 While such tales normally include attempts to kill the child in infancy, a letter ordering the child's death altered to order the wedding, and difficult tasks imposed on the child, the specific one of the ring is not common.One of the early sources or inspirations, could be the Greek tale of Polycrates or Polykrates, ruler of Samos.According to Herodotus, Polycrates was making a treaty with Amasis the king of Egypt, when Amasis told Polycrates to dispose of some of his most valued possessions, explaining that even he must experience hardships and sorrow, or his life will end in tragedy.