Scenes, characters, objects and locations of The Frog King
The diagram shows the scenes, characters, objects and locations of the tale and puts them in relation. You can quickly discover who is in relation with whom, with what object and in what scene and location. (Click the image on the right to open the diagram)
The diagram presents the text of the tale in three languages and compares them: German, French and English.
Click the image to open the diagram
Scenes
Text of the 1812 version
Text of the 1857 version
Comments of the 1857 version
and
Comparing Versions
1812 and 1857
1. Introduction
Once upon a time there lived a king’s daughter who went out into the forest and sat down by a refreshing well.
She had a golden ball which was her favorite plaything. She threw it up into the air and caught it and this gave her great pleasure.
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In the old times, when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that even the sun, who has seen so much, marveled every time it shone upon her face.
Near the royal castle there was a great dark wood, and in the wood under an old linden-tree was a well. During hot days, the King’s daughter used to wander into the wood and sit on the edge of the refreshing well. When time dragged out, she would take her golden ball, throw it in the air and catch it, and that was her favorite plaything.
The tales of the Brothers Grimm most often begin with the phrase “Once upon a time” or “long time ago”. This type of sentence puts the reader in another world very far from that experienced by the reader. Especially in this case, as the text says: “when wishing still helped,”. The reader is warned. Everything is possible.
From the beginning, the story evokes the beauty (of the princess), but also the wonderful medieval environment (castle, King), which is not necessarily reassuring (the dark forest).
The favorite game is played by the princess near a well in the dark forest. The type of game, throwing a ball and catching it underlines the princess’s innocence.
The place is doubly distressing: the dark forest and the deep well.
Emphasize here that the German word “Brunnen” can be translated as “fountain” or “well”. In our case we believe it is necessary to choose the word well, for it is nowhere alluded to a jet or a water source, but the “Brunnen” will be later described as very deep so that the princess’s ball disappears from view when it falls into the well.
Fountain would rather be a “Springbrunnen” in Germain.
Comparison of the two versions:
The brothers Grimm added a lot of elements in the version of 1857: the sisters of the princess, their beauty and particularly her own, the forest becomes dark.
In the version of 1812 it seems that the Princess goes into the forest only once. In version 1857, she goes there whenever it was hot .
In the version of 1812, it is rather the ball that was her favorite toy, while in the 1857 version the game with the ball gets favorite.
In the version of 1812 the game gives pleasure. The word disappears in 1857 .
Note that the German term “Lust” we have translated as “pleasure” alludes to a future pleasure. “Lust auf etwas haben ” means that we are now glad to have pleasure in the future.
2. The golden marbre falls in the well
Once the ball went quite high, she had already stretched out her hand and curved her fingers to catch it, when it fell to the ground and rolled and rolled right into the water.
The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes and was scared, but the well was so deep that no ground was to be seen.
Then she began to cry miserably and lamented:
Now it happened once, that the princess’s golden ball did not fall back into her tiny hand, that she held up, but instead it fell to the ground and rolled right into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes as it sank, but the well was deep, so deep that she could not see the bottom. Then she began to weep, and she wept louder and louder and could not console herself.
It is not by mistake that she loses her ball: “Now it happened once, that the princess’s golden ball did not fall back into her tiny hand, that she held up, but instead it fell to the ground and rolled right into the water.” This arrives one day without any intervention.
The princess’s favorite toy falls into the deep well and disappears.
The princess loses her childhood.
The princess does not jump into the water to retrieve her favorite toy in the depths (she did not even think to do so), but cries of despair.
Comparison 1812/1857
Both versions are very close.
3. The frog asks why she is crying
“Oh! If I could get back my ball, I would give anything, my clothes, my precious stones, my pearls and anything in the world.”
While she was lamenting, a frog stuck his head out of the water and said:
“King’s daughter, why are you complaining so miserably?
“Oh”, she said, “you revolting frog, how could you help me! My golden ball has fallen into the well.”
