A prosperous merchant once decided it was time for his son to learn the ways of trade and make his fortune. He counted out three hundred rupees, a substantial sum, and placed the coins in his son’s hands. “Take this money,” he said, “travel to another country, and try your luck in business. Return when you have multiplied your wealth.”
The young man, filled with eagerness and hope, set out on the dusty road with his precious capital secured in his bundle. He had not traveled far when he heard angry voices rising from a group of herdsmen gathered by the roadside. They were quarreling fiercely over a dog, with some demanding its death while others protested.
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The young man’s tender heart could not bear the sight of the frightened creature. “Please, I beg you, do not kill this dog,” he pleaded. “I will give you one hundred rupees for it.”
The herdsmen looked at each other in amazement. One hundred rupees for a worthless dog? They quickly concluded the bargain, took the money, and departed laughing at the fool’s generosity. The young man continued his journey with the grateful dog trotting at his heels.
Before long, he encountered another commotion, this time people fighting over a cat they had caught. Again, some wished to kill it while others disagreed. “Oh, please spare its life!” the young man cried. “I will pay you one hundred rupees for it.”
The people could hardly believe their good fortune. They handed over the cat immediately and departed with their unexpected windfall, shaking their heads at such foolishness. The young man walked on, now accompanied by both dog and cat.
As he approached a village, he saw a crowd gathered around something on the ground, a snake they had just captured. The same argument arose: some wanted to kill it, others did not. Without hesitation, the compassionate young man spoke up. “Please do not harm this snake. I will give you one hundred rupees for it.”
The villagers gladly accepted, thinking they had encountered the greatest fool in all the land. They took his last rupee and left him standing there with a dog, a cat, and a snake and not a single coin remaining.
What had he done? His father had entrusted him with capital to build a trading business, and he had spent it all on three animals! With a heavy heart and nowhere else to turn, the young man returned home, his animal companions following faithfully behind.
“You fool! You wastrel!” his father thundered when he heard how his son had squandered the entire sum. “You are not fit to live under my roof! Go to the stables and reflect on your stupidity. You shall never again enter my house!”
And so the merchant’s son made his bed in the stables, sleeping on the grass spread for the cattle. But he was not alone. The dog, cat, and snake he had rescued stayed with him constantly. The dog slept at his head, the cat at his feet, and the snake draped itself across his body with its head hanging on one side and tail on the other. In the darkness of his disgrace, these creatures became his only comfort.
One day, the snake spoke for this was no ordinary serpent. “My friend,” it said, “I am the son of Raja Indrasha, king of the serpent realm. I had come above ground to drink the air when those villagers seized me. They would have killed me had you not arrived. I can never fully repay your kindness, but perhaps my father can reward you properly. Would you like to meet him?”
“Where does he live?” the young man asked, intrigued.
“Do you see that distant mountain? At its base lies a sacred spring. If you dive into those waters with me, we shall reach my father’s underground kingdom. When he offers you a reward, and he will, ask for the ring on his right hand and the famous pot and spoon he possesses. The ring can summon a magnificent house at your command, while the pot and spoon provide endless supplies of the most delicious food imaginable.”
When the young man prepared to dive into the spring, the dog and cat grew anxious. “What shall we do, master? Where shall we go?”
“Wait here for me,” he assured them. “I shall return soon.”
He plunged into the sacred waters with the snake and descended into a wondrous realm beneath the earth. When Raja Indrasha learned that his beloved son had been saved from death, he wept with joy and embraced the young merchant’s son as his own child. The snake prince, however, refused to approach his father, declaring he remained the slave of the man who had preserved his life.
Moved beyond words, Raja Indrasha honored the young man with great ceremony and bestowed upon him the magical ring from his right hand and the enchanted pot and spoon. “These are small tokens,” the serpent king said, “for one who has given my son back to me.”
