August 30, 2025 • 30 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
There was once a king who had two sons. The
elder was a very stingy prince. He would neither give
nor lend to any one. The younger, on the contrary,
was a waster who could never say no to any one,
and spent all he had without ever taking thought of
the morrow. In time, the old king died, leaving everything
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he had to his sons without making any division between them.
The elder was very much dissatisfied with this arrangement. Come,
he said to his brother, let us divide between us
what our father left. Then you can squander your share
as you please, but I intend to save mine, for
I have no idea of being brought to poverty. The
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younger brother readily agreed to this. They divided the inheritance
between them, but somehow in the division, the elder one
seemed to get the best of everything. The younger did
not quarrel over that. However, After that they separated, and
each one lived his own life as he wished. The
elder saved and hoarded as was his nature, and grew
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richer every day, but the younger spent with a free
hand and denied neither himself nor his friends anything. After
a while, the younger prince had spent all he had,
and then he journeyed to the palace where his elder
brother lived to ask help of him. The older prince
was but ill pleased to see him. So you have
already wasted all your money, said he. I knew it
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would be so. This one time. I will help you,
because you are the son of our father. But in
return you must promise you will never come here again
to trouble me. The young prince was obliged to agree
to this, and the elder then gave him four pieces
of golden money, no more, no less. With this, the
young prince was obliged to be content, though it was
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little enough to live on. He went away from his
brother's palace, and he had not journeyed far when he
met a man carrying a cat. And the cat was
so thin and miserable looking that it was pitiful. Is
your cat for sale? Asked the prince. Yes, it is,
answered the man. And what is the price of it?
I can only sell it for gold, for it is
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a very fine cat. Very well, said the prince, I
will buy it, and he paid the man one of
the pieces of money his brother had given him. He
went a little farther on, and he met a man
with a dog, and the dog was no less miserable
looking than the cat. The prince felt pity, For it
is your dog for sale? He asked, Yes, I will
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sell it. How much do you ask for it? I
will sell it for a piece of gold money. The
prince gave the man a second of his pieces of
money and took the dog in exchange. A little while
after he saw a merchant with a parrot, and then
a fakir with a snake, and both of these creatures
he also bought, because he thought they looked as though
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they were ill treated. And now his money was all gone.
My poor friends, said the prince. I had meant to
do you a good turn by buying you, but now
I have no food for either myself or you. It
seems you are worse off than ever. Do not let
that trouble you, dear prince, said the snake, My father,
who lives over in the jungle beyond the city, is
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the king and ruler over all the serpents. He is
very rich and powerful. Let us go to him, and
he will gladly reward you for saving me from the fakir.
For he was a very cruel man. This advice sounded
good to the prince. He at once set out into
the jungle, and the snake directed him which way to go.
The dog and the cat followed close behind, and the
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parrot fluttered from branch to branch overhead. After traveling for
some time, the prince and his companions came to a
great heap of ruins, and here the snake bade them pause.
This is where my father lives, says he. Do you
wait here while I go forward and prepare him for
your visit. If you came upon him suddenly, he might
strike you before I had time to tell him who
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you were, and you might die very well, said the prince.
Do you go, and I and the others will wait
here until you return. The snake at once slipped away
among the ruins, and it was not long before he returned.
My father will now see you, he said. He is
very grateful to you for saving me from the fakir,
and will offer to reward you with all sorts of treasures,
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but you must refuse them. Ask him for the little
old ring he wears, and take nothing else, for it
is worth more than all the rest of his riches.
Put together. The prince promised to do as the snake
bade him, and then followed it through the ruins until
they came to the large, gilded and painted chamber where
the serpent King lived. This serpent king was of enormous
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size and wore a golden crown upon his head. After
he had heard his son's story, he made the prince
welcome and began to thank him for what he had
done for his son. You have saved him from a
miserable life, said he. I am not ungrateful, and I
intend to reward you. In my treasure chamber are riches
beyond all dreaming. Take as much of them as you choose.
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I grudge you nothing, and there is nothing you can
ask of me that I will not give you. I
thank you, answered the prince, But I have no need
of treasures, and it was from pity that I bought
your son, and not for a reward. Nevertheless, I wish
to show my gratitude, said the serpent King. I beg
of you to help yourself to my treasures, gold or jewels.
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I care not how much you take. Again, the prince refused, Indeed,
I am in need of nothing. Then for the third time,
the serpent King urged him to accept some reward. Very well,
said the prince at last, I see you will not
be content unless I take something from you, So give
me that little old ring you wear as a token
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of friendship between us. When the serpent King heard this,
he was furious and hiss so loudly that the prince
trembled with fear. Who has told you to ask for
the ring of fortune? He cried? All the rest of
my treasures are as nothing beside this, And if I
had not promised you whatever you might ask for, you
should never have it. However, the serpent had given his word,
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and he was obliged to let the prince have the ring.
The Prince slipped it on his finger, and then he
hastened away from the ruins, for he was afraid of
what the serpent King might do to him. No sooner
was he safely out of the jungle than he said
to the snake, this is a very foolish thing you
have made me do. I might have had enough treasure
to make me rich for life, and now I have
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nothing but this little old ring that appears to be
made of very common metal and quite worthless. Do not judge,
so quickly replied the snake, For that ring has very
wonderful powers. It is able to give you whatever you
may ask for. Now, do as I tell you, and
you will see the wisdom of your choice. Make a
clean square place on the ground, and plaster it over,
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as one does in making a holy place. Lay the
ring in the center of it, and sprinkle it with
sour milk. Then ask for anything you may wish, and
it will be yours. This is a very strange story,
said the prince, and I can hardly believe it. Still,
he made a holy place as the snake directed him,
and laid the ring in the center of it, and
sprinkled it with sour milk. Then, as he was hungry,
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he said, I wish for all sorts of good things
to eat and drink. At once a feast appeared before him.
The food was of the most delicious kind. The dishes
were of gold and richly carved, and there were napkins
of the finest linen, fringed and embroidered with silver. The
prince could hardly express his wonder and admiration. You were
indeed right, said he to the snake. Not the greatest
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king in all the world possesses a treasure as great
as this ring. He then ate and drank to his
heart's content, sharing everything with his three companions. After they
had made an end of eating, the dishes disappeared, and
the prince put the ring upon his finger, and he
and his companions journeyed on again. He had no wish
to return to the city where his brother lived, so
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they traveled in an opposite direction for a while. They
came to a strange country, bordering on the sea shore,
and ruled over by a very great and powerful king.
