The Frog King

or Iron Henry


In the olden times when wishing still helped one , there lived a king whose daughters were all
beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was
astonished whenever she in her face seemed . Next to the palace of the king lay a great dark
forest , and in the wood under an old linden tree was a well, and when the day was very warm,
the king's child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of the cool fountain and when
she was bored she took a golden ball, and threw it into the air and caught it again ; and that was
her favorite plaything .

Now it happened on one occasion that the golden ball of the princess did not fall into the little
hand which she had stretched , but on to the ground next over, and almost rolled into the water .
The king's daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished , and the well was deep, the
bottom could not be seen. Then she began to cry, and cried louder and louder , and could not
be comforted. And as she thus lamented someone said to her " what are you , princess You
weep so that even a stone would show pity ." She looked round to see where the voice came,
and saw a frog stretching forth its big , ugly head from the water. "Oh, you BISTs , old water -
splasher " she said, " I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen down to me in the
fountain. " " Do not weep, " answered the frog , "I can help you, but what give you , if I bring me
your plaything up again ? "" What do you want , dear frog , " said she," my clothes, my pearls
and jewels , and even the golden crown which I am wearing . "answered the frog " your clothes,
your pearls and jewels , nor for your golden crown which I do not like: but if you will love me ,
and let me be your companion and playmate , sit at your little table next to you, eat from your
golden plate, and drink out of thy little cup , in your little bed to sleep: if you promise me that,
and I will take you your golden ball back out of the show basically "" Oh yes, "she said," I
promise you all , if you bring me my ball back, " but you thought. " How the silly frog does talk ,
sitting in the water with the other , and quacks , and no man can be a journeyman ."

But the frog when he had received this promise, put his head under water and sank down , and
in a short while he came up again rowed , had the ball in his mouth , and threw it on the grass .
The king's daughter was delighted to see her pretty plaything again , picked it up , and ran away
with it . "Wait, wait ," said the frog , "take me with you, I can not run as you can " But what
helped him that he her quack quack nachschrie be as loud as he could ! she did not hear it, but
ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who had to descend into the deep well .

The next day , as she sat with the king and all the courtiers on the board , and her little golden
plate ate , something came creeping splish splash, splish splash , something crawled up the
marble staircase , and when it had got to the top , it knocked at the door , and cried, " princess,
youngest princess , make me to ." She ran to see who was outside , but when she opened ,
there sat the frog in front of it . Then she slammed the door hastily , sat down at the table again ,
and was quite frightened . The king saw plainly that her heart was beating violently , and said, "
My child, what are you afraid of , is about a giant outside who wants to carry you? " "Oh no,"
replied the child , "it is no giant , but a nasty frog, who has brought me yesterday in the woods
my golden ball out of the water , but I promised him he should be my companion , I thought but
never that he could out of his water : now he's out , and wants to come to me . " By knocked a
second time, and cried," princess, youngest princess , open the door for me , you do not know
what you said to me yesterday by the cool waters of the well Princess, youngest princess , open
the door for me. "

Then the king , "said you have it promised , you must also keep it ; Go and let him on . " She
went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in, its always on her foot , to her chair . There
he sat and cried, " Lift me up beside you ." She did not want to it the king commanded . When
the frog was got on the chair, he said, " Now I push your little golden plate nearer to me that we
may eat together ." She did this , but you saw that she did not like doing. The frog enjoyed what
he ate , but almost every mouthful she took in the throat . Finally he said, " now I have eaten my
fill , and I'm tired, my contribution into your little room , and make your little silken bed ready,
and we want to put us to sleep ." Then the King's daughter began to cry, and was afraid of the
cold frog which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep in her pretty, clean little
bed . But the king grew angry , and said, " what you have promised , you shall keep you well ,
and the frog is your companion ." It did not help , they liked it or not, they had to take the frog.
So she took him quite bitter , with two fingers, carried him upstairs , and when she lay in bed
instead of lifting him into it , she threw him with all her might against the wall and said, " now you
will have peace of mind , you disgusting Frog . "

But what fell was not a dead frog , but a living young king's son with kind and beautiful eyes. He
was now law and with her father's will her dear companion and husband . As they slept happily
together , and the next morning when the sun awoke them , came driving a carriage with eight
white horses covered , which were adorned with feathers , and were harnessed with golden
chains , and behind stood the servant of the young King , the was faithful Henry . Faithful Henry
had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a frog , that he had caused three iron
bands to be laid round his heart, lest it should burst with grief and sadness . The carriage was to
conduct the young king into his kingdom ; faithful Henry lifted into both , and placed himself
behind again , full of joy because of this deliverance .