K180. The time of the wolf and the time of the fox. .17.29.33.

The ruler demands an explanation for his dream. The snake tells a person that this dream means the coming of a time when people tend to behave in a certain way. This is the case several times. By his behavior towards the snake, a person confirms her words every time.

Arameans, Kurds, Kyrgyz.

Western Asia. Aramei [Pasha dreamed that foxes were falling from the sky; no one could explain the dream; Pasha heard that one poor man could do it, they sent him for him; on the way he met a snake, asked him to explain sleep, promised to share the reward equally; snake: if foxes fell, it was time for deception and hypocrisy; the poor man received the reward, but went back the long road not to meet the snake and share - why snake money? The next time Pasha dreamed that swords were falling from the sky; a snake to the poor man: do not try to deceive it again: the era of bloodshed has come; after receiving the reward, the man came to the snake and tried to kill it by throwing a stone; for the third time, Pasha dreams of falling shepherd's staffs; snake: it's time for justice and peace; man has brought to the snake everything he received before; snake: human affairs are determined by time, in which people live]: Belov, Wilsker 1972:442:468-472.

Caucasus - Asia Minor. Kurds [the ruler had a dream, he promises to reward whoever explains the dream; the weaver's beautiful wife wants to get rid of her husband, tells the ruler that her husband is supposedly ready to explain the dream; the weaver for a long time they beat him and had to promise an answer every other day; the weaver cries at the entrance to the cave; the serpent promises to help if the weaver gave him half of the reward; I must tell the padishah that monkeys fell from the sky in his sleep; it means that the year will be happy and fruitful, and the treasury is full of money; having received a lot of money, the weaver decided not to share, but to kill the snake; he shot, but the snake dodged; the serpent forgave the weaver and next time said that The padishah looked at the world in a dream through his spyglass, which means he would seize new money; the weaver received even more money, but did not share it with the snake again; the third time the padishah sat on a donkey and held a rope; so he will be even more powerful and richer; the weaver repented and brought all the gifts to the snake; he says that this is how the world works; at first, if you do good, you get evil; then if good was answered with good, it would not be if evil; times are better now: you will get more good in return for good]: Yusupova 2004, No. 5:152-155.

Turkestan. Kyrgyz [Khan demands that his subjects figure out what kind of dream he had and explain this dream. Citizens cannot figure it out and, in order to avert the threat, they point to a poor fisherman, saying that he is guessing dreams. A poor fisherman meets a snake and teaches him what to say to the Khan, and in return asks him to give her some of the gold that the khan will give her. The fisherman tells the Khan that he dreamed of a wolf, which means that his people are cruel and live in discord. A happy khan gives the fisherman gold; out of greed, he does not share gold with the snake, on the contrary, whips it. After a while, the khan dreams again and calls the fisherman to his place. He is desperate, but the serpent is once again teaching him what to say to the Khan. The fisherman tells the Khan that he dreamed of a fox, which means that his people have become cunning and flattering, mired in deceptions and tricks. The happy khan again gives the fisherman gold, he, in order not to share with the snake, goes to the trick and returns home in a circular way so as not to meet the snake. Khan calls on the fisherman for the third time, and the snake again teaches him what to say to the khan. The fisherman tells the Khan that he dreamed of bread and sheep, which means that the Khan's people expect prosperity (like bread), and people will become meek and kind (like a sheep). Khan showers the fisherman with gold, who, ashamed, gives all the gold to the snake and asks her for forgiveness. The snake turns into a white-bearded old man who says he does not need gold, his task was to reward the fisherman for many years of honest work, and in this way he tested the fisherman. He says that his first dream was about a wolf and the fisherman also behaved like a wolf for the first time - he brutally beat a snake. The second dream was about a fox and the fisherman also behaved like a fox - he deceived a snake. The third dream was about bread and sheep, and finally the fisherman behaved with dignity - he refused gold and apologized. Gold goes to the fisherman, the elder disappears]: Sabyr uulu 2008:236-238; Kyrgyz [about the same]: Muchnik 1944:54.