On the whole, the bird is a friendly spirit, the dog an unfriendly in African story. Here, as in number [28], the dog takes the place of the warning bird. The idea seems to be here that the dog, by calling his master’s name, invokes his spirit. [[266]]
Compare Junod, 93; Parsons, Andros Island, 165; and “The Hobyahs” in Jacobs, More English Fairy Tales, 127.
In Junod, Dove warns Hippopotamus against Rabbit; Rabbit kills Dove. The feathers give warning; Rabbit burns all the feathers but one and mixes them with dirt; then the one feather gives warning.
In Chatelain, 129, a dog warns of a murder. See note to number [73].
In Callaway, 52, a witch’s flesh is ground to powder and thrown into the water in order that it may not come back to life.
73. The Singing Bird. [[Story]]
In Jekyll, 14–16, the incident of the warning bird is employed in the story of the two sisters, number [74]. Version b is a poor rendering of Jekyll, 96–97.
In Theal, 217–220, the younger of two brothers secures a magic gift of cattle. The elder lets him down into a water-hole to drink and, leaving him there, goes home with the cattle. A warning bird leads rescuers to the place. See, for the same story, Jacottet, 60–62 and note; Folk-Lore Jour. of. So. Af. 1: 139–147.
For the incident of the warning bird compare Torrend, 17; note 24–26; 166–167; Theal, 219; Renel 1: 30–31; Dayrell, 110–114; FLJ (SA) 1: 75–79. The motive is common in ballads; e.g. JAFL 20: 253. In the Cinderella story, it is a bird who gives warning of the false bride; e.g. Callaway, 130–135. Not all birds, only certain species, are looked upon as “prophet birds.” See Cronise and Ward, 175; Dennett, 8. That these birds may be regarded in some cases as the actual soul of the murdered person is evident from Renel’s story.