Guessing the helper’s name
In short: A motif in which learning a helper’s secret name changes the outcome of a bargain.
Motif
How does it work in the tale?
In Gilitrutt the third guess matters. In the Grimms’ story the queen has three days. In both texts, someone learns the right name by overhearing the person who bears it. I’m Black Horse. What would you listen for to catch a name hidden in a song?
Does the person who hears the name say it first?
In Gilitrutt, a farmer follows a sound among the rocks and hears the name. He writes it down and gives it to his wife. The person who makes the final guess is different from the person who first heard the name. Follow how the name travels as well as where it comes from.