This king had one beautiful daughter, and she was so
lovely that there was not her like in all the world.
Many princes and great rulers had sought her in marriage,
but the king had declared that no one should have
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her but he who was able to build a golden
palace in the sea in one night. Whoever could do
this should not only receive the princess in marriage, but
one half of the kingdom as well. But whoever failed
in the task should have his head cut off. Many
had tried, but none had succeeded, And the king had
made a necklace of the heads of those who failed,
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and had hung it beside the castle gate as a
warning to all rash adventurers. But the young prince was
not at all frightened by the sight of these heads.
He knocked boldly at the palace gates and asked to
speak with the king at once. The guards brought him
before their master, and the prince said he had come
to build the Golden Palace for the King, and that
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he wished to set about the matter that very night.
Rash youth, said the King. Have you not seen the
necklace of heads that hangs beside the gateway? Do you
value your life so little that you are willing to
lose it for nothing? I do not think I will
lose it, answered the prince. I make no doubt but
that I will be able to build the palace, and
to build it in one single night, as you require.
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Very well, said the King. If you are determined to
make the attempt, I will not forbid you, but you
will certainly lose your head, even as others have done
before you. The King then commanded that the prince should
be taken to the sea shore, and that a guard
should be set around him, so that he failed in
the attempt, he should not be allowed to escape without
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paying the penalty. The prince, however, had no thought of escaping.
He trusted in the power of the ring, and had
no doubt but that as soon as he wished it,
the palace would appear. He bade his faithful animals keep
watch and rouse him just before dawning, and then he
spread his cloak on the ground and lay down and
went quietly to sleep. The guards who were set to
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watch him were amazed. This man must wish to die,
They said, he has not even made the first attempt
to build the castle, and takes no thought of how
the hours of the night are slipping away. Just before dawning,
the animals awakened to the prince. The dog barked in
his ear, the cat scratched him gently, the parrot pulled
him by the sleeve, and the snake twisted about his
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arm and pinched him. The prince yawned and rose up,
stretching his arms. He then set about making a square,
clean place as before. He plastered it over and laid
the ring in the center of it. He then sprinkled
it with some sour milk with which he provided himself,
and said, I wish a golden palace to be built
in the sea immediately. I wish it to have golden
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tarrets and domes, and a golden stairway leading up from
the water. I also wish it to be furnished throughout
with golden furniture and hangings, and I wish it to
be in every respect to the most magnificent palace in
all the world. Immediately as the prince wished, the golden
palace appeared in the sea, and it was in every
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way exactly as he had asked. The guards who had
been set to watch him could hardly believe their eyes
when they saw a golden palace arise out of the sea. Look, look,
they cried, most wonderful, it must be a magic palace.
Almost at the same time, the King in his royal
palace awakened, and at once he went to the window
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to look out across the sea. What was his amazement
to see instead of the stretch of water, a most
magnificent palace with golden domes and arrets that glittered in
the sun. It was so very beautiful that he could
not refrain from crying out with wonder and admiration. He
at once made haste to dress and hurried out to
find the prince. As soon as he came near where
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the prince was, he began to call to him, You
have done what seemed impossible. Never before have I seen
such a beautiful palace. The Prince and half of my
kingdom are yours, and gladly will I give them to
you in exchange for this palace. No, answered the prince.
I have no wish for either the princess or the kingdom.
The golden castle is mine, and I intend to live
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in it myself. He then beckoned to a golden boat
that lay beside the steps of the palace. At once,
and with no one to row it, the boat shot
across the water to where the prince stood. The Prince
stepped into it, followed by his three companions, and it
returned to the golden steps with him, and then he landed.
The king was greatly disappointed. He now wished very much
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to have the Prince for a son in law. He
bade his daughter to dress herself in her finest robes
and her richest jewels, and come with him to visit
the prince. The princess was not loath to do this,
for she wished very much to see inside the palace.
She dressed herself finally as her father commanded, and then
went with him to the palace. No sooner did they
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come to the room where the young prince was, and
no sooner did he look upon the princess. Then he
fell violently in love with her, for he had never
before seen such a beauty, and he wished to marry
her at once. This pleased the king greatly. The princess
was quite willing, for she had fallen in love with
the prince even as he had with her. So a
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feast was made ready as soon as possible, and the
prince and princess were married with the greatest pomp and magnificence.
For some time afterward, the young people lived together in happiness.
But after a while the princess lost all her cheerfulness
and became very sad and mournful. The prince could not
tell what ailed her. One day he found her weeping.
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My dear princess, he said to her, why are you
so sad and mournful? Do you no longer love me?
Or is there something you wish for that is lacking
in our palace? There is nothing lacking, answered the princess,
And indeed I love you better every day we lived together.
Then what ails you, my dear one. The princess again
began weeping. Ah, I am weeping, said she, because everything
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you have here in the palace is golden, and I
wish to be golden too, for that would be so beautiful. Oh,
my dear husband, is there not some way by which
I also may be turned to gold? Yes, answered the prince.
That can easily be done, And since you are no
longer happy as you are, I am willing to oblige you.
He then cleared a square place and prepared it as before,
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and laid the ring in the center of it, and
sprinkled it with sour milk. I wish, said he, that
the princess may become golden. At once, the princess was
turned into gold. Every bit of her her head and body,
and hands and feet, even her nails and hair and
eyelashes became gold. Now are you content, asked the prince. Oh,
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I am so happy. I can hardly contain myself. But
that is a very wonderful ring that you have, and
I am well pleased to know of its power. So saying,
the princess went away to look at herself in a
mirror and to admire her golden beauty. Not long after this,
the princess was combing her hair, and three hairs caught
around the comb and were pulled out. It is a
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pity there's no poor person here in the castle, to
whom I can give these hairs, said the princess, for
they are very valuable. She did not wish to throw
away that much gold, so she took a piece of
paper and made a box of it. In this she
coiled the three hares and set it afloat on the sea.
