Beschrijving
(The King and the Abbot).
I. The Situation. (a) A king commands a priest to appear before him and answer three questions correctly on pain of death. (b) A shepherd masks as the priest and answers the questions. (c) He is rewarded with the priest's position; or (c1) replaces the king himself.
II. The Questions. Some of the questions asked in the different versions are: (a) How many drops in the sea? (Countertask: first stop all the rivers). (b) How high is heaven? (A half day's journey, for Christ went up at midday; or a fox's tail if it were long enough); (c) How many stars in the heavens? (Grains of sand in sack, leaves on tree, etc.) (d) How many seconds in eternity? (Bird carries grain of sand from mountain, etc.) (e) How far is one end of the world to the other? (A day's journey, since the sun makes it daily). (f) What is the center of the earth? (Here). (g) How much does the moon weigh? (A pound, since it has four quarters). (h) How much is the king worth? (Twenty-nine pence, since Christ was sold for thirty). (i) Which is the best fowl? (The goose, since it makes the cabbage sweet and the bed soft). (j) What is the swiftest, the sweetest, the most costly? (Cf. Type 875, I b). (k) What am I thinking? (That I am the priest).
I. The Situation. (a) A king commands a priest to appear before him and answer three questions correctly on pain of death. (b) A shepherd masks as the priest and answers the questions. (c) He is rewarded with the priest's position; or (c1) replaces the king himself.
II. The Questions. Some of the questions asked in the different versions are: (a) How many drops in the sea? (Countertask: first stop all the rivers). (b) How high is heaven? (A half day's journey, for Christ went up at midday; or a fox's tail if it were long enough); (c) How many stars in the heavens? (Grains of sand in sack, leaves on tree, etc.) (d) How many seconds in eternity? (Bird carries grain of sand from mountain, etc.) (e) How far is one end of the world to the other? (A day's journey, since the sun makes it daily). (f) What is the center of the earth? (Here). (g) How much does the moon weigh? (A pound, since it has four quarters). (h) How much is the king worth? (Twenty-nine pence, since Christ was sold for thirty). (i) Which is the best fowl? (The goose, since it makes the cabbage sweet and the bed soft). (j) What is the swiftest, the sweetest, the most costly? (Cf. Type 875, I b). (k) What am I thinking? (That I am the priest).
Motief
H512
H541.1
K1962
H561.2
Q113.4
H696.1
H682
H702
H703
H705.2
H701.1
H681.1
H681.3.1
H691.1
H711.1
H634
H638
H63
Commentaar
I. H512. Guessing with life as wager. H541.1. Riddles propounded on pain of death. K1962. Sham churchman. H561.2. King and abbot. Q113.4. Appointment to priesthood as reward.
II. H696.1. How much water is in the sea? H682. Riddles of heavenly distance. H702. How many stars in the heaven? H703. Riddles: how many hairs are in the head? H705.2. How many leaves are on the tree? H701.1. How many seconds in eternity? A bird carries a grain of sand from a mountain each century; when the whole mountain is gone, the first second of eternity has passed. H681.1. Riddle: how far is it from one end of the earth to the other (east to west)? H681.3.1. Where is the center of the earth? H691.1. Riddle: how much does the moon weigh? H711.1. How much am I (the king) worth? Twenty-nine pieces of silver, for Christ was sold for thirty. H634. Riddle: what is the sweetest song? H638. Riddle: what is the swiftest? H633. Riddle: what is the sweetest? H638. Riddle: what is the costliest? H524.1. »What am I thinking?» »That I am the priest.» So answers youth masking as priest. - For detailed answers see subdivisions of Motif-numbers here given.
II. H696.1. How much water is in the sea? H682. Riddles of heavenly distance. H702. How many stars in the heaven? H703. Riddles: how many hairs are in the head? H705.2. How many leaves are on the tree? H701.1. How many seconds in eternity? A bird carries a grain of sand from a mountain each century; when the whole mountain is gone, the first second of eternity has passed. H681.1. Riddle: how far is it from one end of the earth to the other (east to west)? H681.3.1. Where is the center of the earth? H691.1. Riddle: how much does the moon weigh? H711.1. How much am I (the king) worth? Twenty-nine pieces of silver, for Christ was sold for thirty. H634. Riddle: what is the sweetest song? H638. Riddle: what is the swiftest? H633. Riddle: what is the sweetest? H638. Riddle: what is the costliest? H524.1. »What am I thinking?» »That I am the priest.» So answers youth masking as priest. - For detailed answers see subdivisions of Motif-numbers here given.
Subgenre
sprookje
Literatuur
**Anderson Kaiser und Abt (FFC XLII)
FL XLIX 182ff.
*Anderson Novelline Nos. 1, 18
*BP III 214 (Grimm No. 152)
FL XLIX 182ff.
Loorits Arv VI 117
Espinosa II 101
MAFLS XXIV 53 n. 37
Coffin 6
Krohn FFC XCVI 162ff.