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

Overview

The crocodile appears after a young woman is killed by her mother and her body reduced to powder. Desert wind carries the remains into a lake. The crocodile gathers the dust and makes from it a beautiful woman, who lives with him beneath the water. The supernatural action is this deliberate restoration of human form from scattered remains; the source does not give him a personal name or specify a modern crocodile species.

The restored woman occasionally rises to the surface and calls her sister Mosibutsane, explaining through a song that the crocodile collected her and gave her human form again. Her song confirms his role rather than attributing the reconstruction to the star she addressed earlier. The tale ends with this underwater household and surface testimony; it does not describe a further rescue, marriage ceremony or punishment of the mother. Casalis prints musical notation for the two songs, while the selected episode’s individual narrator remains unnamed.

Collects remains from lakeReconstructs beautiful human womanUnderwater household
01

Origins & earliest records

Casalis presents this account among Enigmas and Tales. The selected episode does not name an individual narrator. His missionary interpretation following the story is distinguished from the narrated events.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete II. The Metamorphosis of a Maiden, printed pp. 344–347; narrative and translated songs independently read.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    The Basutos; or, Twenty-three Years in South Africa

    Eugène Casalis, missionary recorder; English edition · 1861

    Enigmas and Tales, II. The Metamorphosis of a Maiden, pp. 344–347; maiden’s death, lake reconstruction and surface song pp. 346–347.

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. Digitized historical collected narrativeCasalis — The Metamorphosis of a MaidenResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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

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