M191A. Cat neck bell, ATU 110.
.13.-.15.17.27.-.31.33.34.
Themice decide to hang a bell around the cat's neck or tail to know that it is approaching. Usually none of the mice are able to do this.
Tigre, Amhara, Somalis, Berbers (?) Algerians, Egyptian Arabs, Portuguese, Catalans, Italians (Tuscany), Sicilians, Irish, Scots, French, Germans (Grimms), Dutch, Friesians, Arameans, Yemen, Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs, Slovenes, Hungarians, Luzhitans, Western and Eastern Ukrainians, Ossetians, Ingush, Lezgins, Georgians, Tajiks, Swedes, Finns, Veps, Estonians, Livons, Latvians, Lithuanians, Kazakhs, Tuvans, Mongols.
Sudan-East Africa. Tigre: Littmann 1910, No. 5:6-7 in El-Shamy 2004, No. 110:39-40; Somalis [the cat was watching the mice near the hole and grabbing them as they came outside; the mice got together and began to think ; the oldest mouse said that a bell should be tied to the cat's neck - then you'll hear her sneaking; that was good advice, but no one agreed to tie the bell to the cat]: Kapchits 1997, No. 50:41; (cf. Somalis [20 hyenas and a lion own a camel together; as a result of dishonest sharing, the lion gets the camel; hyenas agree to say "Lion!" , another "Camel!" , and the third is "Give it to us!" ; but the third one says, "Take it for yourself!"] : Klipple 1992, No. 110:63).
North Africa. Algeria: Reesink 1977, No. 18:156 in El-Shamy 2004, No. 110:39-40; Egyptian Arabs: Gairdner 1953, No. 28:80 in El-Shamy 2004, No. 110:39-40.
Southern Europe. Catalans (one publication) [rats are about to decide what to do with the cat that is exterminating them; the solution has been found: the cat must have a bell attached to its tail; the old rat: who will attach it?] : Oriol, Pujol 2008, No. 110:38; Portuguese (one publication) [motive known]: Braga, Povo portuguez, II, p. 210 in Camarena, Chevalier 1997:183; Italians (Tuscany), Sicilians: Cirese, Serafini 1975, No. 110:22
Western Europe. Irish, Scottish, French, Germans (Grimms), Dutch, Friesians: Uther 2004 (1), No. 110:81.
Western Asia.
Aramei [story known since 570, translated into Syrian from Pahlavi]: Liungman 1961:16; Yemen:El-Shamy 2004, No. 110:39-40.
The Balkans. Bulgarians [mice decided to hang a bell on the cat to know that it is approaching, but no one dares to do so]: Daskalova-Perkovska et al. 1994, No. 110:58; Greeks, Serbs, Slovenes, Hungarians: Uther 2004 (1), No. 110:81
Central Europe. Western Ukrainians (the place of recording is unknown; Victoria Zevakova's comment: Judging by the use of the gazdin form instead of Mr., these are Western Ukrainians, not Eastern Ukrainians) [in a cat died in one house and a new one appeared; there was a stir among the mice; they began to discuss what to do with the cat; a little mouse offered to tie a bell to his neck to know in advance when the cat approaching; mice jumped in joy; one asked who would hang this bell; everyone fell silent, no one dared]: Berezovsky 1979, No. 129:169; Eastern Ukrainians (p. Krivoe Ozero, Pervomaisky District, Odessa region, 1930) [The owner had a cat; he went hunting, fell asleep; the mice ran; one said that the cat needed to have a bell attached to his neck - then you can hear him run up; the mice were happy; asked who it was will do; the mouse agreed; tied one bell around his neck; the other on the tail; the cat woke up, strangled three, maimed five; the rest ran away]: Berezovsky 1979, No. 130:169; Ukrainians [mice trying to put a sleeping cat a bell around the neck; the cat wakes up, catches mice]: SUS 1979, No. 113E*: 69; Lusatians: Uther 2004 (1), No. 110:81.
Caucasus - Asia Minor. Ossetians (Tskhinval region, entry 1) [mice want to hang a bell around their cat's neck at a feast, but no one dared to do it]: Byazirov 1958, No. 14:315; Ingush [mice gathered for advice and decided to put a bell on the cat to run away when it approached; the old mouse asked who would hang it; no one answered, everyone left]: Sadulayev 2004, No. 12:35; Armenians (Mox) [ the mice gathered and began to say that a bell should be hung around the cat's neck so that when it approached, a chime would ring and be able to escape; one of the mice asked who would do it; different mice became to volunteer, but as soon as the cat came, they ran away]: Orbeli 1982, No. 3:61-62; Lezgins [the cat Mastan catches mice everywhere; they ask the mouse padishah to hang a bell around M.'s neck; padishah promised to get a bell and asks who would hang it around the cat's neck; no one dared]: Ganiyeva 2011a, No. 2:65-66; Georgians [mice want to hang a bell on the cheek of a sleeping cat; the most the old one asks who will do it; the mice run away in fear]: Kurdovanidze 2000, No. 113E*: 18.
Iran - Central Asia. Tajiks [when the mice went to that one, the cat attacked them; they came to complain to the padishah; the padishah called all the mice to decide what to do; the audience agreed with the mouse that offered to catch the cat and hang a bell around its neck; but one mouse said none of them could do it; they agreed with her]: Levin et al. 1981, No. 384:292.
Baltoscandia. The Swedes [the mice took out a bell to hang around the cat's neck, but no one dared to carry it out]: Liungman 1961, No. 110:16; the Finns [mice decided to buy a bell and hang it around their neck cat; they bought a bell, but no one dared to hang it on the cat; the mice had a quarrel; one goblin bought a bell from the mice and gave it to the flowers; since then there have been "cat bells" flowers]: Rakhimova 2000: 176; Veps (materials by E. Lönnrot and A. Alquist) [the cat ate almost all the mice in the village; the rest gathered for advice and decided to tie a bell to the cat so that they could escape when it approached; they bought a bell, but no one did not dare to hang it]: Ujfalvy 1875, No. 8:48-49; Estonians (Virumaa, Järvamaa, Pärnumaa): Kippar 1986, no. 110:92; Latvians [Mice decide to hang a bell around the cat's neck to warn about her appearance]: Arys, Medne 1977, No. 110:257; Livonians, Lithuanians: Uther 2004 (1), No. 110:81.
Turkestan. Kazakhs [mice decide to hang a bell around the cat's neck; an old mouse asks who is going to hang it; mice are still wondering what to do]: Bosingen 1985:99.
Southern Siberia - Mongolia. Tuvans (Kyzyl) [the lama invited the cat as his assistant, told the mice to obey him; the cat read sacred books every evening and grabbed the last mouse that left; when he saw that there were fewer of them, mice they tied a bell to the cat's tail; when he grabbed the last mouse again, the bell rang, the mice came running and saw everything; they've been wary of cats ever since]: Calzan 1964:131-133 (=Taube 1978, No. 17:40- 41); Mongols: Uther 2004 (1), No. 110:81.