Beschrijving
The Fight on the Bridge. (Including the previous Type 300A*.) After having eaten a (three) fish, the daughter of a tsar, her maid, and a she-dog (cow, mare, cat) give birth to sons at the same time [T511.5.1]. (Cf. Type 303.) The three sons together go out for adventure [F601].
While his brothers are sleeping, the animal son [B631] (often a fool) fights against a three-headed dragon [B11.2.3.2] on a bridge. In the following two nights he defeats six- [B11.2.3.3], twelve- [B11.2.3.5] or multi-headed [B11.2.3, B11.11] dragons (is able to defeat the third one only with the help of his horse [B401]). (In the form of a fly [D185.3], cat [D142] or the like), the animal son overhears the conversations of the dragon-wives (dragon-daughters) [N451], defeats their enchantments, and thus saves his brothers. The dragon’s mother pursues the three brothers and devours two of them [B11.10.3]. The animal son hides in a magic forge. He outwits the dragon’s mother, who spits out the brothers she had devoured. Together with the smiths, the animal son kills the dragon’s mother, and the smiths forge her to a horse. Cf. Type 705A.
In some cases, a magical old man (father of the slain dragons) defeats the animal son in a contest (horse race) and takes away his horse. The old man sends out a hero in order to win a bride (often a transition to Type 513A).
In addition to this regular form, there exist two versions without the introductory part of the magic conception:
(1) The dragon-slayer wins back the celestial lights which the dragon had stolen and gives them to men. (Previously Type 300A*.) Cf. Type 328A*.
(2) The animal son defeats the strongest dragon and wins his horse for the tsar.
While his brothers are sleeping, the animal son [B631] (often a fool) fights against a three-headed dragon [B11.2.3.2] on a bridge. In the following two nights he defeats six- [B11.2.3.3], twelve- [B11.2.3.5] or multi-headed [B11.2.3, B11.11] dragons (is able to defeat the third one only with the help of his horse [B401]). (In the form of a fly [D185.3], cat [D142] or the like), the animal son overhears the conversations of the dragon-wives (dragon-daughters) [N451], defeats their enchantments, and thus saves his brothers. The dragon’s mother pursues the three brothers and devours two of them [B11.10.3]. The animal son hides in a magic forge. He outwits the dragon’s mother, who spits out the brothers she had devoured. Together with the smiths, the animal son kills the dragon’s mother, and the smiths forge her to a horse. Cf. Type 705A.
In some cases, a magical old man (father of the slain dragons) defeats the animal son in a contest (horse race) and takes away his horse. The old man sends out a hero in order to win a bride (often a transition to Type 513A).
In addition to this regular form, there exist two versions without the introductory part of the magic conception:
(1) The dragon-slayer wins back the celestial lights which the dragon had stolen and gives them to men. (Previously Type 300A*.) Cf. Type 328A*.
(2) The animal son defeats the strongest dragon and wins his horse for the tsar.
Motief
T511.5.1
F601
B631
B11.2.3.2
B11.2.3.3
B11.2.3.5
B11.2.3
B11.11
B401
D185.3
D142
N451
B11.10.3
Commentaar
Esp. popular among the eastern Slavs.
Combinaties
This type is usually combined with episodes of one or more other types, esp. 300, 303, 513A, 531, and also 301, 302, 321, 408, 519, 550, 554, 571, and 650A.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
300A
Subgenre
sprookje