And while she was lamenting, someone called out to her: “King’s daughter, what is your purpose, your crying could make a stone merciful. As she looked around to see where the voice came from, she saw a frog stretching his thick ugly head out of the water. “Oh, it’s you, old water-splasher,” she said. “I am grieving my golden ball that has fallen into the well.”
Comparison 1812/1857
In version 1812, the princess says to the frog that he is revolting, while in the version of 1857, the descriptive text attributes an ugly head to the frog. The way the princess addresses the frog let us believe that they have already met.
4. The frog offers help against reward
“Be still and stop crying,” answered the frog. “I can help you, but what will you give me if I bring up your plaything again?”
The frog has an authoritarian attitude (“Be still and stop crying,”).
He is willing to help, but he requires a reward.
5. The princess’s proposal
“Whatever you desire, dear frog,” she said, “my clothes, my pearls and precious stones, and even the golden crown that I am wearing.”
The princess is ready to give him all that is dear to her.
6. The frog’s claims
The frog said: I do not require your pearls, your precious stones nor your clothes, but if you will accept me as your companion, and let me sit next to you and eat from your tiny golden plate and sleep in your tiny bed and if you will cherish and love me, then I’ll bring your ball back to you.”
The frog answered, “I do not want your clothes, your pearls nor your precious stones and your golden crown, but if you will love me and accept me as a companion and playmate, and let me sit next to you at your table and eat from your tiny golden plate and drink from your tiny cup and sleep in your tiny bed, if you will promise this to me, then I’ll dive down and bring your golden ball back to you.”
The frog wants something quite different. He wants a relationship.
On the one hand this relationship is presented as a child relationship ( “accept me as a companion and playmate, and let me sit next to you at your table” ),
on the other, it goes much further ( “if you will love me …., let me eat from your tiny golden plate and drink from your tiny cup and sleep in your tiny bed” ).
Comparison 1812/1857
Both versions are practically identical. They differ primarily by the sequence of demands in the list: the demand for love comes last in the list of 1812 and first in 1857.
Note that in German the Grimm brothers use the terms ” werth und “lieb haben”.
“Werth haben”: is no longer used; it could be translated as “cherish”.
“Lieb haben”: we have translated with “love”. But we have to put this in perspective because “lieb haben” is weaker than “lieben”. “Lieben” would be “to love” while “lieb haben” would rather be “like” (I like you). The word” love “is therefore a bit too strong in the translation.
7. The princess’s consent
The king’s daughter thought: “What rubbish this foolish frog is talking, anyway, he has to remain in his water, though perhaps he can get my ball, I just have to agree; and she said: “Yes, if you like, just get me back my golden ball first, everything shall be promised to you.”
“Oh, yes,” she said, “I promise all to you if you will just bring the ball back to me.” But she thought, “What a rubbish is this foolish frog talking? He sits here in the water with his own kind and croaks. He cannot be a companion to a human.”
From the beginning, the princess is not sincere in giving her promise.
She does not argue with the frog and ignores the wishes of the latter.
The only important thing for her is to get back her toy.
Comparison 1812/1857
Although there are differences in detail, there is no significant change.
8. The frog retrieves the golden marble
The frog stuck his head under the water and dove down, and before long, so he came up again, carrying the ball in his mouth and he threw it onto the land.
As soon as the frog heard her promise he disappeared under water and dove down. After a while, he came up with the ball in his mouth and threw it on the grass.
What seemed impossible for the Princess is a breeze for the frog, without difficulty or obstacle.
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant difference.
9. The princess’s response
When the king’s daughter saw her ball again, she quickly ran towards it, picked it up and she was so happy to be holding it in her hand again that she didn’t think about anything else, but hurried home with it.
The frog called after her: “Wait, king’s daughter, and take me with you, as you promised”; but she ignored it.
