Once upon a time, there lived a man and his wife with their pretty daughter. Unfortunately, the man’s wife died. The man married again. But the new stepmother hated the girl, for the girl was more beautiful than she. She kept thinking of ways to trouble her stepdaughter.
One day, she gave her a sieve and told her to fetch water in it from the well of the World’s End. The girl didn’t know where the well was but she began to search for it. On the way, she met a woman bent double with old age. The old woman gave her the directions and soon the girl reached the well.
She was puzzled because every time she filled the sieve, the water drained out of it.
“How will I carry water home in this sieve?” she wondered, “Stepmother will be so angry!”
Just then, a large ugly frog with big eyes jumped out of the well and sat on its wall. “I can help you,” he said, “But for that, you will have to promise to do whatever I ask you to do at night! If you earnestly promise, then I’ll fill your sieve.”
The girl was desperate, so she promised. The frog put moss and clay into the sieve. This plugged all the holes in it and the girl was able to fill it up with water and carried it home. Her stepmother was very angry seeing that the girl had succeeded in doing the difficult task, but she smiled and wondered how to trouble her now.
That night, the frog arrived at their house. He reminded the girl about her promise. She was very unhappy but had to keep the promise. And her stepmother was delighted to see her stepdaughter obeying the ugly frog.
“I wish to sit on your knee,” said the frog and he demanded some food from her plate. The girl fed him bread and milk.
When it was time to sleep, the frog insisted on sleeping in her bed. Much against her wish, she put him on the bed. They slept together on one bed.
“Now, chop off my head!” said the frog. The girl was horrified. But, remembering the promise, she chopped off his head.
Suddenly, there stood a handsome prince! He had been enchanted by a wicked wizard and forced to live as a frog till he was set free by a maiden who did whatever he asked. And the Prince married the beautiful girl and took her away from her jealous stepmother. They lived happily thereafter in his large palace.
