A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

The king’s dog Shankar follows the nurse who buries a living royal infant in a box. He retrieves and opens it, then decides to swallow the child whole as a hiding place rather than eat him. At six months and again at a year he brings the boy out, delights in his beauty and returns him to safety inside his body. The child’s growth continues during this concealment.

A keeper sees the second visit and tells the king’s hostile queens. They falsely accuse Shankar of attacking their rooms, and the king orders him shot. Overhearing the order, the dog arranges for the cow Suri to take the boy and keep him safe. He is shot the following morning. The eventual family reunion acknowledges this sacrifice but does not reverse his death. His speech and impossible protective carrying belong to the specific marvellous narrative, not ordinary canine behaviour.

Rescue from buried boxProtective swallowingTransfer to SuriDeath after false accusation
01

Origins & earliest records

South Asian tale selected through Maive Stokes

02

Records & interpretation

Complete selected English narrative and source note read, including final recognition, punishment and horse’s continued companionship.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Indian Fairy Tales

    Joseph Jacobs (selector), through Maive Stokes · 1892

    XXII, “The Boy who had a Moon on his Forehead and a Star on his Chin,” pp. 156–178; notes p. 250. London: David Nutt. Source note credits Stokes no. 20, pp. 119–137.

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

Complete selected English narrative and specific notes read

Indian Fairy Tales

Joseph Jacobs, London: David Nutt, 1892. XXII, pp. 156–178; notes p. 250

Caches jacobs-22.txt (35687 characters) and jacobs-notes-22.txt. All infancy, animal transfers/deaths, fairy-horse escape, ear transformations, marriage/hunting, brother-in-law humiliation, family recognition and final ending read. No animal resurrection invented; no narrator name or original-language collation inferred. Original printed scans not checked.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical English folktale selectionJacobs 1892, XXII and source noteResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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