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Prevuius group

Group No. 117


Letter

K. Deceptions

Group No.

K500 – K699

Group name

Escape by deception

Description

K511. Uriah letter changed. Falsified order of execution. A messenger is sent with a letter ordering the recipient to kill the bearer. On the way the letter is changed so that the bearer is honored. *Types 428, 930; *Aarne FFC XXIII 69ff., 91; *BP I 282; *Fb “brev” IV 61ab; *Chauvin VIII 143ff. Nos. 145ABC; *Cosquin Études 143ff.; Gunkel Märchen im alten Testament (Tübingen, 1921) 132; *Boje 79; *Penzer I 52, II 113f., III 277ff.; Alphabet No. 593; *Dickson 235 n. 33; Tupper and Ogle Walter Map 271. – Icelandic: Hdwb. d. Märchens I 326 nn. 16-26, Herrmann Saxo II 262ff. I, *Boberg; Greek: *Frazer Apollodorus I 151 n. 2; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera I 828; Japanese: Ikeda; Africa: Frobenius Atlantis IV 290.
 
K512.2. Compassionate executioner: substituted heart. A servant charged with killing the hero (heroine) substitutes an animal, whose heart he takes to his master as proof of the execution. *Types 671, 709; *Böklen Sneewittchenstudien 79ff.; *BP I 450ff., 463; *Aarne FFC XXIII 57, MSFO XXV 181; *Prato RTP IV 178; Chauvin V 208 No. 120; *Cox 474; *Saintyves Perrault 68; Fb “hjaerte” I 631a, “lever” II 404b, “tunge” III 894a. – Icelandic: Boberg; Spanish: Boggs FFC XC No. 706C*; Missouri French: Carrière; French Canadian: Sister Marie Ursule; India: Thompson-Balys; Jewish: Neuman (S350); Chinese: Graham; Japanese: Ikeda; N. A. Indian (Shuswap): Teit JE II 730 No. 50; S. A. Indian (Quiche): Alexander Lat. Am. 172.
 
K512.2.2. Compassionate executioner: substituted child. The servant charged with sending the hero to executioners sends his own child instead. *Boje 63 n. 1; Jewish: *Neuman; Japanese: Ikeda.
 
K515.1. Children hidden to avoid their execution (death). Irish myth: *Cross; Icelandic: Hrólfssaga Kraka 3, 22, Hálfdanarsaga Brönufóstra (FAS III) 565; Greek: Fox 155 (Zeus and Kronus), Grote I 6; Jewish: *Neuman; India: Thompson-Balys; Eskimo (West Hudson Bay): Boas BAM XV 189, (Kodiak): Golder JAFL XVI 28; Africa (Ekoi): Talbot 355, (Pangwe): Tessman 366, (Fang): Tessman 108; Jamaica: Beckwith MAFLS XVII 275 No. 88.
 
K523.1. Escape by shamming madness. (Cf. K523.0.1.) Malone PMLA XLIII 400; Icelandic: Herrmann Saxo II 258ff., *Boberg; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys.
 
K527.5. Man calls animal by his son’s name so he can sacrifice it instead of his son. Jewish: *Neuman.
 
K528.3. Two wicked men put to a fiery test ask for a third (pious) man to be tested together with them. Jewish: *Neuman.
 
K544. Escape by alleged possession of external soul. Monkey caught for his heart (as remedy) makes his captor believe that he has left his heart at home. *Dh IV 1ff.; *Chauvin II 99 No. 57; *Penzer V 127 n. 1; Bødker Exempler 298 No. 62; Spanish Exempla: Keller; Jewish: Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Buddhist myth: Malalasekera II 852; Japanese: Ikeda; Indonesia: DeVries‘s list No. 3, Dixon 193; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 374 No. 56; Africa (Zanzibar): Bateman 17 No. 1.
 
K557. Death cheated by moving bed. The man who has chosen Death as his godfather has his bed turned around when he sees Death standing at the foot of his bed. He thus escapes death. *Type 332; *BP I 377ff.; Wesselski Märchen 214 No. 17; **Christiansen Danske Studier (1915) 72ff.; Icelandic: Sveinsson FFC LXXXIII No. 332; Jewish: *Neuman; India: *Thompson-Balys; Japanese: Ikeda.
 
K579.3. Escape from robbers by pretending to be going the same way but separating at the first opportunity. Jewish: Neuman, Gaster Exempla 198 No. 66.
 
K632. Mice gnaw enemies’ bow strings and prevent pursuit. *Fb ”bue“ IV 76b; Jewish: *Neuman; N. A. Indian (Hupa): Goddard U Cal I 154ff.

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