E9 — The Unknown Mistress, N831.1.

The character notices that someone is running the house in his absence and catches the person doing so by surprise.

Berezkin category: The origins of people and culture

This is of motif type Adventures and tricks and is part of group 10, Adventures.

E9.  The character notices that someone is running the house in his absence and catches the person doing so by surprise.
E9a.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a fox.
E9aa.  A man searches for a missing woman, who is a fox by nature, and comes to the burrow where she has hidden. Various bird or animal women come out of the burrow and offer themselves in place of the fox. Then they let him inside.
E9b.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of an elephant (elephant tusk).
E9c.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a large hoofed mammal (buffalo, antelope, moose, etc.).
E9d.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a dog or puppy (wolf cub).
E9e.  An animal or object received by a young man from supernatural beings as a reward for his kindness, upon the young man's return home (to earth), turns into a girl.
E9f.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a parrot.
E9g.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a vulture.
E9h.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a dove.
E9i1.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) takes the form of a swan.
E9i2.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper, adopted daughter) takes the form of a duck.
E9i3.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) has the image of a goose.
E9i4.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife, helper) takes the form of a crane.
e9i5.  Before meeting the hero, his wife takes the form of a snail.
E9j.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife) has the image of a monkey, or the man hides the woman and pretends that the mistress is a monkey.
e9j1.  Humans are considered descendants of monkeys.
E9k.  The husband or wife is the embodiment of honey or a human bee.
E9l.  Before meeting the hero, his beloved (wife) has the image of a mouse (rarely: a rat).
E9m.  A man marries a bear (white or grizzly) that takes the form of a woman, or a woman who takes the form of a bear.
E9n.  A man marries a female seal, seal or dolphin that has taken the form of a woman and lives with her among people.
E9o.  A man marries a woman who has the appearance of a frog or toad.

