The three dancing goats summary

Sindhu

Sindhu mother

An old woman

Daughter of landlord

'The three dancing goat, is an Indian folktale which has anonymous writer. In this story, there is one poor peasant who lives in a village with his mother. Unfortunately the mother and the boy only had two cow, one piece of land and a hut as a wealth. The boy loved and liked the two cows.

The village in which Sindhu and his mother lived, once there came a drought and the lands became dry. At that time, the family did not have much to eat. One day, his mother asked him to sell those two cows and bring some food with the money earned by selling those cows.

Sindhu loved and cared the cows very much so he did not wanted to sell those cows. He then thought of selling those cow to caring person rather than selling to butcher because if he sold to butcher, the cows will be sold as meat which he would not like.

On the way, Sindhu meets an old lady who had three goats with her. Seeing the sad expression of the boy, the old lady offers to exchange her three goats against the boy two cows. She tells Sindhu that she will take good care of the cows but he refuses her offer because the goats will not give much to ear for his family. She then reassures the boy that the goats will change his future and bring him a great fortune.

the three dancing goats story

Then the old lady brings out her flute and blows them. By hearing the sound of the flute the goats starts to dance. Sindhu was impressed by the dance of the goats and was ready to exchange the goats with cows along with the flute. When Sindhu reaches home and his mother realizes that he had exchanged the cows with goat, she became very unhappy because she thinks that the old lady has cheated Sindhu but Sindhu believes the words of the lady.

Then Sindhu used to take those goats to market and by showing the dance of the goats he used to earn some money. Then one rich landlord's daughter hears about the dancing goats and she was willing to buy one goat. Sindhu agrees to sell the goat in exchange for a barrel of food to be delivered to his house as the price of one goat because he adds that the goat could not be purchased with money.

The landlord's daughter agrees and delivers a barrel of food to his house. When she reaches Sindhu home, his mother happily welcomed her. Then after, the daughter got the goat as Sindhu had promised. After few days of taking the first goat, the girl summons that the goat is not dancing and want to buy another goat after hearing from the pries that, the goat needs a partner to dance. So, she calls Sindhu to her house to tell him about her problem.

the three dancing goats short summary

When Sindhu reached the girls house and hear all the problem, he then decides to sell his another goat. This time, he demands a gold ring along with a barrel of food delivered in exchange for other goat. Before he reaches his house, the barrel of food was already delivered and then the girl receives her second goat. After selling of the 2nd goat, in a few days, the daughter's maid delivers a message to Sindhu that the goats aren't dancing. Then he again visits the girl's house and he assures that the goat will now dance properly.

Sindhu then draws a flute and blows it. After hearing the sound of the flute, the goats starts to dance. After seeing the goat dance, the girl became happy. She had noticed that the goats only dances after hearing the sound of the flute because the flute must have some magic in it. That's why the girl decides to buy 3rd goat along with the flute. Even this time, Sindhu agrees to sell the goat along with the flute and as a payment he then ask about the secret of the stone present in the gold ring which he had received as payment of second goat and he also had demanded a food barrel as well.

First, the daughter hesitated revealing the secret of the gold ring but she really wanted to get the flute and the goat so she tells all the secret of the stone. She tells that the three stones present in the ring represents three hair strands which was hidden behind her black silken hair. One strand is pure white, the colour of diamond, another dark red colour of ruby and last bring green, colour of emerald. After hearing this secret Sindhu gives his third goat and flute and returns home happily.

Sindhu still believes the words of the old lady that the goats will bring him great fortune. But Sindhu mother was really troubled because the food barrel which they were receiving as reward for the goats now cannot be received because all goats are now gone. After few days land owner announces to get his daughter married and invites all preferred suitors from all around the country to marry her. There was a little catch that the suitor who could tell the secret of the stand will only get to marry her.

Many suitors from all around the country came to marry the girl but no one were able to guess the colour of the strand. Sindhu also hears about this news but he was very angry and cursed himself for his poor peasant life. He then give up his idea to marry the girl because he was poor and the girl was rich who wouldn't like to marry poor boy. 

But one day seeing the dance of goats he remembers the fortune of old lady. One day he finds a well dressed, handsome man who was searching for landlord's house. He had came from another city in order to marry the landlord daughter. Sindhu agrees to take him there himself. In the way to landlord house, Sindhu taunts the suitor that if he wasn't a poor peasant he would have married the daughter already because he know the colours of the strands.

After hearing this, the man was really surprised and gives Sindhu greed of rewards that if he told the secret he will give many rewards to him. But Sindhu rejected the offer and did not told about the secret. He also adds, he will only reveal the secret when he is Infront of the girl. The handsome person asks Sindhu to disguise him as his servant in a clean and beautiful clothes given to him by the man. Then Sindhu goes to the Landlord's house as a servant of that suitor. When Sindhu reaches landlord's manor, it was very well designed and many suitors were also present there who were trying to guess the strand colour. No one recognized Sindhu over there.

the three dancing goats story in English

Suddenly Sindhu with deep and dignified voice shouts the colour of the strands being pure white, colour of diamond, another dark red, colour of ruby and last bright green, colour of emerald. After this Sindhu appears in his original appearance. And by seeing this, each and every person present in manor became shocked. Even landlord was really distressed that he got his son in law who was a peasant. Then he asks Sindhu how did he find out about the secret of the hair strand. Then Sindhu explains each and everything about the secret of strand. After hearing all the things he says, my daughter herself has revealed this secret to you so she is now your wife. The suitors present there calls this as "an error of destiny" but Sindhu corrects it as "this is a triumph of faith, love and patience".