The Greater Bribe. In order to resolve their dispute, two men go to a judge. Before the judge makes his decision, one of the men brings him a wagon (ox, ax, jar of oil, milk, brass lamp). The other man brings him a horse (fur, cow or butter, sow,…
Anecdotes about Judges. This miscellaneous type comprises various anecdotes about judges, in most of which the judge settles a case to his own disadvantage.
Threshing Documents. A farmer has received a legal statement from a lawyer. When checking the document, for which he has to pay by the page, he realizes that the lawyer has written the paper with wide spaces between the lines (and that the last part…
The Lawyer’s Letter Opened. Two farmers (neighbors) have an argument (over their common boundary) and go to court to settle their dispute. They go one after the other to the same lawyer, who refers the second man to a colleague, giving him a letter.…
Doubts his own Guilt. A defense lawyer speaks so eloquently that his client, who had confessed to a crime, comes to doubt his own guilt and changes his plea [X319.1].
Dying like Christ – between Two Thieves. A dying man asks his wife to summon the lawyer and the notary (clergyman and sexton). When they stand on both sides of his deathbed, he says that he feels like the dying Christ, between two thieves [X313].
Lawyers in Hell. This tale exists chiefly in two different forms: (1) A man tells a magistrate (mayor, lawyer, policemen) that he dreamed about (went to) hell. There, in the fire, he was about to sit on an empty chair, but one of the devils stopped…
Painting the Red Sea. In order to atone for his sins, or because someone has asked him to, a man (nobleman, Eulenspiegel, woman) undertakes to paint a picture of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea. He covers the canvas (wall) entirely with…
Children by Day and by Night. A painter paints beautiful children, although his own children are ugly. Someone asks him why this is, and he explains that he makes the first by day and the second by night [J1273].
The Rabbi and the Collection Money. A rabbi asks two clergymen of different religions how much of the collection money they keep for themselves. One keeps five percent, and the other, ten percent. They ask him the same question, and he answers, “I…
“You Don’t Know what you Are Missing.” A priest rides in a train eating a ham sandwich. He offers one to a rabbi (Jew) sitting across from him. The rabbi explains that he is not allowed to eat pork. The clergyman says, “You don’t know what you are…
The Rescuer’s Sabbath. A Jew falls into a well (canal) but refuses to be pulled out, because it is the Sabbath. On the following day (Sunday) he calls for help, but now his Christian rescuer refuses because of his own Sabbath [J1613].
The Check in the Coffin. On his deathbed, a Jew (farmer) asks his sons how much money they will put in his coffin to be buried with him. After he dies, two of the sons put the promised money into the coffin. The third writes a check for the entire…
Jewish Woman Makes Parents Believe that she Is to Give Birth to the Messiah. A young Jewish woman (nun) becomes pregnant by a student (clergyman). Out of fear of her father, the student disguises himself as an angel and tells the father that his…
Anecdotes about Millers. (Including the previous Types 1853A* and 1853B*.) This miscellaneous type consists of various anecdotes about millers, esp. in which they steal from their customers [e.g. K341.11.1, K486].
The Clergyman on the Cow’s Tail. A clergyman (organist) has a cow that swishes her tail to shoo away flies when she is being milked. In order to stop this, the clergyman ties her tail to his jacket (around his neck). When a wasp stings the cow, she…
The Clergyman Forgets Easter (previously Priest Confuses Easter and Christmas). A clergyman who cannot read forgets to announce the holy days to his congregation. He hears that it is already Palm Sunday. When he goes back to his congregation, he…
The Clergyman’s Calendar. (Including the previous Type 1848B.) A clergyman (Nasreddin Hodja) who cannot read the calendar puts beans (peas, grains of corn, pumpkin seeds) into his jacket pocket corresponding to the number of days in Lent (Ramadan).…
A Pebble for Each Sin. A farmer (boy) who comes to confession cannot remember how many times he sinned. The clergyman tells him that every time he sins, he should put a pebble (potato) aside. The next time he comes to confession, the man brings two…