The Charmed Ring
by Unknown · from Indian Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once, there was a kind boy. He loved animals very much. He saw a dog. The dog was in danger. He saved the dog. He saw a cat. The cat was in danger. He saved the cat. He saw a snake. The snake was in danger. He saved the snake. He used all his money. He was very kind.
The Kind Boy went home. His father was very angry. "You spent all your money!" his father said. He sent the boy to the stables. The Kind Boy lived there now. His friends were Dog, Cat, Snake Prince. They loved him.
One day, the Snake Prince spoke. "I am a prince," he said. "My father is the Snake King. You saved my life. I want to thank you. Come to my special home. My father will be happy. He will give you a gift. Boy was surprised. He was happy.
The Kind Boy went to magic water. The Dog and Clever Cat stayed. "Wait for me," he said. He jumped in with the Snake Prince. They went to the Snake King's home. The Snake King was very happy. He met the Kind Boy. He thanked him.
The Snake King gave gifts. He gave a magic ring. The ring could make a house. A big, beautiful house! He gave a magic pot. He gave a magic spoon. The pot and spoon made food. Delicious food appeared. The Kind Boy was very happy. He thanked the King. He had magic now.
The Kind Boy went back. The Dog and Clever Cat waited. They were so happy to see him. He spoke to the magic ring. A big house appeared. A beautiful Princess appeared. The Kind Boy married the Princess. They lived in the new house.
The Princess had golden hair. She lost some hair. A Prince found the hair. He wanted the Princess. He had a mean aunt. She was a Mean Witch. The Mean Witch wanted the Princess too. She wanted the magic ring. She went to get them.
The Mean Witch came. She pretended to be a kind lady. She tricked the Princess. The Princess gave her the magic ring. The Mean Witch spoke to the ring. Poof! The beautiful house went away. The Princess went away too. They were gone from there.
The Kind Boy came home. His house was gone. His Princess was gone. He was very, very sad. He cried. The Dog and Clever Cat saw him. "Do not be sad!" they said. "We will find them. We will bring them back to you."
Dog and Clever Cat went to find them. The Clever Cat found the Princess. The Princess was sad. "Where is the ring?" asked the Cat. "The Mean Witch has it," she said. "She hid it well. Cat had a plan. She found some mice. The mice helped her. They took the ring from the Witch.
The Clever Cat had the ring. She and the Dog went home. They crossed a stream. The Dog was clumsy. He made a mistake. He dropped the ring. Splash! The ring fell in the water. A fish saw it. The fish ate the ring. Oh no!
"What do we do?" asked the Dog. "I have a plan," said the Clever Cat. She found a big bird. The bird flew to the fish. The bird got the ring. The fish let it go. The Clever Cat was very clever.
The Clever Cat had the ring. The Dog wanted to carry it. He was clumsy again. He dropped the ring. A big bird flew down. It took the ring. The bird flew to a tall tree. Oh no, not again!
The Clever Cat waited. It got dark. She climbed the tall tree. The big bird was there. The Clever Cat scared the bird. The bird dropped the ring. The Clever Cat got the ring. She held it tight. She was very brave.
The Dog and Clever Cat ran fast. They gave the ring to the Kind Boy. He spoke to the ring. Poof! His house came back. His Princess came back. They were all very happy.
They all lived happily ever after. See? Being kind is always good. Friends help you when needed most.
Original Story
The Charmed Ring
merchant started his son in life with three hundred rupees, and bade him go to another country and try his luck in trade. The son took the money and departed. He had not gone far before he came across some herdsmen quarrelling over a dog, that some of them wished to kill. "Please do not kill the dog," pleaded the young and tender-hearted fellow; "I will give you one hundred rupees for it." Then and there, of course, the bargain was concluded, and the foolish fellow took the dog, and continued his journey. He next met with some people fighting about a cat. Some of them wanted to kill it, but others not. "Oh! please do not kill it," said he; "I will give you one hundred rupees for it." Of course they at once gave him the cat and took the money. He went on till he reached a village, where some folk were quarrelling over a snake that had just been caught. Some of them wished to kill it, but others did not. "Please do not kill the snake," said he; "I will give you one hundred rupees." Of course the people agreed, and were highly delighted.
What a fool the fellow was! What would he do now that all his money was gone? What could he do except return to his father? Accordingly he went home.
"You fool! You scamp!" exclaimed his father when he had heard how his son had wasted all the money that had been given to him. "Go and live in the stables and repent of your folly. You shall never again enter my house."
