English
Intimesofyore,whenwisheswerebothheardandgranted,livedakingwhosedaughterswereallbeautifulbuttheyoungestwassolovelythatthesunhimself,whohasseensomuch,wonderedatherbeautyeverytimehelookedinherface.
Now,neartheking’scastlewasalargedarkforest;andintheforest,underanoldlindentree,wasadeepwell.
Whenthedaywasveryhot,theking’sdaughterusedtogotothewoodandseatherselfattheedgeofthecoolwell;andwhenshebecamewearied,shewouldtakeagoldenball,throwitupintheair,andcatchitagain.Thiswasherfavoriteamusement.
Onceithappenedthathergoldenball,insteadoffallingbackintothelittlehandthatshestretchedoutforit,droppedontheground,andimmediatelyrolledawayintothewater.
Theking’sdaughterfolloweditwithhereyes,buttheballhadvanished,andthewellwassodeepthatnoonecouldseedowntothebottom.
Thenshebegantoweep,weptlouderandloudereveryminute,andcouldnotconsoleherselfatall.
Whileshewasthuslamentingsomeonecalledtoher:“Whatisthematterwithyou,king’sdaughter?Youweepsothatyouwouldtouchtheheartofastone.”
Shelookedaroundtoseewhencethevoicecame,andsawafrogstretchinghisthickuglyheadoutofthewater.
“Ah!itisyou,oldwater-paddler!”saidshe.“Iamcryingformygoldenball,whichhasfallenintothewell.”
“Becontent,”answeredthefrog;“IdaresayIcangiveyousomegoodadvice;butwhatwillyougivemeifIbringbackyourplaythingtoyou?”
“Whateveryoulike,dearfrog,”saidshe,“myclothes,mypearlsandjewels,eventhegoldencrownIwear.”
Thefroganswered,“Yourclothes,yourpearlsandjewels,evenyourgoldencrown,Idonotcarefor;butifyouwillloveme,andletmebeyourcompanionandplay-fellow,sitnearyouatyourlittletable,eatfromyourlittlegoldenplate,drinkfromyourlittlecup,andsleepinyourlittlebed—ifyouwillpromisemethis,thenIwillbringyoubackyourgoldenballfromthebottomofthewell.”
“Oh,yes!”saidshe;“Ipromiseyouevery-thing,ifyouwillonlybringmebackmygoldenball.”
Shethoughttoherself,meanwhile:“Whatnonsensethesillyfrogtalks!Hesitsinthewaterwiththeotherfrogs,andcroaks,andcannotbeanybody’splayfellow!”
Butthefrog,assoonashehadreceivedthepromisedippedhisheadunderthewaterandsankdown.
Inalittlewhileuphecameagainwiththeballinhismouth,andthrewitonthegrass.
Theking’sdaughterwasoverjoyedwhenshebeheldherprettyplaythingagain,pickeditup,andranawaywithit.
“Wait!wait!”criedthefrog;“takemewithyou.Icannotrunasfastasyou.”
Alas!ofwhatusewasitthathecroakedafterherasloudashecould.
Shewouldnotlistentohim,buthastenedhome,andsoonforgotthepoorfrog,whowasobligedtoplungeagaintothebottomofhiswell.
Thenextday,whenshewassittingatdinnerwiththekingandallthecourtiers,eatingfromherlittlegoldplate,therecameasoundofsomethingcreepingupthemarblestaircase—splish,splash;andwhenithadreachedthetop,itknockedatthedoorandcried,“Youngestking’sdaughter,opentome.”
Sheran,wishingtoseewhowasoutside;butwhensheopenedthedoorandtheresatthefrog,sheflungithastilytoagainandsatdownattable,feelingvery,veryuncomfortable.
Thekingsawthatherheartwasbeatingviolently,andsaid,“How,mychild,whyareyouafraid?
Isagiantstandingoutsidethedoortocarryyouoff?”
“Oh,no!”answeredshe,“itisnogiant,butanastyfrog,whoyesterday,whenIwasplayinginthewoodnearthewell,fetchedmygoldenballoutofthewater.
ForthisIpromisedhimheshouldbemycompanion,butIneverthoughthecouldcomeoutofhiswell.
Nowheisatthedoor,andwantstocomein.”
Again,thesecondtimetherewasaknock,andavoicecried:
Thensaidtheking,“Whatyoupromisedyoumustperform.Goandopenthedoor.”
Shewentandopenedthedoor;thefroghoppedin,alwaysfollowingandfollowinghertillhecameuptoherchair.Therehesatandcriedout,“Liftmeuptoyouonthetable.”
Sherefused,tilltheking,herfather,commandedhertodoit.
Whenthefrogwasonthetable,hesaid,“Nowpushyourlittlegoldenplatenearertome,thatwemayeattogether.”
Shedidashedesired,butonecouldeasilyseethatshediditunwillingly.
Thefrogseemedtoenjoyhisdinnerverymuch,buteverymorselsheatestuckinthethroatofthepoorlittleprincess.
Thensaidthefrog,“Ihaveeatenenough,andamtired;carrymetoyourlittleroom,andmakeyourlittlesilkenbedsmooth,andwewilllayourselvesdowntosleeptogether.”
Atthisthedaughterofthekingbegantoweep;forshewasafraidofthecoldfrog,whowantedtosleepinherprettycleanbed.
Butthekinglookedangrilyather,andsaidagain:“Whatyouhavepromisedyoumustperform.Thefrogisyourcompanion.”
Itwasnousetocomplain;whethershelikeditornot,shewasobligedtotakethefrogwithheruptoherlittlebed.
Soshepickedhimupwithtwofingers,hatinghimbitterlythewhile,andcarriedhimupstairs:butwhenshegotintobed,insteadofliftinghimuptoher,shethrewhimwithallherstrengthagainstthewall,saying,“Nowyounastyfrog,therewillbeanendofyou.”
Butwhatfelldownfromthewallwasnotadeadfrog,butalivingyoungprince,withbeautifulandlovingeyes,whoatoncebecame,byherownpromiseandherfather’swill,herdearcompanionandhusband.
Hetoldherhowhehadbeencursedbyawickedsorceress,andthatnoonebuttheking’syoungestdaughtercouldreleasehimfromhisenchantmentandtakehimoutofthewell.
Thenextdayacarriagedroveuptothepalacegateswitheightwhitehorses,havingwhitefeathersontheirheadsandgoldenreins.
Behinditstoodtheservantoftheyoungprince,calledthefaithfulHenry.
ThisfaithfulHenryhadbeensogrievedwhenhismasterwaschangedintoafrogthathehadbeencompelledtohavethreeironbandsfastenedroundhisheart,lestitshouldbreak.
Nowthecarriagecametoconveytheprincetohiskingdom,sothefaithfulHenryliftedinthebrideandbridegroomandmountedbehind,fullofjoyathislord’srelease.
Butwhentheyhadgoneashortdistance,theprinceheardbehindhimanoiseasifsomethingwasbreaking.
Hecriedout,“Henry,thecarriageisbreaking!”
ButHenryreplied:“No,sir,itisnotthecarriagebutoneofthebandsfrommyheart,withwhichIwasforcedtobinditup,oritwouldhavebrokenwithgriefwhileyousatasafrogatthebottomofthewell.”
Twiceagainthishappened,andtheprincealwaysthoughtthecarriagewasbreaking;butitwasonlythebandsbreakingofffromtheheartofthefaithfulHenry,outofjoythathislord,thefrog-prince,wasafrognomore.
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