FairyTales
TheFrogPrince青蛙王子
Many,manyyearsago,therelivedaking.Hehadmanybeautifuldaughters.Andtheyoungestonewasverylovely,andeventhesunwassurprisedtoseeherwhenheshoneonherface.
Neartheking'scastlelayadark,gloomyforest.Inthemiddleoftheforesttherewasafountain.
Oneday,theking'sdaughterwentintotheforestwhenitwasveryhot.Shesatdownonthesideofthecoolfountain.Thenshebegantotossagoldenballintheair,andcatchit.Itwasamostinterestinggametoher.
Once,however,theking'sdaughterfailedtocatchthegoldenball.Itfellontheground,androlledintothewater.
Theprincessfolloweditwithhereyes,butsoonitdisappeared.Thewaterwasverydeepandshecouldnotseethebottom.
Thenshecriedaloud,andbegantoweep.Soonsheheardavoice.Itsaid,"Whyareyouweeping,princess?Yourtearscanmelteventhestones！"
Shelookedaroundandsawafrog.Hewasstretchinghisthickuglyheadoutofthewater."Oh,thereyouare,oldwaterpaddler,"shesaid."Iamcryingforthelossofmygoldenball.Ithasfallenintointothefountain."
"Thenweepnomore,"saidthefrog."Icangetitforyou.ButwhatwillyougivemeifIfetchyourplaything?"
"Oh,Iwillgiveyouanything,dearfrog,"shereplied."Whatwillyouwant—mydresses,mypearlsandjewels,ormygoldencrown?"
"Idon'twantanyofthem,"answeredthefrog."Yourclothes,yourpearlsandyourjewels,orevenyourgoldencrown,arenothingtome.Iwantyoutoloveme,andletmebeyourcompanion.I'dliketositatyourtable,eatfromyourgoldenplate,anddrinkoutofyourcup,andsleepinyournicebed.Ifyoupromisemeallthis,Iwilldivedownintothewaterandbringupyourprettygoldenball."
「Oh,yes,"shereplied."Iwillpromiseyouanythingifonlyyoubringbackmyball."
Butshethoughttoherselfthatasillyfroglikehimcouldnotbefittoassociatewithmankind.Thefrogbelievedtheking'sdaughter.Hedippedhisheadunderthewateranddivedtothebottom.Afterawhilehecarriedtheballtothesurface,andthrewitontothegrass.
Whentheking'sdaughtersawthebeautifulball,shewasfullofjoy.Shetookitandranawayasfastasshecould.
"Wait,wait,"criedthefrog."Takemewithyou！Ican'trunasfastasyou."Buttheyoungprincesswouldnotlistentothefrog'scroaking.Sherantothepalaceasfastasshecould,andsoonforgotthepoorfrog.Sothefrogreturnedtothefountainandremainedthere.
Thenextday,however,whentheprincesswassittingwiththekingandeatingoutofherownlittlegoldenplate,sheheardastrangenoiseonthemarblestepsoutside.Thencameaknockonthedoor,andavoicecried,"Lovelyprincess,openthedoorforme."Sosheroseandwenttothedoor.
Butwhenshecaughtsightofthefrog,sheclosedthedoorandseatedherselfagainatthetable.Shelookedquitepale.Whenthekingsawthathisdaughterwasfrightened,heasked,"Mychild,whatisatthedoor?Hasagiantcometocarryyouaway?"
「Oh,no,Father,"shereplied,"itisnogiant,onlyaveryuglyfrog."
「Afrog！Whatcanhewantwithyou,mydaughter?」
"Ah,mydearfather,Iwilltellyouallaboutit.YesterdaywhenIwasplayingwithmygoldenballbythefountainintheforest,itrolledintothewater,andbecauseIcried,thefrogfetcheditforme,and1promisedhimthathecouldcometothecastleandbemycompanion.Ithoughthecouldnotgetoutofthewatertocometome,andnowhereheis."
Justthencameasecondknockonthedoor,andavoicecried,"King'sdaughter,king'sdaughter,openthedoorforme.YoupromisedthatIcouldbeyourcompanionwhenyousatintheshadeand1fetchedyourballfromthebottomofthefountain."
"Then,mydaughter,"saidtheking,"youmustkeepyourpromise.Goandlethiminatonce."Soshehadtogoandopenthedoor,andthefroghoppedinafterher.
Whenshesatdown,hecried,"Takemeupbyyou."Shedidn'twanttotakehimupatfirst,butherfathertoldhertoliftthefrogontothechairbyherside.
Whenhewasplacedonthechair,hejumpeduponthetableandsaid,"Now,pushyourlittlegoldenplatenearer,andwewilleattogether."Theprincessdidashetoldher,buteveryonecouldseethatshedislikedit.
Atlasthesaid,"Ihaveeatenanddrunkquiteenough,and1feelverytired,sonowcarrymeupstairsintoyourlittlebedroom.Let'ssleeptogether."
Whentheprincessheardthis,shebegantoweep.Shewasreallyafraidofthecoldfrog.Shecouldnoteventouchhim,andnowhewantedtosleepinherneat,beautifullittlebed.
Butthekingwasdispleasedathertears,andhesaid,"Don』tdespisethefrog.Hehelpedyouwhenyouwereintrouble."
Thenshetookupthefrogwithtwofingers,carriedhimupstairsandplacedhiminacomerofherroom.
Intheevening,however,whentheprincesswasinbed,thefrogcreptoutofhiscornerandsaidtoher,"1amverytired.Liftmeupandletmesleepinyourbed,orIwilltellyourfather."
Whentheprincessheardthis,shegotveryangry.Sheseizedthefroginherhandandthrewhimagainstthewall.Shesaid,"Youwillbequietnow,Ihope,youuglyfrog."
Butashefell,howsurprisedshewastoseethefrog！Becausethefroghadchangedintoahandsomeyoungprincewithbeautifuleyes.Afterwardstheprincebecameherconstantcompanion,andatlastherfathergavehisconsenttotheirmarriage.
Theprincesaidtoher,"Iwaschangedintoafrogbyawickedwitch,so1hadtoliveinthefountain.Onlyyoucouldreleaseme.Nooneelseintheworldhadthepowertodoso.」