It may be they will fall into the hands of
someone who needs them, thought the princess to herself. Now
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a light wind was blowing, and it carried the paper
box on and on over the waves, until it came
to the borders of another country, rolled over by another king.
There the box drifted ashore, and there it was picked
up by a servant from the palace close by. The
servant examined the box and wondered over the golden hairs
it contained. They seemed to him so very beautiful that
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he carried them back to the palace and showed them
to the king, And the king in turn showed them
to the prince his son. No sooner did the prince
the hares. Then he fell desperately in love with the
golden princess, to whom they belonged, even though he had
never seen her. I feel sure that only a princess
could have such hair, said he, and that she must
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be the most beautiful creature in all the world. And
unless I can see her and win her for a bride,
I feel sure I shall die of longing. Indeed, this
desire to see the princess was so great that he
became very ill, and not all the physicians in the
kingdom were able to cure him. The king was greatly troubled.
He feared the prince would indeed die with longing, as
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he said. He therefore sent out a proclamation that any
one who would find the princess and bring her to
his palace should name his own reward. Whatever it was,
it would be given him, even to half the kingdom.
Now there lived not far from there an old, wise
woman who was very crafty. She came to the palace
and asked to see the king, And when she was
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brought before him, she said, O, King, I am willing
to undertake this matter, and I feel sure I can
find the princess with the golden hair and bring her
to the prince. But first I wish to make sure
that in such a case I shall receive a reward
as you have promised. What I have promised, I have promised,
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replied the King. And if you succeed in this batter,
you will have whatever you ask for. Very well, said
the wise woman, then I will undertake it. She told
the king that she would need for the adventure a
golden boat with four strong rowers trained to obey every
motion she made without her having to speak to them.
She would also need in the boat a large cradle
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made of all sorts of different colored silks, and silken
ropes to swing it by. All these things the King
gave her, and then the old woman set out in
search of the princess. The rowers rowed on and on,
and after a long long time they came within sight
of the Golden Castle, and as soon as the wise
woman saw it, she knew that it must be there
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that the Princess of the Golden Hair lived. She made
the rowers draw up the boat beside the steps, and
then she hastened up the steps and went into room
after room of the castle until she came to the
place where the princess was sitting. As soon as she
saw the princess, she gave a cry of joy and
ran to her and put her hands on her head,
as is the custom with relatives, and then she took
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the princess in her arms and kissed her. The princess
was very much surprised at having a strange old woman
come into the palace and treat her in this way,
and she tried to push her away. But the more
the princess tried to push the old woman away, the
closer the old woman held her. Oh, my dear niece,
cried she, do you not know me? I am your
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old aunt. No, answered the princess, I do not know you,
and I did not know I had an aunt. What
cried the wise woman, pretending to be very much surprised.
Has your father never spoken of me? No, he is not. Ah, well,
it is a long time he and I parted. The
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old woman then told the princess a long story of
how she and the princess's father were brother and sister,
and of how they had played together as children, and
of how she had journeyed away to live in a
far off kingdom when the princess was still a very
little girl. She told it so cleverly that the beauty
could not but believe it. And in the end she
made her pretended aunt welcome, and they sat down and
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talked together pleasantly. The pretended aunt asked the princess a
great many questions about the palace and how she lived,
and why there were no servants to be seen anywhere.
We have no need of servants, answered the princess, because
my husband has a ring that has very wonderful powers,
and it supplies us with everything we want. He has
only to ask for anything, And it appears that is
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a very wonderful story, said the wise woman. And where
does your husband keep his ring? Oh, he wears it
always on his hand. The wise woman then asked where
the young prince was and whether he were at home. No,
he has gone hunting with my father, dear aunt. They
often go hunting together. And does he take the ring
with him when he goes hunting. Yes, it never leaves
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his finger, except when he is working magic with it.
The pretended aunt shook her head. That is very dangerous,
she said. Suppose something should happen to him while he
is hunting. And the ring should be lost. That would
be a great misfortune to both of you. He should
leave the ring at home with you, and then it
would be safe, and you would have it here at need.
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That is very true, answered the princess. I had not
thought of that. I will ask him to leave it
with me the next time he goes hunting. The wise
woman was well satisfied with this and rejoiced in her heart,
for she believed the prince would do as the princess
wished in the matter, and after the princess had the
ring in her possession, she felt sure she could lure
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her away with her. She and the princess sat together
talking for a long time, and before the prince came home,
the wise woman begged the prince princess not to tell
him she was there. I have many fine robes, said she,
but they are in another boat that is following not
far behind. When it arrives, I will dress myself in
a way that is suitable, and then you shall present
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me to the Prince. To this, the beauty agreed, and
so when her husband came home, she told him nothing
about the visit from her pretended aunt. The next day,
the prince was going hunting again, and before he set out,
the princess begged him to take off the magic ring
and leave it with her. This he was loath to do,
but she entreated him so anxiously to let her keep it,
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that at last the prince could refuse her no longer.
He took off the ring and placed it in her hand.
No sooner had the prince left the palace than the
old wise woman hastened to the princess and asked her
whether her husband had left the ring with her. Yes,
answered the princess. Here it is, and I intend to
put it on a ribbon and hang it about my neck,
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so that I may not lose it. That is a
WHI plan, said the pretended aunt. She then began to
talk to the princess of the beautiful boat in which
she had come thither, and of the strong rowers, and
of the many colored cradle that hung from silken ropes
and swung with every breath of wind. The princess became
very curious to see these fine things, and the pretended
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aunt easily persuaded her to come down with her to
the boat and to enter into it. She showed the
princess where the cradle was hung, and while the princess
was admiring it, the wise woman motioned the rowers to
row away from the palace steps and away across the sea,
and this they did. The princess was so busy examining
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the cradle that it was some time before she noticed
that they were moving onward, and that the palace was
far behind. Then she was very much surprised and troubled.
Where are we going, she asked of the wise woman.
I do not think my husband would like me to
leave the palace. I must return at once. Presently, presently,
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answered the pretended aunt. But first lie down in the
cradle and see how pleasantly it rocks with the motion
of the boat. Only for a moment, then said the princess,
and she lay down in the cradle at once. By
her magic arts, the wise woman threw her into a
deep sleep. And then she took the ring from the
ribbon around the princess's neck and put it upon her
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own finger. The princess slept until they arrived at the kingdom,
whence the wise woman had come. She then aroused the
princess and bade her leave the boat and follow her.
