Beschrijving
Agreement Not to Scratch. This tale exists chiefly in four different forms:
(1) A man (trickster) continually scratches his head or body (because of a disease) (he sneezes continually). He is promised a reward if he can refrain from scratching (sneezing) for a certain length of time. When he can no longer resist the itching, he tells a story (calls out) in which he can make gestures or sounds that permit him to scratch (sneeze) [K263]. Sometimes the listeners realize what he has done, but they reward him anyway because they admire his cleverness.
(2) A bald (mangy) man (with head lice), a man who scratches himself, and a man with a dripping nose agree (are ordered, often by the king) not to touch themselves. All of them manage to break the prohibition by telling stories which they illustrate with their forbidden movements. For example, the bald man says that his father bought him a fur cap, and he mimics putting it on and taking it off. The scratching man says his father bought him clothes, and touches himself to show where they did not fit. The man with the dripping nose calls them both liars and points at them by rubbing his nose twice with his fingers.
(3) A god offers a prize (his daughter, an ox, both) to whichever animal can clear a field of nettles without scratching himself. After other animals try and fail, a certain animal (spider, Brer Rabbit) wins the prize by disguising his scratching in his animated description of the ox.
(4) Two men (a Jew and a Russian) agree not to scratch. Each tries to make the other break the agreement. For example, the Jew sprinkles pepper in the Russian’s shirt, and the Russian puts lice in the Jew’s trousers. When the Russian can resist no longer, he says that his uncle received medals from the czar, which he wore “here and here and here,” thus scratching those places. The Jew replies that his uncle received so many medals that he had to put them in his trousers’ pocket and feel around for them – which he demonstrates.
(1) A man (trickster) continually scratches his head or body (because of a disease) (he sneezes continually). He is promised a reward if he can refrain from scratching (sneezing) for a certain length of time. When he can no longer resist the itching, he tells a story (calls out) in which he can make gestures or sounds that permit him to scratch (sneeze) [K263]. Sometimes the listeners realize what he has done, but they reward him anyway because they admire his cleverness.
(2) A bald (mangy) man (with head lice), a man who scratches himself, and a man with a dripping nose agree (are ordered, often by the king) not to touch themselves. All of them manage to break the prohibition by telling stories which they illustrate with their forbidden movements. For example, the bald man says that his father bought him a fur cap, and he mimics putting it on and taking it off. The scratching man says his father bought him clothes, and touches himself to show where they did not fit. The man with the dripping nose calls them both liars and points at them by rubbing his nose twice with his fingers.
(3) A god offers a prize (his daughter, an ox, both) to whichever animal can clear a field of nettles without scratching himself. After other animals try and fail, a certain animal (spider, Brer Rabbit) wins the prize by disguising his scratching in his animated description of the ox.
(4) Two men (a Jew and a Russian) agree not to scratch. Each tries to make the other break the agreement. For example, the Jew sprinkles pepper in the Russian’s shirt, and the Russian puts lice in the Jew’s trousers. When the Russian can resist no longer, he says that his uncle received medals from the czar, which he wore “here and here and here,” thus scratching those places. The Jew replies that his uncle received so many medals that he had to put them in his trousers’ pocket and feel around for them – which he demonstrates.
Motief
K263
Commentaar
This tale originates in medieval Arabian literature. The oral tradition is widespread and variable. Version (3), the most stable form, has African and African-American subtypes.
Combinaties
5, 73 (only version 3).
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
1565
Subgenre
mop