So she was obliged to let the frog feed from off her
plate. The courtiers looked on and were very
astonished. As for the princess, she could eat not
another bite. Then said the frog—

‘Give me of your cup, that I may sup,
Of your golden cup, my dear.

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

Then she put the cup to the cold lips of the frog,
and he drank a little drop, but after that she could
not take any draught from the cup.

Then when the frog had eaten and drunken to his
satisfaction, all the court rose from table and retired
to the drawing-room, and the princess would have
walked away, and dropped the frog on the floor.
But the frog cried out—

‘Take me on your shoulder, my honey, my heart,
Take me on your shoulder, dear.

Remember the oath betwixt us both,

Adown by the wellhead clear.’

So the Princess was obliged to take up the frog
and set him on her shoulder, and then he put his
cold lips to her ear, and said—

‘Fair maid, do not weep, ’tis time to sleep,
Carry me to the bed, my dear.

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

At this the king’s daughter began to cry. She
could not bear to think of the clammy cold frog on
her beautiful clean white counterpane, and she
thought that whilst she was asleep he might hop
on to her face and wake her with fright. But
indeed she did not think she could sleep at all with
the nasty creature in her room.

But the king was angry at her reluctance. He
said again, that what she had promised must be

233

THE
FROG
PRINCE