In the olden times, when it was still of some use to wish for the thing one wanted, there lived a king whose youngest daughter was so beautiful that the sun himself wondered each time he shone over her because of her beauty. Near his castle was a great dark wood and in the wood, under a linden tree, was a well. When the day was hot, there the princess liked to play with her golden ball. One day the ball fell into the well, and the princess began to cry.

"What ails thee, king's daughter? Thy tears would melt a heart of stone" croaked a voice from the ground. The princess looked down and saw a frog.
"Why, old waddler, my golden ball has fallen into the well."
"Never mind, do not weep. What will you give me if I fetch it?"
"Whatever you want, you dear frog," said the princess. "My clothes, my jewels, even my crown!"
The frog answered, "I don't want your possessions, but if you love me and be my friend, if I can eat off your plate and sleep in your bed, then I will get your golden ball."
"Oh yes, I promise", said the princess.
The frog dived into the well, and soon he returned with the golden ball in his mouth. Delighted, the princess snatched it off him and ran home.
"Stop, stop! I cannot run as fast as you!" croaked the frog.

The next day there came a knock at the palace door, and a voice crying, "Youngest King's daughter, let me in!".
The princess was dining with the king. She got up to open the door, but when she saw who it was, she slammed the door shut.
"Who was that, dear?" asked the king.
"A horrid frog," shuddered the princess.
"What did the frog want?"
"O dear father, yesterday my golden ball fell into the well, and this frog fetched it. In return I promised I would be his friend. I never thought he would follow me home."

Then they all heard him knocking a second time, and croaking,
"Youngest King's daughter,
Open to me!
By the well water
What promised you me?
Youngest King's daughter
Now open to me!"

"You must keep your promise," said the king.
So the princess opened the door and the frog hopped in.
"Lift me up," said the frog.
"Do as he says," directed the king.
So the frog was lifted up onto the table.
"Push your plate nearer so that I can share your food," said the frog, much to the horror of the princess who barely touched her food while the frog ate from her plate.

Afterwards the frog said, "I'm tired. Let's go to sleep in your bed."
"You accepted his help, now you cannot turn him away," the king told her.
Crying, the princess picked up the frog in two fingers, carried him to her room and dropped him in a corner. She got into bed.
"I'll sleep here!" the frog cried, jumping onto her pillow.
"Leave me alone!" the princess yelled, throwing the frog against the wall.
To her amazement, the frog changed into a handsome prince.

An evil witch had cast a spell on him and turned him into a frog. The princess's promise of love broke the spell and the princess and prince were soon married and lived happily ever after.

Adapted and reprinted from Household Stories, by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane, 1886, republished in 1963, Dover Publications, New York

Q: Can you think of situations where someone or something wasn't as it first seemed?

Q: Why do you think that love breaks the spell in the story? Can you think of situations in your own life where love has been able to accomplish what power and force could not?

Q: The princess was obedient to her father, who insisted that she act honourably. Her obedience and trust in her father's judgement lead to the transformation of the frog into a handsome prince, who then became her husband. Do you think obedience to parents, teachers and other people in authority is important? When is obedience helpful and when is it not? This would make a good topic for a debate if there are enough children and there is the time to hold a debate.

O, Master!
Thou art the real goal of human life.
We are yet but slaves of wishes
Putting bar to our advancement,
Thou art the only God and power
To bring us up to that stage.