The cat went on alone, and when the master saw her coming he called out to know why she had returned so soon and what had become of her companion. The poor cat was frightened, but as well as she could she explained how the ring had been lost and how the dog had run away.
On hearing her story the master was very angry, and commanded that all his people should search for the dog, and that it should be punished by having its tail cut off.
He also ordered that all dogs in the world should join in the search, and ever since when one dog meets another, he says: “Are you the old dog that lost the magic ring? If so, your tail must be cut off.” Then immediately each shows his teeth and wags his tail to prove that he is not the guilty one.
Since then, too, cats have been afraid of water and will not swim across a river if they can avoid it.
PRINCE VARNA
There was once a Rajah whose wife died, leaving to her husband a little son, who was a great comfort to his grief-stricken father. In due time the young prince was christened and his godmother was a princess who was known far and wide for her wisdom and kindness, and everyone called her “the good queen.” She named the little prince Varna, and loved him as though he were her own son.
When Varna was three years old the Rajah married a princess of great beauty, but who was hard-hearted and cruel. In the course of time a second prince was born, and the queen was filled with jealous rage at the thought that Varna, and not her own son, was heir to the throne. But she was very careful not to let the Rajah discover her real feelings.
In the mountain there lived an old witch whom the queen knew well, and she sent to her a trusty servant, asking that she find some way of getting rid of her stepson, who stood in the way of her own son. But the witch replied that she could work no harm against the young prince, because he was under the protection of his godmother, whose power was greater than her own.
The “good queen” lived in a country which was far away, but was able to keep herself well-informed of all that went on, and she knew what the wicked queen desired. She sent to the young prince a ring of jade with instructions that he must always wear it, as it would protect him from all harm while in his father’s country. But as a talisman this ring was useless elsewhere. This the wicked queen knew, so she made every effort to entice him away from his father’s dominions.