see what is missing. Wesselski Bebel II 71 No. 159.
J1575. J1575. Guest brings along cakes to eat. Stingy host rebuked. Spanish: Espinosa III No. 192; Italian Novella: *Rotunda, Boccaccio Decameron I No. 8 (Lee 23).
J1575.1. J1575.1. Suitor brings own lamp. Mother of girl tells suitor that she cannot have him burning her midnight oil. The next night he brings his own lamp and a can of oil, tells her he will stay all night if he wishes. U.S.: Baughman.
J1576. J1576. “Cause liberality to be depicted.” Answer of hungry man when host asks for suggestion for a picture to be painted of something that has not been seen. Boccaccio Decameron I No. 8 (Lee 23), Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1577. J1577. Deceptive invitation to feast.
J1577.1. J1577.1. Inviting to a feast only those whose households have never been touched by death. None comes. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1580. J1580. Practical retorts connected with almsgiving.
J1581. J1581. Stingy almsgiving repaid.
J1581.1. J1581.1. Poem for poem: all for all. A poet gives the emperor a poem, hoping for a reward The emperor later gives the poet a poem in return. The poet thereupon sends the emperor two pennies, saying that this is all the money he has. The emperor, seeing that he is defeated in the exchange, laughs and becomes the poet‘s friend. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 506.
J1581.2. J1581.2. Reinforcement of the request for alms. A clown asks for alms and receives nothing. He then throws pellets made of herbs at the steward, saying that there is great power in words, herbs, and stones: he has tried two of them and plans to try the third. He is given alms. Wesselski Mönchslatein 20 No. 14.
J1582. J1582. Base money in the offering.
J1582.1. J1582.1. The penny baked in the wafer. A peasant always puts a bad penny into the offering. The priest has a penny baked in a wafer and gives it to the peasant at communion. The peasant, unable to swallow it, thinks that he is possessed of the devil. The priest asks whether he has ever done wrong with a penny, secures confession and a pledge of reform. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 73.
J1582.2. J1582.2. Sulphur in the censer. Parishioners put base money into the collection. The priest burns sulphur instead of incense He tells them that their money will buy nothing better. *Wesselski Arlotto II 218 No. 82.
J1583. J1583. Interested only in his capital. Preacher tells parishioners (regarding the day’s offering): “You will get back 100 for 1.” Donor of a penny: “I‘ll be glad to get back my capital!” Italian Novella: *Rotunda.
J1593. J1593. Any boon desired. Stingy king insists on trickster asking any boon desired. By asking king to perform disgusting act, trickster compels king to give expensive gift. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1600. J1600. Practical retorts – miscellaneous.
J1601. J1601. How much the ass cost. As the fool brings the new ass home everyone wants to know how much it cost. He has all publicly assemble and announces just what it cost. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 134 No. 1550C, Espinosa No. 54.
J1602. J1602. Throw at a rich man. Philosopher gives a penny to a man who throws stones at him but advises him that it will be wiser to throw at one who can afford to give more. The advice is followed and the rascal is arrested and hanged. Wienert FFC LVI 85 (ET 519), 99 (ST 128).
J1603. J1603. Eyes treated for the stomach ache. A man who has stomach ache from eating bad bread is treated for his eyes so that he will thereafter be able to tell good bread from bad. Chauvin II 124 No. 121; India: *Thompson-Balys.
J1604. J1604. 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. *Wesselski Arlotto I 190 No. 10.
J1605. J1605. One wrong and five hundred good deeds. A man steals a large sum, keeps half and distributes the rest among five hundred persons. He says that he has committed one wrong but has done five hundred good deeds. Chauvin II 208 No. 76.
J1606. J1606. Two monks renew their appetites. Entertained by a lord, they say that they are going to certain waters to recover their appetites. They are taken to a chamber and locked in for a day They recover their appetites without further journeying. (Cf. K1955.1.1.) *Köhler-Bolte I 137, II 5714; *Anderson FFC XLII 359; Boccaccio Decameron X No. 2 (Lee 311ff.); Scala Celi 126a Nos. 685, 686; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1606.1. J1606.1. Hungry man eats intestines of fish next morning after refusing to do so the evening before. India: Thompson-Balys.
J1607. J1607. The testament of the dog. The owner of a dog has him given Christian burial. The bishop thereupon pretends that the dog has left the church a large legacy. *Anderson FFC XLII 359 n 3; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 72; **Feilberg “Hundens Testament” Festskrift til E. T. Kristensen 11ff.; Italian Novella: *Rotunda; Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles No. 96.
J1608. J1608. Ass’s charter in his hoof. The ass absents himself from the parliament of beasts. The lion sends the fox and the wolf to summon him. He pleads his charter of exemption and invites the fox to read it in his hoof. (Cf. K551.18.) Herbert III 53; Crane Vitry 147 No. 33; Baum MLN XXXVII 350; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1611. J1611. The stolen meat and the weighed cat. A man buys three pounds of meat. His wife eats it and says that the cat ate it. The man weighs the cat and finds that it does not weigh three pounds. *Type 1373; Wesselski Hodscha Nasreddin I 232 No. 87, *II 185 No. 348.
J1612. J1612. The lazy ass repaid in kind. Loaded with salt, he falls down in the river and lightens his burden. His master then loads him with sponges so that the next time the ass tries the trick he increases his load. Type 211***; Wienert FFC LVI 72 (ET 372), 98 (ST 126); Halm Aesop No. 322.
