King's Frog

Once upon a time, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful. Close by the king’s castle lay a great dark forest, and under an old lime-tree in the forest, there was a well. The day was very warm, the king’s child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of the cool fountain. When she was bored she took a golden ball, and threw it up on high and caught it, and this ball was her favorite plaything.
Unfortunately the princess’s golden ball did not fall into the little hand and rolled straight into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, and the well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen. She began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not be comforted. When she lamented, someone said to her, “What ails you, king’s daughter? You weep so that even a stone would show pity.”
She looked round to the side from where the voice came, and saw a frog stretching forth its big, ugly head from the water. “Ah, old water-splash, is it you,” she said, “I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.”
“Be quiet, and do not weep,” answered the frog, “I can help you, but what will you give me if I bring your plaything up again?”
“Whatever you will have, dear frog,” said she, “My clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am wearing.”
The frog answered, “I do not care for your clothes, your pearls and jewels, nor for your golden crown, but if you will love me and let me be your companion and play-fellow, and sit by you at your little table, and eat off your little golden plate, and drink out of your little cup, and sleep in your little bed - if you will promise me this I will go down below, and bring you your golden ball up
again.”
“Oh yes,” said she, “I promise you all you wish, if you will but bring me my ball back again.” But she thought, “How the silly frog does talk.”
When he had received this promise, put his head into the water and sank down. In a short time he came swimming up again with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The king’s
daughter was delighted to see her pretty plaything once more, and picked it up, and ran away with it. “Wait, wait,” said the frog. “Take me with you. I can’t run as you can.” But she did not listen to him, she ran home and soon forgot the poor frog. He was forced to go back into his well again.
The next day when she was eating at table from her little golden plate, the frog came creeping splish splash, splish splash, up staircase, and he knocked at the door and cried, “Princess, youngest princess, open the door for me.”
She ran to see who was outside, but when she opened the door, there sat the frog in front of it. Then she slammed the door to, in great haste, sat down to dinner again, and was quite frightened. The king saw plainly that her heart was beating violently, and said, “My child, what are you so afraid of? Is there perchance a giant outside who wants to carry you away?”
“Ah, no,” replied she.