Where are we? And Why have you brought me hither,
asked the princess. I have brought you hither to marry
you to one of the finest young princes in the world,
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and one who is dying for love of you. The
princess was horrified. I can never love any one but
my own dear husband, and I will always be true
to him and never marry any one else. The old
woman obliged the princess to come with her before the king, however,
and when he saw how very beautiful she was, he
was amazed. He sent for his son, and the young
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prince came in haste. As soon as he saw the
golden princess, he wished to take her hand and tell
her how he loved her, but she would not allow
him to touch her, nor would she listen to him.
Very well, said the King, I see you do not
love the prince as yet, but you soon will. We
will wait for a month, and then you shall marry him,
whether you wish it or not. It was in vain
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that the princess wept and entreated and implored. What I
have said. I have said, declared the king, and nothing
can change me. The princess was then led away to
the apartments prepared for her, But the old wise woman
kept the ring, for that was the reward she demanded
of the king, and she would not accept anything else. Now,
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while all this was happening, the Prince of the Golden
Palace returned from hunting and was very much surprised not
to see his princess waiting on the golden steps to
greet him, for this had always been her custom. He
called her, but there was no answer. He hastened from
room to room of the palace, searching everywhere. When he
could not find her, he was in despair. Some one
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has stolen her, he cried, and surely she is lost
to me forever. Ester, do not be so desperate, said
the parrot. What are my wings for except to serve you.
There was an old woman who came here while you
were away, though you did not know it. I make
no doubt but that she has stolen the princess. Now
I will fly abroad far and near, and never will
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I return until I find her. And I said, Puss
will go with you, For after you have found the princess,
my witing claus may be of use to her. But
how will you cross the sea, and how will you
cross the rivers that divide the kingdoms. I will also
go with you, said the dog. And I will swim
the sea in rivers, for that I can do, and
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push shall ride on my back dry footed. To this
the parrot agreed, and the three set off together. They
journeyed on and on for a long time, hither and yon,
until at last they came to the very kingdom to
which the old woman had carried the princess, And there,
through an upper window of the palace, the parrot saw
the gleam of golden hair. At once he called to
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the dog and cat, surely that is the princess sitting
there at an open window. Do you wait, and I
will go and see whether it is certainly she, And
then I will return and tell you. The parrot flew
up to the palace window and lighted on the sill.
The princess had been weeping, but when she saw him,
she gave a cry of joy. Oh, my dear parrot,
is the prince here? She cried? Has he come to
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save me? No, princess, answered the bird. He could not
travel so fast and far as we so he is
waiting mournfully at the Golden Palace for us to return
give me the ring of fortune, that I may carry
it back to him, and then he can wish you
back with him again. At these words, the princess began
to weep more bitterly than ever. She told the parrot
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how she had been lured away, and how the wise
woman had stolen her ring from her while she was asleep.
You must manage to get the ring back into your possession,
said the parrot, For until you have it, we can
do nothing. That is impossible, wept the princess. The old
woman keeps the ring in her mouth both night and day.
No one is allowed even so much as to see it.
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This makes the matter more difficult, said the parrot. I
will have to consult the others about it. He then
flew back to where the dog and cat were waiting
and told them all the princess had said. Did I
not say that you would need me, said Puss. I
will manage to steal into the palace and to the
chamber of the princess, and then I can arrange some
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way to make the old woman give up the ring. Meanwhile,
do you return to the princess and hide yourself behind
the curtains in her room? For I may need your help.
It did not take the cat long to find a
way to enter the palace, and she then slipped along
the passages and up the stairways to the chamber where
the princess was. The princess was no less glad to
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see Puss than she had been to see the parrot.
The cat prowled about the room and soon found several
rat holes back of the hangings. Now listen, Mistress, said
the cat. To day, you must ask them to prepare
you some boiled rice for your supper. When it is
brought to you, do not eat it all, save a
portion of it and scatter it on the floor near
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the rat holes. Be sure to do this, for I
have a plan in my head by which I hope
to save you. The princess promised to do as the
cat said, and when a little later the wise woman
came to visit her, the princess asked to have rice
for her supper. When the rice was brought, she ate
only a little of it, and then, when no one
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was looking, she scattered the rest of it on the
floor near the rat holes. All this while the cat
and the parrot remained hidden behind the curtains. That night,
according to her custom, the wise woman slept in the
princess's chamber. When all was still and no one willing
but the guard outside the door, the rats came out
from their holes and began to eat the rice the
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princess scattered about. This was what Puss was waiting for.
At once she pounced from behind the curtains and caught
the largest and fattest of the rats, Holding it in
her teeth. She climbed upon the old woman's bed and
tickled the old woman's nose with the rat's tail. This
made the old woman sneeze, and when she sneezed, the
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ring flew out of her mouth and rolled across the floor.
The parrot was on the watch. It caught up the
ring in its beak and flew out of the window
with it, while the cat made haste to slip out
of the palace the way she had come in, and
rejoined the dog who was waiting below. Meanwhile, the wicked
old wise woman was like one distracted. The sneeze had
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awakened her, and as soon as she awoke, she discovered
the ring was gone from her mouth. She did not
know what had become of it, and hunted everywhere, but
she could not find it. She shook and trembled and
raged against the princess, but rage as she might, it
did not bring back the ring, for it was gone.
The parrot flew on and on with the ring till
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his breath failed and his wings flagged. But by morning
he was back at the Golden Palace. He flew through
a window into the room where the Prince was, and
dropped the ring on the table before him. When the
Prince saw the ring, he could hardly believe his eyes,
and it seemed as though his heart would leap out
of his bosom with joy. He at once prepared a
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square place as before, and laid the ring in the
center of it. He sprinkled it with sour milk, and
wished that his own dear princess would return to him.
And at once, in a twinkling, there she stood before
him in all her golden beauty. She and the Prince
fell upon each other's necks, weeping with joy. And from
that time on they lived together in love and happiness,
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and the Prince never again allowed the Ring of Fortune
to go out of his possession. End of the Wonderful
Ring by Catherine Pyle
There was once a king who had two sons. The
elder was a very stingy prince. He would neither give
nor lend to any one. The younger, on the contrary,
was a waster who could never say no to any one,
and spent all he had without ever taking thought of
the morrow. In time, the old king died, leaving everything
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he had to his sons without making any division between them.
