M39a6h. Pluck a goose, ATU 921F*.

.11.13.-.17.27.-.30.32.33.

The king tells the commoner to pluck a goose (geese, shear a ram, etc.). He understands correctly: to rob the vizier.

Swahili, Sudanese Arabs, Moroccan Berbers, Algerian Arabs, Egypt, Catalans, Spaniards, Portuguese, Germans (Austria), Palestinians, Jordan, Syria, Iraqi Arabs, Serbs, Croats, (Hungarians) , Albanians, Romanians, Moldovans, Macedonians, Bulgarians, Gagauz people, Russians (Arkhangelsk, Karelia, Voronezh, Simbirsk, Samara), Ukrainians (Eastern Slovakia, Transcarpathia), Belarusians, Crimean Tatars, Adygs, Kumyks, Azerbaijanis, Turks, Kurds, Persians, Uzbeks, Kazan Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvash, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uighurs.

Bantu-speaking Africa. Swahili (Zanzibar): El-Shamy 2004, No. 921A*: 596-597

Sudan - East Africa. The Arabs of Sudan (Jaaaliyin) [on a terribly cold night, the Sultan and the viziers sat on their camels and drove around the area; the Sultan began to ask the fisherman; - Is it not far away? - A distant former becomes close. - Where are the others? - Scattered in the East and West. - How is your favorite? - I've become the one I envy the most. - Don't get cheaper. - Don't worry about someone who knows how to count money. The Sultan asks the vizier what he understood; nothing; sultan: if you don't tell me in three days, you're fired; the vizier has found a fisherman; fisherman: which sultan? The vizier realized that he would have to pay; he told us what that conversation meant; "Can't you see far anymore? - Just close. - Where are the teeth? - They fell out. - How about an erection? - Now I'm only jealous of others. - I didn't fall in price by taking money from you, did I? The vizier retained his post, but he now had to give half of his month's salary to the fisherman]: Hurreiz 1977, No. 16:95-96.

North Africa. The Berbers of southern Morocco [storm, blizzard and rain; Harun Arrashid did not allow everyone to leave their homes; the poor lumberjack had sick parents, he went out to earn something; H. saw him from the window told the vizier to bring him in, asked if he hadn't heard the order; young man: I owe and must repay the debt; H. told me to give him food with me; "If I send chickens, will you be able to pluck? - And the feather would not remain; H. gathered the Kadiyas and viziers and ordered them to find out in three days what it meant to "owe and must repay the debt", otherwise he would cut off his heads; they came to the young man, he pretended to be sick; demanded money, clothes, rings; when they found out the answer, four viziers came to H., began to speak, but H. ordered them to be cut off, because he immediately realized that they had not guessed it themselves; made the lumberjack a vizier]: Stumme 1895, No. 13:109- 114; the Arabs of Eastern Algeria (Souf) [Harun al-Rashid, dressed as a caravan and taking a vizier with him, asks the potter; 1) Three and three and three, and you? - Let's add three and I won't be able to (I work three terms, and if I have one more, I won't have enough strength); - What will happen to you in the distance? - Far things have become close (we are talking about old age); - How many people are in the community? - It fell apart (about teeth); - How are two people doing? - There are three of them (I walk with a stick); - If I send an ostrich, will you pinch? - Gladly (he will take money from the vizier); Harun al Rashid threatens to execute the vizier if he does not explain the meaning of the dialogue; he pays the potter dearly for explanations]: Scelles-Millie 1963:176-179; Arabs Egypt [the caliph and minister meet the poor fisherman; the caliph and the fisherman speak in riddles; on pain of death, the minister is told to explain what was said; the minister pays the fisherman a lot of money to gave explanations; the last question was "Can you pluck the goose I'll send" concerned the minister]: Nowak 1969, No. 469:374-375.

