This is classified as TMI Z25. Fly forgets her name; it does not have an ATU number, presumably because there are not examples from other countries. But as the Z series shows, it is definitely a type of chain tale. It would be a fun one to retell about any kind of forgetting with any kind of chain of characters!
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Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.
A fly having plastered her house with cow-dung forgot her name.
Seeing a wood-cutter pass with an axe in his hand she addressed him thus, ‘O wood-cutter, wood-cutter, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the axe which is in my hand.’
‘O axe, axe, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the tree which comes to be felled down by the axe.’
‘O tree, tree, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the bird which perches on the tree.’
‘O bird, bird, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the water which the bird drinks.’
‘O water, water, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the moss which is in the water.’
'O moss, moss, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the fish which eats the moss.’
O fish, fish, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the fisherman who catches the fish.’
'O fisherman, fisherman, what is my. name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the fishwoman.’
‘O fishwoman, fishwoman, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the cook who buys the fish.’
‘O cook, cook, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the maid who prepares the dishes.’
‘O maid, maid, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the master who eats the dishes.’
‘O master, master, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the mare which I ride.’
‘O mare, mare, what is my name?’
‘I do not know your name. Ask the foal which is in my belly.’
‘O foal, foal, what is my name?’
‘Is not your name a fly?’ said the foal in the mare’s belly.
In surprise the fly put her finger on her nose and went her way.
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