87. Bull as Bridegroom. [[Story]]
The story of the beast-husband transformed by means of a song is very common in Jamaica. It occurs in Milne-Home, 42–45, and Jekyll, 73–77; 132–135.
Compare Junod, 246–253; Parsons, Andros Island, 39–43 and references in note 1.
In Parsons’s Andros Island variants, the transformed beast is the wife (compare number [84]) and has the form of a bird, as in Jekyll’s two versions, one of which, 132–135, ends with the “Yonec” story. In all the versions I heard, and in Milne-Home, the wooer is a bull.
88. The Two Bulls. [[Story]]
See Jekyll’s version, 114–116, called “Timmolimmo,” a name which is also given to the bull of number 89 in some versions. In Theal, 56–66, a mysterious and beautiful woman who goes to the river only at night is named “Tangalimlibo.” Her enemies persuade her to go out by day and she is taken by the river, returns to suckle her child, and is at last ransomed by sacrificing an ox which seems to bear the same name as the woman.
In this challenge story, the bull has killed, not the mother, as in number [89], but her sons, and has unwittingly fathered his successful antagonist, who has been brought up in secret. The father’s secret name is evidently learned from the mother.
For the tossing trick, see number [69].