The young man returned to the surface, where the faithful dog and cat awaited him. He immediately tested the ring’s power, speaking to it as instructed. A beautiful mansion appeared, complete with a princess of extraordinary beauty whose hair shone like spun gold. The pot and spoon produced a feast of unimaginable delicacies. The young man married the golden-haired princess, and they lived in perfect happiness for several years.
One morning, while arranging her long hair, the princess gathered the loose strands and placed them in a hollow reed, which she tossed into the river flowing beneath their window. The reed drifted downstream for many miles until it was discovered by a prince of that country. Curious, he opened it and found the golden hair within.
The moment he saw it, the prince fell desperately, madly in love with the woman to whom such hair must belong. He locked himself in his room and refused all food, drink, or comfort until this mysterious beauty was brought to him. His father, the king, feared his son would die and turned in desperation to his aunt, a powerful ogress, for help.
The ogress transformed herself into a bee and followed the scent of the golden hair until she found the beautiful princess. Assuming the form of an old woman, she approached with a walking stick and embraced the princess warmly. “I am your long-lost aunt,” she lied convincingly. “I left just after you were born and have searched for you ever since!”
The trusting princess welcomed her with great affection and honor. After three days of hospitality, the cunning ogress began speaking of the magical ring. “Such a precious thing should not be with your husband,” she advised. “He goes hunting and might lose it. You should keep it safe.”
The innocent princess asked her husband for the ring, and he gave it to her without suspicion. The next day, when the ogress asked to see it, the princess showed her the treasure. Instantly, the ogress snatched the ring, transformed back into a bee, and flew away to the lovesick prince.
“Rejoice!” she told him. “Speak to this ring, and the woman you desire will appear before you.”
The prince immediately commanded the ring, and the house with the golden-haired princess descended into the palace garden. He begged her to marry him, and seeing no escape, she agreed, on the condition that he wait one month for her answer.
Meanwhile, the merchant’s son returned from hunting to find nothing but empty ground where his house and wife had stood. Overcome with grief, he sat down, ready to end his life. But the dog and cat, who had hidden when the house vanished, rushed to him.
“Master, do not despair!” they cried. “Give us one month, and we will recover everything you have lost.”
“Go,” he said weakly. “May God aid your efforts.”
The animals ran without rest until they reached the distant palace. The cat climbed the wall and entered the princess’s chamber, where she explained everything that had happened. “The ring is in the ogress’s stomach,” the princess whispered.
“Then I shall retrieve it,” the cat promised.
She lay down by a rat hole, pretending to be dead. That very day, the rat king’s eldest son was being married, and when the wedding procession emerged, the cat pounced on the bridegroom. “Release him!” the rats squealed in terror.
“Only if you recover a ring from the ogress’s stomach,” the cat demanded.
The rats agreed. That night, while the ogress slept, a brave rat climbed onto her face and inserted its tail into her throat. She coughed violently, and the ring flew out and rolled across the floor. The rat seized it and brought it to the cat, who released the bridegroom unharmed.
Triumphant, the cat and dog began the journey home. But when they reached a stream, the jealous dog demanded to carry the ring. The cat reluctantly agreed, and the dog immediately dropped it into the water, where a fish swallowed it.
The clever cat ordered the dog to kill a lamb and bring it back. She hid inside the lamb’s carcass, and when a Nadhar bird, whose very gaze can break fish bones, swooped down to claim the meal, the cat sprang out and threatened it. The terrified bird commanded the king of fishes to return the ring, which was done.
But again the dog insisted on carrying it, and again he dropped it, this time a kite seized it and flew to a distant tree. The cat waited until dark, climbed the tree, killed the kite, and recovered the ring once more.
The dog, thoroughly ashamed, begged forgiveness. They returned to their grieving master and placed the precious ring in his hands. His sorrow transformed instantly to joy. He spoke to the ring, and his beautiful wife and magnificent house reappeared. They lived happily ever after, and the merchant’s son never forgot that his greatest treasures came not from business dealings, but from compassion and loyal friendship.