The King’s daughter was filled with joy as she saw her beautiful plaything again, picked it up, and ran off with it. “Wait, wait,” cried the frog, “take me along, I cannot run as fast as you.” But all his loud croaking could not help. She ignored it, hurried home and soon she had forgotten all about the poor frog, who had to return down in his well again.
Also after the service provided by the frog, the princess ignores his wishes as well as her promise. She does it on purpose, because in the text the authors use the term “ignore” rather than “not hear” (“She ignored it”).
She goes home despite hearing the frog’s wishes.
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant change.
10. The frog knocks at the door
The next day the king’s daughter was sitting at the table, when she heard something coming up the marble stairs, splish-splash! Soon thereafter there was a knock at the door and a voice cried: “King’s daughter, youngest, open the door for me!”
She ran and opened the door, it was the frog, whom she had not thought of anymore; She had a fright and she quickly slammed the door shut and sat down at the table again.
The next day the king’s daughter was sitting at the table, when she heard something coming up the marble stairs, splish-splash! Soon thereafter there was a knock at the door and a voice cried: “King’s daughter, youngest, open the door for me!”
She ran and opened the door, it was the frog, whom she had not thought of anymore; She had a fright and she quickly slammed the door shut and sat down at the table again.
Things get complicated for the princess. She has her toy and is safe in her father’s castle. But things are not like before. She has a debt and she’s scared. There is a threat. Life becomes serious.
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant change.
11. The princess’s explanations to the king
But the king saw that her heart was beating, and he said:
“Why are you afraid?”
“Outside there is a revolting frog”, she said, “who fetched my golden ball from the water, for this, I promised him he should be my companion, but I never thought that he could get out of his water, now he is outside the door and wants to get in.”
The king clearly saw that her heart was beating very fast and asked, “My child, why are you afraid? Is there a giant outside the door who wants to get you?”
“Oh no,” she answered, “it is no giant, but a revolting frog.” “What does the frog want from you?” “O dear father, yesterday when I was sitting in the wood by the well, playing, my golden ball fell into the water. And because I was crying, the frog brought it back to me, and because he required so, I promised him that he could be my companion, but I never thought that he could leave his water. But now he is just outside and wants to come in to me.”
The king quickly sees the fear of his child. He reacts with understanding and kindness, “My child, why are you afraid??”
The king listens patiently to the princess’s sincere story. Here the princess is not trying to cheat. Her attitude to her father is not the same as to the frog.
Is she hoping for help?
Comparison 1812/1857
The 1857 text is much longer, having a more elaborate conversation between father and daughter. There is no significant difference, however.
12. The frog calling again
Just then there was a second knock at the door and a voice called:
“King’s daughter, youngest,
open the door.
Don’t you remember what you told me yesterday
down by the chilly well?
King’s daughter, youngest,
open the door for me!”
Just then a second knock at the door and a calling:
“King’s daughter, youngest,
open to me,
don’t you know what yesterday,
you said to me down by the chilly well?
King’s daughter, youngest,
open to me!”
The frog does not beg, he requires and reminds her promise to the princess.
Comparison 1812/1857
Identical texts.
13. The king’s decision
The king said: “What you have promised, you must keep. Go and open the door for the frog.”
Then the king said: “What you have promised, you must keep. Just go and let it in.”
The king recalls the moral rule : you must keep your promises.
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant change.
14. The frog’s desires
She obeyed and the frog hopped in and followed her up to her chair, and when she had sat down again, he cried:
“Lift me up to a chair beside you.”
The king’s daughter did not want to, but the king ordered her to do so.
When the frog was on the chair, he said: “Now push your tiny golden plate closer, I want to eat out of it with you.
This she had to do as well.
When he had eaten his fill, he said: “Now I am tired and I want to sleep, take me up to your tiny room, arrange your tiny bed, so that we may lie down.”
She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in following her up to her chair. He sat there and cried, “Lift me up next to you.” She hesitated, until finally the king ordered her to do so.
Once the frog was on the chair, he wanted to get on the table, and when he sat there, he said: “Now push your golden plate closer, so that we may eat together.” And although she did so, everybody could see how unwilling she was.
