Rescuing Crow of the Aggelamusch Tale

Overview

A woman and her daughter chase an escaped feast hare until they are lost and take refuge in a high tree. At midnight a lion holds lessons below for an assembly of animals. Their presence is discovered, and a crow volunteers to inspect the tree. Finding the woman in tears, it warns that she will be eaten but promises to save her daughter, unborn son and right breast. It returns to the lion and first secures a binding reservation before revealing that the woman is pregnant. A climbing snake poisons her; she dies and falls among the animals, who tear open her body.

The lion tells the crow to take what was reserved. It retrieves the baby and the mother’s breast, placing the latter in his mouth to feed him. It then brings him to his sister, helps her down from the tree and leads both children to an ancient castle. Its advice allocates barley found in the refuse heap to the girl and wheat to her brother while she digs toward Aggelamusch’s dwelling. Before departing, it asks her to fill a hole with tears so it can wash blood from its feathers. She does so and thanks it as both father and mother. The crow leaves with a final instruction to care for her brother until he can assist her. It does not itself kill Aggelamusch or participate in the later palace conflict.

Origins & earliest records

Hans Stumme, Märchen der Schluḥ von Tázerwalt (Leipzig, 1895), tale 16, Aggelamusch: complete German pp. 131–146. Abdulla Ben Mhammed, dictating contributor; Leipzig recording context Preface v–vi.

Records & interpretation

Whole long German tale 16 read through Muhammed killing the horned ruler and vizier and becoming sultan. Hair thickness is not converted into body height; crow rescue, monster death, failed command imitation, abduction/reunion and flute-to-reed ending remain separate acts.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Märchen der Schluḥ von Tázerwalt

   Abdulla Ben Mhammed, dictating contributor; Hans Stumme, recorder and German translator · 1895

   Tale 16, whole German pp. 131–146: animal assembly and crow pp. 133–135; Aggelamusch pp. 135–138; abduction and reunion pp. 138–144; horns and reed pp. 144–146; Preface pp. v–vi.

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. Primary collected Tashelhit transcription with German translationOriginal bilingual collection: AggelamuschResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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