the wise man (Tale 26)

Role: adviser · First appears: Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man

In Tale 26, the wise man agreed to help the thief escape punishment if he promised half the money. He advised him to dress in rags, ruffle his hair and beard, and act mad in court.

The next day, the thief answered the wise man only with “Moo” and kept all the stolen money. The wise man went home without a penny and regretted saving him from his just punishment.

Relationship record

Life events

• The wise man undertook to help the thief if he promised him half the money.(Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man · 📍 the village)
  • With: the thief (Tale 26)
  • “The wise man undertook to help him—if he would promise to pay him half the money when he got off.”
• The thief promised to pay the wise man half the money.(Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man · 📍 the village)
  • With: the thief (Tale 26)
  • “This the robber at once said he would do.”
• The wise man advised the thief to feign madness in court.(Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man)
  • With: the thief (Tale 26)
  • “The old man then advised him to go home and dress in rags. He must ruffle his hair and beard and behave as if he were mad.”
• The thief refused to pay the wise man his promised half of the stolen money.(Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man)
  • With: the thief (Tale 26)
  • “But he could get no answer but ‘Moo’ from the thief, and at last, in despair, he had to go home without a penny. The ungrateful robber kept everything for himself.”

Tale 26 · The Robber and the Old Man

• enemies with the thief (Tale 26) “The ungrateful robber kept everything for himself.”
• recipient: the thief (Tale 26) “The wise man regretted very much that he had saved the thief from his just punishment—but it was now too late.”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of West African Folk-Tales. Made with Rho MD.