In olden times when wishing still worked, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful. But the youngest was so beautiful the sun itself was astonished whenever it shone on her face. Close by the king’s castle lay a great dark forest. Under an old lime tree in the forest was a well. When the day was very warm, the king’s youngest child went and sat down by the side of the cool fountain. And when she was bored, she took a golden ball and threw it up high and caught it. This ball was her favorite plaything. On one occasion, the princess’s golden ball did not fall into the little hand she was holding
up for it. It landed on the ground beyond and rolled straight into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but the ball vanished. The well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen. She began to cry, and then she cried louder and louder. “What ails you, king’s daughter?” someone said to her. “You weep so that even a stone would show pity.” The princess looked round to the side from where the voice came and saw a frog. He stretched forth his big, ugly head from the water. “Ah! Old water splasher, is it you?” the princess said. “I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.” “Be quiet and do not weep. I can help you. But what will you give me, if I bring your plaything up again?”
