C074. Baer (p. 88). Cutta Cord-La

This is Chase074.

Types
Motifs
K0231.1. mutual agreement to kill family members
F0356.2 voice changed by work of smith
K0311.3 thief disguises voice and is allowed access
K1622 thief climbing rope discovered and rope cut
K0963 rope cut and victim dropped

Notes

Thompson put this with K0311.3 but "that motif is more appropriate to tales which fall int the category of 123 The Wolf and the Kids" (see Chase077).

Gerber saw this as variant of Chase079, noting that "story in which the victimized animal is hoisted into a tree and the cord cut is found both in this country and in Africa."

See also notes to Chase073.

Beckwith has Anansi story, "action is almost identical to the Daddy Jack story even to Cute the rope, Mama. After killing Tiger, Anansi and his mother eat him."

Cautionary note about Flowers: "she distributes analogues amongst the tale types and motifs without cross referencing"

Baer concludes: "There is no question that the tales in Uncle Remus are closely related to the Jamaican tales and they certainly seem related to the African tales in which the trickster persuades man or a powerful animal to kill his mother meanwhile hiding his own mother away and feeding or being fed by her."

Also: "Daddy Jack's tale shows evidence of being closer to the African form than the Georgia or Virginia versions. Jack's sense of the impropriety of adding AT1004 I (K404.1) to the tale is justified when one compares the African originals."