Beschrijving
The Three Lucky Brothers. A poor man dies, leaving his three sons only a rooster, a cat [N411.1.1] (cf. Type 545B) and something else (musical instrument, scythe [N411.2.1], rake, flail, winnowing shovel, hammer, millstone, ax, etc.). This tale exists chiefly in two different forms:
(1) Each son takes his inheritance to a foreign country where it is unknown and sells it there for a fortune [N411]. A king buys the rooster because he thinks that it makes the sun rise. Fools who had used awls to harvest their grain pay generously for the scythe (cf. Types 1202, 1203, and 1203A) [N411.2]. The cat is sold at a high price in a country plagued by rats where cats were unknown (cf. Types 1281, 1651). Or, the inhabitants flee because they are afraid that the cat will devour everything, not just the rats.
(2) The brothers turn their inheritance into riches by some other means. For example, the millstone falls down onto robbers who are counting their treasure; the robbers flee leaving the money behind (cf. Type 1653).
Or, one brother who has inherited a rope uses it by the shore to make sandals. The devil comes out of the water and asks what he is doing, and he replies that he is making a trap for the devil (to tie the lake together). The devil offers him gold in exchange for the rope (cf. Type 1045).
Or, one of the brother inherits a musical instrument (fiddle) that makes wolves dance. He is given money when he threatens to let the enchanted wolves go free (to call them back) (cf. Type 1652).
(1) Each son takes his inheritance to a foreign country where it is unknown and sells it there for a fortune [N411]. A king buys the rooster because he thinks that it makes the sun rise. Fools who had used awls to harvest their grain pay generously for the scythe (cf. Types 1202, 1203, and 1203A) [N411.2]. The cat is sold at a high price in a country plagued by rats where cats were unknown (cf. Types 1281, 1651). Or, the inhabitants flee because they are afraid that the cat will devour everything, not just the rats.
(2) The brothers turn their inheritance into riches by some other means. For example, the millstone falls down onto robbers who are counting their treasure; the robbers flee leaving the money behind (cf. Type 1653).
Or, one brother who has inherited a rope uses it by the shore to make sandals. The devil comes out of the water and asks what he is doing, and he replies that he is making a trap for the devil (to tie the lake together). The devil offers him gold in exchange for the rope (cf. Type 1045).
Or, one of the brother inherits a musical instrument (fiddle) that makes wolves dance. He is given money when he threatens to let the enchanted wolves go free (to call them back) (cf. Type 1652).
Motief
N411.1.1
N411.2.1
N411
N411.2
Commentaar
Known as proverbial phrases, “To let the cat out of the bag,” and, “To buy a cat in a sack.”
Combinaties
This type is usually combined with one or more other types, esp. 1045, 1063, 1071–1073, 1202, 1651, and also 1082, 1130, 1281, 1535, and 1653.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
1650
Subgenre
mop