So the young man went and lived in the stables. His bed was the grass spread for the cattle, and his companions were the dog, the cat, and the snake, which he had purchased so dearly. These creatures got very fond of him, and would follow him about during the day, and sleep by him at night; the cat used to sleep at his feet, the dog at his head, and the snake over his body, with its head hanging on one side and its tail on the other.
One day the snake in course of conversation said to its master, "I am the son of Raja Indrasha. One day, when I had come out of the ground to drink the air, some people seized me, and would have slain me had you not most opportunely arrived to my rescue. I do not know how I shall ever be able to repay you for your great kindness to me. Would that you knew my father! How glad he would be to see his son's preserver!"
"Where does he live? I should like to see him, if possible," said the young man.
"Well said!" continued the snake. "Do you see yonder mountain? At the bottom of that mountain there is a sacred spring. If you will come with me and dive into that spring, we shall both reach my father's country. Oh! how glad he will be to see you! He will wish to reward you, too. But how can he do that? However, you may be pleased to accept something at his hand. If he asks you what you would like, you would, perhaps, do well to reply, 'The ring on your right hand, and the famous pot and spoon which you possess.' With these in your possession, you would never need anything, for the ring is such that a man has only to speak to it, and immediately a beautiful furnished mansion will be provided for him, while the pot and the spoon will supply him with all manner of the rarest and most delicious foods."
Attended by his three companions the man walked to the well and prepared to jump in, according to the snake's directions. "O master!" exclaimed the cat and dog, when they saw what he was going to do. "What shall we do? Where shall we go?"
"Wait for me here," he replied. "I am not going far. I shall not be long away." On saying this, he dived into the water and was lost to sight.
"Now what shall we do?" said the dog to the cat.
"We must remain here," replied the cat, "as our master ordered. Do not be anxious about food. I will go to the people's houses and get plenty of food for both of us." And so the cat did, and they both lived very comfortably till their master came again and joined them.
The young man and the snake reached their destination in safety; and information of their arrival was sent to the Raja. His highness commanded his son and the stranger to appear before him. But the snake refused, saying that it could not go to its father till it was released from this stranger, who had saved it from a most terrible death, and whose slave it therefore was. Then the Raja went and embraced his son, and saluting the stranger welcomed him to his dominions. The young man stayed there a few days, during which he received the Raja's right-hand ring, and the pot and spoon, in recognition of His Highness's gratitude to him for having delivered his son. He then returned. On reaching the top of the spring he found his friends, the dog and the cat, waiting for him. They told one another all they had experienced since they had last seen each other, and were all very glad. Afterwards they walked together to the river side, where it was decided to try the powers of the charmed ring and pot and spoon.
The merchant's son spoke to the ring, and immediately a beautiful house and a lovely princess with golden hair appeared. He spoke to the pot and spoon, also, and the most delicious dishes of food were provided for them. So he married the princess, and they lived very happily for several years, until one morning the princess, while arranging her toilet, put the loose hairs into a hollow bit of reed and threw them into the river that flowed along under the window. The reed floated on the water for many miles, and was at last picked up by the prince of that country, who curiously opened it and saw the golden hair. On finding it the prince rushed off to the palace, locked himself up in his room, and would not leave it. He had fallen desperately in love with the woman whose hair he had picked up, and refused to eat, or drink, or sleep, or move, till she was brought to him. The king, his father, was in great distress about the matter, and did not know what to do. He feared lest his son should die and leave him without an heir. At last he determined to seek the counsel of his aunt, who was an ogress. The old woman consented to help him, and bade him not to be anxious, as she felt certain that she would succeed in getting the beautiful woman for his son's wife.
She assumed the shape of a bee and went along buzzing, and buzzing, and buzzing. Her keen sense of smell soon brought her to the beautiful princess, to whom she appeared as an old hag, holding in one hand a stick by way of support. She introduced herself to the beautiful princess and said, "I am your aunt, whom you have never seen before, because I left the country just after your birth." She also embraced and kissed the princess by way of adding force to her words. The beautiful princess was thoroughly deceived. She returned the ogress's embrace, and invited her to come and stay in the house as long as she could, and treated her with such honour and attention, that the ogress thought to herself, "I shall soon accomplish my errand." When she had been in the house three days, she began to talk of the charmed ring, and advised her to keep it instead of her husband, because the latter was constantly out shooting and on other such-like expeditions, and might lose it. Accordingly the beautiful princess asked her husband for the ring, and he readily gave it to her.