The elder was very much dissatisfied with this arrangement. Come,
he said to his brother, let us divide between us
what our father left. Then you can squander your share
as you please, but I intend to save mine, for
I have no idea of being brought to poverty. The
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younger brother readily agreed to this. They divided the inheritance
between them, but somehow in the division, the elder one
seemed to get the best of everything. The younger did
not quarrel over that. However, After that they separated, and
each one lived his own life as he wished. The
elder saved and hoarded as was his nature, and grew
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richer every day, but the younger spent with a free
hand and denied neither himself nor his friends anything. After
a while, the younger prince had spent all he had,
and then he journeyed to the palace where his elder
brother lived to ask help of him. The older prince
was but ill pleased to see him. So you have
already wasted all your money, said he. I knew it
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would be so. This one time. I will help you,
because you are the son of our father. But in
return you must promise you will never come here again
to trouble me. The young prince was obliged to agree
to this, and the elder then gave him four pieces
of golden money, no more, no less. With this, the
young prince was obliged to be content, though it was
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little enough to live on. He went away from his
brother's palace, and he had not journeyed far when he
met a man carrying a cat. And the cat was
so thin and miserable looking that it was pitiful. Is
your cat for sale? Asked the prince. Yes, it is,
answered the man. And what is the price of it?
I can only sell it for gold, for it is
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a very fine cat. Very well, said the prince, I
will buy it, and he paid the man one of
the pieces of money his brother had given him. He
went a little farther on, and he met a man
with a dog, and the dog was no less miserable
looking than the cat. The prince felt pity, For it
is your dog for sale? He asked, Yes, I will
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sell it. How much do you ask for it? I
will sell it for a piece of gold money. The
prince gave the man a second of his pieces of
money and took the dog in exchange. A little while
after he saw a merchant with a parrot, and then
a fakir with a snake, and both of these creatures
he also bought, because he thought they looked as though
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they were ill treated. And now his money was all gone.
My poor friends, said the prince. I had meant to
do you a good turn by buying you, but now
I have no food for either myself or you. It
seems you are worse off than ever. Do not let
that trouble you, dear prince, said the snake, My father,
who lives over in the jungle beyond the city, is
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the king and ruler over all the serpents. He is
very rich and powerful. Let us go to him, and
he will gladly reward you for saving me from the fakir.
For he was a very cruel man. This advice sounded
good to the prince. He at once set out into
the jungle, and the snake directed him which way to go.
The dog and the cat followed close behind, and the
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parrot fluttered from branch to branch overhead. After traveling for
some time, the prince and his companions came to a
great heap of ruins, and here the snake bade them pause.
This is where my father lives, says he. Do you
wait here while I go forward and prepare him for
your visit. If you came upon him suddenly, he might
strike you before I had time to tell him who
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you were, and you might die very well, said the prince.
Do you go, and I and the others will wait
here until you return. The snake at once slipped away
among the ruins, and it was not long before he returned.
My father will now see you, he said. He is
very grateful to you for saving me from the fakir,
and will offer to reward you with all sorts of treasures,
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but you must refuse them. Ask him for the little
old ring he wears, and take nothing else, for it
is worth more than all the rest of his riches.
Put together. The prince promised to do as the snake
bade him, and then followed it through the ruins until
they came to the large, gilded and painted chamber where
the serpent King lived. This serpent king was of enormous
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size and wore a golden crown upon his head. After
he had heard his son's story, he made the prince
welcome and began to thank him for what he had
done for his son. You have saved him from a
miserable life, said he. I am not ungrateful, and I
intend to reward you. In my treasure chamber are riches
beyond all dreaming. Take as much of them as you choose.
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I grudge you nothing, and there is nothing you can
ask of me that I will not give you. I
thank you, answered the prince, But I have no need
of treasures, and it was from pity that I bought
your son, and not for a reward. Nevertheless, I wish
to show my gratitude, said the serpent King. I beg
of you to help yourself to my treasures, gold or jewels.
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I care not how much you take. Again, the prince refused, Indeed,
I am in need of nothing. Then for the third time,
the serpent King urged him to accept some reward. Very well,
said the prince at last, I see you will not
be content unless I take something from you, So give
me that little old ring you wear as a token
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of friendship between us. When the serpent King heard this,
he was furious and hiss so loudly that the prince
trembled with fear. Who has told you to ask for
the ring of fortune? He cried? All the rest of
my treasures are as nothing beside this, And if I
had not promised you whatever you might ask for, you
should never have it. However, the serpent had given his word,
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and he was obliged to let the prince have the ring.
The Prince slipped it on his finger, and then he
hastened away from the ruins, for he was afraid of
what the serpent King might do to him. No sooner
was he safely out of the jungle than he said
to the snake, this is a very foolish thing you
have made me do. I might have had enough treasure
to make me rich for life, and now I have
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nothing but this little old ring that appears to be
made of very common metal and quite worthless. Do not judge,
so quickly replied the snake, For that ring has very
wonderful powers. It is able to give you whatever you
may ask for. Now, do as I tell you, and
you will see the wisdom of your choice. Make a
clean square place on the ground, and plaster it over,
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as one does in making a holy place. Lay the
ring in the center of it, and sprinkle it with
sour milk. Then ask for anything you may wish, and
it will be yours. This is a very strange story,
said the prince, and I can hardly believe it. Still,
he made a holy place as the snake directed him,
and laid the ring in the center of it, and
sprinkled it with sour milk. Then, as he was hungry,
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he said, I wish for all sorts of good things
to eat and drink. At once a feast appeared before him.
The food was of the most delicious kind. The dishes
were of gold and richly carved, and there were napkins
of the finest linen, fringed and embroidered with silver. The
prince could hardly express his wonder and admiration. You were
indeed right, said he to the snake. Not the greatest
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king in all the world possesses a treasure as great
as this ring. He then ate and drank to his
heart's content, sharing everything with his three companions. After they
had made an end of eating, the dishes disappeared, and
the prince put the ring upon his finger, and he
and his companions journeyed on again. He had no wish
to return to the city where his brother lived, so
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they traveled in an opposite direction for a while. They
came to a strange country, bordering on the sea shore,
and ruled over by a very great and powerful king.
