Aper
The Boar
Frightened of a fierce, huge boar, a herdsman escapes up a fruit-tree. He throws down fruit which the boar eats until it is full, sated, and sleepy. When the herdsman descends, the boar lies passively, and the herdsman kills it. In some versions (e.g., Mischle Sendebar), the boar eats until it bursts; in other versions, the herdsman strokes it gently until it falls fully asleep before killing it, while in other versions it is a monkey who tricks the boar.
The accompanying moral is consistent: the emperor should, like the boar, be wary of being tricked by sweet words that will render him defenseless.
| Note |
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Along with Avis, Senescalcus, and Canis, Aper is one of the few inset tales that appears in both 'Eastern' and 'Western' versions of the narrative tradition. |
| Critical Literature |
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| Nishimura (2001), Epstein (1967), Clouston (1884) |
| Aper appears in the following versions and secondary versions |
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| Aper appears in the following manuscripts |
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