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AT 0303: Alle volksverhalen
AT 0303 in Lexicon
AT 0303 in Grimm

- The Twins or Blood-Brothers

Two boys, horses, and dogs are born (from the eating of a magic fish, or in other magic fashion; cf. Type 705). One frees princesses from a dragon; cf. Type 300. A witch turns him into stone. The second brother sleeps with his brother's wife and rescues him from enchantment. (As frequent introduction: Type 567, The Magic Bird-heart.) I. The Twins' Origin. (a) A magic fish, which a man has returned to the water twice, when caught the third time tells the man to cut him up and give parts of it to his wife, his dog, and his mare to eat; each of these bears twins;—or (b) they are born after their mother has drunk a magic water or (c) eaten an apple or (d) in other magic fashion. (e) A mother of a child finds another identical and adopts him. (f) Magic swords and trees for each of the brothers. (g) The twins mature miraculously. II. The Life-Tokens. As the boys leave on their adventures at a crossroads, each with his dog and horse, they set up a life-token which will in the case of trouble to one notify the other: sometimes (a) a knife in a tree which will become rusty, (b) a track which will fill with blood. III. The Transformation by Witch. Having rescued and married a princess (as in Type 300), the first brother (a) goes hunting or, (b) goes in search of another princess, or (c) follows a fire which on his bridal evening he sees out the window. (d) He falls into the power of a witch who turns him into stone. IV. The Chaste Brother. (a) When the second brother sees from the lifetoken that the first is in trouble he seeks him and (b) is greeted by the brother's wife as her husband. (c) At night he lays a naked sword between himself and her. V. Disenchantment. (a) He disenchants his brother. (b) The first brother is jealous and kills his rescuer but when he finds the truth, he kills the witch and (c) resuscitates him with magic roots received from animals.

B375.1

B211.5

B243.K

T511.5.1

T512

T511.1.1

T589.7.1

B311

F577.2

Z210

T685.1

T589.3

F611.3.2

N772

E761

E761.3

E7

I. B375.1. Fish returned to water: grateful. B211.5. Speaking fish. B243.King of fishes. T511.5.1. Conception from eating fish. T512. Conception from drinking. T511.1.1. Conception from eating apple. T589.7.1. Simultaneous birth of (domestic) animal and child. B311. Congenital helpful animal. Born at same time as master and (usually) by same magic means. F577.2. Brothers identical in appearance. Z210. Brothers as heroes. T685.1. Twin adventurers. T589.3. Birth trees. F611.3.2. Hero's precocious strength.
II. N772. Parting at crossroads to go on adventures. E761. Life token. Object (animal, person) has mystic connection with the life of a person, so that changes in the life-token indicates changes in the person, usually disaster or death. E761.3. Life-token: flower fades. E761.4.1. Life-token: knife stuck in tree rusts (becomes bloody). E761.1.3. Life-token: track fills with blood.
III. T68.1. Princess offered as prize to rescuer. R111.1.3. Rescue of princess (maiden) from dragon. R111.6. Girl rescued and then abandoned. K 1932. Impostors claim reward (prize) earned by hero. K1935. Impostors steel rescued princess. H105.1. Dragon-tongue proof. Dragon slayer cuts out the tongues and uses them later to prove his identity as slayer. H105.1.1. False dragon-head proof. Impostor cuts off dragon heads (after tongues have been removed) and attempts to use them as proof of slaying the dragon. K1816.0.3.1. Hero in menial disguise at heroine's wedding. L161. Lowly hero marries princess. L225. Hero refuses reward. G451. Following witch's fire into her power. G263. Witch injures, enchants or transforms. D231. Transformation: man to stone.
IV. G551.4. One brother rescues another from ogre. K1311.1. Husband's twin brother mistaken by woman for her husband. T351. Sword of chastity.
V. D700. Disenchantment. N342.3. Jealous and overhasty man kills his rescuing twin brother. B512. Medicine shown by animal.

sprookje

**Ranke Die Zwei Brüder (FFC CXIV) (770 versions)

*BP I 528 (Grimin Nos. 60, 85)

*M. de Meyer Vlaamsche Sprookjethemas 39ff.

*J. R. Caldwell, »The Origin of the Story of Bothvar-Bjarki,» Arkiv f. Nord. Filologi LV 223-275

Coffin 7.