IN times of yore, when wishes were both heard and granted, lived a king
whose daughters were all beautiful but the youngest was so lovely that
the sun himself, who has seen so much, wondered at her beauty every
time he looked in her face. Now, near the king's castle was a large dark
forest; and in the forest, under an old linden tree, was a deep well.
When the day was very hot, the king's daughter used to go to the wood
and seat herself at the edge of the cool well; and when she became
wearied, she would take a golden ball, throw it up in the air, and catch
it again. This was her favorite amusement. Once it happened that her
golden ball, instead of falling back into the little hand that she
stretched out for it, dropped on the ground, and immediately rolled away
into the water. The king's daughter followed it with her eyes, but the
ball had vanished, and the well was so deep that no one could see down
to the bottom. Then she began to weep, wept louder and louder every
minute, and could not console herself at all.

While she was thus lamenting some one called to her: "What is the matter
with you, king's daughter? You weep so that you would touch the heart of
a stone."

She looked around to see whence the voice came, and saw a frog
stretching his thick ugly head out of the water.

"Ah! it is you, old water-paddler!" said she. "I am crying for my golden
ball, which has fallen into the well."

"Be content," answered the frog; "I dare say I can give you some good
advice; but what will you give me if I bring back your plaything to
you?"

"Whatever you like, dear frog," said she, "my clothes, my pearls and
jewels, even the golden crown I wear."

The frog answered, "Your clothes, your pearls and jewels, even your
golden crown, I do not care for; but if you will love me, and let me be
your companion and play-fellow, sit near you at your little table, eat
from your little golden plate, drink from your little cup, and sleep in
your little bed--if you will promise me this, then I will bring you back

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