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

Overview

Andamohamy has travelled overseas to marry Rafaranomby, also called Faranomby in the tale. On their return they stop at sandy alluvium to bathe and compete at remaining underwater. While the woman is submerged, a small female chameleon, Tangarirana, takes her likeness, puts on her clothing and sits in the boat. The man surfaces, mistakes the impostor for his wife and continues home. Faranomby follows in bird and plant forms, but Tangarirana prevents the party taking the plants by claiming that they are forbidden to her.

At the welcoming feast Tangarirana throws her portion behind her rather than eating. Claiming fever, she asks for grasshoppers as her remedy. The husband sends his enslaved household to gather them and dismisses everyone so she can prepare the supposed treatment. Two young enslaved people, Ikotoantena and Ikotondavenona, remain concealed, one in a corner and the other among ashes. Thinking herself alone, the impostor removes her clothes, releases the insects and eats them. They see a tail like a chameleon’s and cry out. Their observation reveals the animal body beneath the clothing, not a new transformation into an unrelated serpent.

The true bride is meanwhile waiting in a tree above the fountain. An older enslaved woman, Rafotsibé, hears her account and tells the husband what happened. Faranomby refuses to descend until the impostor has been killed and her divided body placed on both sides of the road, where she can see it. Andamohamy does so, and the bride returns for a new celebration. Tangarirana’s story ends in this killing. Later betrayal by the husband’s other wife belongs to the bride’s subsequent history, not to a revived chameleon antagonist.

Female chameleon originHuman resemblance and stolen clothingConcealed chameleon tailGrasshopper mealImposture exposed and punished
01

Origins & earliest records

Renel 1910, tale 48, pp. 254–260, with regional/local heading. Individual teller unnamed; introduction V–VIII describes collection intermediaries and translation.

02

Records & interpretation

Complete tale 48, pp. 254–260, heading and relevant notes read. Each bodily change and the entire narrative outcome retained without fusing similarly named characters in other tales.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    Contes de Madagascar, première partie: Contes merveilleux

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

    Tale 48, pp. 254–260, complete, with regional/local collection heading.

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 48Research 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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