K56b2. Closed jaws. .21.22.26.34.
A supernatural being (object) gives wealth to a humble person. Greedy, trying to take more than he should, is captured and (for a long time) cannot free himself. Usually, a creature pinches an outstretched hand.
Tibetans (Yutzang, Amdo), Viets, Tyams, Chinese (Henan), Mongors.
Tibet is the Northeast of India. Tibetans (Yutzang) [the elder brother is smart, rich; the younger brother is kind but not enterprising; the elder drove him away, his mother left with the younger brother; he saw a stone lion in the forest, lit candles in front of him; the lion came to life, ordered him to bring a bucket, put it in front of his face, regurgitated gold, warned not a single coin to fall to the ground; the eldest found out that the youngest was rich, came to the lion, greedily gave coins fall over the edge; the lion said that one was stuck in his throat, asked him to take it out, closed his jaws, became petrified; for several months the wife carried food to her husband, sold everything, became impoverished; then the lion laughed, man took out his hand; the youngest allowed the elder and his wife to stay in a hut near his household]: O'Connor 1906, No. 17:117-123 (=Komissarov 1997:148-151); Tibetans (Amdo) [the poor man went to the mountains for with firewood, he fed the lion every time; he said that he could put his hand in his mouth and get gold; but his hand must be taken out before sunset; when he learned that the poor man was rich, the rich man decided to repeat everything, but greed did not take out his hand; the sun rose, the lion closed its mouth]: Tshe dbang rdo rje et al. 2007:118.
Burma - Indochina. Vieta [when sharing the property, the younger brother only received dogs; he harnessed them, they brought him to the cave with gold; the older brother borrowed dogs; the cave laughed, opening its mouth, and then slammed shut, holding the man's hand; his wife came, he admitted that he was punished for greed; the cave let him go]: Landes 1886, No. 68:170-172; cravings [after the death of his father, the elder brother gives the youngest only dog and cat, chases away; the youngest tries to plow on the dog and cat, the rock laughs, opens his mouth, the youngest takes gold from the crevice; the elder tries to do the same, sticks his hand, the rock closes, the elder brother dies]: Nikulin 1990:175-176.
China - Korea. Chinese (Henan, Shanxian County, Zhangzhi Township, 2005) [Mount Qishan in southern Shanzhou; next to her, Li Hu, a young man, worked for the family of greedy rich Li Decai; once climbed the mountain cut firewood for the owner; a thunderstorm began; Li Hoo hid under a tree; after a flash of lightning and thunder, a frightened little white monkey jumped out of the grass and slipped under Li Hoo's clothes; when the rain stopped, turned into a boy in white clothes; boy: I am the son of the lord of Mount Qishan. Because of a violation of heavenly laws, the Jade Emperor sent Leigong to arrest me. You saved me and I want to repay me kindly." The boy took Lee Hoo's hand and climbed the mountain. When he was under an old sophora tree, the boy called Lee Hoo his older brother; let him come under this tree every day, say "A ma la hoon han" and hit the tree with an ax; a golden one will fall off him a bar, but you can only do this three times a day; since then, Lee Hoo has brought three gold bars a day and distributed them to the poor; Lee Decai gave Lee Hoo a drink, found out the secret, ran to the mountains and hit wood; not able to stop, continued to beat; ingots fell on him, and then the tree entangled him with branches and strangled him; Li Hu and his fellow villagers have lived happily ever since]: Bai Gengsheng 2009:381-382
Southern Siberia - Mongolia. The Mongors [the cunning and greedy older brother impoverished his younger brother; he stops under a rock every day when he goes to buy firewood; the Rock asks him, opens his mouth, gives him gold; the younger brother is getting rich; the older brother also goes to the rock, puts both hands in her mouth, the rock's mouth slams shut]: Stuart, Limusishiden 1994:122 [about the same on p. 172).