J1613. J1613. The rescuers‘ Sabbath. A Jew, fallen into a pit, refuses to be rescued on Saturday, his Sabbath. The next day he calls for help but the Christians refuse to rescue him on Sunday, their Sabbath. Wesselski Mönchslatein 100 No 84; Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 389.
J1614. J1614. The forehanded servant. A parson boasts that when he asks his maid if certain work is done she always answers that it has been done long ago. A guest wagers that she can be trapped if she is asked whether she has thrown the parson’s suit of clothes into the tub of water. She overhears the wager and has the suit in the water before he asks the question. Bolte Frey‘s Gartengesellschaft 252 No. 92.
J1615. J1615. That which was promised him. A tenant promises his daughter to his master against her will. The master sends for “that which was promised him.” The daughter sends the horse, and it is taken into the master’s chamber. *Type 1440.
J1616. J1616. St. Peter not guiltless. Soldiers are admitted neither to hell nor to heaven. They remind Peter of his denial of Christ. He admits them. *Wesselski Bebel I 155 No. 84.
J1617. J1617. God‘s omniscience. A woman tells her brother of God’s omniscience. When he is ill and the priest has been called, he creeps under some straw and hides. The priest leaves. The man: “If God were so omniscient he might have found me for the priest.” Wesselski Bebel II 119 No. 57.
J1618. J1618. The one word petition. A guardian of monks in need of food approaches the prince The prince is busy and says that he will permit the guardian but a single word. The guardian says, “Soup”, and secures all the food he wants from the prince. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 64.
J1621. J1621. Sharing his wounds. Two men on parting agree to share everything they receive. One returns with much money. His friend reminds him of the pact. He replies that he has also received many wounds. The friend is willing to forego dividing. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 169; Mensa Philosophica No. 35.
J1622. J1622. The blacksmith‘s and the horse-trader’s dreams. They are forced to sleep together because of lack of room. The blacksmith tells the horsetrader that he often dreams that he is striking the bellows and that he may accidently strike him in the night. The horsetrader retaliates by dreaming that he is riding a horse and drives the spurs into the blacksmith. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 109.
J1623. J1623. Drunkard cured of seeing double. When he claims to see two roast chickens, his wife takes the one chicken away and he falls into the fire trying to find the other. Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 140.
J1624. J1624. The priest makes the omen come true. A woman crosses herself when she meets a priest, as if he were the devil. She says that meeting a priest always brings her bad luck. The priest knocks her down and steps on her. “As ye believe, so shall it be.” Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 151.
J1625. J1625. Armies like seeds and peppercorns. One king sends large sack of seed to the other to represent the number of his soldiers. The second replies with a small bag of peppercorns: “My army is small compared to yours but has all the power of the peppercorn compared to your lifeless seed.” *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 722.
J1626. J1626. The sound of the harp. An apprentice harpmaker is blamed that he has not made the harp sound. He throws the harp at his master‘s head and breaks it to pieces: “There you have your sound.” *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 722.
J1627. J1627. To give the accounting afterward. A nobleman embezzles money from the public treasury. When counsellors urge an accounting, he replies that he is ready as soon as they have themselves made an accounting of all their transactions. They are ready to let well enough alone. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 800.
J1628. J1628. Taking cold in effigy. A traitor is hanged in effigy naked. Later the citizens sue for peace and arrange a meeting. They find him in a hot room swathed with many blankets. He says that he has taken cold when the night wind blew on him as he hung naked from the gallows. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 542.
J1631. J1631. An expensive joke. A shoemaker’s apprentice greases boots as he would grease a fowl. The owner in anger returns and breaks a window. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 642.
J1632. J1632. The minstrel repays the cobbler. The cobbler learns the minstrel‘s songs and sings them so that the minstrel loses his trade. He in turn sews the cobbler’s leather into crazy shapes. He has done no worse than the cobbler, who marred his songs. When they sing together the people realize the contrast and patronize the minstrel. Spanish: Boggs FFC XC 139 No. 1695A*, Keller.
J1633. J1633. Brotherly love and patience both dead. A man failing to receive alms in a village, rings the bell for mass. He tells the sexton that he is ringing because of the death of brotherly love. The sexton rings another bell. It is for the death of the other man‘s patience. *Pauli (ed. Bolte) No. 474.
J1634. J1634. To follow the king. In order to test a favorite, a king says that he is going to retire from the world and offers the regency to the favorite. On advice from his philosopher, the favorite says that he is going to accompany the king into retirement. *Chauvin II 148 No. 1, III 98 No. 2; Spanish Exempla: Keller.
J1635. J1635. Robber gives priest double his penance and then takes his horse. Mensa Philosophica No. 53; Shakespeare Jest Books III (Certayne Conceyts and Jeasts) 11 No. 22.
J1636. J1636. He has a family to support. Ruler to servant stealing his game: “If you wish any I’ll send you some.” U.S.: Baughman; Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1638. J1638. Sticking to the rules. Merchant at inn deprives monk of fowl. “It‘s against the rules of your order.” Later the monk undertakes to help merchant across stream. In the middle of the stream he asks the merchant if he has any money. “Yes.” The monk drops him in the water. “It’s against the rules of our order to have any money on us.” Italian Novella: Rotunda.
J1647. J1647. Priest asked to preach short sermon does so saying to congregation only that they are wicked. Spanish Exempla: Keller.
J1648. J1648. Do not start here. Man asks directions to a certain place. Native attempts to give directions, then in disgust says, “If I wanted to go to – – , I wouldn‘t start from here.” U.S.: Baughman.
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