Beschrijving
The She-Fox’s Suitors. This tale exists chiefly in three different forms:
(1) In order to test his wife’s devotion, an old fox pretends to be dead. The widow rejects the first suitors who come to her because none of them has nine tails, as her husband had. Finally a suitor comes who has nine tails, and the widow agrees to marry him. The old fox who was supposed to be dead comes to the wedding [N681]. He beats his wife and her suitor and sends them out of the house [T211.6].
(2) An old fox is truly dead. One after another, the wolf, dog, stag, hare, bear, and lion (other wild animals) come to woo the widow. Only the young fox has a red coat and a pointed snout, so it is he whom she marries.
(3) In Hungarian variants an old widower marries a she-fox, and they invite other foxes to their wedding. The widower pretends to be sick and asks for an axe to put under his pillow. Believing her groom is dead, the bride invites more and more guests. A hare notices that the husband is alive but is unable to warn the others. The old widower catches them, kills them, and skins them. Cf. Type 1360C.
(1) In order to test his wife’s devotion, an old fox pretends to be dead. The widow rejects the first suitors who come to her because none of them has nine tails, as her husband had. Finally a suitor comes who has nine tails, and the widow agrees to marry him. The old fox who was supposed to be dead comes to the wedding [N681]. He beats his wife and her suitor and sends them out of the house [T211.6].
(2) An old fox is truly dead. One after another, the wolf, dog, stag, hare, bear, and lion (other wild animals) come to woo the widow. Only the young fox has a red coat and a pointed snout, so it is he whom she marries.
(3) In Hungarian variants an old widower marries a she-fox, and they invite other foxes to their wedding. The widower pretends to be sick and asks for an axe to put under his pillow. Believing her groom is dead, the bride invites more and more guests. A hare notices that the husband is alive but is unable to warn the others. The old widower catches them, kills them, and skins them. Cf. Type 1360C.
Motief
N681
T211.6
Commentaar
Documented between 1190 and 1195 in the Roman de Renart (Ib,2749–3219).
Combinaties
20C, 2032.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
65
Subgenre
sprookje