The frog enjoyed his meal, but for her, almost every bite stuck in her throat. Finally he said, “I ate my fill and I am tired; now carry me to your tiny room and arrange your silky tiny bed, where we will lay down to sleep.
In a simple and direct way, the frog firmly demands what the princess had promised. The frog is supported by the king as he gives order to the princess to do what she promised when she hesitates.
The frog does not consider the hesitations and other negative feelings of the princess, but he ensures that his own desires are satisfied. The text says “And although she did so, everybody could see how unwilling she was.”
Both live the encounter differently: The frog “enjoyed his meal,”, while for the princess “almost every bite stuck in her throat.”
Finally, the frog asks the princess to sleep in her room. This also is part of the promise: “drink from your tiny cup and sleep in your tiny bed.”
Comparison 1812/1857
The version of 1857 is more elaborated. It goes into details concerning the feelings of rejection by the princess.
A significant difference is in the last sentence.
In English 1812: “so that we may lie down”; 1857: “where we will lay down to sleep”
In German 1812: “da wollen wir uns hineinlegen”; 1857: “da wollen wir uns schlafen legen”
“hinlegen” becomes “schlafen legen” in 1857.
“schlafen legen” means “lay down to sleep”, “hinlegen” does not specify what will be done after laying down.
15. The princess takes the frog to her room
The king’s daughter was horrified, when she heard this, she was afraid of the cold frog, she didn’t dare to touch him and now he should lie next to her in her bed; she began to weep and really didn’t want to.
Then the king got angry and ordered her at the risk of disgrace, to do what she had promised.There was no helping it, she had to do what her father wanted, but in her heart she was bitterly angry. She picked up the frog with two fingers and carried him up to her room, …
The princess began to weep and was afraid of the cold frog, which she did not dare to touch, and who now was to sleep in her beautiful, clean bed.
The king became angry and said, “You should not despise someone who has helped you in time of need.” So she picked him up with two fingers, carried him upstairs, and sat him in a corner.
This text now clearly describes the fear and disgust of the desperate princess. It opposes the cool frog to the clean bed.
Again, the king orders: *You should not despise someone who has helped you in time of need.”. The king has no pity.
The princess obeyes, but her feelings about the frog remain those of rejection. She does not accept him: ” the princess grabbed the frog with two fingers, got it in his room and placed in a corner.”
Comparison 1812/1857
The difference here lies in the argument of the king. In the version of 1812, the Princess risks disgrace, while the 1857 version is more moralizing : “You should not despise someone who has helped you in time of need.”
16. The frog demands to come in the princess’s bed
… got into her bed …
But as she was lying in bed, he came creeping up and said, “I am tired, and I want to sleep as well as you do; pick me up or I’ll tell your father.”
With the frog, no way to escape her fate. He still does not take into account the feelings of the princess and does not hesitate to have recourse to the supreme authority to get his due : ” pick me up or I’ll tell your father.”
Comparison 1812/1857
In verssion of 1812, the princess takes the frog into her bed. In the 1857 version, she puts the frog in the corner. He then requires coming into her bed and threatenes to talk to her father.
17. The pricess bitterly angry
… and instead of laying him next to her, she threw him splash! against the wall;
“now you will leave me in peace, you revolting frog!”
With that she became bitterly angry and threw him with all her strength against the wall. “Now you will have your peace, you revolting frog!”
The contrast is strong: The beautiful innocent princess commits an aggressive act as repugnant as is the frog.
This aggressive act can be considered as the acceptance of her deep and negative impulses.
When the ball falls into the deep well, the princess did not even think to recover it from the depths. Now she accepts depth of her impulses.
Comparison 1812/1857
In both cases, the princess throws the frog against the wall because she is angry. But the reasons for the anger seem a little different :
- In version 1812 it is very clear that anger stems from the fact that the princess rebels because she must take the frog into her bed.
