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

Overview

Two women collecting firewood find a young owl with white feathers and very large eyes. Later they discover it has become a man, and both marry him. The household builds a home and tends its garden together for years before conflict and violence disturb their life.

The husband resolves to depart and forbids them to brighten the fire that evening. They blow it into a blaze while he sleeps, see him return to bird form, and watch him fly away. He throws money down as they cry after him. The white plumage and great eyes belong to the initially discovered bird; the text supplies no owl species identification.

White feathers and large eyesHuman husband formReturns to bird form and flies away
01

Origins & earliest records

R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891), Chapter XIX, III.8, p. 397. His introduction credits islanders’ written manuscripts for these translated tales; specific individual writers are not supplied here.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected tale read in the public primary transcription, with printed-page markers retained. Descriptive profile titles are identified where the being is unnamed. The original page images have not been visually collated in this pass.

In the literature

“he turned into a bird”
R. H. Codrington; island manuscript writer unnamed · The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore
Chapter XIX III.8 The Little Owl, Aurora, p.397; p.397; departure · R. H. Codrington

After he begins beating the women during quarrels, they remind him that they found him as a bird. He threatens to leave. Despite his prohibition they make the fire blaze, look at him and see him change into a bird and fly away, throwing money down as they cry after him. The story does not show a stolen feather garment.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    The Melanesians, Chapter XIX, III.8, p. 397

    R. H. Codrington (English translation and presentation of islanders’ manuscripts) · 1891

    Chapter introduction, p. 356, identifies the manuscript basis. Local story headings retained; collector judgments are not present community consensus.

  2. 02

    The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore

    R. H. Codrington; selected island manuscript writer unnamed · 1891

    R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891; University of Toronto scan/OCR. Selected complete Chapter XIX III.7, 8, 11 and 12 independently read. Interleaved footnote to the preceding Ro Som tale excluded from III.7.

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.

The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore

R. H. Codrington, The Melanesians: Studies in their Anthropology and Folk-lore, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1891; University of Toronto scan/OCR. Selected complete Chapter XIX III.7, 8, 11 and 12 independently read. Interleaved footnote to the preceding Ro Som tale excluded from III.7.

  1. Two women find a young white-feathered owl with large eyes. Later they find it changed into a man, bring him into the village and take him as their husband. The three live and work together for years. No particular zoological identification is supplied.

    Chapter XIX III.8 The Little Owl, Aurora, p.397; Owl becomes a shared husband

  2. After he begins beating the women during quarrels, they remind him that they found him as a bird. He threatens to leave. Despite his prohibition they make the fire blaze, look at him and see him change into a bird and fly away, throwing money down as they cry after him. The story does not show a stolen feather garment.

    Chapter XIX III.8 The Little Owl, Aurora, p.397; Abuse and departure

  3. Codrington describes all stories except the first as translations of manuscripts written for him by islanders. The first Florida tale was recorded by A. Penny. This selected story has no individually identified manuscript writer in the inspected heading or introductory statement.

    Chapter XIX introduction, p.356

Island-specific historical account. Unstated identities and present community consensus not assumed; songs and ceremonial formulas not excerpted. Facsimile not visually checked in this batch. Original island manuscript not independently inspected; general contributors named elsewhere are not automatically individual narrators here.

References

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

  1. Primary textCodrington 1891, Chapter XIX: Stories, III.8, p. 397Research access: 2026-10-05
  2. Primary provenance statementCodrington’s Chapter XIX collection and translation statementResearch 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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