Once upon a time, in an age long forgotten, there lived a king in a distant land. He had three daughters, all lovely in their own way, but the youngest was so beautiful that even the sun, which had seen everything, would pause in the sky whenever its rays fell upon her face.
Near the royal palace stretched a vast, shadowy forest. Deep within that forest, beneath the spreading branches of an ancient linden tree, there lay a cool and mysterious well, dark and bottomless.
One hot summer afternoon, the youngest princess wandered into the forest to escape the heat. As she often did, she sat beside the well, holding her favorite toy—a golden ball. She loved to toss it into the air and catch it again, playing until all her worries melted away.
But that day, as she threw the ball upward, her hands slipped. The ball struck the ground, bounced once, and then—before she could stop it—rolled straight into the well. The princess froze in shock. The well was so deep that she could not see its bottom at all. When her beloved toy disappeared from sight, tears filled her eyes, and she began to cry bitterly.
As she sobbed, a voice suddenly spoke beside her.
“Why are you weeping so, Princess?”
She looked up and saw a frog sitting at the edge of the well, staring at her with large, curious eyes. Startled though she was, she listened as the frog continued,
“What troubles you? Perhaps I can help.”
Wiping her tears away, the princess sighed and said,
“My golden ball fell into the well. I loved it so dearly.”
The frog paused, then replied,
“If I bring it back to you, will you accept me as your companion? Will you eat with me, talk with me, and let me sleep beside you in your bed?”
The princess barely thought about his words. Lost in her sadness, she muttered to herself, He’s only a frog—what could it matter? Aloud she said quickly,
“Yes, yes! I promise anything you wish. Just bring back my ball!”
At once, the frog dove into the water. After a short while, he resurfaced, holding the golden ball in his mouth, and tossed it onto the grass. The princess cried out with joy, snatched up her toy, and ran away as fast as she could—never once looking back.
“Wait!” the frog called after her. “Take me with you! I can’t run as fast as you!”
But she paid no attention. She hurried home and soon forgot all about the frog and her promise.
The next morning, as the princess sat at the table eating with the king and his court, they heard a strange sound on the marble steps: splish, splat, splish. Then came a knock at the door, and a deep voice called out,
“Little princess, open the door! Remember the promise you made yesterday!”
Terrified, the princess jumped up and opened the door a crack. There stood the frog. With a cry of disgust, she slammed the door shut and rushed back to her seat. Seeing her pale face, the king asked,
“What frightens you so, my child? Is there a giant at the door?”
“No, Father,” she confessed softly. “Yesterday I lost my golden ball in the well. This frog brought it back, and I promised to be his friend. I never thought he would come here.”
The king said gently but firmly,
“A promise is a promise, no matter to whom it is given. You must keep your word.”
Reluctantly, the princess opened the door again. The frog hopped inside and followed her to the table.
“Lift me up,” he said, “and place me beside you. I wish to dine with you.”
Though her heart rebelled, the princess obeyed. The frog ate cheerfully from her golden plate, while she could barely swallow a single bite.
When he had finished, the frog said,
“I am tired now. Take me to your room and prepare your bed. I wish to sleep comfortably.”
At this, the princess shuddered with disgust. She did not even want to touch him. But the king’s voice rang out once more,
“You must not turn away someone who helped you in your hour of need.”
With trembling hands, the princess carried the frog upstairs, holding him as far from her as she could, and set him down in a corner. But as soon as she lay down, the frog crept toward her.
“I want to sleep in your bed,” he croaked. “If you refuse, I shall tell your father.”
Overcome with anger and revulsion, the princess leapt up, grabbed the frog, and hurled him against the wall.
“There!” she cried. “That’s your comfort, you nasty frog!”
But the moment he struck the ground, something extraordinary happened. A soft glow filled the room, and where the frog had lain stood a handsome young prince, radiant and smiling.
“My dear princess,” he said, “I was bound by a wicked spell. A cruel witch transformed me into a frog, and only the closeness of a princess could break the enchantment. You have set me free.”
The next morning, as sunlight streamed through the windows, a magnificent golden carriage arrived at the palace, drawn by eight white horses adorned with plumes and golden chains. At the back stood Heinrich, the prince’s loyal servant.
So great had been Heinrich’s sorrow when his master was turned into a frog that he had bands of iron placed around his heart to keep it from breaking. Now, overflowing with joy, he escorted the prince and princess on their journey.
As the carriage rolled away, loud cracking sounds echoed from within. The prince asked anxiously,
“Heinrich, what was that noise? Is the carriage breaking?”
“No, my lord,” Heinrich replied. “It was one of the iron bands around my heart. Bound by grief, it now breaks with happiness.”
Soon the second and third bands snapped as well, for the prince was free, and joy had replaced sorrow.
Hand in hand, the prince and princess traveled to his kingdom, where they lived in happiness ever after.
And so the tale comes to an end. From the sky, three apples fell: one for the storyteller, one for the listener, and one for all who keep their promises with a true heart.