Frog

There once lived a king and he had three sons and he did not know which one of them he would give the kingdom to after his death. One of the sons was not as wise as the other two and they laughed at him. He said he would give them three tasks and the one that would succeed in all the tasks would have the kingdom. The first task was to bring him the nicest and softest piece of velvet that would go through his ring easily.

The three brothers set out and the two brothers went the nice road where lovely flowers grew and the younger brother the one they laughed at went the weary long road. The two brothers kept going on until they got some velvet. The other brother saw nothing but old ditches and stones and swamps.

At last he was so tired that he could go no further and sat down beside an old bridge and an ugly looking frog stuck her head over the water and asked him why was he so-tired looking. He said that he had come a long weary road in search of a piece of velvet for his father and that he did not want his other brothers to get the kingdom. The old frog said that she would do all she could for him. The frog went down under the water and brought him up a beautiful piece of velvet. The prince thanked her very much and went on his journey till he came to his fathers palace.

The other brothers arrived about the same and gave the velvet to their father. He tried to put it through his ring but it was no use. Then he asked his younger son what kind of velvet had he. The younger son gave him the velvet and he rejoiced on seeing it. He took out his ring and it went through it easily. The king said that fifty more peices like it would go through it without any trouble. He then gave them his second task to bring him the tinyiest little dog that would fit in a nut-shell. They went their same way as before.

The young brother sat down beside the bridge and he said “I cannot get anything for my father this time. Immediately the frog put her head out of the water and said “I will help you”. She asked him what did he want this time. He said “A little dog that will fit in a nut-shell”. She gave him a nut closed nut-shell and told him to give it to his father and to tell his father to crack it very carefully. He thanked her and told her he was very thankful and went home to his father. His brothers were there before but all their dogs and terriors were too big. The young brother gave him the nut-shell and told him to crack it carefully. The king cracked it and out on his hand came the tiniest little dog and wagged his tail and barked at the other dogs. The king said that was the kind he wanted. He then gave them their last task. To bring him a lovely young lady.

The two brothers went the nice road and the other one the weary road. He came to the old bridge and his friend the frog came up to him and asked him what he wanted. He told her. She gave him an old carriage and six mice to draw it and another frog for the coachman. The frog told him to sit on the top and not to look behind him. The old frog came behind him and she was once a beautiful young lady and a neighbour cast a spell on her to stay there at that old bridge until some prince came thus. When he came to his father’s palace he looked behind him and he saw a beautiful lady walking behind him. The other brothers came with train loads of young ladies but none of them was as beautiful. The king said he would give his kingdom to his younger son and the other brothers went across the sea with jealousy and the young son got married to the lady and they reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness for many years.

Original Source

 

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0041, Page 148

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0041, Page 149

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0041, Page 150

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0041, Page 151