Hobbit2 - Chapter 07 - Queer Lodgings

[jallanite]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

There are a variety of folktales that have animal servants as a motif, Jailinite, and certainly ones that Tolkien would be aware of. The famous Slavic folktale "Baba Yaga", comes to mind, or, more importantly, "The Grateful Beasts" which Andrew Lang included in his The Yellow Fairy Book (in which bees figure prominently).

I am aware of many folktales where beasts at some point serve or aid the protagonist of the tales. What I am not aware of is a folktale in which a host has animal servants who also serve the guest(s). The example of Circe I provided was that closest that I find. I would welcome any such tale that anyone could provide.