In olden times , whenwishing still did some good , there lived a king whose daughters were allbeautiful , but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself , who , indeed , has seen so much , marveled every time it shone upon her face . In the vicinityof the king ' s castle there was a large , dark forest , and in this forest , beneath an old linden tree , there was a well . In the heat of the day theprincess would go out into the forest and sit on the edge of the cool well . Topass the time she would take a golden ball , throw it into the air , and thencatch it . It was her favorite plaything . Now oneday it happened that the princess ' s golden ball did not fall into her hands , that she held up high , but instead it fell to the ground and rolled right intothe water . The princess followed it with her eyes , but the ball disappeared , and the well was so deep that she could not see its bottom . Then she began tocry . She cried louder and louder , and she could not console herself . As shewas thus lamenting , someone called out to her , " What is the matter withyou , princess ? Your crying would turn a stone to pity . " Shelooked around to see where the voice was coming from and saw a frog , who hadstuck his thick , ugly head out of the water . " Oh , it ' s you , oldwater - splasher , " she said . " I am crying because my golden ball hasfallen into the well . "" Bestill and stop crying , " answered the frog . I can help you , but what willyou give me if I bring back your plaything ? "" Whateveryou want , dear frog , " she said , " my clothes , my pearls and preciousstones , and even the golden crown that I am wearing . " Thefrog answered , " I do not want your clothes , your pearls and preciousstones , nor your golden crown , but if you will love me and accept me as acompanion and playmate , and let me sit next to you at your table and eat fromyour golden plate and drink from your cup and sleep in your bed , if you willpromise this to me , then I ' ll dive down and bring your golden ball back toyou . "" Oh , yes , " she said , " I promise all of that to you if you will just bringthe ball back to me . " But she thought , " What is this stupid frogtrying to say ? He just sits here in the water with his own kind and croaks . Hecannot be a companion to a human . " As soonas the frog heard her say " yes " he stuck his head under and dove tothe bottom . He paddled back up a short time later with the golden ball in hismouth and threw it onto the grass . The princess was filled with joy when shesaw her beautiful plaything once again , picked it up , and ran off . " Wait , wait , " called the frog , " take me along . I cannot run as fast asyou . " But what did it help him , that he croaked out after her as loudly ashe could ? She paid no attention to him , but instead hurried home and soonforgot the poor frog , who had to return again to his well . Thenext day the princess was sitting at the table with the king and all the peopleof the court , and was eating from her golden plate when something came creepingup the marble steps : plip , plop , plip , plop . As soon as it reached the top , there came a knock at the door , and a voice called out , " Princess , youngest , open the door for me ! " She ranto see who was outside . She opened the door , and the frog was sitting there . Frightened , she slammed the door shut and returned to the table . The king sawthat her heart was pounding and asked , " My child , why are you afraid ? Isthere a giant outside the door who wants to get you ? "" Oh , no , " she answered . " it is a disgusting frog . "" Whatdoes the frog want from you ? "" Oh , father dear , yesterday when I was sitting near the well in the forest andplaying , my golden ball fell into the water . And because I was crying so much , the frog brought it back , and because he insisted , I promised him that he couldbe my companion , but I didn ' t think that he could leave his water . But now heis just outside the door and wants to come in . " Justthen there came a second knock at the door , and a voice called out : Youngest daughter of the king , Open up the door for me , Don ' t you know what yesterday , You said to me down by the well ? Youngest daughter of the king , Open up the door for me . Theking said , " What you have promised , you must keep . Go and let the frogin . " Shewent and opened the door , and the frog hopped in , then followed her up to herchair . He sat there and called out , " Lift me up next to you . " Shehesitated , until finally the king commanded her to do it . When the frog wasseated next to her he said , " Now push your golden plate closer , so we caneat together . " She didit , but one could see that she did not want to . The frog enjoyed his meal , butfor her every bite stuck in her throat . Finally he said , " I have eaten allI want and am tired . Now carry me to your room and make your bed so that we cango to sleep . " Theprincess began to cry and was afraid of the cold frog and did not dare to eventouch him , and yet he was supposed to sleep in her beautiful , clean bed . Theking became angry and said , " You should not despise someone who has helpedyou in time of need . " Shepicked him up with two fingers , carried him upstairs , and set him in a corner . As she was lying in bed , he came creeping up to her and said , " I am tired , and I want to sleep as well as you do . Pick me up or I ' ll tell yourfather . " Withthat she became bitterly angry and threw him against the wall with all hermight . " Now you will have your peace , you disgusting frog ! " Butwhen he fell down , he was not a frog , but a prince with beautiful friendly eyes . And he was now , according to her father ' s will , her dear companion and husband . He told her how he had been enchanted by a wicked witch , and that she alonecould have rescued him from the well , and that tomorrow they would go togetherto his kingdom . Then they fell asleep . Thenext morning , just as the sun was waking them , a carriage pulled up , drawn byeight horses . They had white ostrich feathers on their heads and were outfittedwith chains of gold . At the rear stood the young king ' s servant , faithfulHeinrich . Faithful Heinrich had been so saddened by his master ' s transformationinto a frog that he had had to place three iron bands around his heart to keepit from bursting in grief and sorrow . The carriage was to take the king back tohis kingdom . Faithful Heinrich lifted them both inside and took his place atthe rear . He was filled with joy over the redemption . After they had gone ashort distance , the prince heard a crack from behind , as though something hadbroken . Heturned around and said , " Heinrich , the carriage is breaking apart . " No , my lord , the carriage it ' s not , But one of the bands surrounding my heart , That suffered such great pain , When you were sitting in the well , When you were a frog . Onceagain , and then once again the prince heard a cracking sound and thought thatthe carriage was breaking apart , but it was the bands springing from faithfulHeinrich ' s heart because his master was now redeemed and happy . Source : Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm , Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich , Kinder - und Hausmärchen , no . 1 . Translated by D . L . Ashliman . © 1999 - 2002 . The Grimms ' source : Not known precisely , but apparently from an oral tradition of the family Wild in Kassel . ( Wilhelm Grimm married a member of this family , Dortchen Wild . ) A version of this tale was included in the Grimms ' manuscript collection of 1810 . From the first ( 1812 ) to the last ( 1857 ) editions published during the Grimms ' lifetime , " The Frog King " has always been number one in their folktale collection . The first edition of the Grimms ' Kinder - und Hausmärchen ( vol . 2 , 1815 , no . 13 ) included a variation of this story entitled The Frog Prince ( in German , Der Froschprinz ) . This tale was not included in later editions and has thus remained relatively unknown . Aarne - Thompson type 440 . Related linksD . L . Ashliman ' s folktexts , a library of folktales , folklore , fairy tales , and mythology . The Grimm Brothers ' Home Page . The Grimm Brothers ' Children ' s and Household Tales ( Fairy Tales ) . The Frog King or Iron Heinrich by the Brothers Grimm : A comparison of the versions of 1812 and 1857 . Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich von den Brüdern Grimm : Ein Vergleich der Fassungen von 1812 und 1857 , in the original German . Frog Kings : Folktales about Slimy Suitors , a collection type 440 stories from Germany , Scotland , England , Sri Lanka , Korea , and China . Animal Brides and Animal Bridegrooms . An index page of folktales about courtship and marriage with a beast or a supernatural being . Revised October 17 , 2005 ( http : / / www . pitt . edu / ~ dash / grimm 001 . html )