1 The Frog Prince Originally Named The Frog King In olden times when wishing still worked there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful But the youngest was so beautiful the sun itself was astonished whenever it shone on her face Close by the king’s castle lay a great dark forest Under an old lime tree in the forest was a well When the day was very warm the king’s youngest child went and sat down by the side of the cool fountain And when she was bored she took a golden ball and threw it up high and caught it This ball was her favorite plaything On one occasion the princess’s golden ball did not fall into the little hand she was holding 4
up for it It landed on the ground beyond and rolled straight into the water The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes but the ball vanished The well was deep so deep that the bottom could not be seen She began to cry and then she cried louder and louder What ails you king’s daughter someone said to her You weep so that even a stone would show pity The princess looked round to the side from where the voice came and saw a frog He stretched forth his big ugly head from the water Ah Old water splasher is it you the princess said I am weeping for my golden ball which has fallen into the well Be quiet and do not weep I can help you But what will you give me if I bring your plaything up again Whatever you will have dear frog the princess said My clothes my pearls and jewels or even the golden crown I am wearing 5
I do not care for your clothes your pearls and jewels nor for your golden crown If you will love me and let me be your companion and sit by you at your table and eat off your little golden plate and drink from your little cup and sleep in your little bed I will go down below and bring your golden ball up again Oh yes the princess said I promise you all you wish But she thought How the silly frog does talk All he does is sit in the water with the other frogs and croak He can be no companion to any human being When the frog had received the promise he put his head in the water and sank down In a short while he came swimming up again with the ball in his mouth He threw it on the ground The king’s daughter was delighted to see her plaything once more She picked it up and ran away with it Wait wait said the frog Take me with you I can’t run She did not listen but ran 6
