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Overview

An old mother must seek water without frogs, fish or other animals before her son will forgive her theft of his food. At two pools, frogs and then silver fish reveal that they are unsuitable. Finally she finds a clear pool below a waterfall where her staff produces no reply. A tree encloses her with growing branches as she rests. Passing animals warn that the place belongs to a great king and consider how to protect her from him.

An Elephant proposes a Giraffe, which recommends a Tiger, which in turn recommends the clever Rabbit. These are the English animal labels of the retelling; their sequence is not a zoological survey of the region. The Rabbit nibbles through the branches, fills her calabash and urges her to hurry home. He says her escape will bring them good fortune, but does not narrate a personal human identity beforehand.

When she gives the water to her son, the forest and animals disappear into a great town full of people. Paths become streets, trees become well-woven huts and animals become men and women. The ending explains that a wicked enchanter had bewitched them many years earlier and that carrying the water has freed them. The visiting mother’s forgiveness and the community’s release coincide, while the enchanter remains unnamed and without an independently described appearance.

Animal formsTalking advisersBranch imprisonmentRabbit rescueWater-linked disenchantmentHuman town restored
01

Origins & earliest records

Bourhill and Drake present a collected tale arranged in English for children. The chapter supplies a Swazi label but no individual storyteller or exact collection occasion. Their colonial preface framing is distinguished from the events of the retelling.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete VI. The Unnatural Mother, printed pp. 58–65, read through its ending; source title, preface and chapter attribution checked.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    Fairy Tales from South Africa

    Sarah F. Bourhill and Beatrice L. Drake, collectors and arrangers · 1908

    VI. The Unnatural Mother, pp. 58–65; unnamed individual episode contributor, English literary arrangement.

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.

Located primary passages

Specific passages supporting details in this entry, grouped by their published witness.

Primary source witness

Sarah F. Bourhill (Mrs. E. J. Bourhill) and Beatrice L. Drake (Mrs. J. B. Drake), Fairy Tales from South Africa, London: Macmillan, 1908; selected original title page and complete headed tales in PG75833. Arranged for children; introduction pp.v–xi attributes principally Swazi, also Zulu and border-region contributions, with Shining Princess attributed to Mapoch. Individual narrators for these selected tales unnamed. Historical colonial framing is not current community consensus.

  1. An expelled mother reaches animal-inhabited woods and a silent pool, but branches entrap her. Animals choose Rabbit to help, and he frees her and fills her vessel. The Lion is called their king while absent; the story does not show him personally rescuing her.

    VI The Unnatural Mother, pp.62–65; forbidden water and rescue

  2. When she delivers the water to her son, the forest changes into a populated town: paths become streets, trees become huts and animals become people. The ending attributes their earlier state to an unnamed enchanter. It does not identify these animals with Rabbit Prince’s separate companions.

    VI, p.65; release of the polity

Selected historical arrangement, not unmediated original-language oral testimony. Individual contributor not named; no separate manuscript inspected. Original facsimile not visually inspected in this batch.

References

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

  1. Collected historical tale in an English literary retellingBourhill and Drake — VI. The Unnatural MotherResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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