Southern Europe. Catalans [(link to Camarena, Chevallier, vol. 4)]: Oriol, Pujol 2008, No. 921F*: 184; Spaniards: Uther 2004 (1), No. 921F*: 551-552; Portuguese: Shishlova 1971 [Prince promises The king will find out if the advisers are wise; when he sees a peasant, he starts talking to him; - A lot of snow has fallen on the mountain. - It's time for this. - How many times did your house burn? - Two. - How many times will they pluck you like a turkey? "Three times." They pinched my three turkeys. "I'll pinch my conscience; the prince demands that the advisers explain the meaning of the conversation, otherwise he will drive him away; the old man demands raincoats and jackets for an explanation; snow is gray hair; fire and pluck - daughters' weddings; turkeys are counselors; prince tells counselors to prepare a dowry for an old man's three daughters]: 189-192; Braga 2002 []: 292-295; Cardigos 2006, № 921F* [only the peasant understands the king's questions and answers them; There's a lot of snow (gray hair) on the mountain; Much more? (teeth); Far away yet? (see); How often do you have a fire in your house? (daughter weddings); How much more is left to pluck? (marry daughters); the king tells the peasant to pluck the geese he will send, promises to severely punish the advisers if they do not explain the content of the conversation; the advisers turn to the peasant and he he withdraws money from them for an explanation]: 235-236.

Western Europe. Germans (Austria): Uther 2004 (1), No. 921F*: 551-552; (cf. Germans [the king drives past the peasant. - Look, don't tear yourself. - It's 32 to blame, seven must support five. The king did not understand the answer; he promised a hundred thalers if the peasant explained only to him; 32 teeth, 5 and 7 in the winter and summer months; the king called the courtiers and promised the throne to whoever explains what he said; a young courtier found a peasant and found out the answer for 10 thalers; the king summoned the peasant to explain; he said that all the thalers had a portrait of the king; the peasant received the crown, did so official first adviser]: Cerf 1992:87-89).

Western Asia. The Arabs of Iraq [in winter, Harun ar Rashit and the vizier approached the man who was knocking out a canvas in the river (fuller beating cotton-cloth in the river); - You have 12, why do you need these 3? - For thirty-two. - And what's far away? - It's close now. - If I send a goose, will you pluck it? - I'll pluck it and send it back; the Caliph gave the minister three hours to find out the meaning of what was said, otherwise he would cut off his head; the poor man demands a hundred gold for each answer; 12 months in a year, why work in winter; 32 - teeth; distant - old age; goose - minister himself]: Stevens 2006, No. 17:87-88; Palestinians, Jordan, Syria: El-Shamy 2004, No. 921A*: 596-597.

