Many-Eyed Giver of Magic Eggs

Overview

A girl mistreated by her stepmother is sent to wash a dropped rice-stick at a distant spirit's dwelling. Along the road she meets walking, speaking hoe handles and a one-eyed man who guides her. At the destination a broad-headed spirit, bald in the middle and possessing many eyes, asks her to search his head for lice. His eyes can detect any attempted trick, but she behaves carefully. He cleans and wraps the rice-stick, then instructs her to take four eggs. She chooses small ones although larger eggs are available.

Broken at successive stages of her return, three eggs release servants and a hammock, armed guards, and precious possessions with carriers. The fourth produces a walled residence, livestock and music at the place she chooses to live. The spirit also tells her how to call her mother back from the grave through rice-pounding and song. She must let the mother emerge unaided: pulling too soon would divide her body and prevent the return. The girl patiently follows the instructions until her mother has fully emerged and joins her in the new home.

The stepmother sends her own daughter on the same errand. This girl insults the speaking implements and one-eyed guide, then pretends to strike the spirit's bald head during the delousing test. He sees the gesture but conceals his response. She greedily selects large eggs: these release stinging bees, constricting snakes and whipping men, while the last sets fire to her mother's house and kills them both. The roadside implements are explicitly spirits in transformed guise; their manifestations and the donor's many eyes make courteous or hostile behavior visible before the contrasting gifts are bestowed.

Origins & earliest records

Florence M. Cronise collected tales from children and adult employees of the Rotifunk mission in Sierra Leone. The 1903 preface credits Henry W. Ward with much of the arrangement and narrative setting; its named speakers are not assumed to be independently documented field informants.

Records & interpretation

Complete selected tale directly read, printed pp. 265-276. Preface and introduction separately inspected for collection and editorial mediation.

In the literature

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the Other Beef

   Florence M. Cronise, collector; Henry W. Ward, arranger · 1903

   The Devil's Magic Eggs; pp. 265-276.

2. 02

   Cunnie Rabbit, Mr. Spider and the Other Beef — The Devil’s Magic Eggs

   Florence M. Cronise, collector; Henry W. Ward, arranger · 1903

   London, Swan Sonnenschein & Co.; New York, E. P. Dutton, 1903, visually verified title page. Selected Project Gutenberg 48828 transcription retains printed page markers and exact tale anchors. Preface pp. v–vi credits Cronise with collection and Ward with arrangement/setting; introduction pp. 1–4 describes Rotifunk mission children and adult employees as sources. Frame speakers are not independently verified individual informants.

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.

References

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

1. Collected primary narrative with editorial settingThe Devil's Magic EggsResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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