The Frog Prince - Grimm's Fairy Tale

The Fairy Tale of the Princess and the Frog Prince

The story tells of a prince who is cursed by an evil witch and transformed into a frog. However, through his patience and sincere heart, he manages to win the heart of a beautiful princess and break the curse.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom where wishes sometimes came true, there lived a king who had several daughters. All of them were beautiful, but the youngest was so gorgeous that even the sun couldn't help but marvel at her beauty every time it shone on her. In the vicinity of the royal castle, there was a dense forest, and beneath an old lime tree in that forest was a well. When the days were hot, the king's daughter would go there and sit by the cool water's edge. If she grew bored, she would take out a golden ball and throw it up into the air, catching it again and again.

One day, however, the ball slipped from her grasp and fell into the well. The king's daughter watched in despair as the ball sank into the deep waters, beyond her reach. She wept and wept, unable to be comforted. Suddenly, a voice interrupted her sorrow. It was a frog, poking its head out of the water. "What's wrong, king's daughter? Your tears would melt a heart of stone," said the frog.

"I weep because my golden ball has fallen into the well," replied the king's daughter. The frog then offered to help her retrieve the ball in exchange for a reward. "Whatever you like, dear frog," she said. "Any of my clothes, my pearls and jewels, or even the golden crown that I wear."

The frog refused her lavish offers and instead proposed that the king's daughter agree to let him be her companion and playmate. He wanted to sit at her table, eat from her plate, drink from her cup, and even sleep in her bed. "Oh, yes," the king's daughter replied, desperate to retrieve her ball. "I will promise it all, whatever you want, if you will only get me my ball again."

The frog immediately dove into the well and soon resurfaced with the golden ball in his mouth. The king's daughter was elated to have her plaything back in her hands, but she soon forgot all about the frog, leaving him behind as she rushed home.

The Princess and the Frog Prince

The next day, while the King's daughter was having her meal with her father and the courtiers, she heard a strange sound coming from outside. It was a pitter-patter sound that grew louder and louder until someone started knocking on the door, calling out to her. "Youngest King's daughter, let me in!" she heard a voice cry. Curious, she got up and went to the door to see who it could be.

As she opened the door, she saw the frog sitting outside. She quickly shut the door and went back to her seat, feeling uneasy. The King noticed her unease and asked her what was wrong. She explained that it was the frog who had returned, the same one who had retrieved her golden ball from the well the day before. She had promised him that he could be her companion in exchange for the ball, but she had never expected him to come after her.

As they sat at the table, they heard the frog knocking on the door again and calling out to the King's daughter. He recited a little poem:

"Fair maiden of the king,
Hear my plea!
Beside the river spring,
You pledged to me.
Fair maiden of the king,
Come forth to see!"

The King's daughter did not want to let the frog in, but the King insisted that she keep her promise. Reluctantly, she opened the door and let the frog in, and he hopped straight to her feet. "Now lift me up," he said, "on to your chair." She did as he asked, and the frog sat beside her, much to her disgust.

"Remember your promise," said the King sternly, "let him in." So, the princess opened the door and the frog hopped in after her, following her to her chair. "Lift me up to sit by you," he said, and although she hesitated, she eventually did so when ordered by the King. The frog then asked to be placed on the table and for her to push her golden plate nearer so that they could eat together. She did as he asked, but it was clear that she was unwilling, and while the frog feasted heartily, she struggled to swallow each bite.

"I have had enough now," said the frog, "and as I am tired, you must carry me to your room, and make ready your silken bed, and we will lie down and go to sleep." The princess was afraid of the cold frog and began to weep, but the King reminded her of her promise, and she reluctantly carried the frog to her room and put him in a corner. However, as she lay down to sleep, the frog crept up to her, demanding that she take him to bed or he would tell her father. In a fit of rage, she threw him against the wall with all her might, yelling, "Now will you be quiet, you horrid frog!"

As he fell, the frog suddenly transformed into a handsome prince with kind eyes. He explained to the princess that he had been cursed by a wicked witch and that only she could break the spell. They then decided to travel to his kingdom together, and a carriage drawn by eight white horses with golden harness and white plumes on their heads arrived at the door. The faithful servant Henry stood behind the carriage, overjoyed at his master's deliverance.

As they journeyed towards the prince's kingdom, the prince heard a strange sound coming from behind the carriage. He turned around and asked Henry if the wheel was breaking. But Henry replied that it was not the wheel, but the iron bands he had bound around his heart to keep it from breaking with worry and anxiety while his master was a frog. As they continued their journey, the sound was heard again and again, until finally, all the bands broke from Henry's heart, now relieved and happy at his master's return.

And so, the prince and princess were wed with the King's blessing, and they lived happily ever after.

The Story of the Frog Prince
- Grimm's Fairy Tale -

The Moral Lesson of "The Frog Prince"

The moral lesson of "The Frog Prince" is that promises should always be kept, even if they are made to someone or something that may seem insignificant or unimportant.

In the story, the princess learns that she must keep her promise to the frog, even though she finds him repulsive, because he helped her in her time of need. By fulfilling her promise, she is rewarded with the transformation of the frog into a handsome prince and the opportunity to marry him and live happily ever after.

This teaches the lesson that fulfilling promises and showing kindness to others, regardless of their appearance or status, can lead to unexpected rewards and happiness.