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 [74. Two Sisters.]

NOTE: 

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.


Next: Note 75. Assonah.