In the olden time,
When wishing was having,
There lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful,
But the youngest was so exceedingly beautiful that the son himself,
Although he saw her very often,
Was enchanted every time she came out into the sunshine.
Near the castle of this king was a large and gloomy forest,
And in the midst stood an old lime tree,
Beneath whose branches splashed a little fountain,
So whenever it was very hot,
The king's youngest daughter ran up into these woods and sat down by the side of the fountain,
And when she fell tall,
Would often divert herself by throwing a golden ball up into the air and catching it,
And this was her favorite amusement.
Now,
One day it happened that this golden ball,
When the king's daughter threw it into the air,
Did not fall down into her hand,
But on the grass,
And then it rolled past her into the fountain.
The king's daughter followed the ball with her eyes,
But it disappeared beneath the water,
Which was so deep that no one could see to the bottom.
Then,
She began to lament,
And to cry louder and louder,
And as she cried,
A voice called out,
What do you weep,
Oh king's daughter?
Your tears will melt even a stone to pity.
And she looked around to the spot whence the voice came,
And saw a frog stretching his ugly head out of the water.
Oh,
You old water batter,
Said she.
Was it you that spoke?
I am weeping for my golden ball,
Which has slipped away from me into the water.
Be quiet,
And do not cry,
Answered the frog.
I can give you good advice,
But what will you give me,
If I fetch your plaything up again?
What will you have,
Dear frog?
Said she.
My dress,
My pearls and jewels,
Or the golden crown which I wear?
The frog answered,
Dress,
Or jewels,
Or golden crowns,
Are not for me.
But if you will love me,
And let me be your companion and play-fellow,
And sit at your table and eat from your little golden plate,
And drink out of your cup,
If you will promise me all this,
Then will I dive down and fetch up your golden ball?
Oh,
I will promise you all,
Said she,
If you will only get me my ball.
But she thought to herself,
What is the silly frog chattering about?
Let him remain in the water with his equals,
He cannot mix in society.
But the frog,
As soon as he had received her promise,
Drew his head under the water and dived down.
Presently,
He swam up again,
With the ball in his mouth,
And threw it on the grass.
The king's daughter was full of joy,
When she again saw her beautiful plaything,
And taking it up,
She ran off immediately.
Stop,
Stop,
Cried the frog,
Take me with you,
I cannot run as you can.
But all his croaking was useless.
Although it was loud enough,
The king's daughter did not hear it,
But hastening home,
Soon forgot the poor frog,
Who was obliged to leap back into the fountain.
The next day,
When the king's daughter was sitting at the table with her father,
And all his courtiers,
And was eating from her own little golden plate,
Something was heard coming up the marble stairs,
And when it arrived at the top,
It knocked at the door,
And a voice said,
Open the door,
Youngest daughter of the king.
So she rose,
And went to see who it was that called her,
But when she opened the door,
She shut it again with great vehemence,
And sat down at the table,
Looking very pale.
But the king perceived that her heart was beating violently,
And asked her whether it were a giant who had come to fetch her away who stood at the door.
Oh no,
Answered she,
It is no giant,
But an ugly frog.
What does the frog want with you?
Said the king.
Oh,
Dear father,
When I was sitting yesterday playing by the fountain,
My golden ball fell into the water,
And this frog fetched it up because I cried so much,
But first I must tell you he impressed me so much that I promised him he should be my companion.
I never thought that he could come out of the water,
But somehow he jumped out,
Now he wants to come in here.
At that moment,
There was another knock,
And a voice said,
King's daughter,
Youngest,
Open the door,
Have you forgotten?
Your promise is made at the fountain so clear.
The king said,
What you've promised,
That you must perform,
Go,
And let him in.
So the king's daughter went and opened the door,
And the frog hooped in after her right up to her chair,
And as soon as she was seated,
The frog said,
Wake me up,
Wake me up,
But she hesitated so long that at last the king ordered her to obey,
And as soon as the frog sat on the chair,
He jumped on the table and said,
Now put your plate near me,
That we may eat together.
And she did so,
But as everyone saw,
Very unwillingly,
The frog seemed to relish his dinner much,
But every bit that the king's daughter ate nearly choked her,
Till at last the frog said,
I have satisfied my hunger,
And feel very tired,
Will you carry me upstairs,
Now into my chamber.
This speech put the king's daughter in a terrible passion,
And catching the frog up,
She threw him with all her strength against the wall,
Saying,
Now will you be quiet,
You ugly frog,
But as he fell,
He was changed from a frog into a handsome prince,
Who,
After a little while became,
With her father's consent,
Her dear companion.
Then he told her how he had been transformed by an evil witch,
And that no one but herself could have had the power of breaking the spell and take him out of the fountain.
