Stith Thompson motif index · Motif

Thompson N688 — What is in the dish: "Poor Crab"

N688
Thompson motif reference
N
Chance and Fate
1
Associated ATU tale types

Description

Motif

What is in the dish: "Poor Crab". A sham wise man named Crab is put to a test of his powers of divination. He is to tell what is in a covered dish (crabs). In despair he says, "Poor Crab!" and is given credit for knowing. *Type 1641; *BP II 401ff., 409; Louisiana French: Fortier MAFLS II 116; India: *Thompson-Balys; Indonesia: DeVries's list No. 302; Philippine: Fansler MAFLS XII 7f., 144; American Negro (Georgia): Harris Friends 24ff. No. 3; Cape Verde Islands: Parsons MAFLS XV (1) 182 No. 62.

Associated ATU tale types

Concordance

These links are derived from the Thompson motif references stored in the Folklore Database's ATU concordance.

ATUTitle
ATU 1641 Doctor Know-all