Atondido Stories
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 car-
ried off by a kite.
"See, see, there it goes—away to that big tree," the cat ex-
claimed.
"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 sor-
row was turned into joy. He spoke to the ring, and his beautiful
wife and house reappeared, and he and everybody were as hap-
py as ever they could be.
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