But all his croaking was in vain. The king’s
daughter would not hear it, but, hastening home,
soon forgot the poor frog, who was obliged to leap
back into the fountain.
Next day, when the princess was sitting at table
with her father and all his court, and was eating
from her little golden plate, something was heard
coming up the marble stairs, splish, splash! splish,
splash! and when it arrived at the top, it knocked
at the door, and a voice was heard calling: ‘Open
the door, youngest daughter of a king!’ So she
rose and went to see who was calling for her; and
when she opened the door and caught sight of the
frog, she shut it again with great haste, and went
back to her place at the table, looking deadly pale.
When the king saw how frightened she was, he
asked her whether there was an ogre at the door,
who wanted to eat her.
‘Oh, no!’ she answered; ‘it is not an ogre, but an
ugly wet frog.’
‘And what does the frog want with you?’ asked
her father.
‘ My father,’ she answered, ‘as I was at the well
yesterday, I dropped my golden ball into it, and
the ball sank to the bottom. I cried greatly, and
then a frog came to the surface, and promised to
restore to me the ball if I would make him my
playfellow, and suffer him to eat off my plate,
drink out of my cup, sit on my shoulder and sleep
on my bed. Now he has left the well and is come
ere.’
Then the frog was heard calling at the door—

‘Open the door, my honey, my heart,
Open the door, my dear.

Remember the oath atwixt us both,
Adown by the wellhead clear.’

The king said: ‘A promise is a promise, whether
made to prince or beggar, to man or toad.’
231

THE
FROG
PRINCE