Legend says that one of the king's daughters will find a husband befitting her status by means of a golden ball. So the king calls his daughters to see which one of them it could be.

The first drops the ball, the second one too, but the youngest princess catches it and skips out, overjoyed, to play with the lovely thing. But the ball falls into a deep well.

Sitting in the well is a frog who talks to her and demands that she take him with her if he gives her back her ball. Glad to have her toy back, the princess all but forgets about the poor frog and runs home to the castle.

The frog, however, follows her and will not be rejected. He gains entrance to the castle and shares their table by order of the king, who says "A promise is a promise."

Once more the king reminds his youngest of her promise - and suddenly the frog transforms into a handsome young prince, to the utter amazement of the king and the princess. The legend has come true, and his youngest daughter receives a royal wedding.

Christel Strobel