The Sky-born Poultry in Renel’s Tales

Overview

In the Tsimihety tale from Maroantsetra, the Sun and Moon begin as intimate friends. The Sun has poultry as younger siblings and the Moon has stars; each travels with the other’s companions. Invited to a celebration where seating is scarce, the Moon opens heaven’s door and drops the cock and hen to earth. They land in a village dazed and unable to stand, appearing dead. People mistake the motionless arrivals for a Zanahary’s messengers and address petitions to them. The narration links their appeal to the change from the older poultry name fitaikotra to akoho. This is the tale’s explanation of a name rather than an independently established linguistic derivation.

The Moon tells the Sun that the companions fell accidentally despite attempted rescue. The Sun threatens revenge and orders separation. His earthbound siblings must hide when the Moon and stars appear. The Moon likewise says her companions will hide from the Sun. Their estrangement explains nighttime withdrawal and morning crowing: the poultry rejoice in their elder sibling’s return. The story moves between brother- and sister-style terms in its celestial relations. Those translated usages are retained as features of the witness rather than standardized into one fixed genealogy.

Renel labels the Antanambao tale a variant, but its opening differs. Here Sun, Moon and Cock are three children of Andriamanitra living together. The Moon orders the Cock to fetch oxen while the Sun is away. When he refuses, the Moon grasps his head and throws him down to earth. On returning, the Sun rebukes the Moon and assigns it the night, retaining day for himself. He forbids the Cock to go out or crow during the Moon’s time. The Cock’s daytime cries greet his elder sibling, while his evening withdrawal avoids the Moon, called his sister at the ending despite the opening brothers wording.

The two witnesses share a celestial expulsion and the poultry’s continuing attachment to the Sun. They differ in number of birds, ancestry, cause of the quarrel and the villagers’ response. Neither passage gives a human-to-bird transformation: the cock and hen already belong to the celestial household before the fall. This combined profile keeps the explicitly compared variants together while preserving their conflicting family descriptions.

Origins & earliest records

Renel 1910, second volume; collection localities supplied in individual headings, contributors not individually named.

Records & interpretation

Complete listed tales, headings, endings and associated notes read from retained official digitized text; separate variant actors and stated relationships preserved.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Contes de Madagascar, deuxième partie: Fables et fabliaux

   Charles Renel, editor and translator; Malagasy collection intermediaries · 1910

   Tale 92, pp. 123–125: Complete Tsimihety Sun/Moon/stars/poultry account and naming explanation.

2. 02

   Contes de Madagascar, deuxième partie: Fables et fabliaux

   Charles Renel, editor and translator; Malagasy collection intermediaries · 1910

   Tale 147, pp. 294–295: Complete Betsimisaraka Sun/Moon/Cock variant, Andriamanitra parentage and opening/closing gender wording.

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. Historical collected French narrativeRenel 1910, tale 92Research access: 2026-10-05
2. Historical collected French narrativeRenel 1910, tale 147Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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