The ogress waited another day before she asked to see the precious thing. Doubting nothing, the beautiful princess complied, when the ogress seized the ring, and reassuming the form of a bee flew away with it to the palace, where the prince was lying nearly on the point of death. "Rise up. Be glad. Mourn no more," she said to him. "The woman for whom you yearn will appear at your summons. See, here is the charm, whereby you may bring her before you." The prince was almost mad with joy when he heard these words, and was so desirous of seeing the beautiful princess, that he immediately spoke to the ring, and the house with its fair occupant descended in the midst of the palace garden. He at once entered the building, and telling the beautiful princess of his intense love, entreated her to be his wife. Seeing no escape from the difficulty, she consented on the condition that he would wait one month for her.
Meanwhile the merchant's son had returned from hunting and was terribly distressed not to find his house and wife. There was the place only, just as he knew it before he had tried the charmed ring which Raja Indrasha had given him. He sat down and determined to put an end to himself. Presently the cat and dog came up. They had gone away and hidden themselves, when they saw the house and everything disappear. "O master!" they said, "stay your hand. Your trial is great, but it can be remedied. Give us one month, and we will go and try to recover your wife and house."
"Go," said he, "and may the great God aid your efforts. Bring back my wife, and I shall live."
So the cat and dog started off at a run, and did not stop till they reached the place whither their mistress and the house had been taken. "We may have some difficulty here," said the cat. "Look, the king has taken our master's wife and house for himself. You stay here. I will go to the house and try to see her." So the dog sat down, and the cat climbed up to the window of the room, wherein the beautiful princess was sitting, and entered. The princess recognised the cat, and informed it of all that had happened to her since she had left them.
THE CHARMED RING
"But is there no way of escape from the hands of these people?" she asked.
"Yes," replied the cat, "if you can tell me where the charmed ring is."
"The ring is in the stomach of the ogress," she said.
"All right," said the cat, "I will recover it. If we once get it, everything is ours." Then the cat descended the wall of the house, and went and laid down by a rat's hole and pretended she was dead. Now at that time a great wedding chanced to be going on among the rat community of that place, and all the rats of the neighbourhood were assembled in that one particular mine by which the cat had lain down. The eldest son of the king of the rats was about to be married. The cat got to know of this, and at once conceived the idea of seizing the bridegroom and making him render the necessary help. Consequently, when the procession poured forth from the hole squealing and jumping in honour of the occasion, it immediately spotted the bridegroom and pounced down on him. "Oh! let me go, let me go," cried the terrified rat. "Oh! let him go," squealed all the company. "It is his wedding day."
"No, no," replied the cat. "Not unless you do something for me. Listen. The ogress, who lives in that house with the prince and his wife, has swallowed a ring, which I very much want. If you will procure it for me, I will allow the rat to depart unharmed. If you do not, then your prince dies under my feet."
"Very well, we agree," said they all. "Nay, if we do not get the ring for you, devour us all."
This was rather a bold offer. However, they accomplished the thing. At midnight, when the ogress was sound asleep, one of the rats went to her bedside, climbed up on her face, and inserted its tail into her throat; whereupon the ogress coughed violently, and the ring came out and rolled on to the floor. The rat immediately seized the precious thing and ran off with it to its king, who was very glad, and went at once to the cat and released its son.
As soon as the cat received the ring, she started back with the dog to go and tell their master the good tidings. All seemed safe now. They had only to give the ring to him, and he would speak to it, and the house and beautiful princess would again be with them, and everything would go on as happily as before. "How glad master will be!" they thought, and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Now, on the way they had to cross a stream. The dog swam, and the cat sat on its back. Now the dog was jealous of the cat, so he asked for the ring, and threatened to throw the cat into the water if it did not give it up; whereupon the cat gave up the ring. Sorry moment, for the dog at once dropped it, and a fish swallowed it.
"Oh! what shall I do? what shall I do?" said the dog.
"What is done is done," replied the cat. "We must try to recover it, and if we do not succeed we had better drown ourselves in this stream. I have a plan. You go and kill a small lamb, and bring it here to me."
"All right," said the dog, and at once ran off. He soon came back with a dead lamb, and gave it to the cat. The cat got inside the lamb and lay down, telling the dog to go away a little distance and keep quiet. Not long after this a nadhar, a bird whose look can break the bones of a fish, came and hovered over the lamb, and eventually pounced down on it to carry it away. On this the cat came out and jumped on to the bird, and threatened to kill it if it did not recover the lost ring. This was most readily promised by the nadhar, who immediately flew off to the king of the fishes, and ordered it to make inquiries and to restore the ring. The king of the fishes did so, and the ring was found and carried back to the cat.
"Come along now; I have got the ring," said the cat to the dog.
"No, I will not," said the dog, "unless you let me have the ring. I can carry it as well as you. Let me have it or I will kill you." So the cat was obliged to give up the ring. The careless dog very soon dropped it again. This time it was picked up and carried off by a kite.
