# The Prince and the Fakir explained — Indian Fairy Tales

> Chapter companion for Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs.

## What happens

A childless king meets a fakir at a crossroads and is promised two sons in exchange for one. The fakir later returns and, through a clever ant's conversation, discovers the king's true sons hidden in a cellar. He takes the eldest, who eventually outwits and kills the fakir by throwing him into a boiling cauldron. The prince frees the fakir's prisoners and animals, then travels to another kingdom where he marries a princess who recognizes his royal marks. He proves his worth in a hunt and is eventually made heir to the throne.

## Themes in this chapter

### Cunning and Wisdom

The prince uses cleverness to avoid being thrown into the cauldron and instead kills the fakir, demonstrating wit over brute force.

### Justice and Karma

The fakir's deceit and cruelty lead to his own death, while the prince's rightful actions are rewarded with freedom and a kingdom.

### Filial Duty and Family Loyalty

The king's attempt to protect his sons by hiding them, and the prince's eventual rise to kingship, underscore themes of family and legacy.

## Character check-ins

### King Dantal

The childless king who lies at the crossroads and makes a pact with the fakir for sons.

### Punchkin

The fakir who grants the king sons but is ultimately thrown into a cauldron by the prince.

### Prince Rasalu

The king's eldest son, taken by the fakir, who outwits and kills him, then frees the captives.

### Princess Labam

The princess who chooses the disguised prince as her husband after seeing his royal marks.

## Key lines

> Then the King's son, lifting the Fakir, gave him a jerk and threw him into the cauldron, and he was burnt, and became roast meat.

The prince grabbed the fakir and tossed him into the boiling pot, where he was cooked to death.

_Climactic moment where the prince turns the tables on the fakir._

> The Princess said to her handmaiden, 'Take this dish of henna, go to that traveller dressed like a Fakir, and sprinkle scent on him from the dish.'

The princess instructed her maid to anoint the disguised prince with henna, signaling her choice of husband.

_The princess recognizes the prince's true identity and chooses him despite his disguise._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters/the-prince-and-the-fakir
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/indian_fairy_tales_se/chapters