arriage. This naturally displeased
the ambassadors who had conducted the bride to court, and one of them
inquired indignantly if he meant to put such an insult on the princess
on the word of a mere frog.

'I am not a "mere frog," and I will give you proof of it,' retorted the
angry little creature. And putting on her cap, she cried: Fairies that
are my friends, come hither!' And in a moment a crowd of beautiful
creatures, each one with a crown on her head, stood before her.
Certainly none could have guessed that they were the snails,
water-rats, and grasshoppers from which she had chosen her retinue.

At a sign from the frog the fairies danced a ballet, with which everyone
was so delighted that they begged to have to repeated; but now it was
not youths and maidens who were dancing, but flowers. Then these again
melted into fountains, whose waters interlaced and, rushing down the
sides of the hall, poured out in a cascade down the steps, and formed
a river found the castle, with the most beautiful little boats upon it,
all painted and gilded.

'Oh, let us go in them for a sail!' cried the princess, who had long ago
left her game of ball for a sight of these marvels, and, as she was bent
upon it, the ambassadors, who had been charged never to lose sight of
her, were obliged to go also, though they never entered a boat if they
could help it.

But the moment they and the princess had seated themselves on the soft
cushions, river and boats vanished, and the princess and the ambassadors
vanished too. Instead the snails and grasshoppers and water-rats stood
round the frog in their natural shapes.

'Perhaps,' said she, 'your Majesty may now be convinced that I am a
fairy and speak the truth. Therefore lose no time in setting in order
the affairs of your kingdom and go in search of your wife. Here is
a ring that will admit you into the presence of the queen, and will
likewise allow you to address unharmed the Lion Fairy, though she is the
most terrible creature that ever existed.'

By this time the king had forgotten all about the princess, whom he
had only chosen to please his people, and was as eager to depart on
his journey as the frog was for him to go. He made one of his ministers
regent of the kingdom, and gave the frog everything her heart could
desire; and with her ring on his finger he rode away to the outskirts of
the forest. Here he dismounted, and bidding his horse go home, he pushed
forward on foot.

Having