La rana principe

The Frog Prince

Once, in olden times, when wishing still helped, there lived a king. All of his daughters were beautiful, but the youngest was the loveliest of them all. One day she was playing merrily with a golden ball near a well in the palace gardens. She threw her favourite plaything high up into the air and caught it. As she was playing the golden ball fell into the well, which was sodeep that the bottom could not be seen. The princess started to weep bitterly and could find no comfort until she heard someone call out “Princess, why are you crying so bitterly?” Astonished, she looked round only to discover a fat, ugly frog on the edge of the well. “Ah, old water-splasher, is it you?” she said, “I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.” “Do not weep, Iwill help you,” the frog replied. “What will you give me if I bring your ball up again?” The princess was willing to give him everything she owned for her ball – her clothes, pearls, jewellery, even the golden crown she was wearing. The frog did not care for her riches, he would much rather be her companion and playmate, and sit by her at her little table, eat off her little golden plate, drink outof her little cup and sleep in her little bed. The princess promised him all this and the frog dived into the deep well. The princess was delighted to see her favourite plaything again. She picked it up and ran off with it. “Wait, wait”, said the frog. “Take me with you, I cannot run as fast as you”. But it was to no avail! She did not listen and hurried back to the palace. When the royal familysat down to supper, they heard a knock at the door and a voice calling out “Princess, youngest princess, open the door for me!” The princess ran to the door to see who was there, but when she saw the frog she quickly shut the door and seated herself back at the table. The king saw plainly that her heart was beating violently and said, “My child, what are you so afraid of? Is there perhaps a giant atthe door who wants to take you away?” “Ah, dear father, when I was playing by the well this morning my golden ball fell into the water. And because I cried so, the frog brought it out again for me. In exchange I had to promise him that he could be my companion. He is now outside and wants to come in to me.” The king then said, “You must keep your promise. Go and let him in.” The princess let thefrog in and the king bade him to take a seat at the table. After having eaten like a king, the frog was full and felt tired. He asked the princess to take him to her silken bed. She began to weep for she was afraid of the cold frog, which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep in her pretty, clean little bed. But the king grew angry and said, “He who helped you when you were in needought not to be despised by you.” So the princess carried the frog upstairs and put him in a corner. As she lay in bed, he crept to her and said, “I am tired, I want to sleep as well as you, let me into your little bed or I will tell your father.” This made her furious and she picked him up and threw him against the wall with all her might. “Now you will be quiet you hideous frog!” When he felldown he was no longer a frog, but a prince with beautiful and kind eyes. He then told her how he had been bewitched by a wicked witch, and how no one could have delivered him from the well but herself. They were both so happy about the transformation that they decided to get married and there was great celebration throughout the kingdom.

The Frog Prince

Una vez, en los viejos tiempos,cuando todavía deseen ayudado, vivía un rey. Todas sus hijas eran hermosas, pero el más joven era la más bella de todas. Un día estaba jugando alegremente con un balón de oro cerca de un pozo en los jardines del palacio. Lanzó su juguete favorito alto en el aire y la atrapó. Como ella estaba jugando el balón de oro cayó en el pozo, que era tan profundo que el fondo no podía ser visto. La princesa...