Índice tipológico - consulta específica

 

El tipo 756A - The Self-Righteous Hermit. se ha identificado en los siguientes relatos:

El piadoso anacoreta, por Domingo Jiménez, de Tecolutla, Veracruz

 

 

Información sobre este tipo cuentístico: Description: A hermit mistrusts divine justice, or a man who thinks he is without sin complains about God's decision of his place after death (punishment [hell] or reward [heaven]). Cf. Types 756B, 756C. This tale exists chiefly in four different forms: (1) An angel ceases to appear to a hermit [Q553.2] because he spoke disparagingly of an evil-doer who was taken to the gallows. Thereupon the hermit has to do hard penance [L435.1] by wandering about as a beggar with a small dry branch [Q521.1]. The hermit converts a band of robbers with the story of his misfortune. The next morning the hermit is found dead, with green twigs on his small dry branch [F971.1]. (2) A discontented hermit, an evil-doer, and a naked man covered with sand worry about their place in heaven. Angel Gabriel tells them God's answers to their questions: the place of the hermit will be in hell because he doubts God's justice, the evil-doer will be in heaven because of his hospitality, and even the sand will be removed from the naked man because of his ingratitude and impatience. (3) A criminal has to do penance after confession: every time he passes a crucifix he should say the Lord's prayer. When doing so he is killed by the relative of one of his former victims. The hermit, his father confessor, sees that the criminal is taken into heaven by angels, and he decides to leave God's service. When he leaves his cell, he breaks his neck and is taken by the devil. (4) A murderer overhears the confession of a dying hermit. In despair the criminal utters a fast prayer regretting not having lived a life like the pious hermit's. The hermit hears the exclamation and as he dies, he behaves haughtily towards the criminal, whereupon his soul is taken by the devil. The criminal runs away, falls into a pit, and is taken into heaven by angels.

Remarks:Four main versions of this tale have been described here, but clear assignments to the type are often difficult.

(Hans-Jörg Uther. The types of International Folktales. A Classification and Bibliography, Based on the System of Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia-Academia Scientiarum Fennica, 2004.)