"See, see, there it goes—away to that big tree," the cat exclaimed.
"Oh! oh! what have I done?" cried the dog.
"You foolish thing, I knew it would be so," said the cat. "But stop your barking, or you will frighten away the bird to some place where we shall not be able to trace it."
The cat waited till it was quite dark, and then climbed the tree, killed the kite, and recovered the ring. "Come along," it said to the dog when it reached the ground. "We must make haste now. We have been delayed. Our master will die from grief and suspense. Come on."
The dog, now thoroughly ashamed of itself, begged the cat's pardon for all the trouble it had given. It was afraid to ask for the ring the third time, so they both reached their sorrowing master in safety and gave him the precious charm. In a moment his sorrow was turned into joy. He spoke to the ring, and his beautiful wife and house reappeared, and he and everybody were as happy as ever they could be.
Story DNA
Moral
Acts of kindness, even when seemingly foolish, can lead to unexpected rewards and loyal allies who will aid you in times of need.
Plot Summary
A kind-hearted merchant's son spends all his inheritance saving a dog, cat, and snake, leading his father to disown him. The snake, revealed as a Raja's son, rewards him with a magical ring, pot, and spoon. The young man uses these to build a house and marry a princess, but an ogress steals the ring, taking his wife and home. His loyal animal companions, especially the clever cat, embark on a perilous journey to retrieve the ring, overcoming obstacles and the dog's repeated carelessness. They succeed, and the young man restores his life, proving that compassion is ultimately rewarded.
Themes
Emotional Arc
folly to despair to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The use of 'rupees' and 'Raja' strongly suggests an Indian subcontinent origin, where such tales are rich in animal helpers and magical objects.
Plot Beats (15)
- A merchant's son spends his entire inheritance of 300 rupees to save a dog, a cat, and a snake from being killed.
- His father, enraged by his folly, banishes him to the stables with his animal companions.
- The snake reveals itself to be the son of Raja Indrasha and offers to take the young man to his father's kingdom as a reward for saving him.
- The young man dives into a sacred spring with the snake, leaving the dog and cat behind, and meets the Raja.
- The Raja, grateful for his son's rescue, rewards the young man with a magical ring (creates a mansion) and a pot and spoon (provides food).
- The young man returns, reunites with his dog and cat, and uses the ring to create a beautiful house and marry a princess.
- The princess's golden hair, found by a prince, causes him to fall ill with love, and his ogress aunt is sent to retrieve her.
- The ogress, disguised as the princess's aunt, tricks the princess into giving her the charmed ring, then uses it to transport the house and princess to the prince.
- The merchant's son returns from hunting to find his house and wife gone and is distraught, but the dog and cat promise to retrieve them.
- The cat discovers the ring is in the ogress's stomach and enlists the help of rats to make the ogress cough it up.
- The cat and dog retrieve the ring, but the dog's jealousy causes him to drop it into a stream, where a fish swallows it.
- The cat devises a plan, using a dead lamb to lure a nadhar bird, which then retrieves the ring from the king of the fishes.
- The dog again demands the ring and carelessly drops it, this time a kite carries it away.
- The cat, waiting until dark, climbs the tree, kills the kite, and finally recovers the ring for good.
- The cat and dog return the ring to their master, who uses it to restore his house and wife, and they live happily ever after.
Characters
The Merchant's Son
Of average height and build, with a gentle demeanor. His features are likely consistent with a young man from the Indian subcontinent, given the mention of rupees and the cultural context of the story.
Attire: Initially, simple but respectable clothing befitting a merchant's son, perhaps a cotton kurta and dhoti. After being cast out, his clothes would be worn and simple, reflecting his humble existence in the stables.
Wants: Initially, to succeed in trade as his father wished. Later, his primary motivation is to live happily with his wife and companions, and to recover what he has lost.
Flaw: Naivety and excessive compassion, leading him to spend all his money impulsively. He also shows a moment of despair, nearly giving up.
Starts as a naive, impulsive young man who squanders his inheritance but gains loyal animal companions. He learns to trust these companions, finds love and fortune, loses it all due to a trick, and ultimately recovers everything through the loyalty and cleverness of his friends, becoming more appreciative and less naive.
Tender-hearted, naive, compassionate, trusting, resilient.
The Dog
A sturdy, loyal dog, likely a common breed found in India, such as a pariah dog or a local hunting breed. It would be medium-sized with a strong build, capable of running long distances and swimming.
Attire: None, as an animal.
Wants: To serve and protect its master, to recover what was lost, and to prove its worth.
Flaw: Jealousy towards the Cat, leading to impulsive and damaging actions.