This motif has been recorded in 226 traditions: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Soqotri, Arabs of Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan); Bedouins of Sinai, Arabs of Iraq, Iraqi, Arabs of Egypt, Berbers of Morocco and adjacent parts of Algeria, Arabs of Sudan, Sudanese, Dinka, Atuot, Nuer, Shilluk, Anuak, Acoli (Acholi), Lur (Alur, Luri), Lango, Mangbetu (Ngbetu), Mangbutu, Moru, Madi, Lugbara, Lendu (=Bale), Shone (Shona, =Mashona, =Karanga), Makoni (Shoni dialect), Remba (=Hungwe, Wahungwe); Zezuru, Rozwi, Ndau (Vandau), Swahili, Midjikenda (incl Giryama), Nyika, Duruma; Ngindo, Kiluguru and other Islamic groups of the Eastern Coast of Africa, Kerewe, Sukuma, Kwaya, Kumbi, Busiba, Gusii, Suba, Chagga (Jagga; incl Wasu), Pare, Digo, Ganda, (Ba)Nyoro, Nyankole, Masaba (Gisu), Luia (=Luyia, Haya, Luhya, Bantu Kawirondo; incl. Vugusu, Maragoli), Zulu, Swazi, Aka, Baka (Badjue) and other Western (Bantu speaking) Pygmies, Tiv, Bamum (Bamun), Mungaka (Mgaka, Bali), Beba, Anaguta, Bete (Mbete, Karang), Ekoi, Nyang, Vute (Wute), Jukun, Chamba, Bamileke, Kwotto, Kirri; Denya (Nyang), Northern Gur (Oti-Volta): Mamprussi, Dagomba, Dagari (Dagara; incl Lodaga), Bassari, Mosi, Nankanse, Konkomba, Moba; Ditammari, Nyende, Bulsa (pl Builsa, Bulo), Trans-New Guinea and unclassified Papuan groups of Irian Jaya: Mejprat, Arandai-Bintuni, Inanwatan-Berau, Papua of Gelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Kamoró, Marind Anim, Sawi, Mafore; Korowai; Kwerba; Momina, Eipo, Yale, Awyu, Melanesians of the northern coast New Guinea, nearest off-shore islands and Huon Gulf (Morobe district): Watut, Bilbil (Bilibili), Jabim (incl Kai), Tami, Bukawac, Wogeo, Tumleo, Yakamul, Manam, Sissano, Sio, Melanesians and Papuans of Bismark Archipelago: New Britain (Paparatava, Lakalai, Kuni, Sulka, Gazelle peninsula), New Ireland, St Matthias Group, Mioko (Melanesians between New Britain and New Ireland), Southern Solomons: southern part of Santa Ysabel (Bughotu), Guadalcanal, San Cristobal, Malaita, Ulawa, Melanesians of Admiralty Islands (incl Manus); Seimat (Western Islands), Palau (Western Carolines), Timor: Amarasi, Tetum, Meto, Atoni (incl Mollo), Kedang (Lomblen island), Leti Islands (Leti, Moa, Lakor), Numfoor, Warope, Wamesa (Wandamen, Windesi), Bali, Lombok, Batak (Toba, Dairi), Aceh (Acheh), Dusun, Murut, Kelabit, Tombonuwo, Bajau, Tidong, Northern Luzon: Apayao, Bontoc, Nabaloi (Ibaloi), Ifugao, Igorot (highland people, not specified), Ilocan, Ilongot, Isneg, Kalinga, Kankanay, Tingian (Tinggian, Bilongan Itneg); Ibanag, Kasiguran Agta, Keley-i Kallahan, Southern Taiwan: Rukai, Paiwan, Puyuma, Saaroa, Ketangalan, Central Taiwan: Bunun (Vonum), La'arua, Tsou, Kanabu, Kanakanabu, Burmese, Intha, Karen, Pa-O, Padaung, Kayah, Thai of Vietnam, Tai Lue, Khao (Kho, Tai Don, White Tai), Tai Dam (Black Tai), Nung; Zhuang, Buyi; Shui, Shan, Ahom, Khampti, Stieng, Chrau, Sre (Koho), Maa, Mnong, Katu (Ködu); Bru (incl. Van Kieu, Khua), Khmer, Wa (incl Kawa), Bulang, Palaung (De Ang, Deang), Santali, Turi, Mahli, Northern Munda of Kharwar branch: Birhor, Ho, Mundari, Kol, Asur (including Agaria, Kol, Birjhia), Bhumij, Bhuiya (now Aryans, originally Munda; Rahman 1955: 203), Baiga, Bhaina, Bhumia (subgroup of Baiga, incl Bharia, formerly Munda, now speak Indo-Aryan languages of neighboring groups), Eastern Arunachal Pradesh: Abor (incl Minyong, Shimong, Padam, Pasi, Panggi), Apa Tani (Apatani), Bori, Bugun, Dafla (=Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing, incl Tagin), Gallong (=Galo, Adi), Mishmi, SW Arunachal Pradesh: Sherdukpen, Tawang (Monpas), Aka (Hrusso), Miji, Chin-Naga: Ao, Mao, Sema, Zeme, Kolren, Kom, Lhota, Rengma, Angami, Kabui, Tangkhul, Koirenf, Garo (Atchik), Kachari (Bodo, incl. Lalung), Dimasa, Tripuri, Riang (of Tripura), Khami, Riga, Mori, Kuki, Chiru, Falam (Hallam), Chin (Meitei =Manipuri, Khami, =Kumi), Lakher, Mizo (Lushei), Anal, Pawi (Lai), Purum, Koireng, Milhiem, Kolhen, Mru, Kachin (Singpho), Chak, Konds (Khonds; language is Kui, incl Kuttia, Konda-Dora), Koya; Pengo, Tamil, Muthuvan, Marvar, Tamils, Bengali, Nepali; Tharu, Assamese, Sinhalese; Vedda, Miao (Hmong) and Yao of Southern China, Meo (Hmong) of Thailand, Laos