The Frog Prince

The Frog Prince - A young princess, a golden ball and a faithful servant

The youngest daughter of a king liked playing by a spring in the forest. She would throw her golden ball up in the air there and catch it again. One day when playing this game the ball fell into the spring. She was crying bitterly when an ugly frog jumped out of the spring and said "I will get your ball for you if you take me with you into the castle, play with me and live with me". After the Princess had promised this, the frog dived down into the spring. Soon he reappeared with the golden ball in his mouth and threw it onto the grass. Full of joy, the girl took the ball and ran home with it. She had completely forgotten the frog.

On the next day, the King was sitting with his court in the dining hall when – split splat – the frog came up the marble steps and cried out "Princess, youngest, let me in!" When the King found out what had happened, he admonished his daughter "What you have promised, you also must keep". So the frog sat next to her at the table, ate from her golden plate and slept in her room. When he also wanted to share the silken bed with her she became angry and threw him against the wall. The frog dropped away – and a friendly prince stood in front of her. A magic spell had been cast on him by a witch.

After a sumptuous wedding, the prince wanted to take his wife with him to his land. On the next day a carriage with gold fittings pulled by eight white horses drove in front of the castle. The Princess entered the coach. At the back of the car stood Henry, the Prince's faithful servant. Out of pure grief from the Prince's transformation he had iron chains laid around his chest to ensure that his heart did not burst for worry. So the servant was even happier that his master was now free. There was a loud cracking sound and the Prince was startled. "Henry, the carriage is breaking!" he cried. "No master, that wasn't the carriage", said the servant. That was the chains to prevent my heart from breaking – they have just cracked." And so they lived happily to the end of their days.