The frog king or Iron Henry

In the old times, when it was still of some use to wish head under the water and sank down out of sight, but
for the thing one wanted, there lived a King whose after a while he came to the surface again with the ball
daughters were all handsome, but the youngest was so in his mouth, and he threw it on the grass. The King's
beautiful that the sun himself, who has seen so much, daughter was overjoyed to see her pretty plaything
wondered each time he shone over her because of her again, and she caught it up and ran off with it. "Stop,
beauty. Near the royal castle there was a great dark stop!" cried the frog, "take me up too. I cannot run as
wood, and in the wood under an old linden-tree was a fast as you!" But it was of no use, for croak, croak
well; and when the day was hot, the King's daughter after her as he might, she would not listen to him, but
used to go forth into the wood and sit by the brink of made haste home, and very soon forgot all about the
the cool well, and if the time seemed long, she would poor frog, who had to betake himself to his well again.
take out a golden ball, and throw it up and catch it The next day, when the King's daughter was sitting at
again, and this was her favourite pastime. table with the King and all the court, and eating from
Now it happened one day that the golden ball, instead her golden plate, there came something pitter patter up
of falling back into the maiden's little hand which had the marble stairs, and then there came a knocking at
sent it aloft, dropped to the ground near the edge of the the door, and a voice crying: "Youngest King's
well and rolled in. The king's daughter followed it with daughter, let me in!" And she got up and ran to see
her eyes as it sank, but the well was deep, so deep that who it could be, but when she opened the door, there
the bottom could not be seen. Then she began to weep, was the frog sitting outside. Then she shut the door
and she wept and wept as if she could never be hastily and went back to her seat, feeling very uneasy.
comforted. And in the midst of her weeping she heard The King noticed how quickly her heart was beating,
a voice saying to her: "What ails thee, king's daughter? and said: "My child, what are you afraid of? Is there a
Thy tears would melt a heart of stone." And when she giant standing at the door ready to carry you away?" -
looked to see where the voice came from, there was "Oh no," answered she, "no giant, but a horrid frog." -
nothing but a frog stretching his thick ugly head out of "And what does the frog want?" asked the King. "O
the water. "Oh, is it you, old waddler?" said she, "I dear father," answered she, "when I was sitting by the
weep because my golden ball has fallen into the well." well yesterday, and playing with my golden ball, it fell
- "Never mind, do not weep," answered the frog, "I can into the water, and while I was crying for the loss of it,
help you; but what will you give me if I fetch up your the frog came and got it again for me on condition I
ball again?" - "Whatever you like, dear frog," said she, would let him be my companion, but I never thought
"any of my clothes, my pearls and jewels, or even the that he could leave the water and come after me; but
golden crown that I wear." - "Thy clothes, thy pearls now there he is outside the door, and he wants to come
and jewels, and thy golden crown are not for me," in to me." And then they all heard him knocking the
answered the frog, "but if thou wouldst love me, and second time and crying:
have me for thy companion and play-fellow, and let
me sit by thee at table, and eat from thy plate, and "Youngest King's daughter,
drink from thy cup, and sleep in thy little bed, if thou Open to me!
wouldst promise all this, then would I dive below the By the well water
water and fetch thee thy golden ball again." - "Oh yes," What promised
she answered, "I will promise it all, whatever you you me?
want, if you will only get me my ball again." But she Youngest King's daughter
thought to herself: What nonsense he talks! As if he Now open to me!"
could do anything but sit in the water and croak with
the other frogs, or could possibly be any one's "That which thou hast promised must thou perform,"
companion. said the King, "so go now and let him in." So she went
But the frog, as soon as he heard her promise, drew his and opened the door, and the frog hopped in, following

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at her heels, till she reached her chair. Then he stopped 'Tis the band round my heart
and cried: "Lift me up to sit by you." But she delayed That, to lessen its ache,
doing so until the King ordered her. When once the When I grieved for your sake,
frog was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table, I bound round my heart."
and there he sat and said: "Now push your golden plate
a little nearer, so that we may eat together." And so she Again, and yet once again there was the same sound,
did, but everybody might see how unwilling she was, and the prince thought it must be the wheel breaking,
and the frog feasted heartily, but every morsel seemed but it was the breaking of the other bands from faithful
to stick in her throat. "I have had enough now," said Henry's heart, because it was now so relieved and
the frog at last, "and as I am tired, you must carry me happy.
to your room, and make ready your silken bed, and we
will lie down and go to sleep." Then the King's ***
daughter began to weep, and was afraid of the cold
frog, that nothing would satisfy him but he must sleep
in her pretty clean bed. Now the King grew angry with
her, saying: "That which thou hast promised in thy
time of necessity, must thou now perform." So she
picked up the frog with her finger and thumb, carried
him upstairs and put him in a corner, and when she had
lain down to sleep, he came creeping up, saying: "I am
tired and want sleep as much as you; take me up, or I
will tell your father." Then she felt beside herself with
rage, and picking him up, she threw him with all her
strength against the wall, crying: "Now will you be
quiet, you horrid frog!"
But as he fell, he ceased to be a frog, and became all at
once a prince with beautiful kind eyes. And it came to
pass that, with her father's consent, they became bride
and bridegroom. And he told her how a wicked witch
had bound him by her spells, and how no one but she
alone could have released him, and that they two
would go together to his father's kingdom. And there
came to the door a carriage drawn by eight white
horses, with white plumes on their heads, and with
golden harness, and behind the carriage was standing
faithful Henry, the servant of the young prince. Now,
faithful Henry had suffered such care and pain when
his master was turned into a frog, that he had been
obliged to wear three iron bands over his heart, to keep
it from breaking with trouble and anxiety. When the
carriage started to take the prince to his kingdom, and
faithful Henry had helped them both in, he got up
behind, and was full of joy at his master's deliverance.
And when they had gone a part of the way, the prince
heard a sound at the back of the carriage, as if
something had broken, and he turned round and cried:

"Henry, the wheel must be breaking!"

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