The Balkans. Gagauz [the king asks the plowman if he will feed his army; plowman: if all my 6 ships are full, I will not feed them, and if only 3 I will feed him; the king does not understand; asks if he will cut his hair peasant without scissors 12 rams, if sent; the king sent 12 courtiers to find out what the answer about ships means; peasant: if three spring months are rainy and three summer months are dry, then the harvest it will be good, and if it rains all 6 months, the harvest will die; for this answer, the courtiers gave 12,000 rubles, which means that the peasant cut off those without scissors]: Moshkov 1904, No. 85:152-153; Bulgarians [tsar enters into a conversation with a plowman (fisherman, warrior); the king's companions do not understand the meaning of the questions and answers; - Why didn't you get up early? - I got up, but robbed (I got married early, but my daughters got married). - How are things from far away? - It's close (old age). - When did it snow? - A long time ago (gray hair). - How about two? - I got up on three (legs and staff). - If I send geese, will you be able to pluck? - I will be able; ministers pay him for explanations]: Daskalova-Perkovska et al. 1994, № 921F*: 332-333; (cf. Hungarians {no motive for plucked geese} [soldier, poor man, peasant; king, rich man asks questions; How far away? (no further than my ox's horn/than usual); 32 more 32? Can you still milk three/12 goats? ; the king tells the nobles to interpret what they were talking about; the poor man explains that they pay a lot of money]: Benedek 1984, No. 921F*: 400-401) Croats [the tsar and the minister walk, see an old man in a cornfield; - Why didn't you get up early? "I got up, but God gave nothing." It snowed on the mountain. - He's lying on the field too. - Some are in the forest, others are not. - Tomorrow I will send a ram, you will cut it properly; the tsar tells the minister to figure out what was being discussed, otherwise he will fire him; the minister came to the old man; for each answer, a purse with money; married young, but God did not give offspring; his head turned gray, and his beard too; some of his teeth are intact, others are gone; the minister guessed the ram himself]: Golenishchev-Kutuzov 1991:338-339; Moldovans [prince I met an old plowman with the boyars; we started talking; - I got up late. - I got up early, but we quarreled with a share on the way, so I was late. - Is the road far? - It's short now, you can drive like in summer. - I have sheep, would you like to get caught? - Why not, you'll just have to pay; the prince promises to make the boyars cattle-breeders if tomorrow they don't explain what the conversation was about; the boyars came to the old man, paid for explanations; married on time, but fate took away children; you have to go around the thaw, but now it's dry; the sheep are the boyars themselves]: Botezat 1981:394-395; Albanians [the king and his entourage met the peasant, began to ask; - How Do you get nine before three? - It's so hard that I wasn't 32 left ahead of time. - If I got married on time, there would be shops along the walls. - I got married on time, but undressed, took everything out of the house. - If I send a goose, you can't do with her is it too strict? - I will not leave anything to the goose goose; the king tells the adjutant to explain what he has heard, he cannot; tells him to ask the old man; he demands a harvest of one year and all the things in the house; he gave; 3 months are winter, 9 are the rest of the year, 32 are teeth; there were no sons, only daughters; the goose is you]: Serkova 1989:291-292; Romanians [the tsar, accompanied by three advisers, sees an old ploughman with as a boy; asks questions, the old man answers; - Is Dahl wide? - Up between ox horns. - Did you wake up recently? - I fell asleep 7 times and woke up (got married) 7 times. - Can you milk three oxen? - If the pen is good; the king tells each of the advisers to answer one of the questions; everyone pays the old man in gold to suggest an answer; they decided to take revenge on the king by stealing the ring they had access to 40 people; a poor gypsy must find thieves in 40 days; he asks to be served a roast goose and a jug of wine every day; Der Zigeuner ist dünn angezohen und spricht vor Kälte seine Hose mit "spazier" an; adviser Pafiru decides that he has been exposed and negotiates with the gypsy: the ring was swallowed by a dog in the palace; the queen's pearls were stolen; the same (swallowed by a goose); for the third time, the advisers hide a fox in a bag: does the clairvoyant find out; he says he ate a lot of geese and chickens but has not yet fallen into the bag; advisers decide he guessed right]: Bîrlea 1966:468-469; Romanians [Nicolae recruited ; when the king visited the military unit, he was hidden like a rough redneck in a ravine; when he returned home, they laugh at him that he did not see the king; the king got lost, got to the robbers, identified himself a horse merchant; N. also came there, began to talk about the service; the robbers asked them to train; N. lined them up and killed them all with one bullet; gave the king (I don't know who they were) two slaps for smoking in the ranks; the king returned, ordered N. to be found and brought; the footman lets him see the king on the condition that he gives him half of the gift; the king gives N. two slaps (but also money); N. gives one slap in the face footman; the king asks N., and he answers: how much is it from sunrise to sunset (day), how far is it from that world (far away, no one has returned yet) and to the sky (not far away: clouds have gathered and immediately rain); king warned not to share his answers with others and asked the same questions to officers of different ranks; the feldfebel advised N. to ask, who sold the answers for money; the king asked why he violated his order; N.: I only plucked four geese; at N.'s wedding, the king was a planted father]: Bîrlea 1966:470-471; Serbs, Macedonians: Uther 2004 (1), No. 921F*: 551-552.