Starts as a rescued animal, becomes a loyal companion, makes mistakes due to jealousy, but ultimately contributes to the recovery of the ring and seeks forgiveness.
Loyal, protective, strong, prone to jealousy, remorseful.
The Cat
A sleek, agile cat, likely a domestic short-haired cat common in the region. It would be nimble and quick, with keen senses.
Attire: None, as an animal.
Wants: To serve its master and recover what was lost, using its intelligence and cunning.
Flaw: Can be somewhat self-righteous or critical of the Dog's mistakes.
Starts as a rescued animal, becomes a loyal and indispensable companion, consistently demonstrating superior intellect and resourcefulness in recovering the lost items.
Clever, resourceful, strategic, loyal, patient, observant.
The Snake (Raja Indrasha's Son)
A large, majestic snake, likely a cobra or similar serpent revered in Indian mythology, with shimmering scales. It would possess an air of ancient wisdom and nobility.
Attire: None, as an animal, but its scales might have patterns that resemble royal adornments.
Wants: To repay its rescuer for saving its life and to ensure its father acknowledges the debt.
Flaw: Its initial capture by humans.
Starts as a helpless creature, is rescued, and then acts as a guide and benefactor, leading the protagonist to great fortune. Its role is primarily to initiate the protagonist's magical journey.
Noble, grateful, wise, powerful, loyal.
The Princess
Exquisitely beautiful, with a delicate build and fair complexion. Her beauty is so striking that a prince falls desperately in love with just a lock of her hair.
Attire: Initially, she appears in a beautiful, perhaps Indian-inspired, silk lehenga or sari, adorned with fine jewelry, created by the charmed ring. Later, she would be dressed in the royal attire of the country where she is held captive, likely rich silks and jewels.
Wants: To live happily with her husband. Later, to escape captivity and return to him.
Flaw: Her beauty makes her a target; she is dependent on others for rescue.
Appears as a magical creation, becomes a beloved wife, is abducted, and then patiently awaits rescue, providing crucial information to her rescuers.
Beautiful, gentle, observant, resilient (in captivity), longs for freedom.
The Ogress
A fearsome and powerful ogress, likely large and imposing, with features that suggest a monstrous nature. She would be physically strong enough to swallow a ring.
Attire: Rough, dark, and practical clothing, possibly made of coarse fabric or animal hides, reflecting her monstrous nature rather than royal elegance.
Wants: To possess the charmed ring and maintain her power/influence over the Prince.
Flaw: Susceptible to trickery, especially from smaller, clever creatures like rats.
Introduced as the holder of the stolen ring, she is outsmarted by the cat and rats, leading to the recovery of the ring.
Greedy, powerful, dangerous, easily tricked (despite her power).
Locations
Merchant's Stables
A humble stable, likely made of rough-hewn timber and thatch, with a dirt floor covered in straw or grass for cattle. It is a place of exile and simple living.
Mood: Initially desolate and punitive, but transforms into a place of companionship and quiet resolve.
The son is banished here by his father and forms a deep bond with the animals he saved, leading to the snake revealing its true identity and the path to its father's kingdom.
Sacred Spring at Mountain Base
A sacred spring located at the base of a prominent mountain, serving as a portal to an underwater realm. The surrounding environment would be lush and natural, typical of a spring's source.
Mood: Mysterious, magical, and a gateway to the unknown.
The young man dives into this spring with the snake, entering the underwater kingdom, while the dog and cat wait for his return.
Underwater Palace of Raja Indrasha
An opulent palace beneath the water, likely adorned with materials that reflect light and shimmer, possibly incorporating elements of coral, pearls, and polished stone, befitting a snake raja. The architecture would be grand and regal, with a sense of ancient, submerged majesty.
Mood: Regal, awe-inspiring, and otherworldly.
The young man is welcomed by Raja Indrasha and receives the charmed ring, pot, and spoon as a reward for saving the snake prince.
Riverbank by the Charmed Mansion
A tranquil riverbank adjacent to the magically conjured mansion. The river flows gently, and the bank is likely green and open, providing a space for the characters to test their new magical items.
Mood: Joyful, expectant, and peaceful.
The young man, dog, and cat reunite here, and the young man first uses the charmed ring to conjure his mansion and the pot and spoon for food, leading to his marriage.
Ogress's House/Prince's Palace
A grand palace or large house, now occupied by the prince who stole the princess and the charmed house. It would have windows, walls, and rooms suitable for a royal residence, but with an underlying sense of captivity for the princess.
Mood: Tense, oppressive, but with a glimmer of hope for rescue.
The cat infiltrates this house to find the princess and orchestrates the recovery of the charmed ring from the ogress with the help of the rats.