Aarne-Thompson-Uther (ATU) - Types of Folktales

285: The child and the snake

ATU > 1-299: ANIMAL TALES > 220-299: Other Animals and Objects > 285: The child and the snake

Description

The snake drinks from the child's milk-bottle.

Variants

285A. The Dead Child and the Snake's Tail

White snake brings luck to house. He is fed milk. People kill snake and thereafter have bad luck.

285B. Falling Nut Saves Man from Serpent

Farmer sleeps under tree. Snake is about to crawl into his mouth. Nut drops from tree, wakens the farmer who kills snake and eats nut.

285C. Farmer Feeds Serpent so that it will not Eat Cattle

Feeds it hot stones (pins) so that it dies.

285D. Man and Serpent

Snake is given milk. Gives gold from tail as reward. Later man's son wants all gold at once and cuts the tail off. Boy is bitten by snake. Man tries to give snake milk again, but they can't be reconciled for each has injuries that cannot be…

Examples

show original versionsshow all versions including translationsshow English versions
Text titleATULanguageAuthorOriginPublication Date
Märchen von der Unke285,672BGermanJacob & Wilhelm GrimmGermany1812

External Examples

StoryATUOriginAuthorYearSource
Man Who Swallowed the Mouse 285B* Irish Internet Archive
Seven Giant Brothers 285B* Armenian Internet Archive
Shepherd and Snake 285A Greek Internet Archive
Snake and Baby 285 African-American Internet Archive
Tales of the Toad 285 German Internet Archive
The Gold-Giving Serpent 285A Indian Internet Archive

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