This king had one beautiful daughter, and she was so
lovely that there was not her like in all the world.
Many princes and great rulers had sought her in marriage,
but the king had declared that no one should have
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her but he who was able to build a golden
palace in the sea in one night. Whoever could do
this should not only receive the princess in marriage, but
one half of the kingdom as well. But whoever failed
in the task should have his head cut off. Many
had tried, but none had succeeded, And the king had
made a necklace of the heads of those who failed,
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and had hung it beside the castle gate as a
warning to all rash adventurers. But the young prince was
not at all frightened by the sight of these heads.
He knocked boldly at the palace gates and asked to
speak with the king at once. The guards brought him
before their master, and the prince said he had come
to build the Golden Palace for the King, and that
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he wished to set about the matter that very night.
Rash youth, said the King. Have you not seen the
necklace of heads that hangs beside the gateway? Do you
value your life so little that you are willing to
lose it for nothing? I do not think I will
lose it, answered the prince. I make no doubt but
that I will be able to build the palace, and
to build it in one single night, as you require.
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Very well, said the King. If you are determined to
make the attempt, I will not forbid you, but you
will certainly lose your head, even as others have done
before you. The King then commanded that the prince should
be taken to the sea shore, and that a guard
should be set around him, so that he failed in
the attempt, he should not be allowed to escape without
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paying the penalty. The prince, however, had no thought of escaping.
He trusted in the power of the ring, and had
no doubt but that as soon as he wished it,
the palace would appear. He bade his faithful animals keep
watch and rouse him just before dawning, and then he
spread his cloak on the ground and lay down and
went quietly to sleep. The guards who were set to
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watch him were amazed. This man must wish to die,
They said, he has not even made the first attempt
to build the castle, and takes no thought of how
the hours of the night are slipping away. Just before dawning,
the animals awakened to the prince. The dog barked in
his ear, the cat scratched him gently, the parrot pulled
him by the sleeve, and the snake twisted about his
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arm and pinched him. The prince yawned and rose up,
stretching his arms. He then set about making a square,
clean place as before. He plastered it over and laid
the ring in the center of it. He then sprinkled
it with some sour milk with which he provided himself,
and said, I wish a golden palace to be built
in the sea immediately. I wish it to have golden
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tarrets and domes, and a golden stairway leading up from
the water. I also wish it to be furnished throughout
with golden furniture and hangings, and I wish it to
be in every respect to the most magnificent palace in
all the world. Immediately as the prince wished, the golden
palace appeared in the sea, and it was in every
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way exactly as he had asked. The guards who had
been set to watch him could hardly believe their eyes
when they saw a golden palace arise out of the sea. Look, look,
they cried, most wonderful, it must be a magic palace.
Almost at the same time, the King in his royal
palace awakened, and at once he went to the window
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to look out across the sea. What was his amazement
to see instead of the stretch of water, a most
magnificent palace with golden domes and arrets that glittered in
the sun. It was so very beautiful that he could
not refrain from crying out with wonder and admiration. He
at once made haste to dress and hurried out to
find the prince. As soon as he came near where
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the prince was, he began to call to him, You
have done what seemed impossible. Never before have I seen
such a beautiful palace. The Prince and half of my
kingdom are yours, and gladly will I give them to
you in exchange for this palace. No, answered the prince.
I have no wish for either the princess or the kingdom.
The golden castle is mine, and I intend to live
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in it myself. He then beckoned to a golden boat
that lay beside the steps of the palace. At once,
and with no one to row it, the boat shot
across the water to where the prince stood. The Prince
stepped into it, followed by his three companions, and it
returned to the golden steps with him, and then he landed.
The king was greatly disappointed. He now wished very much
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to have the Prince for a son in law. He
bade his daughter to dress herself in her finest robes
and her richest jewels, and come with him to visit
the prince. The princess was not loath to do this,
for she wished very much to see inside the palace.
She dressed herself finally as her father commanded, and then
went with him to the palace. No sooner did they
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come to the room where the young prince was, and
no sooner did he look upon the princess. Then he
fell violently in love with her, for he had never
before seen such a beauty, and he wished to marry
her at once. This pleased the king greatly. The princess
was quite willing, for she had fallen in love with
the prince even as he had with her. So a
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feast was made ready as soon as possible, and the
prince and princess were married with the greatest pomp and magnificence.
For some time afterward, the young people lived together in happiness.
But after a while the princess lost all her cheerfulness
and became very sad and mournful. The prince could not
tell what ailed her. One day he found her weeping.
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My dear princess, he said to her, why are you
so sad and mournful? Do you no longer love me?
Or is there something you wish for that is lacking
in our palace? There is nothing lacking, answered the princess,
And indeed I love you better every day we lived together.
Then what ails you, my dear one. The princess again
began weeping. Ah, I am weeping, said she, because everything
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you have here in the palace is golden, and I
wish to be golden too, for that would be so beautiful. Oh,
my dear husband, is there not some way by which
I also may be turned to gold? Yes, answered the prince.
That can easily be done, And since you are no
longer happy as you are, I am willing to oblige you.
He then cleared a square place and prepared it as before,
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and laid the ring in the center of it, and
sprinkled it with sour milk. I wish, said he, that
the princess may become golden. At once, the princess was
turned into gold. Every bit of her her head and body,
and hands and feet, even her nails and hair and
eyelashes became gold. Now are you content, asked the prince. Oh,
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I am so happy. I can hardly contain myself. But
that is a very wonderful ring that you have, and
I am well pleased to know of its power. So saying,
the princess went away to look at herself in a
mirror and to admire her golden beauty. Not long after this,
the princess was combing her hair, and three hairs caught
around the comb and were pulled out. It is a
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pity there's no poor person here in the castle, to
whom I can give these hairs, said the princess, for
they are very valuable. She did not wish to throw
away that much gold, so she took a piece of
paper and made a box of it. In this she
coiled the three hares and set it afloat on the sea.
It may be they will fall into the hands of
someone who needs them, thought the princess to herself. Now
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a light wind was blowing, and it carried the paper
box on and on over the waves, until it came
to the borders of another country, rolled over by another king.