Central Europe. Russians (Simbirsk Gubernia) [Ivan Vasilyevich talks to Gorshenya (he carries pots); he is very reasonable; the tsar asks: will geese come from Russia, will you pinch the almonds? - As soon as he comes, or even naked; the king orders that all treats contain only pottery; the boyar wants to buy pots, and G. sells only for as much money as he can; they come to the king; he tells the boyar to strip naked; G. says he plucked his head]: Afanasiev 1958 (3), No. 325:54-55; Russians (Pinega, Ust-Tsilma, literate, Old Believer Oleg Yermolina, says many fairy tales that ridicule the Orthodox Church, 1929) [Ivan the Terrible comes to a forest hut and hears an old man telling an old woman that a falcon told an owl that Moscow wants to poison the tsar. The Tsar asks the old man to take him to Moscow, but he does not have a wagon, he puts the tsar in a box. She says that both legs chilled with one eye (The old woman sewed felt boots and left it in one eye, the old man puts a leaky felt boot on one leg, "changed his shoes on the other"). He turns to the horse Stump Guba, explains to the king that he received the animal from his father-in-law, whose name was Stump and his mother-in-law, whose name was Guba, says that he found an ax in his sleep with his feet, explains to the king that Sleep It is called the local river, on the bottom of which he walked and stepped on an ax. The old man says his mind is lucky in birch bark. Ivan Vasilyevich tells the old man that Geese from Russia will come to him and orders him to fiddle with their feathers. In Moscow, the tsar says that he knows that they want to poison him, gives the boyars the old man's riddles, they cannot guess and go to the old man for help. He suggests and charges each one hundred rubles, an ermine coat, a golden carriage and a horse. The old man tells the tsar that he not only patted the geese feathers, but also took off his fur coats]: Karnaukhova 1934, No. 154:323-324; Russians (Arkhangelsk, Karelian, Simbirsk, Samara), Ukrainians (Eastern Slovakia, Transcarpathia), Belarusians ["Geese from Russia": the tsar mysteriously talks with a peasant; promises him to send geese and offers to kill them; the peasant takes with big money sent by boyars]: SUS 1959, No. 921F*: 234; (cf. Belarusians [senators cannot answer Peter's question how high the sky is and how deep the earth is; plowman: the sky is close, the thunder is heard, and his grandfather was buried 60 years ago, there is still no news; senators are going to man, they pay him money for this wisdom; Peter asks him how much he charges per day for plowing; 8 hryvnia: 2 - I repay the debt (to parents), I lend 2 to (sons), 2 let him go down the drain (daughters), 2 to him wife for food; senators again cannot understand the meaning of the answer, pay the man for an explanation]: Vasilenok et al. 1958:213-214; Russians (Voronezhskaya, p. Bolshaya Vereyka, 1936) [The tsar comes to the monastery and finds all the sacred ranks drunk, orders the patriarch to count all the stars overnight and evaluate the tsar. The patriarch meets a drunkard, talks about his task, and he promises to help with calculations for a hundred rubles. He rewrites documents (stars), wears a patriarch's outfit, and goes to the king. He says that Judas rated Christ at 30 silversmiths, and the king one cheaper, because "he trampled a lot of dirt on his feet." The Tsar can't object to anything]: Baryshnikova 2007, No. 69:224-225).

