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In old times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose daughters wereall beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen somuch, was astonished whenever it shone in her face. Close by the King's castle lay agreat dark forest, and under an old lime-tree in the forest was a well, and when the daywas very warm, the King's child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of thecool fountain, and when she was dull she took a golden ball, and threw it up on high andcaught it, and this ball was her favorite plaything.
Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess's golden ball did not fall intothe little hand which she was holding up for it, but on to the ground beyond, and rolledstraight into the water. The King's daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, andthe well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen. On this she began to cry,and cried louder and louder, and could not be comforted. And as she thus lamented someone said to her, "What ails you, King's daughter? You weep so that even a stone wouldshow pity." She looked round to the side from whence the voice came, and saw a frogstretching forth its thick, ugly head from the water. "Ah! old water-splasher, is it you?"said she; "I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.""Be quiet, and do not weep," answered the frog, "I can help you, but what will you giveme if I bring your plaything up again?" "Whatever you will have, dear frog," said she -"My clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am wearing."The frog answered, "I do not care for your clothes, your pearls and jewels, or yourgolden crown, but if you will love me and let me be your companion and play-fellow, andsit by you at your little table, and eat off your little golden plate, and drink out of yourlittle cup, and sleep in your little bed - if you will promise me this I will go down below,and bring you your golden ball up again."