There the box drifted ashore, and there it was picked
up by a servant from the palace close by. The
servant examined the box and wondered over the golden hairs
it contained. They seemed to him so very beautiful that
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he carried them back to the palace and showed them
to the king, And the king in turn showed them
to the prince his son. No sooner did the prince
the hares. Then he fell desperately in love with the
golden princess, to whom they belonged, even though he had
never seen her. I feel sure that only a princess
could have such hair, said he, and that she must
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be the most beautiful creature in all the world. And
unless I can see her and win her for a bride,
I feel sure I shall die of longing. Indeed, this
desire to see the princess was so great that he
became very ill, and not all the physicians in the
kingdom were able to cure him. The king was greatly troubled.
He feared the prince would indeed die with longing, as
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he said. He therefore sent out a proclamation that any
one who would find the princess and bring her to
his palace should name his own reward. Whatever it was,
it would be given him, even to half the kingdom.
Now there lived not far from there an old, wise
woman who was very crafty. She came to the palace
and asked to see the king, And when she was
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brought before him, she said, O, King, I am willing
to undertake this matter, and I feel sure I can
find the princess with the golden hair and bring her
to the prince. But first I wish to make sure
that in such a case I shall receive a reward
as you have promised. What I have promised, I have promised,
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replied the King. And if you succeed in this batter,
you will have whatever you ask for. Very well, said
the wise woman, then I will undertake it. She told
the king that she would need for the adventure a
golden boat with four strong rowers trained to obey every
motion she made without her having to speak to them.
She would also need in the boat a large cradle
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made of all sorts of different colored silks, and silken
ropes to swing it by. All these things the King
gave her, and then the old woman set out in
search of the princess. The rowers rowed on and on,
and after a long long time they came within sight
of the Golden Castle, and as soon as the wise
woman saw it, she knew that it must be there
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that the Princess of the Golden Hair lived. She made
the rowers draw up the boat beside the steps, and
then she hastened up the steps and went into room
after room of the castle until she came to the
place where the princess was sitting. As soon as she
saw the princess, she gave a cry of joy and
ran to her and put her hands on her head,
as is the custom with relatives, and then she took
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the princess in her arms and kissed her. The princess
was very much surprised at having a strange old woman
come into the palace and treat her in this way,
and she tried to push her away. But the more
the princess tried to push the old woman away, the
closer the old woman held her. Oh, my dear niece,
cried she, do you not know me? I am your
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old aunt. No, answered the princess, I do not know you,
and I did not know I had an aunt. What
cried the wise woman, pretending to be very much surprised.
Has your father never spoken of me? No, he is not. Ah, well,
it is a long time he and I parted. The
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old woman then told the princess a long story of
how she and the princess's father were brother and sister,
and of how they had played together as children, and
of how she had journeyed away to live in a
far off kingdom when the princess was still a very
little girl. She told it so cleverly that the beauty
could not but believe it. And in the end she
made her pretended aunt welcome, and they sat down and
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talked together pleasantly. The pretended aunt asked the princess a
great many questions about the palace and how she lived,
and why there were no servants to be seen anywhere.
We have no need of servants, answered the princess, because
my husband has a ring that has very wonderful powers,
and it supplies us with everything we want. He has
only to ask for anything, And it appears that is
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a very wonderful story, said the wise woman. And where
does your husband keep his ring? Oh, he wears it
always on his hand. The wise woman then asked where
the young prince was and whether he were at home. No,
he has gone hunting with my father, dear aunt. They
often go hunting together. And does he take the ring
with him when he goes hunting. Yes, it never leaves
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his finger, except when he is working magic with it.
The pretended aunt shook her head. That is very dangerous,
she said. Suppose something should happen to him while he
is hunting. And the ring should be lost. That would
be a great misfortune to both of you. He should
leave the ring at home with you, and then it
would be safe, and you would have it here at need.
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That is very true, answered the princess. I had not
thought of that. I will ask him to leave it
with me the next time he goes hunting. The wise
woman was well satisfied with this and rejoiced in her heart,
for she believed the prince would do as the princess
wished in the matter, and after the princess had the
ring in her possession, she felt sure she could lure
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her away with her. She and the princess sat together
talking for a long time, and before the prince came home,
the wise woman begged the prince princess not to tell
him she was there. I have many fine robes, said she,
but they are in another boat that is following not
far behind. When it arrives, I will dress myself in
a way that is suitable, and then you shall present
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me to the Prince. To this, the beauty agreed, and
so when her husband came home, she told him nothing
about the visit from her pretended aunt. The next day,
the prince was going hunting again, and before he set out,
the princess begged him to take off the magic ring
and leave it with her. This he was loath to do,
but she entreated him so anxiously to let her keep it,
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that at last the prince could refuse her no longer.
He took off the ring and placed it in her hand.
No sooner had the prince left the palace than the
old wise woman hastened to the princess and asked her
whether her husband had left the ring with her. Yes,
answered the princess. Here it is, and I intend to
put it on a ribbon and hang it about my neck,
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so that I may not lose it. That is a
WHI plan, said the pretended aunt. She then began to
talk to the princess of the beautiful boat in which
she had come thither, and of the strong rowers, and
of the many colored cradle that hung from silken ropes
and swung with every breath of wind. The princess became
very curious to see these fine things, and the pretended
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aunt easily persuaded her to come down with her to
the boat and to enter into it. She showed the
princess where the cradle was hung, and while the princess
was admiring it, the wise woman motioned the rowers to
row away from the palace steps and away across the sea,
and this they did. The princess was so busy examining
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the cradle that it was some time before she noticed
that they were moving onward, and that the palace was
far behind. Then she was very much surprised and troubled.
Where are we going, she asked of the wise woman.
I do not think my husband would like me to
leave the palace. I must return at once. Presently, presently,
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answered the pretended aunt. But first lie down in the
cradle and see how pleasantly it rocks with the motion
of the boat. Only for a moment, then said the princess,
and she lay down in the cradle at once. By
her magic arts, the wise woman threw her into a
deep sleep. And then she took the ring from the
ribbon around the princess's neck and put it upon her
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own finger. The princess slept until they arrived at the kingdom,
whence the wise woman had come. She then aroused the
princess and bade her leave the boat and follow her.