Caucasus - Asia Minor. Crimean Tatars (Yevpatoria) [padishah and vizier walk incognito; the padishah asks the peasant: What did he do to six? - I made 12 out of six, but couldn't raise it to be enough for 32; Padishah: Did you get up late? - I got up early, but the people took it; - I'll send you a goose, can you pluck it? - I can; the padishah tells the vizier to explain what the conversation was about three days later; the vizier went to the old man, who demanded a bag of gold; the padishah asked why the peasant was plowing in winter; he replied that he worked 12 months, but still didn't collect enough to chew 32 teeth; when I got up - when I got married; the people took it - many girls were born, married them; the goose is you, the vizier]: Zherdeva 2020, No. 63; Adyghi [the tsar asks a retired soldier three questions; Is the sky high? How far is it to the dead? From sunset to sunset? the soldier gives witty answers; the king asks the same questions to generals who cannot answer them and buys answers from the soldier for a lot of money; the soldier gives the money to the king and asks not to come from his village they took as soldiers]: Tkhamokova 2014, No. 922:186; Kumyks [biy was traveling with viziers, met an old man who was burning wheat; biya's conversation with the old man: - Did it snow on the mountain? - And bad weather enveloped the plain. - What do you eat? - I chew bread with meat. - What are you doing? - I lent and I repay the debt. - If I gave you two fat utons, what would I do? - I would pluck and leave no fluff; Biy promises to drive away the viziers if they do not understand what they were talking about; they return to the old man, who tells them to give their horses, clothes and money; snow on the mountain is gray hair, bad weather on the plain - my eyes can't see; I have no teeth, I chew my gums; I lend and repay - I sowed wheat in the fall, now I'm harvesting; plucked ducks are you]: Aliyeva 2013, No. 3:45-46; Azerbaijanis [Shah s vizier travel incognito; they were joined by a traveler; shah: we will make a staircase on the road; satellite: why do you need a staircase on a flat road? he refused to receive the imaginary dervishes into his house, telling them to go to the mosque, but his daughter, having learned about the Shah's question, asked them to return; she sent dolma, a cake, a jug of milk: the moon is round, there are many stars, the sea overcrowded; the girl's father ate half of the dolma and the cake, drank milk, but gave the words to his daughter; the Shah asked her to tell her: the moon is flawed, the stars are few, the sea is dry; the daughter scolds her father; the girl is slanting; the shah: the house beautiful, but the chimney is crooked; girl: but the smoke comes out freely; the Shah asks for food so that people can eat the flesh, the middle of the chickens, and the peel of the horse; the girl brought melon; on the way, the Shah meets the shoemaker, speaks to him with signs and riddles; asks if he can pluck the goose; sitting on the throne, the Shah sent the vizier to the shoemaker with an order to understand what he was saying; the shoemaker explains for a fee; At the end, he tells the vizier that this is the goose from whom he took all the money; the vizier: what is the Shah doing now? shoemaker: it is disrespectful in my position to talk about the Shah; give me your horse, clothes, dear whip; shoemaker to the vizier: the Shah throws horsemen like you off his horse and puts people on foot like me in the saddle; The Shah made the shoemaker a vizier, and told the vizier to be a shoemaker]: Nabiev 1988:74-77; Turks [the padishah disguised himself as a commoner, went into the hut, began to talk to the girl; the vizier stood next to him and listened; - Where is your father? - Went out of doing a little bit of things. - And mother? - I went to make two out of one. - Your house is beautiful, but the pipe is crooked. - But the smoke is going straight. - If I send a goose, will you be able to pluck it? - To the last fluff; padishah vizier: if you do not explain our conversation, you will lose your head; the vizier came to the girl, she demanded a hundred gold for each word; the father sows, each grain will make a lot grains; mother is a midwife; crooked trumpet - I have one eye with a scythe; but I see good; you are a goose yourself, and you were told to pluck]: Stebleva 1982, No. 68:282; Kurds [padishah and vizier wandered around the city in clothes dervish; asked the old man about life and was amazed that he knew who was in front of him; - How are you doing? - Instead of two, it's three. - Why didn't you wake up sooner? - I woke up, but others took me away. - If I send a goose, can you pluck it? - As your heart desires; padishah vizier: if you don't understand the meaning of the conversation by morning, I'll cut off my head; the vizier paid the old man 20 gold for each answer; three - two legs and a staff; married on time, but daughters are married, so there is no one to help; for the last answer, the old man also takes the vizier's clothes: you are the plucked goose]: Jalil et al. 1989, No. 94:400-401.

Iran - Central Asia. Persians: Marzolph 1984, № *921 [the king spoke to a man who repairs shoes in the presence of the vizier; - Is nine for three not enough? - No. - How close are you? - Far away. - How are you far away? - Close; the vizier has to pay dearly to the shoemaker to explain his answers and the vizier can answer the same questions to the king; the nine months earned will not be enough for the remaining three; The shoemaker has no wife; he is short-sighted]: 171; Ottomans 1958 []: 395-401; Uzbeks [king and vizier see an old man fishing in an ice-hole; Tsar: are three out of four not enough for you? old man: it would be enough, but 32 require a lot; the vizier did not understand anything; the king to the old man: I'll send you a goose, can you pluck it? old man: he can do better than necessary; the king gives the vizier three days to understand the meaning of the conversation; the vizier has come to the old man; the old man: if I answer, the king will punish me; the vizier has given all his wealth, then the old man told; four - the seasons, 32 - the number of teeth in his mouth; the vizier - the goose; the king expelled the vizier, appointed the old man to his place]: Rogov 1980:266-267.