- In version 1857, anger comes after the threat of the frog.
A detail : the difference between “you leave me in peace” (nun wirst du mich in Ruh lassen) and “Now you will have your peace” (Nun wirst du Ruhe haben). In the first case the princess says that the frog has not left her in peace, while the second it is the frog who will find peace.
18. The prince …
But the frog did not fall down as dead, instead when he came down onto the bed, he was a handsome young prince.He was now her dear companion, and she cherished him as she had promised, …
But as he fell down, he was not a frog, but a son of king with beautiful and friendly eyes. He was now, according to her father’s will, her dear companion and husband.
The text of the tale does not describe the frog’s crush against the wall. It ignores this indecent moment.
The aggressive act of the princess is rewarded with a change of circumstances: the revolting frog is a prince with beautiful and kind eyes.
There is no mention of transformation “as he fell down, he was not a frog, but a son of king”. As if the prince had never been a frog. The German text is clear: “Als er aber herabfiel, war er kein Frosch, sondern ein Königssohn”.
Then an astonishing sentence: “He was now, according to her father’s will, her dear companion and husband.” First, there is no previous text in the tale which states what the king wants. He only orders the princess to keep her promises. And so far the vocabulary used was that of childhood. Now an adult vocabulary is used: “companion”, but especially “husband”.
When the frog expresses his claim before retrieving the ball:
“if you will love me,and accept me ass a companion and playmate, and let me sit next to you at your tiny table and eat from your tiny golden plate and drink from your tiny cup and sleep in your tiny bed”
When the frog is at table in the dining room of the castle, he repeats his vows, but he goes further in the expression of the latter:
“arrange your silky tiny bed, where we will lay down to sleep”.
Indeed, the frog had expressed the desire to sleep in the princess’s bed. In the passage above, it becomes clear that the princess will also be in the bed.
Comparison 1812/1857
Both versions do not talk of transformation, as if the frog had been an illusion, because it was still prince.
The 1857 text adds beautiful and kind eyes.
In the first version, the prince becomes her beloved companion and she cherished him because she had promised. In the 1857 version the companion is loved (and not liked) and he becomes husband. This version goes further in the quality of love and social ties.
What is fundamental : if in the first version their relation is the result of a promise, in the second version, it is the wishes of the father are mentioned.
19. … explains
… and they happily fell asleep together.
Now he told her how he had been enchanted by a wicked witch, and that she alone could have released him from the well, and that tomorrow they would go together to his kingdom. Then they fell asleep …
It is the princess who delivers the prince of the bewitchment.
It is the prince who makes the projects “tomorrow they would go together to his kingdom.” The princess is now passive. The text says : “Then they fell asleep …”. Some translations specify “one beside the other” but the German text does not make this precision.
The prince and princess then spend the night together without being married . This is the second time that the tale violates morality.
Comparison 1812/1857
The version of 1857 explains the condition of bewitchment of the prince. Note that here either we do not speak of transformation. The action of the Princess is described as liberating. It is the prince who makes the projects.
Lets compare the following texts by adding the original German text:
English 1812: “and they happily fell asleep together.”; 1857: “they fell asleep”
German 1812: “sie schliefen vergnügt zusammen ein”; 1857: “schliefen sie ein”
The way of falling asleep is different here. The term ” vergnügt” can be translated with “happily”. There is a cheerful aspect. This disappears in the version of 1857.
20. A carriage arrived
In the morning a splendid carriage, drawn by eight horses, wearing feathers and of a golden shimmer arrived, with the prince’s faithful Henry, …
… and the next morning, when the sun woke them, a carriage pulled up, drawn by eight white horses which had white ostrich feathers on their heads and were outfitted with chains of gold and at the rear stood the young king’s servant, this was faithful Henry.
It’s a beautiful day with plenty of sunshine.
The transportation is noble, worthy of this kind of couple.
In addition there is the faithful Henri showing that the prince deserves faithfulness and he is reassuring for a journey to an unknown world for the princess.
