d it up,
and ran away with it. "Wait, wait," said the frog; "take me with thee;
I can't run as thou canst." But what did it avail him to scream his
croak, croak, after her, as loudly as he could? She did not listen to
it, but ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who was forced to go
back into his well again.

The next day, when she had seated herself at the table with the King
and all the courtiers and was eating from her little golden plate,
something came creeping splish splash, splish splash, up the marble
staircase, and when it had got to the top, it knocked at the door and
cried, "Princess, youngest princess, open the door for me." She ran to
see who was outside, but when she opened the door, there sat the frog
in front of it. Then she slammed the door to, in great haste, sat down
to dinner again, and was quite frightened. The King saw plainly that
her heart was beating violently, and said, "My child, what art thou so
afraid of? Is there perchance a giant outside who wants to carry thee
away?" "Ah, no," replied she, "it is no giant, but a disgusting frog."

"What does the frog want with thee?" "Ah, dear father, yesterday when
I was in the forest sitting by the well, playing, my golden ball fell
into the water. And because I cried so the frog brought it out again
for me, and because he insisted so on it, I promised him he should be
my companion; but I never thought he would be able to come out of his
water! And now he is outside there, and wants to come in to me."

In the meantime it knocked a second time, and cried

"Princess! youngest princess!
Open the door for me!
Dost thou not know what thou saidst to me
Yesterday by the cool waters of the fountain!
Princess, youngest princess!
Open the door for me!"

Then said the King, "That which thou has promised must thou perform.
Go and let him in." She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped
in and followed her, step by step, to her chair. There he sat still
and cried, "Lift me up beside thee." She delayed, until at last the
King commanded her to do it. When the frog was once on the chair he
wanted to be on the table, and when he was on the table he said, "Now,
push thy little golden plate nearer to me that we may eat together."
She did this, but it was easy to see that she did not do it willingly.
The frog enjoyed what he ate, but almost every mouthful she took
choked her. At length he said, "I have eaten and am satisfied; now I
am tired, ca