Heaven-Carrying Wild Cat

Overview

After the foster mother has obtained brides from ordinary and aquatic households, the prince's father demands the daughter of the King of the Heavens. The woman asks who can take her there. A wild cat answers, telling her to hold its tail and promising to carry her upward. The narration immediately describes her ascent and arrival before the heavenly ruler. It supplies no wings, bird disguise or modern cat species, so the extraordinary power recorded here is the offered connection between ground and heavens.

At the destination the woman asks for a marriageable daughter for her adopted son. The king assembles about fifty, and she chooses the eldest, described as heiress of the house, before paying and returning with the bride. The note identifies heiress as a title. The wild cat's concrete contribution is enabling this otherwise inaccessible negotiation; the account does not give it a second adventure or assign the bride's later powers to the carrier. This short but explicit supernatural action is kept within its source limits rather than expanded with imagined hunting or celestial anatomy.

Origins & earliest records

The complete tale 64 is attributed to A., Ashetu, in Tremearne's contents and narrator key. The introduction places her contributions in 1906-1907 at Amar, without a dated session for this particular story. Collector comments about religions and historical customs are kept distinct from her translated narrative.

Records & interpretation

Complete The Origin of the White-Breasted Crow, pp. 335-340, read together with noteLXIV pp. 495-497. Wild cat offer and completed ascent p. 337; adjoining marriage sequence and noteLXIV.1 clarify the destination and title.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Hausa Superstitions and Customs - The Origin of the White-Breasted Crow

   Ashetu, narrator; A. J. N. Tremearne, collector and translator · 1913

   Tale 64, pp. 335-340; notes pp. 495-497. Wild cat offer and completed ascent p. 337; adjoining marriage sequence and noteLXIV.1 clarify the destination and title.

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. Collected primary narrative in translationTremearne 1913 - Ashetu tale 64Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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