M117. Head under the wing, ATU 56D. .10.14.16.23.26.28.29.31.38.
A fox or other predator asks the bird what it does when the wind blows. The bird shows how it puts its head under its wing, the fox grabs it.
Hottentots, Kabiles, Berbers of Morocco, Germans (Mecklenburg, Upper Palatinate), Panchatantra, Chinese (?) , Ukrainians (Transcarpathia), Adygs, Archins, Latvians, Japanese.
SW Africa. Hottentots [The Jackal tells Gorlinka to throw off the chick, threatens to fly to her nest on the rock; she throws the chick twice; the Heron explains that the Jackal cannot fly; the Jackal asks the Heron how she is holds her neck when the wind blows from one side or the other; the Heron shows the Jackal hits her neck, since then the herons have a crooked neck]: Dähnhardt 1912:280.
North Africa. Kabila, Berbers, Morocco: El-Shamy 2004 (1), No. 56D: 22.
Western Europe. Germans (Upper Palatinate) [The fox asks Malinovka what she does when the wind is left, right (puts her head under her right, left wing); when in front, she hides her head on her chest; Fox grabs Malinovka]: Dähnhardt 1912:283-284; Germans (Mecklenburg): Uther 2004 (1), No. 56d: 51-52.
South Asia. Panchatantra [The fox threatens Gorlinka to cut down a tree if she does not leave her chick; she throws it; the sparrow explains that the Fox cannot cut down a tree, and if she climbs, she can fly to another; Fox Sparrow asks what he does when the wind blows from all sides, asks him to show; the sparrow puts his head under his wing, the Fox grabs it]: Dähnhardt 1912:279.
China - Korea. The Chinese (?) [link to a magazine with folklore materials on both Chinese and national minorities]: Ting 1978, No. 56D: 57.
Central Europe. Ukrainians (Transcarpathia): Dähnhardt 1912 [The fox asks Sparrow what he does when the wind blows from the left to the right; the sparrow shows, hiding his head under his wing, the Fox eats it]: 283; SUS 1979, № 56D* [The fox asks the bird: what does it do when the wind blows; the bird puts its head under its wing; the fox catches it]: 59.
Caucasus - Asia Minor. Adygi [The fox tells the Dove to throw down one, the second chick, threatens to cut down a tree; the Heron explains that the Fox will not be able to climb the tree; the Fox asks the Heron what she will do if the wind will blow from all sides; she hides her head under her wing, the Fox grabs it and eats it]: Aliyeva 1978, No. 77:348-350; Archins [every year the Fox demands that the Pigeon throw off one chick, otherwise it will climb on a tree that will ruin the entire nest; the Malik Ulhazin bird explains that the Fox cannot climb the tree; the fox asks the bird where it turns its head if the wind is on the left; - To the right; and to the right? - To the left; and from both sides? - I hide it under my wing; the fox asks me to show, grabs and eats the bird]: Dirr 1908, No. 13:115-116 (=Dirr 1922, No. 34:157-158).
Baltoscandia. Latvians [The fox asks the sparrow to go down to the lower branch and show how it protects itself from the wind when it blows from the front. The sparrow sticks its head between its legs. The fox grabs it]: Arys, Medne 1977, No. 56D: 254.
Japan. Japanese (Isoho monogatari, 1610-1630s) [On the fox's advice, the dove brought the chicks out on the ground; the fox ate them; the dove made a nest in the tree; another dove told her to say to the fox: "Come up here yourself. And if you can't get up, you'll never get my kids!" ; the fox asked the first dove who taught her this; when she found out, she went to the second dove and asked: "That's when you're sitting on a perch, a strong wind blows in front, back, left and right, where you need it turn around to hide?" ; the dove replied: "When the wind blows from the left, you have to hide your head under the right wing, when the wind is blowing from the right, you have to hide your head under the left wing. When the wind blows from the front, you have to throw your head back, when the wind blows from behind, your head is lowered forward"; the fox said that this cannot happen; the dove began to show what she was talking about; when turned back, the fox attacked her and ate her]: Toropygina 2008:233-234.