Beschrijving
The Observance of the Master’s Precepts (previously The Servant’s Good Counsels). (Including the previous Type 910H.) A poor man who cannot provide for his family takes service with a rich farmer for one year for a certain amount of money. After he has completed his service, the farmer gives him his choice of the agreed wages or a good precept. The man chooses the precept: “Always follow the main road” [J21.5].
Disappointed by this he hires on for a second and then a third year after which he is given various precepts: “Mind your own business” [J21.6] or “Do not sleep where a young woman is married to an old man” [J21.3] and “Always postpone your anger until the next day” [J21.2]. (For other examples see the numerous subdivisions in the motif-index [J21ff.].)
Feeling discouraged the poor man gets ready to go home. His master gives him a loaf of bread (with money hidden inside [J1655.2]) which he should not cut until he reaches home [C320]. At a fork in the road the poor man follows the farmer’s advice and takes the old main road instead of a shorter new one [J21.5]. He later learns that he would have been waylaid by robbers on the new road [N765, J865].
At dusk he reaches a house where he spends the night. There he sees strange events, but he does not interfere [J21.6]. When he is about to leave, his host calls him back and rewards him with a large sum of money for his discretion (indiscretion would have brought death to the host’s wife [D700, D758]).
After he has refused to sleep in a house where a young woman is married to an old man [J21.3], he witnesses a murder [K2213.3]. When an innocent man, who spent the night at the woman’s house, is condemned for the murder, he testifies to the man’s innocence [K2155].
When the poor man finally reaches home and looks through a window, he sees a stranger kissing his wife. He intends to kill the man, but fortunately postpones his anger at the last moment [J21.2, J571]. The stranger was his own grown son. When the family gathers around the table to celebrate their reunion, the poor man cuts the bread and finds all the money he had earned hidden inside [Q20.2].
Disappointed by this he hires on for a second and then a third year after which he is given various precepts: “Mind your own business” [J21.6] or “Do not sleep where a young woman is married to an old man” [J21.3] and “Always postpone your anger until the next day” [J21.2]. (For other examples see the numerous subdivisions in the motif-index [J21ff.].)
Feeling discouraged the poor man gets ready to go home. His master gives him a loaf of bread (with money hidden inside [J1655.2]) which he should not cut until he reaches home [C320]. At a fork in the road the poor man follows the farmer’s advice and takes the old main road instead of a shorter new one [J21.5]. He later learns that he would have been waylaid by robbers on the new road [N765, J865].
At dusk he reaches a house where he spends the night. There he sees strange events, but he does not interfere [J21.6]. When he is about to leave, his host calls him back and rewards him with a large sum of money for his discretion (indiscretion would have brought death to the host’s wife [D700, D758]).
After he has refused to sleep in a house where a young woman is married to an old man [J21.3], he witnesses a murder [K2213.3]. When an innocent man, who spent the night at the woman’s house, is condemned for the murder, he testifies to the man’s innocence [K2155].
When the poor man finally reaches home and looks through a window, he sees a stranger kissing his wife. He intends to kill the man, but fortunately postpones his anger at the last moment [J21.2, J571]. The stranger was his own grown son. When the family gathers around the table to celebrate their reunion, the poor man cuts the bread and finds all the money he had earned hidden inside [Q20.2].
Motief
J21.5
J21.6
J21.3
J21.2
J21
J1655.2
C320
J21.5
N765
J865
J21.6
D700
D758
J21.3
K2213.3
K2155
J21.2
J571
Q20.2
Combinaties
This type is usually combined with episodes of one or more other types, esp. 677, 910A, and also 300, 460A, 923B, 930, and 986.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
910B
Subgenre
sprookje