The Moral Lesson
This tale teaches that true wealth lies not in money but in compassion and the loyal friendships it creates. The merchant’s son appeared foolish when he spent his capital saving animals, but those very creatures became his greatest allies, using their unique abilities to restore his fortune when magic alone could not save him. The story reminds us that kindness is never wasted, it returns multiplied when we need it most. Additionally, it shows that different creatures possess different gifts, and by working together, they can overcome obstacles impossible for any single being. Trust and loyalty among friends prove more valuable than any magical ring.
Knowledge Check
Q1: Why did the merchant’s son spend all his money on animals instead of investing in trade?
A: The young man possessed a tender, compassionate heart that could not bear to see innocent creatures killed. Despite knowing his father expected him to use the money for business, his natural kindness compelled him to save the dog, cat, and snake from death. This seemingly foolish act demonstrated that his character valued life and mercy over profit, a quality that later proved more valuable than any business investment when these same animals used their unique abilities to save him from ruin.
Q2: What is the significance of Raja Indrasha being a serpent king living underground?
A: In Indian mythology and folklore, nagas (serpent beings) often rule underground kingdoms and possess great magical powers and treasures. Raja Indrasha represents this ancient tradition, where serpent royalty are considered wise, powerful, and capable of great gratitude. His underwater realm accessed through a sacred spring reflects the belief in hidden worlds beneath the earth. His gift of the magical ring and pot shows that the serpent kingdom’s treasures are beyond human making, supernatural rewards for extraordinary kindness that transcend ordinary mortal wealth.
Q3: How do the cat and dog’s different abilities complement each other in recovering the ring?
A: The cat demonstrates intelligence, stealth, and climbing ability, entering the princess’s chamber through the window, negotiating cleverly with the rats, climbing the tree to kill the kite, and hiding inside the lamb carcass to trap the Nadhar bird. The dog provides strength and swimming ability, carrying the cat across the stream. Their partnership shows that different talents are needed for success; neither could have recovered the ring alone. However, the dog’s jealousy and carelessness (dropping the ring twice) also demonstrates that emotional weaknesses can endanger even the most important missions.
Q4: What does the ogress’s shapeshifting represent in the story?
A: The ogress’s ability to transform into a bee and an old woman represents deception and the danger of trusting appearances. Her shapeshifting symbolizes how evil can disguise itself as harmless or even loving, she posed as a long-lost aunt to gain the princess’s trust. This element warns listeners to be cautious about strangers who appear suddenly with claims of kinship or extraordinary interest in valuable possessions. The ogress also represents how powerful beings might abuse their abilities for selfish purposes, contrasting with the merchant’s son who used his magical gifts responsibly.
Q5: Why was the princess unable to keep the magical ring safe despite being warned?
A: The princess’s failure illustrates how innocence and trusting nature, while admirable qualities, can make one vulnerable to deception. She had no reason to doubt an elderly woman claiming to be her aunt, especially one who showed such affection. Her mistake wasn’t foolishness but rather the natural human tendency to trust those who seem to care for us. This adds realism to the tale, even good, intelligent people can be deceived by skilled manipulators. It also shows why the merchant’s son needed loyal, clever friends; not even magical objects can protect against all dangers without wisdom and watchful companions.
Q6: What cultural elements identify this as an Indian folktale?
A: Several distinctly Indian elements mark this story: the merchant class and importance of trade in society; Raja (king) as a title; the concept of nagas (serpent beings) ruling underground kingdoms; sacred springs as portals to other realms; the mention of rupees as currency; the cultural practice of arranged marriages between royalty; the presence of ogresses (rakshasas) with magical powers; the Nadhar bird from Indian mythology; rats holding royal weddings (reflecting Indian storytelling traditions); and the overall structure of a moral tale teaching dharma (righteous living) through the consequences of compassion versus selfishness.
Source: Indian folktale, India
