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: