Long ago, there lived a Prince who wanted to marry the Princess of a neighbouring kingdom. He decided to send her unique gifts.
Prince sent a special rose from a plant that bloomed a single rose only once in five years. Along with it, he sent a special nightingale in a silver cage. When it sang, everyone would stop his work and listen to its melodious voice with rapt attention.
The Prince’s servants carried the gifts to the neighbouring Emperor’s daughter. When the servants opened the box and showed the rose, the Princess’ friends cried, “It is the most beautiful rose in the world.”
But the Princess was not happy. She said, “This rose is cut from its plant. It will wither in a few hours.”
When the servants removed the veil from the silver cage, the nightingale started singing sweetly. Everyone had tears in his eyes. The Princess was still not impressed. She said, “This bird sings when it wants to. But if I had a toy bird, I could make it sing by turning its key.”
The Prince was disappointed but did not lose heart. He dressed as an ordinary man and went to ask the neighbouring Emperor for a job. The Emperor said, “You can look after my sheep.” So, the Prince was appointed as the Royal Shepherd and was given a hut to live in.
The Prince had a magical pot that had bells on its edges. When water was boiled in it, the bells rang a sweet tune. Also, the steam from the pot had the smell of each and every food-item that the whole town had cooked.
One day, when the Princess was passing by the Prince’s hut, she heard the sweet bells of the pot and smelt the food of the whole town. She said to her maids, “Ask the Shepherd the price for his pot.”
The Prince said to the maids, “I want the Princess to cook for me in my hut.” The Princess agreed.
Unfortunately, the Emperor saw the Princess entering the Shepherd’s hut. He was shocked and angrily banished the Princess, the maids and the Shepherd from his kingdom. But the Princess had become humble and wise. She said, “Father, please don’t banish the maids or the Shepherd. It is not their fault. It is my fault.”
The Prince was happy to see the change in the Princess and said, “I am not an ordinary Shepherd but the Prince who sent you gifts. Please marry me.”
The Emperor was happy and the Prince and the Princess were married with great pomp and show.
