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Overview
Parker’s No. 201 gives a Nāga king a decisive role after a dog has borne two princesses and transformed into a golden ash-pumpkin. The younger princess, ashamed to explain her animal mother’s circumstances to her husband, approaches a spired anthill while travelling to show him her supposed family wealth. She calls to the Nāga king and, despairing that her mother has no treasure, asks that a thunderbolt strike her.
A cobra emerges without raising its hood and directs her toward the cave. When the couple arrive, silver and golden goods have been created there, sufficient to fill their cart. This is an actual supernatural provision in the narrative, not merely a concealed hoard discovered by ordinary searching. The tale does not name the serpent personally, make him the princess’s father or describe a human royal disguise.
The elder sister, who had beaten away their dog mother, then travels the same route hoping for similar riches. At her appeal, the cobra emerges with its hood raised and bites the crown of her head before returning to the anthill; she dies. The main witness gives no thorn-removal service as the reason for the younger sister’s reward. That grateful-snake episode belongs to Frere’s parallel quoted in Parker’s notes, where an elaborate substitute family and palace also appear.
Origins & earliest records
Sri Lankan oral narrative in Parker’s English collection
Records & interpretation
Complete numbered main tale, ending and appended notes read from retained primary edition.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon, Volume III
No. 201, main tale pp. 102–104, followed by comparative notes pp. 104–105; Tom-tom beater, North-western Province; individual teller not named.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
H. Parker, Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon, Volume III (1914)
Volume III. No. 201, pp. 102–104; following notes also read
Complete retained parker3-s201.txt read. Tom-tom beater, North-western Province; individual teller not named. The elder sister, who had beaten away their dog mother, then travels the same route hoping for similar riches. At her appeal, the cobra emerges with its hood raised and bites the crown of her head before returning to the anthill; she dies. The main witness gives no thorn-removal service as the reason for the younger sister’s reward. That grateful-snake episode belongs to Frere’s parallel quoted in Parker’s notes, where an elaborate substitute family and palace also appear.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Historical primary folklore collectionParker, Volume III, No. 201Research access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.