The Death of the Little Hen. (Including the previous Types 2021* and 2022A.) Chain tale, game, song, or rhyme in which a small animal (chicken, flea, louse, other insect, small child, etc.) dies (falls into a cooking pot and is scalded, is burned, is…
The Rooster Strikes Out the Hen’s Eye with a Nut. A rooster throws a nut that strikes out a hen’s eye. He blames the hazelnut bush, because it tore his pants. The bush blames the goat for eating its leaves. The goat blames the herdsman who did not…
The Rooster and the Hen. (Including the previous Types 235A*, 2021A.) A hen (rooster, cat, other animal, young woman) has a nut (cherry pit, a corn, etc.) stuck in her throat (dies in some other way). A rooster goes to get water for the hen to…
Louse and Flea Wish to Marry. Chain tale or song about the wedding of a louse and a flea (other animals). Other animals (fly, frog, ant, beetle, newt, snake, rat, etc.) help with the preparations (come as guests, bridesmaids, musicians, baker, cook,…
Pif Paf Poltrie. A suitor (suitors) with a peculiar name (e.g. Pif Paf Poltrie) asks a father for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The father consents and sends the suitor to other relatives, who also consent. The suitor asks the bride about her…
Wee Wee Woman (previously There Was a Wee Wee Woman). Once there was a teeny tiny woman who had a teeny tiny cow which she milked into a teeny tiny pail. A teeny tiny cat drank all the milk. The woman killed the cat (it died), and all the milk flowed…
The Goat who Would Not Go Home. A boy is not able to bring his mischievous goat home. He asks people (hunter, shepherd, St. Nicholas), animals (bear, hare, dog, cat, mouse, pig), and/or objects (rope, water, fire) for help. None of them can (will)…
Chains Involving Contradictions or Extremes. (Including the previous Type 2014A.) This miscellaneous type comprised of various chain tales that feature contradictions or extremes [Z51]. Cf. Types 1931, 2335. The following are the most common…
“There Was Once a Woman; the Woman Had a Son.” (Including the previous Type 2320.) This miscellaneous type comprised of rounds in which a narrator repeats his tale in a never-ending circle [Z17]. For example, articles of clothing (parts of the body)…
The Days of the Week (previously The Forgetful Man Counts the Days of the Week). (Including the previous Types 2012A–D.) This miscellaneous type comprises various chain tales in which the months of the year, days of the week, or hours of the day are…
“Where Have you Been, Goose?” Facetious questions and answers built upon the anatomy of an animal. For example, “Where have you been, goose (lamb)?” – “Out in the fields.” – What do you have in your beak?” – “A knife (brick, water, ox, stick, old…
The Animals with Peculiar Names (previously The Animals with Queer Names). Folk song in which, in each verse, a man buys an animal. In answer to questions about what they are called, it turns out that all of them have peculiar names [Z23]. Cf. Types…
How the Rich Man Paid his Servant. A man who works for a gentleman is paid for his first six months with a chicken, for the second six months etc. with a hen, a goose, a goat, a cow, a horse . . . a girl, a farm [Z23]. The animals often have…
The Twelve Days (Gifts) of Christmas. (Including the previous Type 2010B.) Chain tale (song) in which gifts are brought each day, or a description of the generous dowry that a king provides for his daughter. One partridge, two turtledoves, three…
Ehod mi yodea (One; Who Knows?). Religious (Jewish) song in which the numbers from one to twelve in sequence are associated with circumstances, beings and/or persons that have religious (theological) significance. For example, in Catholic countries…
Origin of Chess. The inventor of chess demands kernels of grain for each square on the board: one for the first, two for the second, four for the third, etc. , i.e. each square has double the amount of the previous square. The king is unable to…
Severed Head Freezes to Body. On a very cold day the head of a decapitated man freezes back on his body before it can fall down to the ground. In a tavern (at home) in front of the fire he sneezes (blows his nose), and the head falls into the fire…