Atondido Stories
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 reme-
died. 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 him-
self. 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
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