Atondido Stories
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 plen-
ty 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 safe-
ty; 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 fa-
ther 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 wel-
comed 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. After-
wards they walked together to the river side, where it was decid-
ed 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 prin-
cess, 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
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