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

921: The king and the peasant's son

ATU > 850-999: REALISTIC TALES > 920-929: Clever Acts and Words > 921: The king and the peasant's son

Description

The youth's clever answers to the king' questions (1 1/2 men and the horse's head, etc. [H561.4, H583]). Among the riddles are: (a1) What do you see? - 1 1/2 men and horse's head (himself, the legs of the king who is horseback in the door way, and…

Variants

921A. The four coins (Focus)

King: What do you do with the four coins you earn? Peasant: First I eat (feed self); second I put out at interest (give my children); third I pay debts (keep my parents); fourth I throw away (give to my wife).

921B. Best friend, worst enemy

Task: bringing best friend, worst enemy, best servant, greatest pleasure-giver. (Brings dog, wife, ass, little son re- spectively.)

921D. The fatal bed

A sailor says that all his ancestors have drowned. Citizen: »Aren't you afraid of drowning?» Sailor: »How did your ancestors die?» Citizen: »All of them in bed.» Sailor: »Aren't you afraid to go to bed?»

921E. Never heard before

Task: letting king hear something that neither he nor his subjects have ever heard. (Reads a letter from a foreign king demanding a loan.)

No examples in our database yet

External Examples

StoryATUOriginAuthorYearSource
Abu Nuwas and the Hundred Eggs 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Clever Answers 921F* Russian Internet Archive
Clever Boy 921 British Internet Archive
De jonge mei de nuvere antwurden 921 Netherlands 1971 Nederlandse VolksverhalenBank
Discreet Answers 921 British Internet Archive
Djuha and the Donkey 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Djuha and the Hunter's Gift 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Djuha and the Tough Chicken 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Djuha Fries Quails 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Djuha in His Old Age 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Farmer Gag's Clever Son 921 British Internet Archive
Friar who told the Three Children's Fortunes 921B* British Internet Archive
Jack and the Vicar 921 British Internet Archive
Jack Hornby 921 British Internet Archive
Jonge Frits is oude Frits te slim af 921 Netherlands 1966 Nederlandse VolksverhalenBank
King and the Basket Weaver 921A Greek Internet Archive
King and the Hermit 921 British Internet Archive
King and the Northern Man 921 British Internet Archive
King and the Tanner 921 British Internet Archive
King Matyas and his Scholars 921 Hungarian Internet Archive
Lord Craven 921 British Internet Archive
Otto's Astronomer, Watchmaker, and Doctor 921C* Greek Internet Archive
Pedro de Urdemalas and the Priest 921 Mexican Internet Archive
Potter 921E* Russian Internet Archive
Riddles 921A Russian Internet Archive
Right Answer to the Right Question 921 Israeli Internet Archive
Sharing Joy and Sorrow 921D* German Internet Archive
The Truth 921D* Arab Internet Archive
Under the Earth I go 921 British Internet Archive

back to index