The Frog King , or Iron HenryGrimms Fairy Tales and German Folklore In olden times when wishing still helped one , there lived a kingwhose daughters were all beautiful , but the youngest was so beautifulthat the sun itself , which has seen so much , was astonished whenever it shone in her face . Close by the king ' s castle lay a great dark forest , and under an old lime - tree in the forest was a well , and when the day was very warm , the king ' s child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of the cool fountain , and 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 . Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess ' s golden ball did not fall into the little hand which she was holding up for it , but on to the ground beyond , and rolled straight into the water . Theking ' s daughter followed it with her eyes , but it vanished , and thewell was deep , so deep that the bottom could not be seen . At thisshe began to cry , and cried louder and louder , and could not becomforted . And as she thus lamented someone said to her , " What ailsyou , king ' s daughter ? You weep so that even a stone would show pity . " She looked round to the side from whence the voice came , and saw a frog stretching forth its big , ugly head from the water . " Ah , old water - splasher , 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 . All he does is to sit in the water with the other frogs , andcroak . He can be no companion to any human being . " But the frog when he had received this promise , put his head into the water and sank down ; and in a short while came swimmming 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 what did it avail him to scream his croak , croak , after her , as loudly as he could . She didnot listen to it , but ran home and soon forgot the poor frog , who wasforced to go back into his well again . The next day when she had seated herself at table with the king and all the courtiers , and was eating from her little golden plate , something came creeping splish splash , splish splash , up the marblestaircase , and when it had got to the top , it knocked at the door andcried , " 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 , satdown to dinner again , and was quite frightened . The king saw plainlythat her heart was beating violently , and said , " My child , what areyou so afraid of ? Is there perchance a giant outside who wants tocarry you away ? " " Ah , no , " replied she . " It is no giant but a disgusting frog . " " What does a frog want with you ? " " Ah , dear father , yesterday as I was in the forest sitting by the well , playing , my golden ball fell intothe water . And because I cried so , the frog brought it out again forme , and because he so insisted , I promised him he should be mycompanion , but I never thought he would be able to come out of hiswater . And now he is outside there , and wants to come in to me . " In the meantime it knocked a second time , and cried , " Princess , youngest princess , open the door for me , do you not know what yousaid to me yesterday by the cool waters of the well . Princess , youngest princess , open the door for me . " Then said the king , " That which you have promised must you perform . Go and let him in . " She went and opened the door , and the frog hopped in and followed her , step by step , to her chair . There he sat and cried , " Lift me up beside you . " She delayed , until at last the king commanded her to do it . once the frog was on the chair he wanted to be on the table , and when he was on the table he said , " Now , push your little golden plate nearer to me that we may eat together . " She did this , but it was easy to see that she did not do it willingly . The frog enjoyed what he ate , but almost every mouthful she took choked her . At length he said , " I have eaten and am satisfied , now I am tired , carry me into your little room and make your little silken bed ready , and we will both lie down and go to sleep . " The king ' s daughter began to cry , for she was afraid of the cold frog which she did not like to touch , and which was now to sleep in her pretty , clean little bed . But the king grew angry and said , " He who helped you when you were in trouble ought not afterwards to bedespised by you . " So she took hold of the frog with two fingers , carried him upstairs , and put him in a corner , but when she was inbed he crept to her and said , " I am tired , I want to sleep as well asyou , lift me up or I will tell your father . " At this she was terribly angry , and took him up and threw him with all her might against thewall . " Now , will you be quiet , odious frog , " said she . But when hefell down he was no frog but a king ' s son with kind and beautifuleyes . He by her father ' s will was now her dear companion andhusband . Then he told her how he had been bewitched by a wickedwitch , and how no one could have delivered him from the well butherself , and that to - morrow they would go together into his kingdom . Then they went to sleep , and next morning when the sun awoke them , a carriage came driving up with eight white horses , which had white ostrich feathers on their heads , and were harnessed with golden chains , and behind stood the young king ' s servant Faithful Henry . Faithful Henry had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a frog , that he had caused three iron bands to be laid round his heart , lest it should burst with grief and sadness . The carriage was to conduct the young king into his kingdom . Faithful Henry helped them both in , and placed himself behind again , and was full of joy because of this deliverance . And when they had driven a part of the way the king ' s son heard a cracking behind him as if something had broken . So he turned round and cried , " Henry , the carriage is breaking . " " No , master , it is not the carriage . It is a band from my heart , which was put there in my great pain when you were a frog and imprisoned in the well . " Again and once again while they were on their way something cracked , and each time the king ' s son thought the carriage was breaking , but it was only the bands which were springing from the heart of Faithful Henry because his master was set free and was happy .