Absurdity Rebukes Absurdity

"Absurdity Rebukes Absurdity" is a folklore motif from the subgenre of nonsense folklore. It is closely related to the reductio ad absurdum and the Rule Must Work Both Ways motif. Unknown. (1972). "absurdity rebukes absurdity", in Leach, M. (ed) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend. 3rd ed. p.5
== Basic Features ==
* One person does an absurd thing to another
* The other person does an absurd thing to the first person to get back at them or to prove the initial absurdity
* Things are set right
== Examples ==
* German, Baltic, and Spanish story of a man whose foal wandered into a field with some oxen. The owner of the oxen claimed the foal and when they took the disagreement to the king, who ruled in favour of the owner of the oxen. The original owner of the foal then set up a fishing net in the road the next day and, when questioned by the king, stated that he'd have as good a chance of catching fish in the street as a pair of oxen have of producing a foal. The king then saw the absurdity and had the foal returned. 
* Indian, Tibetan, and Sri Lankan story of a man who left a bag of gold with a friend before travelling, only for the friend to claim the gold had turned into sand while he was away. The friend later went travelling, leaving his son with the original man. When he returned, he was given a monkey and told that his son had turned into it while he was away. They then returned the bag of gold and the son to each other.
== References ==
Category:Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend
Category:Folklore Motifs