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant change.
21. Faithful Henry takes them to the prince’s kingdom
… who had been so saddened by his transformation, that he had to put three iron bands around his heart, to keep it from bursting in sorrow.
The prince sat in the carriage with the king’s daughter, whereas faithful Henry was standing at the rear, so they were to drive to his kingdom.
Faithful Henry had been so saddened when his master was transformed into a frog that he had placed three iron bands around his heart to keep it from bursting in grief and sorrow. The carriage was to take the king back to his kingdom;
faithful Henry lifted them both inside, took his place at the rear and he was filled with joy over the redemption.
The faithful Henry suffers with his master. He is his shadow.
To prevent his heart from bursting (because of grief), he has put iron bands around.
Comparison 1812/1857
In the version of 1812, it is not the prince who says that they will go to his kingdom, but they both want it.
22. Henry’s belts break
And when they had gone a part of the way, the prince heard a loud crack from behind, he turned around and said:
“Henry, the carriage is falling apart!”
“No, lord, it is but the ring around my heart,
which endured great pain,
when as a frog in the well you did remain.”
Once again, and then again, the prince heard a cracking and thought: the carriage was breaking, but it was only the bands, that were springing from faithful Henry’s heart because his master was now redeemed and happy.
And when they had gone a part of the way, the prince heard a crack from behind, as though something had broken. He turned around and said,
“Henry, the carriage is falling apart!”
“No, lord, it is but the ring around my heart,
which endured great pain,
when as a frog in the well you did remain.”
Once again, and then again there was a cracking sound, and the king’s son thought that the carriage was breaking, but we know it was only the bands springing from faithful Henry’s heart because his master was now redeemed and happy.
The iron rings burst. Henry does not need them anymore. He is no longer in pain, but in the deliverance and happiness.
Note:
In German Henry’s “rhyme” ends with “als Ihr eine Fretsche wast.” The word “Fretsche” is replaced in some German texts by “Frosch”, which means frog. Already in the first manuscript it was annotated to that with “Fretsche” the authors meant “Frosch” (frog).
In the English translations we have the word frog.
I hesitate to accept that “Fretsche” and “Frosch” (frog) are synonyms. It is a research to be done. Why do authors have used “Fretsche” rather than “Frosch” if one and the other mean the same thing.
The word “Fretsche” is very close to “frech”, which means insolent. Did the authors want to emphasize the insolent attitude of the frog who does not hesitate to go to the castle and claim what had been promised (require to join the princess in her bed).
Comparison 1812/1857
No significant change.
Characters
Presentation of the characters
To see the texts that correspond to the characters, please consult the interactive sociogram of the tale “The Frog King or Iron Henry”.
Comparison of versions 1812 and 1857
The princess
The beauty of the princess is apparent and visible to everyone.
The princess is simple by the type of toy that she prefers.
The princess is innocent. She does not notice the danger of losing the ball when playing near the well.
The princess was a child. She will become adult by an impulsive act.
The second version is significantly longer than the first. The brother Grimm added the other daughters of the king and they describe the forest as being dark.
The second version insists on the beauty of the princess. The first version does not mention her beauty.
In the second version, the princess goes to the fresh well when it is hot. In the first version, the heat is not the motivation to go near the well.
In the second version the princess plays her favorite the game when she is bored. In the first version this is not the motif of the game and the word “pleasure” is used.
The King
The king is the head of the family.
The princess ‘s relationship with the rest of the family exists only by him.
The princess ‘s sisters are only mentioned. The queen is not even mentioned.
The king gives orders to the princess to keep her promise and to move beyond her repulsion towards the frog.
He wants the frog to become her companion.
The king’s daughters
The tale speaks only once of the princess’s sisters: they are all beautiful.
It is assumed (without it being explicitly stated) that they are present in the dining room.
Unlike other fairy tales (Cinderella), the sisters play no active role. There is no conflict or rivalry.
In the version of 1812, the princess’s sisters are not mentioned.
