The King noticed how quickly her heart was beating and said, »My child, what are you afraid of? Is there a giant standing at the door ready to carry you away?«—»Oh no,« answered she; »no giant, but a horrid frog.«—»And what does the frog want?« asked the King. »O dear father,« answered she, »when I was near the well yesterday, playing with my golden ball, it fell into the water, and while I was crying for the loss of it, the frog came and got it again for me on condition I would let him be my companion, but I never thought that he could leave the water and come after me, but now there he is outside the door and he wants to come in to me.«
And then they all heard him knocking the second time and crying,
»Youngest King's daughter,
Open to me!
By the well water
What promised you me?
Youngest King's daughter
Now open to me!«
»That which thou hast promised must thou perform,« said the King; »so go now and let him in.«
So she went and opened the door and the frog hopped in, following at her heels, till she reached her chair. Then he stopped and cried, »Lift me up to sit by you.« But she delayed doing so until the King ordered her. When once the frog was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table, and there he sat and said, »Now push your golden plate a little nearer so that we may eat together.« And so she did, but every morsel seemed to stick in her throat, so much was she afraid of the wet frog.
»I have had enough now,« said the frog at last, »and as I am tired, you must carry me to your room and make ready your silken bed, and we will lie down and go to sleep.« Then the King's daughter began to weep and was afraid of the cold frog, that nothing would satisfy him but he must sleep in her pretty clean bed. Now the King grew angry with her, saying, »That which thou hast promised in thy time of necessity, must thou now perform.«