Note 74. Two Sisters.
Reading tools
74. Two Sisters.
Jamaica versions of this popular story appear in Milne-Home, 70-72; Jekyll, 14-16; Trowbridge, JAFL 9:283-284. Parsons Andros Island, 150-152, has equivalent versions.
The False Bride motive is very common in African story. Compare Callaway, 105-130; 303-316; Theal, 56-66; 144-117; 151-154; Jacottet, 90-99; Torrend, 66-68; Dayrell, 126.
In number 101, the true bride comes at night and sings and is detected through the words of her song. In this story, she comes at night to suckle her child; see the Child ballad version noted
{p. 267}
by Parsons, and Bolte u. Polívka 1:76-96, on Grimm 11, Brother and Sister. In Theal, 55-66, the drowned woman comes at night to suckle her child, is watched, and a net set to catch her, In Theal, 144-147, the snare and the milk are set for the false instead of for the true bride as a test of her witch nature because no witch's tail can escape the attraction of milk. This is like the old fable of the cat who became a lady, but betrayed her origin when a mouse ran across the floor.
Ask PRATIBHA about this text
Answers quote this scripture directly and show their sources.
Reflect on this passage
Only you can see these notes. They stay on this device.