and Northern Vietnam, Lepcha, Kirati (Kiranti): Rai (incl Thulung), Limbu, Newar, Koreans, England, British, Bretons, Spain, Spaniards, Portuguese, Portugal, Basques, Catalan, Sicily, Sicilians, Germans: North (Low- and Central German dialects): Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Pommern, Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony, incl East Frisia and Oldenburg), Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Thüringen, Saxony-Anhalt, Sachsen, Brandenburg, Rügen, Poles, Slovakians, Slovaks, Hungarians, Greeks (modern), Balkarians, Bulgarians, Balkarians, Macedonians, Balkarians, Slovenians, Slovenes, Romanians, Moldavians, Aromanians, Moldovans, Albanians, Balkarians, Lithuanians, Setu, Karelians, Western Sami, Eastern Sami (including Skolts), Norwegians, Western Ukrainians, Tajik, Pashto, Persians, Cherkassians, Adyghe, Kabardin, Abkhaz, Abkhazians, Karachays, Balkar, Ossetians, Lezgians, Archin, Kürin; Khinalug, Rutul, Tsakhur, Tabasaran, Aghul, Avar, Andi, Akhvakh, Nogai, Tats, Georgians, Armenians, Gagauz, Anatolia Turks, Kazakh, Uyghur, Hui (Dungan) of Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Dungan texts from Southern and Eastern China are clustered with the Chinese ones), Turkmen, Kazan (Middle Volga) Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvash, Komi (Zyrians and Permyaks), Mongols (Khalkha), Daur (Daghur), Tuvinians of Tuva, Tuvans, Shor, Southern Altai: Altai proper (Altai-Kiji), Telengit, Altaians, Northern Altai: Chelkan, Kumanda, Tubalar, Altaians, Central Yakuts (Sakha), Tungus (Evenki): Baikal region, Evenks, Tungus (Evenki) of China (Solon, Birar, Oroqen, Manegir), Evenks, Tungus (Evenki): Russian Far East, Evenks, Udeghe, Oroch, Manchu, Forest (Upper Kolyma) Yukaghir, Chukchi, Aleuts, Central Yupik, Chipewyan, Bering Strait Inupiat (incl. King Island), Caribou, Polar Inuit, Baffin Land Inuit, West Greenland, Labrador Inuit (Koksoagmiut), Bella Coola (Nuxalk), Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Western Ojibwa (Chippewa), Eastern Ojibwa (Missisauga, Timagami and other groups in eastern Ontario), Northern Ojibwa (=Severn Ojibwa, Sandy Lake Cree), Eastern Cree, Sauk (Sak, Mesquakie), Fox, Kickapoo, Five Nations Iroquois (Seneca, Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga), Sarsee (Tsuu T'ina), Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwa, Lillooet, Lkungen (Straits; including Samish, Songish, Sooke, Lummi), Klallam, Nez Perce, Quinault, Cherokee, Yana, Mono (Monache), Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Yuma proper (Quechan), Mohave, Maricopa, Mayo, Yaqui, Sinaloa, Huichol, Tepecano, Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Tepehua, Totonac, Huastec (Teenek), Mixtec, Trique, Cuicatec; Amuzgo, Tzotzil, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Lacandon, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Bribri, Cabecar, Terraba; Chiriqui (AD 800-1500) iconography, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Sibundoy: Kamsa, Ingano (Inga), Warao, Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma, Trio, Kaxuyana (Warikyana, Arikena), Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Locono, Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Wayana, Aparai, Wayapi, Emerillon, Cañari, Kandoshi (Murato, Maina); Iquito, Aguaruna, Huambiza, Chayahuita , Urarina, Karijona, Kabiyari, Yukuna (Yucuna), Ticuna (Tucuna), Asurini, Parakana; Arawete, Tenetehara, Shipibo, Conibo, Setebo, Mundurucu, Curuaia, Bororo, Caraja, Tapirape, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Apinaye (Apinage, Apinaje), Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Central Tibetans (Yu Tsang, incl. Sikkim Tibetans, Tichurong of NW Nepal), Kodiak, Arabs (literary tradition; incl. One Thousand and One Nights), Lisu, Lolo (incl. Bai), Achang, Yi, Axi, Nasu, Jino, Taungyo, Chechens, Lao, Senufo, Urums, Rumei, Salars, Tulu, Eastern Ukrainians, Northern Ukrainians, Italians: Central (Toscana, Umbria, Marche, Lazio), Arakan, Chakma, Khyang, Bhutan, Lutsi (Ludza), Terek Cossacks, Scythians, Scythe, Greenland, Berbers of Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Vietnam, China, Japan, Palau, Russian Federation, Halkomelem (Snaymuk)