Atondido Stories
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 res-
cue. 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 moun-
tain? 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? How-
ever, 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 man-
sion 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 direc-
tions. "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
468