Witch of Bosen Corner

Overview

A mistreated girl sent for water into Bosen Corner politely greets disembodied heads and feet, then accepts shelter from an old woman. A scrap of bone and four grains of rice fill the cooking pot. The hostess asks her to scratch her back, which cuts the girl’s hands, but she does not complain. The witch leaves and returns as a cat; the girl treats it kindly. Before departure she is told to choose small eggs that tell her not to take them, rather than large beckoning ones.

The small eggs release land, livestock and a princely husband along the return route. The household then sends its favoured daughter to obtain the same wealth. She mocks the road beings, questions the food, throws out the cat and complains about the cutting back. Ignoring the instruction, she takes the large eggs. They release snakes and other creatures; the final one produces a witch-man who kills her. The hostess and the lethal figure from the egg are distinct participants, not automatically one transformed body.

Origins & earliest records

Martha Warren Beckwith published this account in Jamaica Anansi Stories (1924), explicitly credited to Martha Roe, Maroon Town, Cockpit country. Her preface dates the collection visits to summer1919 and winter1921; a particular interview date is not supplied here. The published witness does not establish the first oral telling.

Records & interpretation

The complete story81 was inspected. Bosen Corner is the named place, not the woman’s personal name; the title is explicitly descriptive. The tale presents contrasting treatment and outcomes, not a claim that these punishments are justified or evidence of a contemporary local practice.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Jamaica Anansi Stories

   Martha Warren Beckwith; music recorded by Helen H. Roberts · 1924

   Story81, Bosen Corner, printed pp.94–95. Complete selected narrative read, with teller heading and preface.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary textBeckwith1924: Story81, Bosen Corner, printed pp.94–95.Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.