Volga - Perm. Kazan Tatars [the padishah summoned the vizier and his favorite miller; starts a conversation with the miller: - Is three enough for nine? - That's enough, but there won't be 32 left. - I'll give you a goose, will you pluck your feathers? - Not only feathers, but also no fluff left; - Derg-dyarg! - Trembling! The padishah tells the vizier to explain by tomorrow what he was talking about, otherwise he will hang him; he pays the miller a hundred gold for each explanation; will it be enough to live in 9 months what he earned in 3 months; 32 is teeth; the goose is the vizier; he ran out of money, he had to undress naked; "derg-dyarg" - take it and clean it; after that, the vizier stopped bragging about his mind]: Zamaletdinov 2009, No. 20:71-74; Bashkirs [the tsar sentenced the man to hang; the princess objects: the witnesses conspired; the tsar ordered to wait for the execution, went for a walk with the vizier, began to talk to the plowman; - How many shares do you share income from the field? - Five: I spend one part to pay off the debt, I waste the second, I lend the third, throw the fourth to the wind, and feed the fifth. - I'll send you an important bird, will you be able to pluck it? - And there will be no fluff left; the king tells the vizier that if he does not understand what he was talking about tomorrow, he would be hanged instead of that man; the vizier's mother advises him to take a barrel of silver to the ploughman and a barrel of gold; having received a receipt that the vizier gave everything himself, the ploughman explains: the first part to his parents, the second to his wife, the third to his son, the fourth to his daughter, the fifth to himself; the vizier is that bird; the vizier a ploughman was expelled to his place; he judges again, each witness tells differently (the murder took place either at the foot of the mountain, or on a slope, the slopes are different, etc.); the accused was acquitted, false witnesses were fined]: Barag 1990, No. 32:84-88; Chuvashi [patsha asks the stonecutter how he spends his money; he replies that he divides his earnings into 4 parts; pays one for debts, the other throws it outside, lends the third, spends the fourth on himself and his wife; explains what it means (feeds parents, daughter and son); patsha promises to send him wild geese - to pluck their fluff without touching them feathers; sends three nobles with orders to solve the riddle of a stonemason; from each side of money; patsha to a stonecutter: plucked geese? - Pooh took off naked, but did not touch his pen]: Eisin 1993:319-321 {probably =Grigoriev 1971:181}.

Turkestan. Kazakhs [(episode from the story about the wise Zhaman); the khan, accompanied by 40 viziers, traveled around the country; entered into a conversation with an old man; - When did the top of the mountain become covered with frost? - About 20 years ago. - And the foot? - 15 years old. - When did the stream start to flow from the mountain? - 10 years old. - How many are you made of? - When I go to bed, there are two of us, when I get up there are four. - I have 40 geese, will there be someone to quietly pull out my feathers and slaughter them without blood? - There will be; the khan tells the viziers to explain what they were talking about in 11 months, otherwise he will execute; Zhaman promises to help: leave one horse, slaughter the rest; cook the meat of one horse from your clothes at the fire; I I'll sit on the remaining horse, chase you naked to the khan; J. explains the old man's words: hoarfrost on the mountain is gray hair, at the foot in his beard, the stream has tears from his eyes; the old man has a second wife, and she has a second husband; they go to bed together, and in the afternoon they remember their first spouses; the Khan forgave the viziers, made Zhaman Khan]: Sidelnikov 1958:262-283 (=Zhanuzakova 1977:198-211); Kyrgyz [Beck Khan with six viziers went to steppes; asks the old man: won't you sell three for nine? Old man: I would be glad, but there are no goods; Beck Khan: tomorrow I will send six lions to you, look, don't be cheaper; promises to drive them away if they don't understand what they were talking about by tomorrow; the viziers gave the old man money then horses; then he explained: do you want to work for three months and rest for nine months; the answer was: you must work to feed yourself; and the lions are the viziers themselves; the khan realized that the viziers did not guess for themselves, drove them away them from his khanate]: Ledenev 1987:166-168; Uighurs [Khan traveled around the city at night accompanied by two viziers; talks to a shoemaker; - Why are you working late? - Need. - How long have you been here? - Forty years ago. - When did it snow on the mountain? "Three years ago." I would take 12 and release one. - Need does not allow it. - I'll send two bulls, take the meat, return the bones; the khan promises to execute the viziers if they don't understand what they were talking about by morning; they they came to the shoemaker, who took a lot of money for his explanations; he is 42 years old, his voices began to turn gray three years ago, he cannot even spend one month on vacation, the bulls are these two viziers]: Kabirov 1963:70-71 (=1989 : 21-22).