The Charmed Ring by Joseph Jacobs
A merchant sends his son with three hundred rupees to seek his fortune in trade. The son, however, spends all his money rescuing a dog, a cat, and a snake from being killed. When he returns home, his father scolds him and banishes him to the stables, where he lives with his new animal companions. The snake reveals it is the son of a king and offers to take the young man to its father, promising rewards for saving its life. They dive into a sacred spring, and the young man is welcomed by the king, who gifts him a magical ring, pot, and spoon. Using the ring, the young man creates a beautiful home and marries a princess. However, the princess inadvertently loses her hair in a reed, which is found by a prince who becomes infatuated with her. The prince's father seeks help from an ogress, who deceives the princess into giving her the ring. The ogress then uses it to summon the princess to the prince, leaving the merchant's son heartbroken. The dog and cat, loyal to their master, vow to retrieve the princess and the ring. They devise a plan involving the rat community to recover the ring from the ogress. After a series of mishaps, including the dog losing the ring multiple times, they finally succeed in retrieving it. The cat kills a kite that had taken the ring, and they return to their master. With the ring restored, the young man speaks to it, and his wife and home reappear. They live happily ever after, having overcome trials and demonstrated loyalty and friendship.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1895 · Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Adventure · 3,288 words
First lines
A merchant started his son in life with three hundred rupees, and bade him go to another country and try his luck in trade. The son took the money and departed. He had not gone far before he came across some herdsmen quarrelling over a dog, that some of them wished to kill. "Please do not kill the dog," pleaded the young and tenderhearted fellow; "I will give you one hundred rupees for it. " Then and there, of course, the bargain was concluded, and the foolish fellow took the dog, and continued his journey. He next met with some people fighting about a cat. Some of them wanted to kill it, but others not. "Oh! please do not kill it," said he; "I will give you one hundred rupees for it. " Of course they at once gave him the cat and took the money. He went on till he reached a village, where some folk were quarrelling over a snake that had just been caught. Some of them wished to kill it, but others did not. "Please do not kill the snake," said he; "I will give you one hundred rupees. " Of course the people agreed, and were highly delighted.
What this Textopian page supports
The Charmed Ring is listed on Textopian as a short story by Joseph Jacobs, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Joseph Jacobs
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Adventure, Folklore, Children's Literature
- Length: 3,288 words
- Structure: 1 section, 36 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Charmed Ring by Joseph Jacobs
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Charmed Ring?
- How does this short story by Joseph Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Griffin by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Three Citrons The Story Of A Prince Who Climbed The Glass Hill by Parker Fillmore
- The Drummer by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Sole by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fantasy — The story involves magical elements such as a charmed ring, a talking snake, and enchanted objects that fulfill wishes.
- Fairy Tale — The narrative structure and moral lessons align with traditional fairy tale conventions, including a hero's journey and magical rewards.
- Adventure — The protagonist embarks on a journey filled with challenges and encounters that drive the plot forward.
- Folklore — The story reflects cultural themes and motifs common in folklore, such as animals with human traits and moral lessons.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Magic · Ring · Charmed Object · Good vs Evil · Quest · Adventure · Fantasy · Mythology · Symbolism · Transformation · Coming of Age