A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.
Overview
Cylindra belongs to the pearl-producing maiden and her sailor brother. After a neighbour poisons the girl and substitutes her own daughter, the brother faces execution for failing to produce the promised pearls. The true maiden survives inside a whale and is secretly housed in the palace after rescue. From her window she recognizes their dog and asks about her imprisoned brother.
The female dog answers in human language, reporting successive public announcements of the execution. The rescuing servant hears their exchange and alerts the king, who listens personally on the third occasion. This leads to the girl’s pearl-producing gifts being tested successfully and her brother’s vindication. Cylindra’s informative role is explicit; the story supplies no breed, physical transformation or further biography after the wedding.
Origins & earliest records
Consiglieri Pedroso, Portuguese Folk-Tales, translated from the original manuscript by Henriqueta Monteiro, London: Elliot Stock for the Folk-Lore Society, 1882; tale XXII, pp. 90–94. The selected account does not identify an individual narrator or collecting locality.
Records & interpretation
The located 1882 English translation presents this figure within a complete collected narrative. Pedroso’s introductory pp. 1–2 describe the thirty published selections from his larger collection.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Portuguese Folk-Tales XXII: The Maiden from whose Head Pearls fell on Combing Herself, pp. 90–94
Located complete narrative in the original London edition; Ralston’s comparative introduction is separate commentary.
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.
- Primary textPortuguese Folk-Tales, original 1882 edition scan and transcriptionResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.