C012. Baer (p. 39). Mr. Fox Tackles Old Man Terrapin

This is Chase012.

Types ATU0005 Biting the Foot
ATU1310 Drowning the Crayfish as Punishment
Motifs K0543 Biting the Foot
K0581.1 Drowning the Crayfish as Punishment

Notes

Harris found African parallels in Theal's Kaffir stories and Hartt's Amazonian stories. Ellis sees Tortoise and Elephant (Slave Coast tales) as parallel.

Lambrecht has Kabuluku and Leopard: "Leopard's shamming death is followed by catching antelope's leg only to have antelope shout that his broom has been caught by a root. Leopard then releases him."

Mofokeng concludes: "From the Guinea Coast, it has been carried to North and South America by the Negro slaves."

For drowning, Chaelain's No. 17 is similar, and compared also the Briar Patch in Chase004. quoting Baer: "In the Angolan tale Man threatens to kill Turtle, first by stones, then fire, then a knife. In response to each suggested method of killing, Turtle sings a song to the effect that that will not kill him; however, at the thread of drowning, he sings that drowning will kill him. When thrown in the water, of course he escapes, singing: In water, in my home."

Flowers has West Indian parallels. 

For turtle burnt by fire, compare Nights 17 and Nights 26.