Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 10 · page 21 2101Rise up.102Be glad.103Mourn no more," she said to him. "104The woman for whom you yearn will appear at your summons.105See, here is the charm, whereby you may bring her before you."106The 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.107He at once entered the building, and telling the beautiful princess of his intense love, entreated her to be his wife.108Seeing no escape from the difficulty, she consented on the condition that he would wait one month for her.109Meanwhile the merchant's son had returned from hunting and was terribly distressed not to find his house and wife.110There was the place only, just as he knew it before he had tried the charmed ring which Raja Indrasha had given him.111He sat down and determined to put an end to himself.112Presently the cat and dog came up.113They had gone away and hidden themselves, when they saw the house and everything disappear. "114O master!" they said, "stay your hand.115Your trial is great, but it can be remedied.116Give us one month, and we will go and try to recover your wife and house."117"Go," said he, "and may the great God aid your efforts.118Bring back my wife, and I shall live."119So 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. "120We may have some difficulty here," said the cat. "121Look, the king has taken our master's wife and house for himself.122You stay here.123I will go to the house and try to see her."124So the dog sat down, and the cat climbed up to the window of the room, wherein the beautiful princess was sitting, and entered.125The princess recognised the cat, and informed it of all that had happened to her since she had left them.126"But is there no way of escape from the hands of these people?" she asked.127"Yes," replied the cat, "if you can tell me where the charmed ring is."128"The ring is in the stomach of the ogress," she said.129"All right," said the cat, "I will recover it.130If we once get it, everything is ours."131Then the cat descended the wall of the house, and went and laid down by a rat's hole and pretended she was dead.132Now at that time a great wedding chanced to be going on among the rat community of that place, and all the rats of the neighbourhood were assembled in that one particular mine by which the cat had lain down.133The eldest son of the king of the rats was about to be married.134The cat got to know of this, and at once conceived the idea of seizing the bridegroom and making him render the necessary help.135Consequently, when the procession poured forth from the hole squealing and jumping in honour of the occasion, it immediately spotted the bridegroom and pounced down on him. "136Oh! let me go, let me go," cried the terrified rat. "137Oh! let him go," squealed all the company. "138It is his wedding day."139"No, no," replied the cat. "140Not unless you do something for me.141Listen.142The ogress, who lives in that house with the prince and his wife, has swallowed a ring, which I very much want.143If you will procure it for me, I will allow the rat to depart unharmed.144If you do not, then your prince dies under my feet."145"Very well, we agree," said they all. "146Nay, if we do not get the ring for you, devour us all."1 2← previousDemon With Matted Hair " 196, part 9next →Demon With Matted Hair " 196, part 11↑ back to Indian Fairy TalesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg7128/16/page/2/