The frog
The frog is an animal prone to metamorphosis.
Contrast between the beauty of the princess and the frog.
Repellent appearance.
In certain translations, the word “Frosch” (male German word) is translated as “Toad”. This is quite understandable , for “toad” underlines the repulsive aspect of the character. We prefer “frog” because the word “toad” is the translation of ” Kröte ” and not “Frosch”.
The courtiers
Their presence shows that the dining room is a place of society.
The courtiers are not mentioned in the version of 1812.
The prince
The same character is first seen as a repugnant and insolent beast, then it becomes a king’s son with kind and beautiful eyes. After an aggressive act of the princess , the best becomes husband.
The text of 1857 adds the the prince’s kind eyes.
It also adds the witch and explains that she had bewitched the prince.
The witch
The witch is not mentioned in the release of 1812.
The eight horses
The horses carry the prince and princess to their future.
In general, the horse represents the body wherein the human being is located.
In the 18th and 19th centuries there were ostrich feathers on many coats of arms. In antiquity they represented the balance and justice.
The same is true of the number 8 which in addition refers to the infinite. Golden chains emphasize the nobility and purity of the trip.
In the text of 1857 the feathers become ostrich feathers.
The Iron Henry
The valet is often considered as the shadow of his master.
His presence is comforting and shows that the prince is trustworthy.
Lets emphasize the passiveness of the valet. He does nothing except bring them into the carriage.
In the 1812 version, the faithful Henry is absolutely passive.
His activity is to stand at the back of the carriage.
It is he who is suffering because of the misfortune of his master.
Objects
Description
The golden ball
The golden ball is the princess’s favorite plaything.
The ball is the symbol of perfection and integrity.
This is what the princess as child loses. She will get them back later.
Here we could discuss the translation of the German word “Kugel”.
“Kugel” is a sphere. The question however is that of how big it is. The German word Kugel does not answer this question as a “Kugel” can be small or large . It can be used in civil as in the military context ( bullet of a gun or a canon).
We opted for the word “ball” but we hesitate between ball and marble.
The iron bands
“Faithful Henry had been so saddened when his master was transformed into a frog that he had placed three iron bands around his heart to keep it from bursting in grief and sorrow.”
Locations
Description
The well
“Near the royal castle there was a great dark wood, and in the wood under an old linden-tree was a well; during hot days, the King’s daughter used to wander into the wood and sit on the edge of the refreshing well.”
“… the well was deep, so deep that she could not see the bottom.”
The well is :
- deep; so deep that the princess cannot see the ball at the bottom.
- refreshing; the princess goes there to play in hot weather.
- scary; even when her favorite toy fell into the well, the princess did not even think to enter in to retrieve it.
For the frog, however, the world is quite commonplace. He retrieves the ball without any hindrance, without any feeling of anxiety. Get the ball is easy for him.
The depth of the well can be compared to the depth of our interior.
The dining room
It is in the dining room of the castle that “… the King’s daughter was sitting around the table with the King and all the people of the court, and eating from her tiny golden plate, ” .
The frog is welcomed in this room by order of the king.
The dining room is the meeting place with the family, but also with the society.
The princess can eat in its small golden plate. Gold highlights the purity of the food that can be spiritual. Indeed, it is not clear what she eats.
This is the place where business is settled. Here the king decides the behavior of the princess.
The bedroom
By order of the king, the princess agrees that the frog accompanies her to her bedroom. She must keep the promise given in return for a service.
The bedroom is the most intimate place.
This is the place where dreams are dreamt, but also where sexuality is lived.
The carriage
” … a carriage pulled up, drawn by eight white horses which had white ostrich feathers on their heads and were outfitted with chains of gold and at the rear stood the young king’s servant, this was faithful Henry.”
Eight horses were required for hitching a carriage carrying a monarch.
A carriage is a noble mobile cabin.
The journey to be undertaken is particularly reassuring that the faithful Henri will accompany them.