Where are we? And Why have you brought me hither,
asked the princess. I have brought you hither to marry
you to one of the finest young princes in the world,
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and one who is dying for love of you. The
princess was horrified. I can never love any one but
my own dear husband, and I will always be true
to him and never marry any one else. The old
woman obliged the princess to come with her before the king, however,
and when he saw how very beautiful she was, he
was amazed. He sent for his son, and the young
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prince came in haste. As soon as he saw the
golden princess, he wished to take her hand and tell
her how he loved her, but she would not allow
him to touch her, nor would she listen to him.
Very well, said the King, I see you do not
love the prince as yet, but you soon will. We
will wait for a month, and then you shall marry him,
whether you wish it or not. It was in vain
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that the princess wept and entreated and implored. What I
have said. I have said, declared the king, and nothing
can change me. The princess was then led away to
the apartments prepared for her, But the old wise woman
kept the ring, for that was the reward she demanded
of the king, and she would not accept anything else. Now,
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while all this was happening, the Prince of the Golden
Palace returned from hunting and was very much surprised not
to see his princess waiting on the golden steps to
greet him, for this had always been her custom. He
called her, but there was no answer. He hastened from
room to room of the palace, searching everywhere. When he
could not find her, he was in despair. Some one
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has stolen her, he cried, and surely she is lost
to me forever. Ester, do not be so desperate, said
the parrot. What are my wings for except to serve you.
There was an old woman who came here while you
were away, though you did not know it. I make
no doubt but that she has stolen the princess. Now
I will fly abroad far and near, and never will
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I return until I find her. And I said, Puss
will go with you, For after you have found the princess,
my witing claus may be of use to her. But
how will you cross the sea, and how will you
cross the rivers that divide the kingdoms. I will also
go with you, said the dog. And I will swim
the sea in rivers, for that I can do, and
(25:52):
push shall ride on my back dry footed. To this
the parrot agreed, and the three set off together. They
journeyed on and on for a long time, hither and yon,
until at last they came to the very kingdom to
which the old woman had carried the princess, And there,
through an upper window of the palace, the parrot saw
the gleam of golden hair. At once he called to
(26:14):
the dog and cat, surely that is the princess sitting
there at an open window. Do you wait, and I
will go and see whether it is certainly she, And
then I will return and tell you. The parrot flew
up to the palace window and lighted on the sill.
The princess had been weeping, but when she saw him,
she gave a cry of joy. Oh, my dear parrot,
is the prince here? She cried? Has he come to
(26:37):
save me? No, princess, answered the bird. He could not
travel so fast and far as we so he is
waiting mournfully at the Golden Palace for us to return
give me the ring of fortune, that I may carry
it back to him, and then he can wish you
back with him again. At these words, the princess began
to weep more bitterly than ever. She told the parrot
(26:58):
how she had been lured away, and how the wise
woman had stolen her ring from her while she was asleep.
You must manage to get the ring back into your possession,
said the parrot, For until you have it, we can
do nothing. That is impossible, wept the princess. The old
woman keeps the ring in her mouth both night and day.
No one is allowed even so much as to see it.
(27:20):
This makes the matter more difficult, said the parrot. I
will have to consult the others about it. He then
flew back to where the dog and cat were waiting
and told them all the princess had said. Did I
not say that you would need me, said Puss. I
will manage to steal into the palace and to the
chamber of the princess, and then I can arrange some
(27:42):
way to make the old woman give up the ring. Meanwhile,
do you return to the princess and hide yourself behind
the curtains in her room? For I may need your help.
It did not take the cat long to find a
way to enter the palace, and she then slipped along
the passages and up the stairways to the chamber where
the princess was. The princess was no less glad to
(28:03):
see Puss than she had been to see the parrot.
The cat prowled about the room and soon found several
rat holes back of the hangings. Now listen, Mistress, said
the cat. To day, you must ask them to prepare
you some boiled rice for your supper. When it is
brought to you, do not eat it all, save a
portion of it and scatter it on the floor near
(28:24):
the rat holes. Be sure to do this, for I
have a plan in my head by which I hope
to save you. The princess promised to do as the
cat said, and when a little later the wise woman
came to visit her, the princess asked to have rice
for her supper. When the rice was brought, she ate
only a little of it, and then, when no one
(28:44):
was looking, she scattered the rest of it on the
floor near the rat holes. All this while the cat
and the parrot remained hidden behind the curtains. That night,
according to her custom, the wise woman slept in the
princess's chamber. When all was still and no one willing
but the guard outside the door, the rats came out
from their holes and began to eat the rice the
(29:05):
princess scattered about. This was what Puss was waiting for.
At once she pounced from behind the curtains and caught
the largest and fattest of the rats, Holding it in
her teeth. She climbed upon the old woman's bed and
tickled the old woman's nose with the rat's tail. This
made the old woman sneeze, and when she sneezed, the
(29:26):
ring flew out of her mouth and rolled across the floor.
The parrot was on the watch. It caught up the
ring in its beak and flew out of the window
with it, while the cat made haste to slip out
of the palace the way she had come in, and
rejoined the dog who was waiting below. Meanwhile, the wicked
old wise woman was like one distracted. The sneeze had
(29:47):
awakened her, and as soon as she awoke, she discovered
the ring was gone from her mouth. She did not
know what had become of it, and hunted everywhere, but
she could not find it. She shook and trembled and
raged against the princess, but rage as she might, it
did not bring back the ring, for it was gone.
The parrot flew on and on with the ring till
(30:08):
his breath failed and his wings flagged. But by morning
he was back at the Golden Palace. He flew through
a window into the room where the Prince was, and
dropped the ring on the table before him. When the
Prince saw the ring, he could hardly believe his eyes,
and it seemed as though his heart would leap out
of his bosom with joy. He at once prepared a
(30:28):
square place as before, and laid the ring in the
center of it. He sprinkled it with sour milk, and
wished that his own dear princess would return to him.
And at once, in a twinkling, there she stood before
him in all her golden beauty. She and the Prince
fell upon each other's necks, weeping with joy. And from
that time on they lived together in love and happiness,
(30:49):
and the Prince never again allowed the Ring of Fortune
to go out of his possession. End of the Wonderful
Ring by Catherine Pyle
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