Mro Folktale — The Magic Ring and the Poor Prince

Long ago, in a kingdom nestled among the mountains, there lived a king. He had an only daughter—gentle as the morning mist, as beautiful as a wildflower blooming on a hilltop.

In another distant village, surrounded by forest and hills, lived a poor widow and her son—a young prince. Though they had little, the boy’s heart was brave like the high cliffs. He went far away to study. Toward the end of his studies, he heard that a king in another land was looking for a suitable husband for his daughter.

The boy told his mother he would go. The mother cried and said, “We are poor, and they are rich. How can you dream of such things?” But the boy bowed his head, took his mother’s blessing, and set out on foot.

He walked across rivers and hills until he came to a large banyan tree and fell asleep under its shade. Late at night, a demon arrived to sleep in the same tree. Seeing the boy, the demon growled. But the boy didn’t flinch. They began to wrestle, and after a long struggle, the demon was defeated.

Weeping, the demon said, “Prince, do not kill me. I will give you a magic ring. With it, you can create anything you wish.”
The prince spared his life. The demon handed him the ring and said, “Your mother’s blessing protected you. Never forget that.”

With the magic ring in his pocket and courage in his heart, the prince finally reached the king’s palace. The princess was weaving threads by the window, her eyes soft like mountain clouds. At that moment, another prince arrived—rich in appearance, but hollow inside.

The king and queen invited both to dine. The poor prince took one bite of rice and vomited. The queen was furious. The rich prince ate neatly, washed his plate, and bowed with grace. The queen was pleased with him.

But the princess said, “Those who act too polished are often false. The one who stumbles may be real.” She chose the poor prince.

The king agreed to the marriage—but only on one condition. “You must build a great palace in a single night,” he said. “Surround it with flower gardens, ponds, and archers with bows. If you fail, you will be executed.”

The rich prince fled in fear. The poor prince used the magic ring to complete all tasks overnight. The king, amazed, married him to his daughter.

They lived happily. But one day, at the bathing pond, the prince took off his ring and forgot to take it back. The princess found it and gave it to her father. At once, the palace, the gardens, and everything vanished.

The king called the prince and said, “Your creations are gone. You have seven days to rebuild them, or you shall be executed.”

In despair, the prince set out again toward his mother’s village. He rested under the same banyan tree. The demon returned and asked, “Why have you come back so broken?”

Hearing the story, the demon smiled. “Take another ring. When the king comes to bathe, craft golden ornaments with it. He’ll be so amazed that he’ll faint. Then take back your ring.”

The prince followed the advice. As the king bathed, he placed shining golden ornaments near the tree. Seeing them, the king fainted in awe. The prince took back his magic ring.

When the king awoke and asked who had made such treasures, the prince revealed himself. “I am your son-in-law,” he said. “Look around—you’ll see everything has returned.”

The king returned home to find the palace and gardens just as before. Joyful and relieved, he gave half his kingdom to the prince and said, “Bring your mother here.”

So the prince brought his mother to the palace. And with his wife, mother, and royal family, he lived in peace and happiness among the hills.