Once upon a time, there was an old king who ruled a kingdom and had a beautiful daughter whom everyone in the kingdom talked about. The princess enjoyed her youth and beauty, singing and playing with her friends in the royal garden.
On hot summer days, she liked to walk alone to the forest, where she played with her golden ball under an old linden tree. A well sparkled by the old linden tree, and the princess sat down and gazed into it.The water was beautifully clear, but the princess could never see to the bottom.
When she had had her fill of looking at the well and drinking the clear, cold water, she began to play with her golden ball. She threw it up in the air until it reflected the sunlight and sparkled beautifully. It was her favorite toy.
However, the ball slipped out of her hand, fell beside her, bounced, and splashed into the water. The princess jumped to the well and saw a golden glow in the water, but it soon disappeared. The ball sank deeper and deeper to the very bottom. Perhaps the well is bottomless, thought the princess, and she began to cry.
“What happened to you, little princess? You are crying so bitterly that even a stone would soften at the sight,” she heard a voice behind her, and because she couldn’t see who was calling her through her tears, she rubbed her eyes and looked back. A large frog was sticking its head out of the water, staring at the princess and comforting her: “Don’t cry, little princess, don’t cry.” “Is that you, old frog?” the princess wondered. “I wouldn’t be crying if I hadn’t lost my golden ball. I was playing with it and it fell into the well.” “Into the well?” said the frog, “and what will you give me if I bring you your golden ball?” “Whatever you want, dear frog,” smiled the princess, “dresses, pearls, precious stones, or would you rather have my golden crown?”
The frog replied, “I don’t want your dresses, pearls, precious stones, or golden crown. But if you promise to love me, to be my friend and allow me to sit at your table, eat from your plate, drink from your glass, and sleep in your bed, then I will dive into the well and bring you the golden ball.” “Bring it, please,” begged the princess, “I promise you everything you want, just bring me my beloved ball.”
At the same time, she thought: What is that silly frog talking about? Frogs belong in the water. No one has ever heard of a frog eating from a plate! The princess’ promise was enough for the frog. He disappeared under the surface and in a moment swam up with a golden ball in his mouth and then threw it onto the grass.
The princess jumped for joy when she saw the ball. She picked it up, caressed it, laughed, and ran to the castle, forgetting about the frog. He returned sadly to the well. The next day, the princess sat with the king and courtiers at the table, and they all ate royal delicacies. After a while, there was a sound on the stairs: pat, pat, pat. Everyone pricked up their ears and listened. They heard the frog calling. The frog asked the princess to fulfill her promise.
From then on, the frog did not leave the princess’s side. They had to eat and drink together. When he had eaten and drunk his fill, he wanted the princess to carry him to bed. She burst into tears, not wanting to touch the cold frog. The princess lay down in her bed and, instead of taking the frog closer to her, she threw it with all her might against the wall and cried, “Now you’ll leave me alone, you ugly frog!”
But it was not a frog that fell to the floor, but a living young prince with beautiful eyes. He told her how he had been cursed by an evil witch. Only a princess who fulfilled his wish could free him from the well. They talked all night until dawn broke outside. Only when a carriage rattled outside did they look out the window. A carriage drawn by eight white horses with white plumes on their heads was entering the castle courtyard. Standing at the back of the carriage was the prince’s most loyal servant, Henry, who took them to the kingdom.