Beschrijving
The Magic Mill. A poor man receives a ham from his rich brother (the devil) who tells him to “go to the devil” with it. An old man directs him to the devil, where he exchanges his ham for a mill that grinds anything its owner wishes (meal, salt [D1601.21.1], other food; a pot that fills itself with porridge [D1601.10.1, D1472.1.9]). Only its owner can command it to stop [D1651, D1651.3]. The poor man becomes rich. Cf. Type 480C*.
His envious brother buys (steals) the mill, but he does not know how to stop it. It grinds such a quantity of food (flour, herrings, porridge, etc.) that the man is overpowered (it fills the whole house with porridge [C916.3]). The real owner stops it and takes it back again. Often combined with the following episode:
A ship-captain steals (buys) the mill and commands it to grind salt. He also cannot stop it, and it grinds so much salt that his ship finally sinks. The mill keeps grinding at the bottom of the sea, and this is why sea-water is salty [A1115.2]. Cf. Types 563, 564.
His envious brother buys (steals) the mill, but he does not know how to stop it. It grinds such a quantity of food (flour, herrings, porridge, etc.) that the man is overpowered (it fills the whole house with porridge [C916.3]). The real owner stops it and takes it back again. Often combined with the following episode:
A ship-captain steals (buys) the mill and commands it to grind salt. He also cannot stop it, and it grinds so much salt that his ship finally sinks. The mill keeps grinding at the bottom of the sea, and this is why sea-water is salty [A1115.2]. Cf. Types 563, 564.
Motief
D1601.21.1
D1601.10.1
D1472.1.9
D1651
D1651.3
C916.3
A1115.2
Commentaar
The variants of the Types 563, 564, and 565 are often mixed with each other or they are not clearly differentiated.
Combinaties
715.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
565
Subgenre
sprookje