A princess promises a frog her friendship for fetching her golden ball from a well, but breaks her word until her father the king makes her keep it. When she flings him against the wall he turns into a prince, and riding home, his servant Henry feels the iron bands crack from his heart, now that his master is happy.
In the old days, when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose youngest daughter was so beautiful that the sun itself was astonished when it shone on her face. In the forest near the castle lay a deep well, where on hot days she sat and tossed a golden ball high, catching it again.
One day the ball missed her hand and rolled into the water. The well was so deep that nobody could see the bottom, and she cried and cried.
“Why are you crying, princess?” said a voice. “You are crying so hard that a stone would take pity on you.”
She looked round. A frog was stretching his broad head out of the water.
“Oh, it is you, old splasher,” she said. “I am crying for my golden ball. It fell into the well.”
“Do not cry,” answered the frog. “I can bring it up again. But what will you give me?”
“Whatever you like, dear frog,” she said. “My dresses, my pearls and jewels, even my golden crown.”
“I want none of those,” said the frog. “But let me be your companion, eat from your golden plate, drink from your little cup and sleep in your little bed. Promise me that, and I will fetch your ball.”
“Oh yes, I promise,” she said, thinking that a frog could never be anybody’s companion.
The frog dived and came back with the ball, which he tossed onto the grass. The princess snatched it up and ran off.
“Wait,” he called. “Take me with you. I cannot run as you can.”
She did not listen, however loudly he croaked, and soon forgot him.
The next day, as she sat at table with the king and all his court, something came creeping up the marble stairs, splish splash, splish splash. It knocked and cried, “Youngest princess, open the door for me.”
She ran to the door, and there sat the frog. She slammed it shut, frightened.
“My child, what are you afraid of?” said the king. “Is there a giant outside who wants to carry you away?”
“No, dear father, a frog,” she answered. “He fetched my golden ball out of the well yesterday, and I promised he could be my companion. I never thought he could leave the water.”
Just then the frog knocked a second time and cried:
Youngest princess,open the door for me.Have you forgottenwhat you said to meby the cool water of the well?Youngest princess,open the door for me.
“What you have promised, you must keep,” said the king. “Go and let him in.”
She opened the door, and the frog hopped in and followed her to her chair.
“Lift me up beside you,” he said.
She hesitated, until the king told her to lift him up. Then the frog wanted to sit on the table as well, and asked her to push her golden plate closer. She pushed it over to him, though she did not want to. He ate with a good appetite, but almost every bite stuck in her own throat.
“Now I am tired,” he said. “Carry me to your room and make up your silken bed.”
The princess began to cry, for she did not dare touch the cold frog. But the king grew angry.
“The one who helped you when you were in need,” he said, “you must not despise afterwards.”
So she picked him up with two fingers and set him in a corner. When she was in bed, he came creeping over.
“Lift me up,” he said, “or I shall tell your father.”
At that she was furious. She snatched him up and flung him against the wall. “Now you will be quiet, you nasty frog!”
But when he fell, he was no frog. He stood there a king’s son with beautiful, kind eyes, and, as her father wished, he became her dear companion and husband. A wicked witch had enchanted him, he told her, and she alone could free him.
In the morning a carriage came with eight white horses in golden harness to carry the young king home. Behind it stood his servant, Faithful Henry, who had grieved so bitterly while his master was a frog that he had three iron bands laid round his heart, to keep it from breaking.
Henry helped them both in and took his place at the back, full of joy. Before long the king’s son heard a crack behind him and cried:
Henry, the carriage is breaking.
No, master, not the carriage.It is a band from round my heart.My heart lay achingwhile you sat in the well,while you were a frog.
Twice more something cracked, and each time the king’s son thought the carriage was breaking. It was only the bands springing from the heart of Faithful Henry, now that his master was free and happy.
Retold by Talerie, Source: Household Tales by Brothers Grimm (opens in a new window)
License: Public domainCopy this text, adapt it, use it however you like. A link back to Talerie is appreciated but never required.CC0 1.0 (opens in a new window)
