The Snake Prince

A lovely Indian fairytale from Andrew Lang's Olive Fairy Book.

An old woman, impoverished and hungry, sets out for the river to fish and wash herself. After coming out of the river, she discovers a venomous snake in her cooking pot. Hoping for an end to her misery, she takes it home, allowing it to bite her. However, when she opens the pot, instead of a snake, she finds a valuable necklace. She sells this necklace to the king, who places it in a chest. Shortly after, when the king opens the chest to show the queen, he is surprised to find a baby boy inside. The king and his wife decide to raise the boy as their son, and the old woman becomes his nurse, sharing the story of how the boy came to be in their care. The king eventually makes an agreement with a neighboring king that their children should marry. However, before the other king’s daughter marries, her mother cautions her to inquire about the boy's magical origins. The princess refuses to speak until the prince reveals his past: he had once been a prince in a faraway land who was transformed into a snake and later reverted to his original form. The princess mourns for the prince, lamenting his disappearance. The snake visits her and advises that if she places bowls of milk and sugar in the four corners of her room, many snakes will arrive, led by their Queen. If she stands in the way of the Queen, she can request her husband back; but if she is frightened and does not comply, she will lose him forever.